Jackson returned to his group with a foolish grin, hiding the turmoil churning inside him. His hands were clenched tight, knuckles white as he absorbed the impossible truth: I'm really reborn…this isn't a dream.
Vivid memories flashed through his mind. That day—surrounded by True Terror-grade beasts, his vision blurring under waves of agony until darkness swallowed him whole. And now, here he was, sixteen again, facing the same ceremony that had once been a futile exercise.
As he looked around, familiar faces swam into view. Rock and Ron Maxwell—the two who had tormented him most, their expressions as haughty and cruel as ever. But to Jackson's surprise, the sight stirred something unexpected. Not anger, not resentment. His eyes stung, blurring as he felt the sting of long-buried pain. They're alive…
Years of fighting had forged his will to iron, but the faces he had long thought lost brought everything crashing back. The bitterness, the loneliness of survival—all of it. Not again, he thought, blinking the moisture away. His jaw hardened as his emotions steeled into a single, clear purpose. He hadn't been given this second chance to relive the same mistakes.
Rock and Ron noticed his expression, and, as if on cue, both started to point and laugh. Jackson ignored them, scanning the crowd. His gaze landed on a striking figure with cold, unwavering eyes—Athena StormWind. Even here in a small city on the Lost Continent, her presence radiated like a beacon.
She stood against thousands of Apocalypse beasts alone once, he remembered, a flicker of respect flaring in his chest. Her courage had become almost legendary. And yet, even she had been no match for what was to come.
I won't let the same tragedy repeat itself. His resolve hardened. Whatever had brought him back here—whether fate, luck, or something far darker—it didn't matter. In a year, when the apocalypse descended, he would be ready.
"I have to get stronger fast," Jackson thought with steely light in his eyes.
But then, Jackson felt a prickling sensation, the distinct feeling of someone watching him. He turned, eyes locking onto a blond-haired youth from the Peace-loving family. Gray. The young noble's expression flashed with curiosity, then quickly turned away, as if trying to hide his interest.
"Peace-loving family." Jackson's heart was suddenly filled with pity; when the apocalypse fell, this particular family was the first to be eliminated.
Gray frowned, disturbed by Jackson's behavior. Indeed, something has changed about this guy, he thought. Perhaps Jackson Maxwell was no longer the same dull pawn in the family's games.
This strange turn of events filled Gray with an uneasy urgency, mingling with his own impatience to grow stronger. In this world, any uncontrolled variable could threaten his plans—and his survival.
He watched Jackson a moment longer before turning his focus back to the stage. At some unknown point, a rough-looking man had taken the stage, preparing to continue the ceremony.
The other noble families gathered, standing tall. Any participant who had managed to reach the 40% corruption level was corralled together, the group led by Leo Blue Swan. Athena StormWind stood at its center, her calm but severe gaze deterring even Leo from his usual arrogance.
Gray's eyes drifted back to his sister Raven. There's no need to worry, he thought, as she was safely among the newly recognized talents.
According to protocol, all those who had proven their worth would soon be led to the Knight Heaven Academy, where they would begin their training.
And for those who failed to reach 40%—like Gray himself—there was no respite. He and others would be dispatched to the Knight Heaven guards, to serve until they could prove their value, or die in the process.
Without a word, Gray turned and began to leave the square. A few other teenagers with lowered heads trailed behind him, their steps heavy with unspoken shame
"Big brother!" Raven's voice called after him, her tone soft with worry. He kept walking, feeling her gaze on him as his form retreated into the crowd. His shoulders straightened, unwilling to show any weakness. He could almost sense her friend's judgmental eyes on his back.
"Don't worry about him," a nearby girl with a ponytail muttered, rolling her eyes. Young master, she thought, mocking him inwardly. More like young failure.
Gray paid them no mind, his focus sharpening with each step he took. Just as he was crossing out of the square, he noticed the city's air had changed—something grim and frantic filled the atmosphere, like a dark wave settling over the people.
Citizens rushed by with pale faces, their hurried steps and panicked whispers like shadows of impending disaster.
Gray stopped one man who was racing by with terror all across his face. "What happened?" he demanded, his voice low but firm.
The man started to pull away, but one look at Gray's clothes—the mark of nobility—stilled him. "The North Gate is under attack. A horde of Apocalypse beasts broke through. Several… several people have already died," the man stammered, his voice barely above a whisper, eyes wide with fear.
"Young lord, please let me go.."
Gray's grip loosened as he released the man, his mind racing. He remembered the abrupt exit of the Earthly Knights, realizing now that they had likely been alerted to this. Yet the alarm bell hadn't sounded, which meant the city still stood—barely.
He knew what this attack meant. The North Gate, the responsibility of the Blue Swan family, was one of four gates protecting Knight Heaven. While each family guarded a separate entryway—Blue Swan to the north, StormWind to the south, Maxwell to the east, and his own Peace-loving family to the west—it was rare for any beast to breach the city.
An attack causing this much commotion… something's not right.
His thoughts flickered to his father, Sky Knight Thorwin, stationed at the West Gate. The memory of his father's powerful, unwavering gaze resurfaced. If the North Gate has fallen under threat… how long before it spreads to the others?
Decisively, Gray turned toward the North Gate. The city's protective walls may have still held, but he sensed that this was no ordinary attack. A chance to get stronger was here, hidden within the chaos. And he would not let this opportunity slip away.