Lyra Kael! Are you even human?!
Riven Kael's eyes shot open.
Pain. The intense agony was overwhelming. He clenched his fists, veins bulging in his forehead, as shock, rage, and utter betrayal filled his chest.
He could hardly believe what had just happened. His own sister, the one he'd raised and protected since they were both children, had done this to him.
"I thought you were just a rebellious fangirl," Riven thought, his heart sinking. "But this... this is beyond anything I could have imagined."
He never expected this. His whole life, he had cared for Lyra Kael, his younger sister. When their parents died, he became her protector, and even when the world was thrust into chaos with the arrival of Eclipse of Eternity, he always watched over her.
But now, everything had shattered.
The Eclipse of Eternity game had arrived, bringing with it the ability to gain lifespan by slaying monsters. What's more, players could sacrifice years of their life to extract game powers into the real world. The boundaries between the real and the fantastical had dissolved.
As people became stronger and the world fell into disarray, Riven Kael rose from the ashes all the while protecting his sister. He forged his way through the chaos, and he became one of the top hundred strongest in the world. It was his way of ensuring her safety in this world now ravaged by disaster.
Riven Kael had even gained the legendary Celestial Eyes, an artifact from an ancient god's ruin. This was supposed to be his key to further power, a gift he had earned, the final piece to rise above it all.
But then, he was blindsided.
He never suspected that his sister, Lyra, would betray him so completely.
With a single dose of Soul-Wandering Water—a substance that crippled his ability to move—she had stolen his Celestial Eyes, those precious orbs that had taken him so long to acquire. Lyra Kael, wearing an excited expression, had even told him that Elias Stone, the idol she loved, would be able to surpass him with the power of it.
His mind reeled in disbelief as he saw Lyra standing above him, her face alight with joy as she dug into his skull and removed his eyes.
Riven's soul wandered outside of his body, watching helplessly as she did this unspeakable thing.
"Don't worry, Elias Stone said he would find you new eyes," Lyra had whispered, as if offering comfort in the midst of her treachery. "As long as you don't stop us from being together, everything will be fine…"
But what she didn't know was that Elias Stone had only used her for his own gain. The Soul-Wandering Water she had been given contained poison—deadly enough to kill her brother once she had taken the Celestial Eyes.
Soon after she left, Riven Kael died.
But fate had other plans for him.
When he awoke again, he found himself lying in a small, simple room. The sunlight filtered in gently through the curtains, casting soft beams of light over the bed.
"I've… I've been reborn?" Riven Kael's mind struggled to grasp the reality. It was nine years ago—before everything had gone wrong.
The betrayal hadn't happened yet. He hadn't yet lost his eyes.
As the memories of his previous life flooded back, he felt a cold resolve form inside him.
He had protected Lyra Kael from everything—his entire existence had been dedicated to keeping her safe. But now, she had crossed a line, and Riven was done.
"You think my protection was suffocating?" he muttered to himself.
In his previous life, he had kept a strict hand over her life. No late-night outings, no bars, no smoking—he had done all of this for her safety, especially after Eclipse of Eternity arrived. He had insisted on accompanying her to level up, ensuring she stayed safe, far from the dangers of teaming with strangers.
But now, it all seemed futile.
He remembered the day Eclipse of Eternity first came into their world. Lyra Kael had been angry with him, upset because he wouldn't let her attend a concert by Elias Stone, who was performing in a neighboring city. She had ignored him and gone anyway, leaving for the concert in secret.
When the game arrived, he tried to reconcile with her, worried for her safety, but it was too late.
In his protection, she had flourished while many others suffered. People admired her for having a brother like him, but what they didn't know was how that same brother had become nothing more than a roadblock to her desires.
And worse still, she had never appreciated his efforts. She had wanted to be with Elias Stone all along.
Riven Kael sneered at the thought. "Elias Stone… Do you really think that star cares for you?"
In truth, Elias Stone was nothing more than a second-rate player in the Eclipse of Eternity world, his skills nothing compared to Riven's. The betrayal had been plain to see all along, but Lyra had been blinded by her idol.
The more Riven thought about it, the clearer it became. He had wasted so much of his previous life trying to protect her, holding back opportunities and avoiding danger because of her.
But not anymore.
"This time…" Riven Kael whispered, his voice cold and firm. "I'll live for myself."
And with that, he let go of the weight of his past, letting go of the burden of caring for his sister. He would take on the world alone, free from the constraints of family and duty. Without her to hold him back, he would rise higher than ever before.
Just as he made his decision, a strange mechanical voice filled his mind:
[Judgment Eye activating...]
[You have obtained the "Judgment Authority"!]
Riven Kael froze. The Celestial Eye. The ancient relic. It had bound to him when he first acquired it, and now, even though it had been taken from him, it had followed him back into his new life.
The Judgment Eye had activated.
The game had just begun.