You see, the game Spirit Realm Chronicles is set 500 years into the future.
Earth had undergone drastic changes to the point of becoming almost unrecognizable.
The Third World War had turned most of the planet into a desolate nuclear wasteland.
During one of the nuclear explosions in northern Asia, the fabric of reality cracked, opening a portal to another plane of existence – the Spirit Realm.
Hordes of monsters poured into our world from that dimensional rift, forcing humanity, previously at war with itself, to take a united stand.
But modern militaries were not very effective against these Spirits. Creatures of darkness and magic couldn't be killed by mundane means, after all.
Fortunately, the portal also unleashed an otherworldly energy known as Spirit Essence into our world.
This Essence was absorbed by humans, allowing them to awaken unique abilities – the manifestation of their very souls.
The Origin Cards.
Since every soul was unique, so was each Origin Card and the power granted by it to its user. Using these powers, humanity began fighting the invading Spirit Beasts. Those who fought these vile monsters came to be known as Hunters.
Now, 500 years later, the world is comparatively at peace.
A small fraction of the population possesses superhuman abilities through their Origin Cards.
However, the Spirit Essence turned out to be as much a curse as it was a boon for humankind.
Apparently, this otherworldly energy weakened the reality barrier of our world, causing the Spirit Realm to slowly bleed into our plane.
In current times, dozens of portals appear around the world every day, each connected to the Spirit Realm.
Still, now that we had a means to fight back, the world was not in any immediate danger.
…For now.
In truth, everything was about to change in just a few years. No, actually, things must've already begun to change but the Monarchs have been keeping it a secret from the public.
The main story of the game begins at Apex Academy, where the protagonist, Michael Godswill, is accepted after scoring the highest points on the entrance exam.
There, he makes enemies, forms alliances, and creates many lifelong friends—most of whom either die or turn against humanity by the end of the game.
The problem with this game isn't that it's merely tough, but it's that even the main characters don't have any plot armor.
In some storylines, even the protagonist himself dies. I mean, how is that even possible?!
This game has no happy ending! Especially not for a villain like me.
"Haaa."
Moving on, the academy arc encompasses the first three acts of the game, spanning around three years. By the end of it, there are several major casualties.
The Massacre during the Class Excursion, the Summoning Card of Asmodeus, the killing of royal twins, and the invasion of Ascent Isles — these are just some of the numerous tragedies that await.
And that's only within the academy arc!
After that comes the awakening of the Queen of Black Rot, the Seed of Eternal Blight, Heaven's Fall, the corruption of the Northern Safe-Zone, the Total War of five Monarchs, and many more nightmarish events.
Finally, the return of the Spirit King in all his profane glory marks the end of the game.
As a minor villain in the first act, my role was to be a stepping stone for the main characters, a disposable enemy to be defeated and discarded.
Then, I'd return in the second act as the holder of the Summoning Card of Asmodeus and try to kill the hero for humiliating me, only to end up getting killed myself.
That was the fate of Samael in most of the story routes. He didn't fare much better in the other routes, either.
"Argh!" I wanted to cry out, but couldn't. I needed to think.
First things first, I required a strategy to survive the academy arc.
Outright avoiding the main characters wasn't possible anymore given the tightly-knit storyline. It would be like trying to dodge raindrops in a downpour.
Plus, I needed Michael and his powers to defeat the Spirit King.
He was the protagonist for a reason. Without him, ending this game would be nearly impossible.
Thus, I had to figure out how to not only coexist with the main characters but also alter the plot to gain an advantage by the time I was to become a full-fledged Hunter.
My goals after that were clear-cut.
Prevent the Queen of Black Rot from awakening, annihilate the Seed of Eternal Blight, stop the Total War before it began, weaken the Spirit King's army before his return, and ultimately slay the Spirit King himself!
Simple, right? Of course. But not at all easy!
"Fuck me!" Just contemplating all that brought tears to my eyes.
Honestly, all I wanted to do was flee this forsaken place and hide somewhere until the story ended. But by doing so, I'd leave my fate in the hands of the protagonist.
Moreover, in the game, the Spirit King never truly lost. He was either imprisoned in the Void or killed after decades of relentless war – in both scenarios, he destroyed most of the world before going down.
So, even if I ran away, I knew nowhere would be safe. I had no choice but to take control of my own survival.
I knew I had to…
"Fight."
And fight I would.
I had many regrets when I died in my past life. There were many things I wish I could have done differently. One such regret was that I never tried hard enough.
So, that's what I would do. I refuse to give up anymore. I won't meet the same pathetic end as Samael in the game. I will not relent.
"...I will have no regrets."
—Thud! Thud! Thud!
What snapped me out of my thoughts was an abrupt knocking on the door. Irritated by the loud noise, I turned toward it.
But before I could even inquire who it was, the door slowly creaked open, revealing a figure bathed in the faint light of the corridor.
In the doorway stood… a girl.
I instantly recognised who she was.
Her presence was as striking as a thunderstorm in the middle of summer.
Silken strands of short platinum blonde hair reached the length of her neck, shimmering in the light like threads of pure silver.
Her piercing azure eyes narrowed as she fixed her gaze on me.
She wore a finely tailored white jacket over a matching bodycon dress that accentuated her slender figure, with a pair of black high boots to complete her elegant attire.
An embroidered insignia of a stylized sword entwined with a vine adorned her left breast. It was a symbol of her noble lineage.
It was the mark of the fallen Blade family.
"Good evening, young master," the girl greeted me in a smooth and composed tone while stepping inside the room. "I see that you're finally awake."
She waited for me to speak, but I didn't. I couldn't.
I struggled to find my voice, my words caught in my throat as my heart smashed wildly against my chest like a caged beast.
This girl...
She was my Shadow.
She had been serving me and my family since we both were kids.
Her name was Juliana Vox Blade.
...And in the game, she was also known as the Dreadful Butcheress of the Theosbane clan!