"Long ago, Abyss attached the human realm. Braking the laws of the realms the gate of Abyss appeared in our world. Countless monster came out of it, they slaughtered human, eating their souls. Became stronger and stronger with every soul they ate. Among these chaos the emperor arised, wearing the crown of gods. He protected all human, sealed the Lords of the Abyss. Forbidding them from ever leaving the deept of Abyss. He became the first ruler of human world, The Emperor of all human. Before his last breath, he divided his crown into thirteen different parts. Giving it to his thirteen children. By the power of the crown, they became the Kings, protector of the realm."
Jin read the story book.
'Mother used to read this story every night, before bed." Jin thought, 'Every time I read this I feel a strange peace inside.'
"I suppose I should be sleeping now "
Jin turned off the lights.
[Mathematician: Sleep×100%]
He slept almost immediately.
" Jin....Jin... Why?Why?Why did you let us died"
Jin waked up after hearing some strange noises. Gasping, he was out of breath. He tried to control his breath. He felt sick with apprehension.
[Mathematician: anxieties×0]
He instantly calmed down.
"That's why I hate sleeping."
[Mathematician: sleep ×0]
His sleep vanished completely, leaving him restless. He got out of bed, his feet softly hitting the cold floor, and made his way to the terrace. The night was quiet, save for the occasional whisper of wind, carrying with it the faint scent of dew. He stepped outside, feeling the cool breeze brush against his skin, and made his way to the edge of the terrace. There, he sat on the boundary, letting his legs dangle over the side.
As he took a deep breath, a sense of calm washed over him. The tension that had gripped him moments ago seemed to loosen, and he sighed in quiet relief. He tilted his head back, letting his gaze travel upward to the sky above. The stars were scattered across the night like tiny diamonds, twinkling softly against the vast darkness. For a moment, he lost himself in their beauty, feeling small yet strangely comforted under the endless expanse of the universe.
The night sky was illuminated by a myriad of stars, each twinkling brightly as if telling its own story. They seemed to weave together, forming intricate constellations that stretched across the heavens. Some were familiar, while others appeared like distant, mysterious patterns. The stars shimmered in a mesmerizing array of colors—brilliant reds, deep purples, icy blues, soft yellows, and countless others. Their glow painted the sky in a breathtaking display, as if the universe itself had come alive with light. The vastness and beauty of the scene filled the air with a quiet, almost magical serenity.
"It's a beautiful view, compared to that forbidden land. Where only a dusty sky was visible, filled with flying monsters."
Jin felt grateful that he came back to this realm.
"Only the human realm have this many colourful stars. The other realms have just plane boring white onces."
Jin blinked his eyes and smiled looking at the sky.
"Mother always sang us a song about those who died a peaceful or honorable death, saying they are summoned to the heavens and granted the honor of becoming a star."
"In the starry, moonlit sky,
A myriad of gems ignites the night,
Stretching high where the gods reside,
Oh, warriors who have bravely fought,
Your legacies in whispers caught.
Grant us the chance to ever remember,
Your valor aflame, a brilliant ember.
In the heavens, your spirits gleam,
As bright as the honor in which you dreamed.
To my children, your tales I weave,
Of courage, of glory, of battles you cleave;
Your cries and your triumphs echo in air,
A symphony of heroes, a legacy rare.
Bless us with stories, a guiding light,
As we strive to follow your noble flight;
See us arise, with hearts full of fire,
Inspired by you, our eternal desire."
"I wander." his smile faded away, replaced by sorrow, "Which star have you became, mother."
He closed his eyes and opened.
"Are you too dim for me to see you." he raised his hand, "or has you faded away, like my memory of you."
He gazed at the red thread wrapped around his right hand. It was frayed and nearly torn, its once vibrant color now faded. It looked as though Jin had been wearing it for decades.
He sighed.
*****************
Luck carried Mira on his back, sprinting toward the hospital at full speed.
He pulled his phone from his pocket and quickly dialed a number.
Albedo answered on the other end.
"Lo-Lord Albedo. Misss..Miss Mira is injected." he was out of breath.
"Yes I know that." Albedo's voice was claimed.
"You know that?" Luck was surprised by Albedo's response.
"Bring her to my house. I will be waiting for you there."
"Wh-what do you...."
Albedo ended the call.
"Looks like her soul is burning by the crimson flames." said the dragon.
"I saw that " Albedo take a sip of his wine.
"Using your unique skill on her flames can be risky. If only the dragon of wisdom is awake. We could know the answer." Said Dahara.
Albedo was not at his full strength. Since eight of his ten dragon heart were sleeping.
Albedo tossed the bottle of wine off the cliff and vanished into thin air.
*****************
Luke arrived at the base of the gigantic stone gate and carefully laid Mira on the ground. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a golden key, forged from a mysterious metal. The key was adorned with ten shimmering jewels. Holding it firmly in his right hand, he raised it in front of him, preparing for what was to come.
" I am Luke Grimdal, disciple of Lord Albedo. Please open the gate." he shouted.
A brilliant light burst from the tip of the key, illuminating the surroundings. The ten jewels embedded in it began to glow, each one radiating with increasing intensity.
A wooden gate began to materialize before them, creaking into existence. As it slowly opened, a dazzling light poured from within, engulfing them both entirely.
Luke closed his eyes against the blinding light. When he finally opened them, they had been teleported to a different place.
'it's always too bright.'
Luck disliked the experience of being teleported by the dazzling light. He complained to Albedo repeatedly, but his grievances were to no avail.
The place was entirely unlike the outside world, as if it existed in a completely different realm. Butterflies of unknown origin fluttered gracefully over an unbelievably beautiful garden of vibrant flowers.
'Man, why lord Albedo's domain is so.... eye-catching.'
This realm was Albedo's domain, a separate dimension created by his spiritual energy—an ability granted by the power of the crown. It was said that within their own domain, the Kings were invincible.
The magnificent beauty of the domain was so overwhelming that, for a moment, he forgot all about Mira.
"Oh. I need to hurry." He finally remembered.
Luke carried Mira into a luxurious mension at the bottom of a mountain.
********************
"Lord Albedo, how is she." Luke asked nervously.
"She soul has been damaged beyond repair." Albedo spoke in a soft voice.
Luke narrowed his eyes.
"B-But, is there no other way."
Luke understood the significance of this. With Healing Arts and Sacred Arts, any wound or disease could be healed—everything except for a wound to one's soul.
Luke knew there was no way to save her. The crimson flames would soon consume her soul entirely. He wanted to ask Albedo why he had let her go, but he kept silent.
"You want to know, why I let her go? Even though I know what's going to happen, right."
Luke nodded his head.
"Let's see."
Albedo raised his hand toward Mira. At hat moment, her entire body was completely consumed by the crimson flames.
"Forgive me, Mira. But it was necessary."
[Unique skill: Reversal]
Albedo activated his unique skill, Reversal—an ability that allowed him to alter anything into its opposite state. He could turn life into death, light into darkness, and power into weakness.
The crimson flames that had been consuming Mira's soul began to reverse their effect, healing her soul instead.
Mira opened her eyes.
"Ar-are you all right." Luke asked.
"Yes, I am good." she looked at her body, "well actually I never felt this good before."
"You were burning a minute ago." Luck scratched his head.
"I am sorry, Mira." Albedo bowed his head, "I send you to danger, when I know what will happen."
Luke stood there silently, not able to took anyone side.
"It's alright, my lord."
Mira looked at Albedo and gently held his hands.
"You saved me when I was lost in darkness. You came to me like a source of light. You took me in, gave me a life, and freed me from a lifetime of slavery. You gave me my first bowl of hot food."
Tears streamed down her face as she spoke.
"If you asked me to give my life for you, I would do it without a second thought."
Albedo wiped her tears away.
"Than..."
He was about to say something but stoped.
***********************
"It's morning already!"
Jin had sat on the terrace all night, sleepless. In fact, he hadn't slept in nearly twenty years.
He stood up and stretched his body before heading to his room. After changing his clothes, he prepared to leave.
"It's been twenty years now, since I last visit her."
He looked himself in the mirror. His true crimson eyes were glowing like always.
"A lot of things had changed. There is so many things I need to tell you." Jin smiled."Today we are about to have a very long conversation."
He stepped out of his room and locked the door behind him.
'I should do something about thieves, right.'
[Mathematician: door opening possibilities×0]
'There we go. Now no one will be able to unlock the door.'
Jin wandered through the city, exploring various places. He stopped at many billboards along the way.
"Incredibly! Human civilization have came a long ways!"
Jin was impressed by those billboards.
"Those are not arts, since there's no spiritual energy. Maybe that's scientific technology, that people were talking about back then. I do wander what kind of energy they were using thought."
He spent the entire day visiting places like that. Most people might consider them common, but for him, they felt miraculous. It was his first time witnessing such advanced engineering.
"What! It almost evening now."
He found himself lost in his exploration of the city, but he enjoyed every moment of it. The forbidden land had none of these wonders; it was a truly gloomy place, unfit for anyone to live in.
He visited a flower shop and bought some flowers, specifically blue moon roses. After all, they were her favorite.
"You loves many flowers. But I remembered these are your favourites."
******************
Jin entered the graveyard, searching for her grave. Though most memories of her had faded, he still remembered this place. He used to visit her grave often when he lived in the human realm.
"Hello mother. Who have you been."
Jin's eyes welled up with tears as he sat in front of her grave. He spoke to her, sharing many stories—about his past, the places he'd been. Most of them were lies, because his real past wasn't something you'd tell your mother. But some parts were true, especially his feelings.
"So, your name is Jin, correct?" a voice spoke as an unexpected figure approached him.
"Ah... yes, I'm Jin," he replied, unsure of who the person was. "Can I help you with something?"
"You sune can. I am Luke Grimdal. An awakened, bronze rank." said Luke.
'Bronze rank? So, awakened have such ranks now?' Jin thought.
Jin stared at Luke in silence, as the tension between them began to grow.
"I was looking at the security cameras near the gate of the forbidden lands" Luke broke the silence, " And I found something.... Interesting."
'Cameras, what are they now?'Jin was not familiar with the word.
Luke tossed his phone towards Jin.
"See for yourself."
Jin was intrigued by the device in front of him, but he knew this wasn't the time to focus on it.
He shifted his attention to the phone screen, where a video was playing—a camera recording.
In the footage, someone was seen entering the human realm through a gate. The moment they crossed over, all the gatekeepers collapsed to the ground without warning, as if an unseen force had overwhelmed them.
A young man, appearing no older than 17, stepped out from the gate. His raven-black hair clung to his face, matted with dirt and sweat. His crimson eyes, sharp and intense, surveyed the scene with a cold indifference. His robe, once perhaps a symbol of some forgotten dignity, was now a tattered mess, smeared with dust and stained with blood. He walked forward, his steps heavy and deliberate, leaving faint traces of blood in his wake, as if the world around him bent under the weight of his presence.
"That person in the video. That's you right?" Luke questioned.
'But I thought I already erased all their memories. So how did he.'
"Me? I don't know. Maybe someone using my face." Jin lied, "But what kind of arts did you used to restored their erased memories?"
"That is not an arts. That's a camera."
Luke was surprised by his question.
"Camera what are they. Some kind of new summoned creature."
'Is this guy mentally ill or just pretending to be stupid?' Luke struggled to make sense of Jin.
"What's wrong." Asked Jin.
'I should go along with him. Maybe I can get some info.' Luke thought.
"Oh. Nothing. What are you doing here anyway."
"me, I..ah. I am visiting my mom's grave."
"Oh. Sorry for your loss. It must be hard. Lossing someone precious."
"Don't be. It's more than twenty-four years now."
"Oh...What?"
Luke was convinced that Jin was mentally ill. After all, Jin looked to be around his own age—17 or 18. How could his mother have died years before he was even born?
Luke tried to calm himself down and looked at the grave. It was completely new, spotless, without even a trace of dirt despite its white color. But something caught his attention—there was no name, no date, nothing at all engraved on it. It was utterly blank.
"Why is their no name?" Luke asked.
Jin sighed.
"Because I don't remember her name." he paused, "I don't remember who she was, how she looked. But some shattered memories. Of her voice, the story she told me. And...her smile."
Luke didn't ask Jin any more questions about the grave. Having lost someone himself, he understood how it felt.
Luke sighed. Took a deep breath.
"Jin, you entered the human realm through the gate without permission. For that I am giving you two options. Either you came with me without resisting, or I will take you back forcefully."
"Hum..Let me thing."
[Mathematician: information calculation]
A large amount of information entered Jin's mind.
Name- Luke Grimdal
Harmony completion - 8%
Spiritual energy output - 108,456
Bloodline ability - demon host
Contractor - frirgdikdgcdufhghyggfhjtjxjd
'Interesting, his spiritual energy is incredibly high. And that demon he is contracted with. Is not that name....No I am pritty sure that's the true name of gafsusuksldkxjxixkzmss.'
(A name of a demon can't be speak in human tongue.)
***************
Noah Camael, a platinum-ranked awakened—the highest rank possible—stood in front of the Lotus Tower.
The tower, which served as the center of operations for all the awakened, was not the reason Noah had come here. His purpose was far more important than taking a mission.
Noah was summoned that day by an elder, though he was unaware of the reason behind it.
The Lotus Tower was also known as The Gateway, as it connected every teleportation point in the empire, including all the royal palaces.
That was why he was here—he needed to travel to the Blossoming Palace, the domain of the God Slayer.
Upon his presence inside the tower, the tower loaded with many conversations.
"Hay that's Noah Camael right."
"Why he of all people is here?"
"Wow, it's Noah, a platinum rank." a newbie awakened said with dazzling eyes.
"You must be a newbie." another awakened said, "You have no idea who Noah Camael is, do you?"
"Ofcourse I know. He is a platinum." He retorted.
"Ya, like I said you don't know."
"why? Is there a problem?"
The boy was a bit confused.' What is wrong with likeing a platinum rank?' he thought.
"Kid stay away from him. For he is Noah Camael, the slayer in the moonless night. That name was given to him after he killed ten thousand people on a single night. He is a monster with no emotions." The awakened explained.
"Wh-What? He killed ten thousand people." the kids dazzling eyes changed into terrified eyes.
Noah could hear everything. Since he reached a level, where he could perceived every conversation with in the entire city, with ease.
But he paid no mind to it. He never did.
Noah reached the teleportation station inside the tower.
"I like to go to the blossoming palace."
He showed his awakened id to the receptionist. It was a platinum card. Made by most precious meterials.
"Yes, of course sir. Right this way."
The receptionist arranged the teleportation gate right away.
Noah teleported to the blossoming palace. The place was build within a separate dimension, disconnected from the human realm.
The palace was, in a word, beautiful. While all the palaces were stunning, the Blossoming Palace possessed an even greater allure.
The palace was situated on a vast pond that seemed to stretch into infinity, its waters shimmering under the sunlight. The surface was alive with fish, many of which Noah had never encountered before. Their vibrant colors danced through the water, creating a mesmerizing spectacle.
Among them, he recognized a few familiar creatures, like the sea serpent and the cosmic turtle. Both were renowned in legends for their immense power, each boasting a threat level of 9. The sea serpent coiled gracefully, its scales glinting like jewels, while the cosmic turtle floated serenely, its shell adorned with intricate patterns that hinted at ancient secrets. As Noah observed this aquatic world, he couldn't shake the feeling that the pond held mysteries far beyond his understanding.
Upon his arrival, two beautiful ladies approached to escort him. They bowed their heads slightly, and Noah nodded in response.
They led Noah to the hall of the palace, which was enormous and adorned with exquisite paintings and sculptures. Shelves lined with books and scrolls on various Arts filled the space, showcasing the wealth of knowledge within.
As Noah scanned the collection, his gaze landed on an old book. Its cover was partially damaged, making it difficult to discern the title. He squinted to read the faint lettering, which was written as' EterlanO...'
"Thank you for waiting." the lady that escorted him announced, "Lord elder has arrived."
The gates of the hall opened, and an old man entered. He had only one arm and a long white beard that reached his waist, untrimmed for who knew how long. His eyebrows were similarly long, extending down to the base of his neck, and he was completely bald.
Though he appeared older than one might expect, he walked to the throne in the center of the hall with a straight back. Despite his frail appearance, lacking the impressive aura one might anticipate from someone of his stature, he seemed like an ordinary old man, just a step away from death.
He sat on the throne, shrouded behind a veil of silver spider silk.
Noah knelt before the elder, acknowledging his presence.
"I Noah Camael, responded to your summon. Lord elder." he bowed his head deeply.
"Noah Camael I have a mission for you." said the elder.
He waved his head, indicating his servants to showed Noah the incident. Among the servants a divinator stepped forward.
[Mystical Art: Mind Share]
She shared her mind with Noah. Through her mind, Noah saw a unexpected seen. Of someone crossed the gate between the forbidden land and the human realm.
"Someone really came from the forbidding land. "
"Yes. And you understand what it's means right?"
"Yes, lord. The information that thing may possess are priceless."
Noah know the meaning. But still their no extraction on his face. His stare was cold, avoid of any emotions.
"And I want you to capture this intruder."
"Very well, lord. I will bring that to you."
"Hahaaa..." laughed the elder. "You has not changed Noah Camael. You address the boy like some thing."
"To me, all my targets are nothing more than some..... things, my lord."
"Very well. Then bring him alive...." he paused. ".....No, bring him dead. It will be easier to extract memory from the dead."
"Then I shall."
"But do remember, he most be strong. Coming from such a hellish place."
The elder raised his left arm and moved his index finger up and down. With the motion, the space around them collapsed, creating a rift. He reached into the hole and pulled out a golden ring.
The elder gave the ring to the servant. Which the servant bring to Noah.
[Skill: Appraisal (V)]
Noah estimated the ability of the ring with his skill.
'A sealing artefact of the highest tier.'
"That ring has a ability called absolute imprisonment. Which can even seal a king for a short time. A barrier that it created upon used, is indestructible. Even I will struggle breaking it."
"There is no need for sure magical items, my lord."
"Keep it. If he can survive in that place. That makes him one of the strongest."
"I understand." he didn't question anymore. "I should take my leave, my lord."
Noah bowed before leave.
"Was it wise, master." said the servent. "Giving him such valuable item."
The servant was not delighted by the idea of giving Noah such magical item. Afterall it was a highest tier of item. Something very rare and powerful.
"It is Rema." he sighed. "You know the value of the information."
"Yes. But you could have sent a king." Rema continued, "If not a 'Venerable' or a 'Sovereign' we'll be enough."
"Don't be stupid child." he retorted. " sanding a venerable or sovereign can lead to greater destruction."
"Forgive me master. I don't..."
Realising her mistake Rema quickly apologized.
"Do not be. I know you mean no ill . Beside I gave him that artefact that once sealed a king for three days and three nights. Expect for Albedo, Yaldabaoth, Narmada and me no one can break it easily."