"Star Weaver," one of the most popular novels in the dark fantasy genre, portrayed a world filled with superheroes, astounding abilities, lurking villains, but above all, a tragic world. The heroine, Star Weaver, a girl who fought to her last breath, never received the recognition she deserved. Every time she stood to protect the city, the spotlight was on others, and whenever she sacrificed herself for the innocent, she was quickly forgotten, even blamed for the damage caused. There was no justice, no fairness; the story was saturated with betrayal, death, and destruction, weaving a tragic plot that made the reader suffer with every new chapter.
For Daniel, it wasn't just a story. It was his favorite saga, the novel he had followed passionately for years. He knew every detail, every tragedy, every moment of despair that Star Weaver endured, and he wished he could change her fate. If only there was a way to make her shine as a true heroine, to receive the appreciation she deserved, to be loved rather than shunned.
Then came that day.
He took a deep breath, standing over the body, staring at the bold letters he had drawn with the victim's blood. "To my star, I am the Harbinger of Chaos, I am the symbol of destruction in this city."
He tossed the sharp tool aside, looked at his trembling hands, and then vanished into the darkness.
The following morning, the neighborhood buzzed with the sounds of police, investigators surrounding the scene, and detectives discussing the body that had been found. But the most controversial part was the message. The killer wasn't just an ordinary criminal; he had left a signature, announcing himself to the world with a new name: Harbinger of Chaos.
"This is ridiculous," muttered one of the detectives as he looked at the writing, while Star Weaver stood beside them, her fists clenched in anger.
She was a young woman with long silver-blonde hair and blue eyes that shone with unbreakable determination. Although she wasn't among the high-ranking heroes, she bore responsibilities far greater than a novice heroine of rank C should. The message was directed at her, and that was clear.
"Why is this criminal addressing me?" she asked angrily, but one of the detectives replied calmly as he reviewed the forensic report:
"The victim isn't just an ordinary person... He's a criminal classified as a level B villain. A man who committed countless crimes over the years, and no one could catch him due to his ability to move through shadows. Even the most experienced heroes couldn't capture him."
Silence reigned for a few seconds before Star Weaver slowly said, as if comprehending the situation: "So... he killed a villain?"
"Yes."
This changed everything. He wasn't just a serial killer, but someone targeting a known villain, someone who did what the heroes themselves couldn't. But that didn't make him a hero. Someone who kills with such brutality cannot be a hero, can they?
Elsewhere, in a dark room filled with screens, Daniel was vomiting for the tenth time that morning.
His body trembled as he clutched a metal bucket, sweating profusely while his empty stomach tried to expel something nonexistent. Killing wasn't easy; it wasn't like people saw in movies or read in novels. It was terrifying, harsh, sticky. Even now, he still felt the texture of blood on his hands despite washing them repeatedly.
"You're in a miserable state, Danny."
He slowly raised his head, half-conscious still caught in the nightmare, and looked at the girl standing at the doorway, her arms crossed and her caramel-colored eyes staring at him with clear boredom.
"Shut up, Risa."
Risa, the girl with long flaxen hair, with the ever-present sarcastic smile, and the intelligence that made her the most dangerous person in the city if she wanted to be. In the original story, she was one of the most dangerous villains, a destructive mind capable of hacking any security system, manipulating information, executing complex operations with a touch of a finger. Her intelligence surpassed any physical superpower, but in this world, she wasn't a villain yet.
It took Daniel two years to persuade her to join him, two years of planning, maneuvering, building trust. She didn't know why he needed her, didn't even know why he seemed to know her future, but she eventually agreed, at least out of curiosity.
"So, how did 'Harbinger of Chaos' fare in his debut?" she said with a laugh, while he took a deep breath and tried to regain his composure.
"You know? Hearing you say it now, I realize how pathetic that name sounds."
Risa chuckled, leaning on one of the tables filled with electronic equipment. "I told you that from the start, but it was your decision."
"I had no choice; I had to make an impression... I just didn't expect the impression to come with this much nausea."
Risa smiled, then pointed to the screens where the news was broadcasting reports about the incident, Star Weaver was there, angry, talking to the detectives.
"Looks like she's already interested in you."
Daniel stared at the screen. Yes, she was interested, but not in the way he wanted. He wanted her to hate him, to see him as the villain she must defeat. This was necessary because if she didn't evolve, if she didn't become stronger, the world would have no chance of survival.
This was the real reason behind everything.
Two years ago, Daniel woke up in this world, in his real body, with his full memory. He quickly realized where he was, and he also realized when he was. Two years before the events of the story began, before Star Weaver embarked on her tragic journey, before she reached her catastrophic end.
Initially, he didn't know what to do, but the more he reread the novel in his mind, the more he remembered the events to come, he realized the frightening truth: the world was doomed.
Not because of wars, not because of ordinary villains, but because of an entity that would appear later, an entity that would destroy everything. In the original novel, there was no chance of survival, even with all the sacrifices Star Weaver made, it wasn't enough.
But this was no longer just a novel to him. This was his life now, and he had to act.
That's why everything began, that's why he had to push the heroine to her limits, to make her strong enough to face the future. It wasn't easy, it wasn't fun, but he had no other choice.
"It seems like you're planning something else," Risa said as she observed him with sharp eyes.
"Always."
She smiled a sly smile. "Well, just don't puke on me next time, okay?"
He could only sigh. The coming days would be tougher, but he was ready. He had to be ready.