Let me ask you something.
Have you ever believed the supernatural could be real?
To be honest, I didn't. I used to think all of it—ghosts, demons, gods, monsters—was just fiction.
I was an atheist back then.
I didn't believe in any higher power or mystical force. No gods, no demons, no spirits. Just science and logic.
But all of that changed the day I met one of those things.
That day turned my world upside down.
Ah—where are my manners?
My name is Marcus Reynards, and this is the story of how I became known as The Phantom Exorcist.
---
In the United States, in a city known as Qassiqornat, stood a university called Redlands Hill. Within its halls, a young man of nineteen walked with tired eyes and heavy steps toward his morning class.
He had a striking appearance—fair skin, medium-length crimson red hair tied in pigtail braids, with short bangs falling just above his deep purple eyes. A jagged scar cut across his right eye, and a short crimson goatee added to his sharp features. Towering at 197 cm, his muscular frame made him stand out, along with the tattoos along his left arm.
As he entered the classroom, the professor glanced up with a sigh.
Mrs. Johnson: "Jeez, why are you always late, Reynards?"
Marcus: [rolling his eyes] "I know, okay…"
Mrs. Johnson: "Good grief. Try smiling—it might brighten your day."
Marcus: "Yeah, yeah, whatever."
He slumped into his seat, eyes drifting out the window. A strange dream from the night before kept playing in his mind—too vivid to ignore, too bizarre to explain. The professor's words blurred into background noise as Marcus tried to make sense of it.
Before he knew it, the bell rang. The day had ended.
---
Riding home on his motorcycle, the dream still haunted him.
He returned to his small, paint-chipped house—red and blue along the walls—and parked in the garage. Entering through the back door, he was greeted by his companion, a white-furred fox named Kiya.
She looked up expectantly.
Marcus: "Ah, crap. I forgot to get your food…"
With an apologetic sigh, he left for the nearby convenience store.
Inside, Marcus found himself struggling in the pet food aisle, unsure what to buy. Before he could ask anyone, a tall, muscular man with gold earrings growled at him.
Stranger: "Pick one, kid. You're in the way."
Marcus: "Yeah, yeah, I'm picking…"
Grumbling under his breath as he left, Marcus muttered,
"What's wrong with people nowadays…"
Just as he stepped outside, a strange, heavy pressure filled the air.
He glanced around, uneasy—but saw no one. Shaking the feeling, he returned home, ate, studied, and took a long hot bath. That night, Kiya curled up beside him in bed.
But far beyond human eyes, something had crossed over.
A creature from another realm—twisted, monstrous, hungry—emerged into the human world. Its senses locked onto a specific target… Marcus Reynards.
---
The next morning, Marcus headed to work. He took extra shifts, determined to save money. But as dusk fell and the shop neared closing, a deafening roar shattered the silence.
Then he saw it.
A monstrous creature stood at the entrance—a grotesque fusion of human and beast. It had a humanoid upper body with four muscular arms, a disfigured face twisted in hatred, and the lower half of a giant serpent.
Before he could react, the beast lunged forward and grabbed him.
Marcus screamed for help, but no one heard him. The monster dragged him through a glowing portal that opened behind them, ripping through the fabric of reality. On the other side, Marcus tumbled into a post-apocalyptic wasteland—ruined, desolate, and crawling with danger.
The creature pinned him, opening its maw wide.
Marcus (panicking): "What the hell?! This can't be real! This isn't real!"
He tried to run—but tripped. The monster closed in, ready to devour him.
---
Earlier that evening…
Two men in black military uniforms entered the plaza near Marcus's shop. Their coats bore a golden insignia on the back, with green accents and gleaming buttons. They moved with purpose, guided by a strange tracking device.
The first, tall and androgynous, had striped blue-and-pink hair tied in a ponytail. A red drop earring hung from his left ear, and a dango stick rested in his mouth. The second was slightly shorter, with bleach-blond hair in a ponytail and a mischievous grin.
Tyrese Valefor (First Man): "According to my tracker, the Abyssmorph is this way."
Geoffrey (Second Man): "Then what are we waiting for?"
They dashed toward the shop—just in time to see the monster disappear with Marcus.
Tyrese quickly pulled out a glowing talisman.
Tyrese: "Glesiasia Gate—open!"
A portal opened, and both men leapt through it.
They emerged into the same wasteland, searching desperately for Marcus. But before they could find him, they were ambushed by a swarm of monsters.
Tyrese drew two gleaming swords and whispered:
Tyrese: "Sanctify these blades. Let them purge all evil. Purifier—manifest."
Light enveloped the swords, and with a blur of motion, Tyrese decimated the monsters.
Meanwhile, Geoffrey formed hand seals and summoned two powerful spirits to assist. Once the path was cleared, they resumed their search.
---
Back to Marcus.
Pinned down, face inches from the monster's jaws, he clenched his fists.
Marcus (internal): "Is this it? Is this how I die? I won't accept this. I can't. I just started living…"
His fear turned to rage—his will to survive flared. Suddenly, both his wrists were encased in armor. A giant greatsword with a glowing gem materialized in his hand.
The gem pulsed bright yellow.
With a primal scream, Marcus drove the blade into the monster's arm. It shrieked in agony and released him. Marcus landed on his feet, sword in hand, heart pounding. Instinct took over.
He charged.
The fight was brutal—but Marcus triumphed, slaying the beast.
He stood there, panting, staring at the creature's corpse—then looked down at the glowing weapon in his grip and the armor on his hands.
Then exhaustion hit.
His vision blurred.
The armor and sword faded into light, and he collapsed.
---
Tyrese and Geoffrey rushed to his side.
Tyrese: "He's alive. Just exhausted."
Geoffrey: "You saw it, right? That sword?"
Tyrese: "Yeah. He's a Soul Gear wielder... an Eidolon Relic user."
Geoffrey: "We need to bring him in—fast. I'll contact Admiral Berengaria."
They carried Marcus through their portal back to the human world. He was rushed to North Star General Hospital, a hidden facility under their organization's control.
Later, Tyrese made a call.
Tyrese: "Hello, Madam. It's Tyrese Valefor."
Berengaria (on phone): "What do you want, Valefor? I'm busy."
Tyrese: "Apologies, but we found something... unusual."
Berengaria: "Go on."
Tyrese: "During the Abyssmorph hunt, we found a civilian—no, a Relic user. His Soul Gear is a massive greatsword. We don't yet know its capabilities…"
---
And thus began the awakening of Marcus Reynards.
The world he knew was just the surface—beneath it lurked nightmares, secrets, and ancient power.
This was only the beginning…