The cold morning mist wrapped the forest in a ghostly silence.Ryouma stood alone, far from the city's walls, where the trees thinned and the world felt ancient and untouched.
He stared at the small, shimmering key resting in his palm — its surface pulsed with a faint cosmic light.A part of him was nervous... but another part, deeper and darker, was eager.
Without hesitating, Ryouma reached forward —
he inserted the mysterious key into the void, a click echoed through the empty space.Before him, a vast cosmic gate spun into existence, woven from energy and ancient power.
Taking a breath, he stepped forward.
The moment his body touched the gate —Darkness.
He floated, alone in a boundless void, surrounded by countless distant stars shimmering like silent witnesses.Suddenly, a translucent message appeared before him:
[Inherit the Army of the Legion of End.]
Ryouma blinked, dumbfounded.Before he could react—
[Initializing the process...]
AGONY.
Ryouma's body convulsed violently. His veins writhed like serpents under his skin.His muscles tore themselves apart, regenerated, and tore again.His very genes burned, rewritten by cosmic energy.
His screams shattered the silence of the void, echoes carrying into the endless abyss.Tears of blood streamed from his eyes as cosmic energy flooded his body, drowning him in unbearable pain.
At times, he clawed at his own flesh, trying to tear away the agony.The stars watched, unmoving.
Hours, then days, passed.Ryouma — bloodied, broken, yet unyielding — finally sat cross-legged, his breathing shallow but stable.He began to endure the impossible.To adapt.To evolve.
Until finally —
[Inheritance complete.][Player has earned Title: Ruler of the Legion of End.]
Ryouma, panting heavily, stared at the message.Looking at himself, he realized — his body was something new.All his stats were overflowing.
HP: 1000
Stamina: 1000
Agility: 1000
CP (Cosmic Power): 5000
He clenched his fist — and felt raw power ripple through the void.
Above him, the stars no longer felt distant.He could sense them — as if they were an extension of his own being.
[Title: Ruler of the Legion of End.]
He looked around.No army in sight.
Ryouma scoffed, his voice echoing into the endless dark:"Hey system, are you broken? Where's my damn army?"
A mechanical ding responded:
[The Legion of End will respond to your call.]
Ryouma blinked."...I just call them?"
Shrugging, he said casually:"Come forth."
CRACK—
The fabric of space itself shattered like glass.From the broken void stepped forward the first soldiers:
Glowing ghost-like armor, pale silver-blue.
Helmets concealing their faces, only burning blue flames within.
Tattered cosmic cloaks, trailing stardust in their wake.
Ancient blackened weapons — swords, spears, and shields from forgotten wars.
And then — a greater presence.The air itself trembled.
Through the fracture marched a towering knight:
Black cosmic armor lined with silver streaks.
A huge broadsword, etched in ancient runes.
A tattered cape, like a torn piece of the night sky.
his burning silver eye shining beneath his helm.
[The Abyssal Commander Astreon has appeared.]
The soldiers and the commander knelt before Ryouma —— Their heads bowed low in absolute loyalty.
[You now possess the Legion of End.These soldiers are bound by eternal loyalty.They can only be destroyed if you fall.They consume your cosmic energy to exist.As you level up, higher-tier warriors can be summoned.]
Ryouma's breath caught in his throat."Higher... than this?"He gazed at his first soldiers — and a smile cracked across his face.
Ryouma stared at the hundred soldiers standing silently before him, each clad in ancient armor, holding spears, swords, and shields that seemed to hum with forgotten power.At the front, Astreon, the silent and imposing knight, stood slightly leaning forward — ever watchful.
"You guys can leave now," Ryouma said casually.
Astreon straightened up, then bowed deeply in unwavering respect.At once, the space around them cracked like shattered glass, and the entire legion — soldiers and Astreon alike — vanished into the fractures of reality.
Ding!➔ [Astreon and all summoned soldiers have returned to the player's Personal Space.]
Ryouma tilted his head, curious. "Personal Space?"
Ding!➔ [Personal Space: A dimensional domain exclusively for the player. Soldiers and assets reside there. Currently managed by the system. Full authority will be granted once the player reaches the required level.]
"So, I can't go there yet..." Ryouma muttered with a sigh, a little disappointed.
He was about to ask another question when—
Ding!➔ [Inheritance complete. Exit protocol activated.]
Suddenly, a sharp pain stabbed through his head.His vision spun.His body staggered as if being forcibly pulled away from the void.
The next thing he knew, Ryouma opened his eyes — lying flat on the cool grass of the forest.Above him, the night sky stretched endlessly, stars blinking down.The forest was silent, cloaked in deep midnight.
Ryouma sat up, groaning lightly."...Inside that gate... it felt like at least a week passed," he muttered, rubbing his temples.He glanced around the darkened woods.
Above, the stars hung silently over the kingdom as Ryouma emerged from the forest's shadow. A chill clung to the air, but it wasn't the wind that raised the hairs on his neck—it was the heavy, suffocating malice radiating from the palace ahead.
Ryouma narrowed his eyes."This isn't right... Something's wrong."
He moved cautiously, observing the guards patrolling the outer gates. On the surface, all seemed orderly—but their movements were off. Too stiff. Too delayed. Like puppets on strings.
Ryouma slipped into a nearby alley, then raised his hand.
"Come forth."
SHATTER!Space split open like fragile glass. From the void, rows of silver-blue spectral soldiers emerged, armor faintly glowing, eyes burning like shining stars. At the center stood Astreon, Abyssal Commander—his broadsword resting at his side.
All of them knelt.
Ryouma's voice was cold and precise."This is your first mission. The palace is compromised. We're going in quiet—eliminate only the corrupted. No civilians. No noise. Understood?"
The soldiers nooded silently.
"Astreon, you're with me."
The commander stepped forward, his presence towering even in silence.
Inside the palace, the princess sat by her window, the moonlight washing her face in silver. She stared up at the sky, heart heavy with unease. For days now, something had been off. The guards outside her room moved like strangers. Her father's eyes lacked warmth. And her orders—no matter how small—had been ignored.
"Father would never do this... It's like he's not himself anymore."
Suddenly, the window creaked. Her breath caught.
A figure in a silver cloak appeared outside—masked, with glowing eyes that she could never forget.
"you..?!" she gasped.
He stepped through the open window like a ghost.
"You and your father are in danger," he said, his tone firm and unreadable."There's no time. Come with me."
She hesitated—then nodded. Something in her gut told her this wasn't just another reckless stunt. Ryouma's eyes held a storm behind them.
In the grand hall, the king sat motionless on his throne, surrounded by his ministers. They whispered among themselves, laughter laced with something sinister.
"Is it tonight?" one asked, grinning.
"Yes… After tonight, the entire kingdom will kneel. We've waited long enough."
"Ha! Power, wealth, even—the stars themselves favor us now!"
Suddenly—
BANG!
The hall's great doors blasted open, splinters flying.
Ryouma stepped into the grand hall, the princess trailing close behind him. His voice, calm yet filled with a chilling weight, echoed through the air:"I suggest you savor what little time you have left."
The ministers froze, their conversations dying mid-sentence.One minister, trembling, stood up abruptly."Who are you?! What do you—"
Ding!"[Skill: Telekinesis] activated."
Without lifting a finger, Ryouma's eyes gleamed coldly. Two ethereal daggers materialized beside him, their edges humming with deadly cosmic energy.
With a flick of his thought, one dagger shot forward—Shhhk!A clean cut.The minister's body crumpled to the floor in a lifeless heap, blood pooling at his feet.
Ryouma didn't even blink.He let the second dagger hover ominously, pointed at the heart of the next fool.His voice, low and merciless, cut through the silence:"Who gave you permission to speak?"
The room fell into stunned silence.
The princess, behind him, clutched her chest."He... He killed a minister without a second thought..."
Ryouma turned his gaze to the king.
Two blades now floated beside him, angled like waiting executioners.
No one dared to breathe.The ministers stood frozen, a heavy, suffocating silence gripping the hall.
Ryouma scanned the room slowly, letting the atmosphere sink into fear.A faint smirk tugged at his lips."Good... Now I can speak properly."
He took a step forward, the sound of his boots echoing in the dead hall."You're probably wondering who I am... and why I'm doing this."His gaze sharpened."Let me make it simple and straight — I know everything."
The ministers stiffened, their faces twitching.
"You harbor ill intentions toward the king," Ryouma said coldly."Because he favored his country over your selfish ambitions, you struggled to expand your influence. So, you decided to get rid of him."He began pacing slowly, like a predator circling its prey."Then you came across Marco... and with his help, you spent years weaving your web — controlling every influential person within the kingdom."
The air grew heavier with every word.
"But you couldn't control the king. His protection was too tight."Ryouma's voice darkened."So you shifted your sights to the princess... setting a trap, hoping to make it look like an accident."
Behind him, the princess shuddered.
"You chose her first," Ryouma continued, "because if you managed to kill the king, the princess would ascend to the throne... and you needed to eliminate her beforehand to avoid any trouble."
The ministers' faces paled visibly.
"But there was one variable you didn't account for."He raised his hand slightly, cosmic energy swirling faintly around his fingers."Me."
"I saved the princess."
His voice was low, almost a growl."In your desperation, you turned to the next phase — to directly target the king, using the most influential puppets you already controlled inside the palace. You planned to kill him, replace him with a disguised puppet through magic, and complete your coup."
Ryouma's eyes narrowed dangerously."But surprise... On my way to save the princess, I found the king."A slight glint of satisfaction crossed his face."I thought you bastards had already killed him. But no... your plan was even more disgusting — to murder father and daughter at the same time, making it look like some tragic accident."
The ministers clenched their fists, veins popping in frustration.
"As for how I know..."Ryouma smiled coldly."One of your dear ministers was... generous enough to share everything after I promised him a slightly less painful death."
The room was dead silent.Behind Ryouma, a soft thump echoed — the princess collapsed to her knees, her hands trembling, tears welling up in her wide eyes.
Ryouma glanced back at her, his expression softening briefly.She's terrified... It's expected. Living all this time with death's scythe brushing against her throat...
The princess' voice broke the silence, choked and desperate:"Is... my father safe?"
Ryouma nodded once."He's safe. For now."
A breath of fragile relief escaped her lips.
Turning his attention back to the ministers and the impostor king on the throne, Ryouma's gaze turned merciless again.Their expressions were twisted — dark, ugly, a grotesque mix of rage and fear.
Years of plotting, scheming, and manipulating — exposed and shattered in mere moments.
In a final act of desperation, one of the ministers reached for a locket hidden beneath his robes.He pressed it.
Flash!The locket flared with a brilliant light.
The minister threw his head back and laughed hysterically."Hahaha! You're finished! This locket is a communication tool — any second now, thousands of kingdom soldiers will be here! Let's see if you can handle that! Hahaha!"
Ryouma's expression didn't change.A glint of cold silver flashed.
Shhhk.The minister's laughter was cut short — quite literally.His head fell, thudding to the floor and rolling to the feet of the others.
Ryouma's voice was like frost."I don't recall giving you permission to speak."
The remaining ministers stared at the severed head in horror, frozen in terror.
Ryouma's gaze swept over them.
"You underestimated me far too much."His tone was casual, almost bored."That last hope of yours — the kingdom's soldiers? Already dealt with. No one's coming."
Thud. Thud.
The ministers collapsed one by one.
knees buckling in pure despair.
What made it worse…was that Ryouma wasn't lying.
The kingdom's soldiers — their last hope — had already been dealt with. Silently. Efficiently.
By the time the ministers realized the palace should have been swarming with reinforcements… there was nothing.No footsteps.No orders barked.No steel clashing.
Only silence.
One of them began to tremble violently.Another whispered, "The soldiers should be here by now…"
But none came.
Their fear deepened into raw panic.
Ryouma remained calm.
Ryouma remained calm, sitting like a shadowed monarch.His gaze finally shifted — not to the ministers, but behind him.
the princess had broken into sobs.She cried quietly, her shoulders trembling.Ryouma said nothing, letting her grieve.
After a while, she stood.
Wiping her tears, her eyes red and swollen, she turned to face him. Her voice shook, but it was laced with fury.
"Mister warrior... I request one thing."
Ryouma looked at her silently.
"Kill them."Her fists clenched."Make them suffer for betraying my father, my kingdom. Make them feel it. The more painful, the better."
The ministers began to weep — not out of shame, but raw, paralyzing despair.
They looked at Ryouma — at the silver coat, the full-face mask, the two cosmic daggers hovering silently in the air, and his glowing eyes that held no warmth.
And they all thought the same thing:"Why is this monster helping her...?""What did we do to provoke such a being...?"
The princess turned away.Click.The hall door shut behind her.
Ryouma remained in hall.
His gaze locked on the false king.He raised his hand.
Vwoom.Cosmic light wrapped around the throne.Bang!The fake king was ripped from it and slammed into the ground. A pool of blood spread beneath him.
Then, slowly, Ryouma stood… and sat on the throne himself.
Now it was only him — and the traitors.
"Astreon," he called.
CRACK!Space tore open like paper, and from it emerged a towering figure clad in black cosmic armor, streaked with glowing silver.A massive broadsword, etched in ancient runes, rested on his back.His cape, ragged like torn night, flared behind him.
Beneath his helmet, silver eyes burned like starlight.
He knelt.
The ministers took a step back in pure fear, some collapsing, some crawling, knocking over furniture in their panic.
"Please! Please, we beg you!"They cried."Spare us—!"
Shhhk.A dagger sliced cleanly. Another head hit the floor.
"How many times do I have to say it?" Ryouma said coldly."No one is allowed to speak."
His voice dropped.
"Astreon. Eliminate them."
Astreon unsheathed his broadsword.It glowed faintly with cosmic power as he stepped forward.
Slash. Shhhk. Slam.The sound of blood splattering, screams, and steel echoed through the grand hall.
Ryouma watched, unmoved.The daggers beside him danced lazily, slicing through bodies.Ding! [Skill: Venom Fang — Activated]
Each cut left blackened veins — those struck bled out slowly, agonizingly.
One by one, the ministers fell.
After a long while, silence returned.
Astreon knelt beside the throne, blood still dripping from his sword.
Ryouma stood.
He walked to Astreon and gently placed a hand on his shoulder.
"You did well, partner. Rest now."
Astreon's head dipped slightly, his glowing eyes dimming for a moment — almost… pleased.
CRACK.Space tore open again.
Ding! [Astreon and all soldiers have returned to the Player's Personal Space.]
Ryouma exhaled quietly."Finally… it's over."
Ding! [User Level Up: 15][Stat Points Gained: +700]