In all the years of my life, I had moments of happiness—moments spent with my family, moments where everything seemed peaceful. But this world, it seems, has no intention of letting me stay happy. Not in this life, not in my past life, not in any life...
If this world won't let me be happy, then I won't let anyone else live in peace either.
---
The aftermath of the Beast attack on Yangu City and Fleta Village sent shockwaves throughout the kingdom. The Royal Capital of Yushi, with its towering walls and bustling streets, had become the epicenter of fear and uncertainty. Survivors were being brought to the capital, escorted by knights, but the grim reality of the destruction weighed heavy on all.
Inside the Royal Castle, in a grand meeting room lined with golden pillars and banners, a heavy silence filled the air. Dozens of nobles and advisors sat around a long table, their faces etched with concern. Their murmurs of worry were cut short when the double doors swung open.
"His Majesty is entering the room!" a voice announced.
All present immediately stood, bowing their heads as the king strode in. His regal black hair, glistening crown, and commanding presence silenced the room entirely. Taking his place on the throne, the king gestured with a single hand.
"Raise your heads," he said, his deep voice calm yet authoritative.
Everyone complied, taking their seats as the king's piercing gaze swept over the assembly.
"You are all aware of the tragedy that struck yesterday," the king began. "The Beasts attacked Yangu City and Fleta Village, leaving destruction in their wake. Countless lives were lost."
A solemn hush fell over the room.
"But what none of you understand," the king continued, his voice growing heavier, "is how such an attack was even possible. The Holy Spirit Barrier—our kingdom's greatest defense—was broken. The barrier, imbued with divine power, should have stopped any malevolent force from breaching our lands. Yet it failed."
The tension in the room grew unbearable.
One of the advisors, a man with graying hair and sharp features, stood. "My lord," he said cautiously, "could it be possible that someone betrayed us? Perhaps one of the barrier's guards tampered with it?"
The king shook his head firmly. "No, Mr. Grover. We have thoroughly inspected the Holy Spirit Holder. There were no signs of tampering, no evidence of betrayal."
Grover hesitated, then sat back down. "Then... how?"
The king closed his eyes briefly, as if weighing his next words carefully. When he opened them again, his gaze was unyielding.
"The barrier was overpowered," he said simply.
The room erupted into chaos.
"Overpowered?!"
"Impossible!"
"How could the Holy Spirit energy be defeated?"
The king raised a hand, silencing the uproar. "I understand your disbelief, but it is the truth. The Holy Spirit energy was overwhelmed by a force far greater than anything we've seen. The only possibilities are that it was the work of the Beast King, the Demon Lord... or a god."
His last word lingered in the air like a heavy shadow.
The room fell silent once more, the gravity of his statement sinking in.
"But," the king continued, his tone grave, "there were no sightings of the Demon Lord or the Beast King in either Yangu or Fleta. If this power belongs to neither of them..." He paused, his voice dropping lower. "Then we are facing an enemy that humanity has never encountered before."
The nobles exchanged uneasy glances. None dared to speak, their minds racing with the implications of the king's words.
---
Meanwhile, outside the gates of the capital, a procession of knights escorted the survivors from the devastated regions. Most of the survivors were silent, their faces hollow from trauma. Among them was a lone figure, a boy cloaked in a tattered robe, his face hidden beneath the hood of his garment.
That boy...
...is me