The rain came down in endless sheets, cascading over the darkened landscape as the carriage rumbled and creaked along the muddy road. Above, the sky was a vast, oppressive gray, hanging low as if the heavens themselves were mourning. Inside the small, cramped carriage, the air was damp and musty, filled with the scent of wet wood and earth. The wheels splashed through puddles, their rhythmic clatter the only sound breaking the tense silence.

Judex sat in the back of the carriage, his massive frame hunched beneath the low ceiling. His blood-streaked chest glistened under the dim light that filtered through the rain-streaked windows. The red mask he wore—sharp and skeletal—gleamed ominously, and his scythe rested menacingly across his lap, its edge still wet with the blood of past judgments.

Across from him sat an **old man** and a **young woman**, their faces gaunt and weary from years of hardship. The man's beard was long and gray, his eyes kind but clouded with the weight of many sorrows. His hands, rough and calloused from a lifetime of labor, rested in his lap, trembling slightly from the cold. The woman beside him, younger but no less worn by the world, had pale skin and hair that clung to her face, damp from the rain. Her eyes darted nervously between the old man and Judex, clearly unsettled by the silent giant who had joined them so suddenly.

Atop Judex's head rests a crown-like structure, forged from wickedly sharp, blood-red spikes. His face is entirely hidden behind a red, skeletal mask that resembles a demonic visage. The mask's design is intricate and terrifying—angular lines resembling fangs and a skeletal jaw give him a monstrous appearance. The mask's deep crimson hue bleeds into the aesthetic of fear and bloodshed, implying that Judex is an executioner who has seen countless deaths. The mask's hollow eyes emit a dark, soulless energy, as if gazing into them would strip away any last shred of hope.

A dark hood drapes over Judex's head and shoulders, casting his entire upper body in shadow. The hood enhances his ominous presence, shrouding his features in mystery and enforcing a sense of dread. The fabric appears to be made from a heavy, otherworldly material, tattered and worn at the edges as if it's been through countless battles. The hood seems to swallow light, adding to his aura of doom.

His ragged cloak cascades down his back and around his waist, almost seeming alive as it billows in unseen winds. The cloak occasionally reveals glimpses of bloodstains, suggesting that Judex's role as a judge is an eternal and bloody task. The material flows as though it's bound to the shadows themselves, giving him an ethereal, spectral quality.

Judex's upper body is bare, revealing a muscular, battle-hardened physique. His skin is marked with deep scars, as if he has endured countless wars or divine punishments.

His arms, just like his torso, are powerful and sinewy, lined with pulsating veins that seem to carry not blood, but some darker energy. His arms are also streaked with blood, which could symbolize either his role as an executioner or the weight of the countless lives he's taken. His hands are large and brutal, built for wielding his weapon with bone-crushing strength. His right hand clutches a massive, deathly scythe. The weapon is a towering, curved blade, its edge gleaming with a deadly sharpness. The scythe's handle is long, black, and wrapped in shadowy tendrils that seem to pulse with malice. 

The old man cleared his throat, trying to dispel the oppressive silence. "Strange times we're living in, eh?" he said, turning to the woman. His voice was gravelly but warm, filled with the kind of heart that had survived too many winters. "Gods dropping dead like flies lately. You ever heard of such a thing?"

The woman nodded, her voice hushed and shaken. "Aye, it's not just rumors. I've seen it. Passed through a village last week—there was a shrine to Lythra, the goddess of harvest. Flowers wilted overnight, and the statue... it was cracked in half. They say she's dead. Killed by something none of us can see." She glanced at Judex but quickly looked away when he did not acknowledge her.

The old man sighed, rubbing his temples. "The Dead God Pandemic, they're callin' it. No one knows what's causin' it. Some say it's a curse, others claim somethin' darker's at work. Can't be a coincidence though, can it? So many gods, all dead or dying, and now the world's fallin' apart."

He turned his tired eyes to Judex, his tone gentle, almost fatherly. "What about you, stranger? You look like you've seen your fair share of blood. You heard anything about this?" His voice was patient, as if he was offering Judex a chance to speak.

But Judex remained still, his blood-red mask angled slightly down, casting shadows across his face. His silence was absolute, the kind that crushed any further conversation under its weight. The rain pounded harder on the roof of the carriage, drowning out the world around them.

"…"

The woman shifted uneasily. "He hasn't said a word since he jumped in, covered in blood. Do you think... he can be trusted?" she whispered, leaning toward the old man.

The old man frowned but kept his gaze on Judex. "Everyone needs a helpin' hand sometimes," he murmured in response. "Man's bloodied, sure, but this world's a hard one. We can't turn away everyone who looks like they've fought a battle."

The woman wasn't convinced. "Still… we should be careful."

The carriage rolled on through the rain-soaked landscape, passing through a world gripped by uncertainty. In the distance, humans and various creatures of the land could be seen through the fog. A group of winged Arakht, known as sky wardens, hovered above the hills, their white feathered wings glowing faintly in the gray light as they guided the winds with powerful magic. Closer to the road, centaur-like Urgath, their bodies half-man, half-beast, galloped toward shelter, their fur matted with rain. Some human workers, soaked to the bone, rushed back to their homes, their faces grim as they abandoned half-finished tasks in the fields. A fire mage, his hands glowing with embers, hurriedly extinguished his forge, the flames sputtering in the downpour.

But none of this seemed to matter as the carriage pressed forward, deeper into the unknown.

Hours passed, the road winding through dense forests, the trees towering like silent sentinels. The rain continued its relentless assault, and the sky grew darker still. Suddenly, the carriage jolted to a stop. The horses neighed nervously, their hooves stamping at the ground.

The old man's eyes had gone wide, his pupils now pitch black, like endless voids, and blood began to leak from the corners of his eyes, trailing down his weathered cheeks. His voice, once kind, was now an eerie monotone, devoid of emotion. "We're here."

The woman beside him turned slowly, her own eyes now black as pitch, blood dripping from her mouth. She smiled, a grotesque and hollow expression. "It's time."

Together, they stepped out of the carriage, their movements unnaturally slow and deliberate, as if they were being pulled by invisible strings. Judex remained seated, unmoving, watching through the slits of his mask. Ahead of them, looming in the dark and rain, was a massive tree, its blackened bark slick with rain and blood. Bodies—human and inhuman alike—were embedded in the trunk, their faces frozen in eternal screams, their limbs twisted and fused with the wood. Fresh blood dripped from their mouths, oozing down the tree's gnarled roots and into the ground like a sacrificial offering.

The old man and woman walked toward the tree, their bodies shivering uncontrollably, as if something inside them was ready to burst free.

From the shadows of the tree, a figure emerged—a naked woman, but twisted beyond recognition. Her skin was rotting, patches of raw, decayed flesh exposed underneath, and her body was smeared with blood. She had four arms, each grotesquely long and covered in black veins, and her hair—white as snow—billowed out behind her in a spectral glow. Her eyes were hollow voids, leaking blood, and her mouth was twisted into a cruel smile. This was no ordinary creature; this was a goddess, a being of immense power that had fallen into her own decay.

The Blood Goddess stepped forward, embracing the old man and woman with her rotting arms. "My children," she whispered, her voice a sickening hiss like that of a serpent. As she hugged them, their bodies began to sink into her decayed flesh, merging with her, their mouths gasping for air as they were absorbed.

But Judex moved.

In one fluid motion, he leapt from the carriage, his scythe spinning behind his back. His massive body flipped through the air, and as he landed, the force of his jump splintered the carriage into pieces. The scythe came down in a deadly arc, and with a single, brutal slash, he severed the goddess's head from her body. Blood sprayed in all directions, painting the rain-soaked ground in crimson.

The old man and woman floated into the air,  their bodies convulsing, eyes wide and unblinking, as if their very souls were caught between life and death.

For a moment, the goddess's head rolled on the ground, her body frozen in place. But then, her rotting wings, now unfurled and dripping with decay, flapped once, and her head reattached itself to her neck, the wound sealing with unnatural speed.

The Blood Goddess turned her hollow eyes to Judex, her voice dripping with venom. "Why… why couldn't I feel your presence?" she hissed, her snake-like voice crawling into the air.

Judex said nothing. His silence was absolute.

The goddess chuckled darkly, her rotting lips twisting into a grin. "I see now. You're here for me, aren't you? You planned this. You knew I was feeding... using the blood of these mortals to sustain myself." She extended her arms, and the old man and woman, still trembling, floated closer to her. "These poor souls... they are my lifeline. I cannot die, not yet... Not while I have them."

Judex remained still, his scythe gleaming in the rain, his red mask emotionless.

"You shouldn't have come here," the goddess spat, her tone growing more venomous. "Has Death finally grown some balls?" She laughed, a sickening sound that echoed through the forest.

Her hands began to shift, morphing into massive blades of blood, sharp and jagged. Her decayed wings beat against the air, sending droplets of blood spraying. "I will cut you apart," she hissed, and with a sudden burst of speed, she charged at Judex, her blood-blades raised, her eyes blazing with fury.

Judex stood his ground, his scythe ready.

The Blood Goddess, now revealed as Velkra, stood tall, her grotesque wings of rot and decay unfurled behind her. Her blood-blade hands gleamed in the rain, dripping with crimson as she charged at Judex with terrifying speed. The ground under her feet cracked, sending shockwaves through the forest floor as she closed the gap between them in an instant.

Judex's eyes, hidden behind the skeletal red mask, narrowed. With a flick of his wrist, his scythe swung forward, gleaming as it cut through the rain. The two forces collided with a thunderous clash, the sound of metal on flesh reverberating through the air.

Velkra's first strike came low—a vicious horizontal slash with her blood-blade arm aiming to sever Judex's legs. He leaped into the air, narrowly avoiding the slash, his cloak flaring out behind him as he flipped backward. The blade sliced through the ground, carving a deep trench where he had just stood. 

As he landed, Velkra was already on him. Her second blood-blade slashed downward, aiming for his head. Judex brought his scythe up in a smooth arc, blocking the blow with a sharp clang. The force of the impact sent a shockwave through his body, but he stood firm, his boots digging into the mud for traction. A grin pulled at the corners of his mouth beneath the mask.

Velkra twisted her body, her wings flaring out as she spun, sending her other arm in a sideways slash toward his midsection. Judex ducked low, the blood-blade whistling just above his head as he spun on his heel, sweeping his scythe in a deadly arc. The scythe's blade extended mid-swing, growing to twice its length, and slashed across Velkra's abdomen, carving a deep gash into her decaying flesh.

Blood sprayed out, but Velkra didn't even flinch. She grinned, her hollow eyes glowing with malevolent fury. "That won't be enough, mortal…"

Before Judex could pull his scythe back, Velkra's wings exploded outward, sending a barrage of blood spikes flying toward him. He reacted instantly, spinning his scythe around him in a blinding whirlwind of motion. The blood spikes shattered against the spinning blade, unable to pierce his defense.

But Velkra was already moving. She leaped into the air, her wings propelling her like a bullet as she aimed a flying kick at Judex's chest. He dashed backward, narrowly avoiding the blow, but her speed was relentless. She landed and lunged forward, driving her blood-blade arm straight toward his heart.

Judex twisted his body, narrowly dodging the strike, and in that moment, he saw an opening. He drove his elbow into her ribs with a bone-crushing impact, sending her stumbling back. But she recovered instantly, her body twisting unnaturally as she lashed out with her other arm, slicing across his chest with her blood-blade.

Blood sprayed across the ground as Judex grunted, the gash deep and brutal, but his resolve remained unshaken. He spun his scythe in one fluid motion, creating a whirlwind of steel as he advanced, the blade aiming for Velkra's neck. She dodged left, her wings flaring out to propel her sideways, but Judex anticipated the move. 

As his scythe cut through empty air, he gripped the handle tightly, and with a surge of power, the red and black soul chains erupted from the blade, shooting toward Velkra. They wrapped around her midsection, glowing ominously as they bound her in place. Judex yanked the chains, pulling her forward with violent force, and in the same motion, he whipped his scythe around in a deadly arc.

The blade slammed into Velkra's side, carving a deep wound in her torso. Blood sprayed from the wound, mixing with the rain as her body shuddered from the impact. But even as she bled, she laughed—a guttural, twisted sound that echoed through the forest.

"You think you can win?" she hissed, her voice snakelike and dripping with venom. "I draw my power from the Tree of Blood. This is my domain! That's how deities tower over you fucking mortals…our nature is our survival..the blood worships me..and lack of it..I fade. But yours might sustain me forever!"

With a sickening crack, the Tree of Blood behind them came to life. Its gnarled branches twisted and writhed, the bodies embedded in its bark shifting and groaning as fresh blood dripped from their mouths. Velkra raised her arms, and the blood from the tree surged toward her, forming into a massive sword—a grotesque weapon made of writhing, tortured souls, their faces twisted in agony as they became one with the blade.

Judex's eyes narrowed as Velkra swung the soul sword toward him with a roar. The weapon was massive, its sheer size capable of cleaving a mountain in two. But Judex was fast—faster than even Velkra anticipated. He dashed to the side, the sword slamming into the ground where he had just stood, sending a shockwave through the earth. Chunks of stone and dirt flew into the air as the ground shattered beneath the sword's impact.

Judex used the moment to his advantage. He threw his scythe, the blade spinning through the air like a deadly boomerang. As it flew, he switched places with it in a blur of motion, reappearing behind Velkra just as the scythe returned to his hand. 

Velkra, caught off guard, tried to spin around, but Judex was already in motion. He delivered a brutal roundhouse kick to her back, his leg glowing with a dark red aura. The force of the kick cracked bones and sent her crashing forward, her wings flailing as she tried to regain her balance.

But Judex wasn't finished. He followed up with a devastating punch, his fist glowing with black and red energy, slamming into her midsection. The impact sent a shockwave through her body, blood spraying from her mouth as the force lifted her off her feet. She crashed into the tree with a sickening thud, the bodies embedded in the bark shaking from the impact.

Velkra's eyes flared with rage. "You… will not defeat me!"

She raised her hands, her fingers twisting into unnatural shapes as blood tendrils shot out from her body, wrapping around the nearby corpses. The tendrils pulled the bodies free from the tree, fusing them into her form, making her limbs larger and more grotesque, her strength growing with each soul she consumed.

With a roar, she charged at Judex, her blood-enlarged fists swinging in a wide arc. Judex leapt backward, narrowly avoiding the blow, but Velkra was relentless, her attacks coming faster and faster. She smashed her fists into the ground, sending chunks of earth flying, and lashed out with her wings, the decayed feathers sharp as daggers.

Judex dodged and weaved, his movements precise and calculated. He blocked her strikes with his scythe, parrying each blow as their battle raged across the . But Velkra's strength was growing, and each of her blows carried the weight of the souls she had consumed.

In a blur of motion, she slammed her soul sword downward, and Judex, seeing no other option, spun his scythe in front of him. The blade grew to an enormous size, absorbing the force of the impact. The ground beneath them cracked and splintered, the sheer power of their clash sending shockwaves through the landscape.

But Judex grinned beneath his mask. "You're strong," he muttered. "But not strong enough."

With a burst of energy, Judex slashed through the soul sword, severing it in half. The souls that made up the blade screamed as they were torn apart, their cries echoing through the air as they dissipated into nothingness.

Velkra staggered back, her body shaking with exertion, but she wasn't finished. Her arms morphed again, this time into massive blood blades, and her wings grew larger, more grotesque as they dripped with rot. "I'll cut you to pieces!" she screamed, her voice shrill and filled with fury.

She charged at Judex, her blood blades swinging with deadly precision. Judex dodged to the side, his scythe spinning in his hands as he parried her blows. Each strike was heavier than the last, but Judex kept pace, his movements fluid and effortless. He ducked under one swing, blocked another, and then countered with a devastating upward slash that carved a deep wound across Velkra's chest.

Blood sprayed from the wound, but Velkra only grinned, her body regenerating as she drew more power from the Tree of Blood. "I cannot die!" she screamed, her voice echoing through the forest. "I am eternal!"

But Judex wasn't listening. His scythe glowed with dark energy as he spun it above his head, the soul chains** erupting from the blade once more. The chains shot toward Velkra, wrapping around her limbs, pulling her forward. 

With a roar, Judex yanked the chains, pulling Velkra toward him. As she came hurtling forward, he delivered a series of brutal strikes—his scythe slashing across her body in a whirlwind of motion. Blood sprayed in all directions as he slashed her arms, her legs, her chest, each blow landing with deadly precision.

Velkra screamed in agony, her body shaking as the chains bound her tighter. But Judex wasn't finished. With a final burst of energy, he lunged forward, driving his scythe deep into her abdomen. The blade pierced through her back, pinning her to the ground as blood poured from the wound.

Velkra gasped, her eyes wide with shock. "You… you can't…"

Judex grinned beneath his mask, his voice low and filled with dark amusement. "I could've used you for my harem."

And with a single brutal punch, his fist glowing with black and red energy, Judex smashed her head clean off her body. Blood exploded from the stump of her neck as her head flew through the air, landing with a sickening thud on the ground.

But Judex wasn't done. He raised his scythe once more, and with a swift, deadly motion, he severed her body in half, the two halves falling to the ground in a pool of blood.

The battle was over.

The Tree of Blood groaned behind them, its power fading as Velkra's body lay in pieces at Judex's feet.

He stood there, his scythe dripping with blood, the rain washing away the crimson stains as his mask glinted in the dim light.

The rain had finally begun to let up, the air still heavy with mist as the battlefield lay in ruins. Velkra's body, now in two pieces, oozed blood onto the ground, and the eerie glow from the Tree of Blood slowly faded into nothingness. Judex stood in the center of it all, his imposing figure bathed in the dim, gray light of the aftermath. His scythe, still dripping with blood, rested on his shoulder as he stared down at the remains of the once-powerful goddess.

For a moment, all was silent.

And then, with a frustrated grunt, Judex reached up and yanked off his red skeletal mask, revealing his face beneath. His dark red eyes gleamed with irritation, and his messy brown hair—tied back in a braided ponytail—was wet from the rain and battle. A scar ran across his right eye, giving him a rugged, battle-hardened look, though his expression was more one of exasperation than triumph.

"Damn it!" he yelled, kicking a piece of Velkra's dismembered arm. "She could've made a great wife! Why the hell did she have to be so evil? And rotten?"

He threw his hands up in the air, pacing back and forth around the battlefield, his frustration clear as he muttered to himself, "And why the hell is every hot woman on this stupid hit list? Death!" He looked up at the sky, shaking his fist. "Why did she have to be on the kill list, huh? We could've worked this out! A little compromise! Maybe a blood pact—literally! But nooooo, it's always 'kill the gods, Judex.' Never 'settle down with a nice goddess and build a harem, Judex; I could fix her."

As he continued his rant, the old man and young woman—the very same ones who had been corrupted by Velkra—began to stir on the ground. Slowly, they opened their eyes, blinking in confusion as they sat up and looked around. The old man rubbed his head, groaning, while the woman checked herself for injuries.

"W-What… what happened?" the old man asked, his voice still weak. He glanced around, noticing the blood-soaked ground and the dismembered goddess. "We were in the carriage, and then… then everything went black."

The woman, equally confused, looked up at Judex, who was still pacing and ranting to the sky. "What… what is he talking about?"

Judex stopped mid-pace, finally realizing they were awake. He turned to face them, his face completely serious for a brief moment.

"Alright," he said, holding up a finger dramatically. "Let me explain how I got here. It all started 4 days ago."

He dropped to the ground on his knees, carving his finger in the dirt, drawing literal flashbacks. The body of Velka was in the way, and Judex shoved her body away, saying, "Move, dammit. You're in the way."

t

Judex, now in full storytelling mode, began to draw in the dirt, his scythe resting casually across his shoulders.

"So, there I was, minding my own business back on Earth," he began, his tone matter-of-fact. "Just a regular guy, right? A nobody. I worked a crappy job, no prospects, no girlfriends—just me and my sad little life. I mean, I watched anime, read manga, played video games—ya know, the usual. You wouldn't know anything that though, I don't even know why I mentioned it. But then…it happened. My main character moment"

The scene drawn flashed back to a regular street in the modern world. Judex—looking like an average guy in a hoodie and jeans—was walking across a crosswalk, his face buried in his phone. Out of nowhere, a truck came barreling down the street.

"Bam! Out of nowhere, this freakin' truck comes flying at me. No warning, no nothing. Just wham, right there. I barely had time to scream 'oh shit!' before it hit me."

The flashback showed Judex being hit full force by the truck, his body flying through the air in slow motion, landing dramatically on the pavement.

"Okay maybe it wasn't that dramatic, I didn't go flying, I'm just adding to the drama a little."

The drawing shifted to a dark, ominous chamber. Judex stood before Death, a towering figure cloaked in shadows, holding a scythe much larger and more intimidating than Judex's own. Death's voice boomed through the chamber.

"So, I'm dead, right? And I meet Death himself—big, scary guy, all bones and robes. And I go, 'Hey, Death, what's up? So, I'm dead now, huh?' And you know what he says? 'Yes, mortal, you are dead. Now begone to the afterlife.' But I'm like, 'Wait wait, hold up. I can't go out like this, I'm not going anywhere until you give me some insane power. I can't let things end this crappy. Life was already hell as it was."

The flashback showed Judex standing defiantly before Death, demanding power while Death looked thoroughly unimpressed.

"Of course, Death refused. So, what do I do? I challenge him to a fight. And guess what? I won. And to this day I still don't know how I beat him. Anyway—. And there he was, on the ground, screaming 'I yield! I yield!' So, he gives me all this awesome power, but there's a catch, right? There's always a catch. He tells me I gotta go around and kill off all these gods and goddesses who've overstayed their welcome. It's like a hit-list for divine beings."

The scene draining shifted again, showing Judex standing before a massive scroll, unrolling it to reveal a long list of gods and goddesses, each one marked with a target symbol.

"Now, here's the thing. I don't really give a crap about this hit list," Judex said, shrugging. "I mean, yeah, killing gods is fun and all, but what I really want is to build a massive harem. You know, get some strong followers, be the main character of this whole story. 'Cause back on Earth? I was a nobody. But here?" He gestured grandly to the ruined battlefield. "Here, I'm a badass."

Judex turned back to the old man and woman, his hands on his hips as he finished his explanation.

"So, yeah, that's how I got here. Killed a few gods along the way, and now I'm here, trying to figure out how to build my harem and be the real main character. But the problem is, world is so big and I've tried my luck with women, but they're just not that interested in me as I thought. But that doesn't mean I'm gonna quit."

The old man and woman just stared at him, their mouths slightly agape in disbelief.

"Uh…" the woman began, clearly trying to process everything. "What?"

Judex waved her off, turning dramatically toward the horizon. "Don't worry about it. You wouldn't understand. This is just the beginning…"

As Judex started to walk away, the realization hit him like a truck all over again.

"Shit."

He froze mid-step, his eyes widening, before he spun around to face the bewildered old man and woman.

"Shit. Shit. Shit."

He reached up, frantically trying to shove his mask back on. "I just revealed my secret identity to freakin' random people! What the hell am I doing?!" His hands were shaking as he fumbled with the mask, trying to get it back on his face. "Get on! Get on!"

The mask slipped from his hands, clattering to the ground as he cursed under his breath. He bent down, snatched it up, and finally managed to wedge it back onto his face, his breathing heavy from the panic.

He turned to the old man and woman, who were still sitting there, completely confused.

"Apologies." Judex rushed over, now with a dramatic dark voice. picking them both up in his arms as if they weighed nothing. "I got caught up in my inner dialogue. I shall get you both to safety."  

The old man and woman exclaimed at the same time, "What happened to your voice?!"

The old man yelped as Judex hoisted him over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes, and the woman barely had time to gasp before she was lifted into Judex's other arm.

And with that, Judex disappeared into the misty landscape, the ruins of the battle fading behind him as the rain finally began to slow.

The journey through the misty forest had been mostly quiet, save for the occasional groan from the old man and the young woman as Judex carried them effortlessly. His red skeletal mask gleamed under the fading light, and his cloak billowed behind him with every powerful stride. The forest, thick with ancient trees and the distant roars of mythic beasts, stretched out endlessly before them.

But Judex had other plans. He suddenly stopped at the edge of a high cliff, his boots skidding slightly on the wet stone. Below them was a vast expanse of trees, rivers, and mountains that stretched as far as the eye could see. In the distance, mythic beasts could be seen roaming—giant, winged creatures with glowing eyes, and serpentine dragons curling through the clouds.

Judex placed the old man and woman down beside him, standing tall and dramatic at the cliff's edge. His eyes narrowed beneath his mask as he stared into the distance, the weight of countless worlds seemingly on his shoulders. His voice dropped into a deep, dark tone that reverberated through the air.

"Here is perfect," he said, his voice laced with somber gravitas. "The wind… is good."

The old man, blinking in confusion, glanced nervously at Judex, then turned to the woman, who looked equally perplexed. The old man cleared his throat. "Uh… what are we doing?"

Judex, without turning to face them, raised a finger to his lips. "Shhh." His tone was dead serious. "This is cinematic."

He waited. The wind was still at first, but Judex stood there, as though anticipating something. The old man and woman exchanged baffled looks, but Judex remained focused, his eyes scanning the horizon. 

Then, after what felt like an eternity, the wind finally picked up. A gust blew through the cliffside, and Judex's dark cloak billowed dramatically behind him, fluttering in the wind like the cape of a mythical warrior. His stance widened, his scythe gleaming in the slanting light of the setting sun. The moment was perfect.

With the wind howling around him, Judex lifted his head, his voice booming with exaggerated seriousness, like a tragic antihero reciting his own dark prophecy.

"I stand here, on the edge of oblivion," he began, his tone dripping with melodrama. "A shadow in the night, a blade in the darkness. I am the end to those who call themselves gods. I am the scythe that cuts through the heavens. No god can escape my wrath. I will slay them all, one by one, until the cosmos itself trembles at the mention of my name."

He clenched his fist, "I am the harbinger of justice, the bringer of doom**, and the one who shall reign supreme. For I am Judex—the one who shall rise from nothing and claim everything. Darkness courses through my veins, and the blood of the gods will be spilled by my hand! This world will know my name, and my harem and story shall be legendary."

The old man and woman, now fully realizing the absurdity of the situation, exchanged a look of sheer disbelief. They leaned in close to each other, whispering while Judex continued his epic soliloquy.

"Is he… is he insane?" the woman muttered, her eyes wide.

"I think so," the old man replied, rubbing his temples. "He's definitely not all there."

They both turned back to Judex, who was still waiting for a second gust of wind to keep his cloak dramatically flowing. His posture was rigid, his fist still clenched in the air, as though he were posing for a movie poster.

Finally, the old man, unable to contain his curiosity any longer, cleared his throat. "Uh… who are you, exactly?"

Judex, who had been staring dramatically into the distance, turned around slowly. His scythe gleamed in the dying light, his cloak still fluttering behind him. He tilted his head slightly, the air thick with tension.

And then, in the deepest, most gravelly voice he could muster, he uttered the words:

*I am Judex… the God Slayer."

The wind howled once more, perfectly timed with his declaration, and his cloak flared out dramatically once again.

The old man and woman just stared at him, speechless.

Judex silently celebrated in his mind, 'Spot on. This is gonna be fun.'