There are no main characters. Only those who have seen everything know this truth.

• • •

In a world known as Everlasting, a particular character was running for his life…

When the tides of the barren sea rose, a boat came ashore. On it was an old man. He wore a brown cloak that swayed with the wind coming from inland.

He raised the staff in his hand and froze in place. He swept his vision across the beach, and only when he found them empty did he release a sigh. He lowered it and jumped down from his boat.

Across the beach was a thick forest and a thick black plume of smoke hovered a distance away. This old man's name was Gilgamore.

He was from a distant land full of blood and gore. He smiled as he sensed peace, at last. His pursuers never caught up to him, who was a fugitive.

"Ahahaha… I killed him. I killed him… And I'm still alive. Hahahahahaha!" Gilgamore joyously laughed.

He looked deranged, but he paid no heed to his looks. He was too happy to care. After all, only those that were dead had morals in this world.

"Who are you?"

"Hm?"

The old man raised his head in dissatisfaction. He saw a young man staring at him with hostile intentions. Gilgamore relaxed as he remembered he was a powerhouse from where he came. The adrenaline from his furious escape almost let a young kid scare him.

That would have been embarrassing.

"This is the land of the star seekers. You are an outsider. Return or die."

The young man's voice was filled with power. Gilgamore couldn't help but grow serious at the mention of the forbidden land.

"I have this."

Gilgamore opened his palm and revealed a blinding white bead. The young man whose name was still unknown raised an eyebrow. A greedy glint shone within his blue pupils.

He was already dashing in appearance, but this motion only made him more charming. Alas, the old man was the only one here to witness.

"That is not enough."

Gilgamore was so confident, but his face turned blue, green, and finally, pale. It was a known fact that death came to those who held a Star Bead. Trading it to a Star Seeker was possible, but if you failed, they would use all means necessary to take it.

"Do you have more?"

Sensing that he could gain a Star Bead, the Star Seeker pressed his foot deeper into the sand in preparation.

"..."

Gilgamore stared at the man, and he couldn't hold back the sweat which poured down his face.

He was doomed the moment he stepped on this land. He was a powerhouse, but the Land of the Star Seekers was an anomaly.

Without a word, Gilgamore turned to flee. The Star Seeker didn't worry and calmly watched the desperate but futile attempt of the old man to escape.

A few seconds later, the Star Seeker, Albert, pressed his right foot deeper into the sand and took a shallow breath.

With a thunderous boom, a cloud of sand rained behind him.

He swung his arm like a sword and a bright flash blinded the area. He appeared before Gilgamore with a cold look on his face.

"Die!"

Gilgamore saw his life flash before his eyes. His fear reached a peak and a realization entered his head as the sword-arm neared.

(My pursuers led me here—!)

Albert's Star Blade sliced through the old man's skull with ease. Blood and brain splattered everywhere. He swiped down and the blood splattered onto the sand.

For Albert, this was a common occurrence. His power came from his connection to the Land of the Star Seekers, the supreme power from the starry sky. Anyone from outside had no power in their land.

"It's not every day you'd get a free Star Bead from a foolish outsider."

Albert's mood was good after his encounter with Gilgamore. While playing with the bead, he walked towards the billowing smoke in the forest.

As he stepped foot on the sand, he noticed his vision separate and diverge from each other. He didn't have the chance to think further as his mind turned black as he died.

The left and right halves of his body fell and blood spread everywhere.

"The Mantis stalks the Cicada unaware of the Oriole behind," a man wearing tight green clothing said as he stood behind the dead Albert while hefting a long sword, the edge of which glinted sharply like a razor's edge.

The outfit of this man was strange. There were bits of leaves sticking out all over his tight clothing as if it was an attempt to camouflage in the canopies of the surrounding trees.

"Albert… So that's your name. I've been waiting for the day you let your guard down."

This man's name was Vanguard. He was an outsider with no mission except to gather resources for his Sword Truth.

Vanguard searched through Albert's pockets and looted all of his belongings. Many of which were Star Beads and various magical objects that only Star Seekers could use.

Vanguard looked over and saw that Gilgamore's boat was still close and hadn't drifted far. He jumped onto it and sailed home.

It was a bountiful harvest. Vanguard changed into a black robe that covered his head.

"Off to the Red Sea."

Vanguard smirked a bit. He couldn't suppress the joy he felt for succeeding.

Up ahead was a vast sea known as the Red Sea. It wasn't named because of its color but because of the frequency of deaths in this sea region. This sea had never turned red, but it might as well be as who knew the countless liters of blood that poured onto it due to the innumerable deaths over the years.

Pirates, mafias, powerful organizations, powerful people, and sea monsters have all contributed significantly.

A few days passed without any trouble. The sea was calm and relaxed throughout Vanguard's journey. It was uncharacteristic of the Red Sea he was familiar with.

A sudden foreboding feeling crept behind Vanguard's back. He didn't hesitate and jumped out of the boat.

A massive shadow appeared underwater and broke through the thin film of water to reveal a gigantic whale several times larger than the boat. Unlike normal whales, this one had several rows of sharp teeth.

It flew up high. It chomped on the boat, and it shattered into sawdust.

The Bloody Whale fell onto the surface and created a massive splash of water.

"I'm dead…" Vanguard was terrified beyond his mind.

The calmness of the Red Sea was a facade brought by this terrifying being; it was so big its teeth were half as big as Vanguard who was a fully grown adult.

Vanguard closed his eyes and hoped for a quick death. The Bloody Whale swam back and headed for him. A sword master like him was powerless in water.

Crunch. Munch.

Vanguard was eaten. He was lucky and unlucky at the same time; lucky for his quick and painless death, and unlucky for his untimely encounter with such a beast.

The Blood Whale swam away in a random direction hoping to find its next target. Every being in the Red Sea avoided it with passion, hoping not to be its next meal.

This creature was part of the reason this region was called the Red Sea. Only blood could escape through its several rows of sharp teeth thus earning it the name 'Bloody Whale'.

It swam for a whole month. Not stopping or resting. Sometimes it would encounter magic-wielders who would barrage it with spells only to realize it was useless before they were eaten alive. Its appetite was strong and could eat anything.

Any and all that entered its stomach would dissolve and turn to its nutrients.

As a living being, it released excrement out of its hole and a shiny item sparkled within it as it fell to the bottom of the sea…

Deep below, a fish happily swam and saw the flash of light created by the sparkly object within the excrement. As was the circle of life, the fish gulped the excrement together with the sparkly object.