"Go! Kill that man!" A desperate scream echoed across the battlefield, but the command bore no hope.
"Run! We can't defeat him!" another voice cried, trembling with fear. Their hope had scattered like dust in the wind.
Before them stretched an endless expanse of blood-soaked land, a vast battlefield littered with the corpses of dragons, elves, demons, vampires, and humans alike. The dead lay in heaps, their bodies forming grim mountains amidst rivers of blood that drowned the earth. Above, the sky was a shattered canvas of cosmic ruin — stars and planets visibly collapsing, their broken remnants glowing dimly against the crimson horizon, as though the universe itself had succumbed to the devastation.
At the heart of it all stood a single man — the source of the catastrophe. His blade, slick with the blood of thousands, glinted ominously. He moved through the carnage with an eerie calm, cutting down anyone foolish enough to challenge him. Each swing of his sword brought death, his enemies falling like leaves caught in a storm. What remained of those once-proud warriors cowered before his overwhelming power.
Even those who turned to flee found no salvation. With one effortless motion, he raised his sword high, releasing a blinding wave of energy that tore through the battlefield, cutting down both those who stood against him and those who ran in terror, leaving only silence and ash in its wake.
A sharp breath. The world of blood and death vanished in an instant.
The young man awoke with a start, his chest heaving as he gasped for air. His black hair clung to his damp forehead, and his piercing black eyes darted frantically around the small, dimly lit room. For a moment, he struggled to distinguish reality from the nightmare, his heart still racing.
"Again… this dream," he muttered, frustration evident in his voice.
The cramped apartment around him was a mess, a far cry from the vast, apocalyptic landscape he had just escaped. Clothes were scattered haphazardly across the floor, papers piled high on a cluttered desk, and the faint glow of a streetlight filtered weakly through the grimy window. The air felt thick and suffocating in the confined space, a stark contrast to the dream that haunted him.
His breathing gradually slowed, the remnants of the nightmare fading from his mind. He sat up on the edge of his bed, running a hand through his tangled black hair. The room was quiet now, shadows dancing across the floor as the streetlight cast long beams through the window.
His gaze fell upon the empty instant noodle packets strewn across the floor. Sighing, he realized he had run out of food. Nothing was left.
Without hesitation, he dressed quickly, throwing on a crumpled shirt and worn-out jeans. Grabbing his keys from the cluttered desk, he stepped over the trash and out into the hallway.
The building was old, its walls peeling from years of neglect. His footsteps echoed as he descended the stairwell, the faint hum of televisions and muffled conversations seeping through the closed doors of neighboring apartments. Outside, the city's ever-present noise greeted him.
Though night had fallen, the streets were alive with neon lights, their glowing signs illuminating the sidewalks. Towering skyscrapers loomed overhead, their windows alight against the dark sky. The cool air was filled with the distant sounds of traffic blending with the chatter of late-night pedestrians.
As he navigated through the bustling streets, his mind drifted back to the dream, still clinging to him like a shadow. But the noise and energy of the city distracted him, pushing the nightmare further away as he made his way to a cheap restaurant down the road.
Just as he neared the corner, the low hum of an engine caught his attention. A sleek black BMW pulled up beside him, its headlights slicing through the darkness. The window rolled down slowly, revealing a young man with striking yellow hair leaning out. He regarded the young man with a mocking gleam in his eyes, as if he found something amusing about the situation.
"Alexander!" the driver called out, his voice sharp against the backdrop of the bustling city.
Alexander stopped, his gaze narrowing as he turned to face the car, recognizing the voice immediately.
The young man in the BMW leaned back casually in his seat, a smirk dancing on his lips. "It's rare to see the University Topper out here. You must be busy with your big company projects," he said, glancing disdainfully at Alexander's cheap clothes.
Alexander merely regarded him with a bored expression, unfazed by the mockery.
"Well, anyway," the driver continued, as if his previous comment hadn't landed, "you remember the university's beauty? She's my girlfriend now. We have a candlelight dinner at Rose Hotel tonight." He leaned forward slightly, his tone dripping with arrogance, as if he were delivering the best news in the world.
The words hung in the air, a clear attempt to provoke. Though Alexander felt a flicker of annoyance, he remained silent, choosing to let the driver's boastful display wash over him.
"Do you know Rose Hotel is the best in the city?" the man in the car said, clearly mocking Alexander's financial situation.
His smugness grew as he continued, "The university beauty used to chase you, but now it's different; now she is my bitch."
Each word dripped with contempt, designed to cut deep. Alexander felt the flicker of irritation grow, but he kept his expression neutral, refusing to give the driver the satisfaction of a reaction.
Growing increasingly irritated by Alexander's calm demeanor, the man leaned forward slightly. "No matter how good-looking or smart you are, in the end, in society, money talks. Now you're just a jobless person, but my father owns a ten-million-dollar company."
His words hung in the air, thick with disdain, as if he believed wealth alone defined a person's worth. Alexander remained silent, his expression still calm, but a flicker of irritation danced behind his dark eyes.
Then, unexpectedly, Alexander smiled, amusement glimmering in his eyes. "Well, you are right that in this society, money is life."
The driver blinked in surprise, then burst into laughter, the sound ringing out in the night air. "Now you know your place; that's good." But his laughter quickly faded as a victorious smile crept across his face. "If you beg, I might hire you as a cleaner at my shop."
The words dripped with condescension, but Alexander's smile remained, a quiet defiance in the face of the man's mockery.
Alexander stepped closer to the car, his playful demeanor undeterred. "Thanks, boss," he said, which made the man's smile widen even more.
But then Alexander's next words caused confusion to flicker across the driver's face. "Boss, you are really lucky today; your girlfriend might give you a surprise."
"Huh, what?" the man replied, his amusement shifting to uncertainty. Alexander's words froze him in place as he added, "After all, your girlfriend is wearing red today."
The mention of the color drained the smugness from the man's face, leaving him momentarily speechless, his mind racing to piece together what Alexander had just revealed.
"What do you mean by wearing red today?" Jake asked, his voice rising in agitation.
Alexander's smile vanished, replaced by a calm demeanor that seemed to weigh heavily on Jake. "A father will always be a father, and I am your grandfather, Jake."
The words hung in the air, the sudden shift in tone sending a chill down Jake's spine. Confusion and anger battled in his eyes as he struggled to process the implications of Alexander's revelation.
Without another word, Alexander turned and began walking away, leaving Jake in stunned silence. The anger simmered within him, snapping him back to reality. "Hey! Get back here!" he shouted, his voice laced with fury.
But Alexander didn't look back, his calm demeanor unwavering as he walked further down the street, the chaos of the city night swallowing him up.
He entered the cheap restaurant, noticing the sparse number of patrons scattered around. After ordering a meal, he settled into an empty table, ready to enjoy his food in peace.
Moments later, a lady with striking black hair and captivating blue eyes entered, her peerless face and alluring figure drawing attention even in her casual jeans and shirt. She approached with her food, sitting down at the same table without invitation.
Alexander cast a simple glare in her direction, his expression indifferent, and returned to his meal, fully intent on ignoring her.
The lady was a bit surprised by his indifference, but a playful smile crept onto her face as she continued to stare at him. Feeling her gaze, Alexander paused mid-bite, his brow furrowing slightly. "Is anything wrong?" he asked, his voice laced with mild annoyance.
She merely smiled in response, not saying a word, and began eating her meal as if nothing were amiss.
Alexander frowned, sensing that she was giving off strange vibes. Shaking his head to dismiss the thought, he hastily finished his meal, the unease growing with each passing moment. Once done, he rose from the table and left the restaurant, eager to put the encounter behind him.
As he walked down the street, the sudden sound of a woman's screams pierced the night air, catching his attention. With a hint of curiosity, he paused and followed the desperate cries. Turning a corner, he approached a dimly lit alley and stopped short, recognizing the scene before him: five men with tattoos were holding the same lady he had encountered in the restaurant.
With deliberate steps, he walked toward them, his demeanor unflappable. He moved closer, the screams and threats becoming background noise as he focused on the scene. The alley's darkness seemed to deepen around him, but he remained unfazed, ready to assess the situation with the same tranquility he approached everything else.