The forest was quiet that morning.Birds sang softly above the tall trees, and sunlight pierced through the leaves like golden arrows. The breeze was cool and gentle — the kind that made you forget the world beyond.
And in that peaceful forest, a young man walked alone with a calm expression.His crimson hair caught the sunlight, glowing faintly like fire. His eyes — golden, sharp, and deep — looked more alive than the forest itself.
His name was Kagon Axtaria.
He lived in a small wooden house hidden deep within this forest, far from any village or kingdom. For as long as he could remember, he had always been here — alone.No memories of family. No past. No purpose.Just… existence.
Still, life wasn't unpleasant. The forest provided food, water, and peace. And for Kagon, that was enough — or so he thought.
Today, he was out hunting.A simple bow rested on his back, and a handmade sword hung from his waist. His clothes were plain, slightly worn, but well-kept. His movements were precise and silent — too natural for a mere human.
"Let's see," he muttered quietly, kneeling near a patch of torn soil. "The tracks are fresh. Big claws, heavy steps… so it's around here."
His tone was calm, but his golden eyes gleamed faintly.
The forest had recently become dangerous. Hunters who came too deep never returned. Rumor spoke of a Killer Bear — a massive beast that could crush steel and tear a man in half with one swipe.
Kagon smiled faintly."That sounds troublesome… but its meat is supposed to taste good."
He moved quietly through the bushes, following the tracks. His steps made no sound — even the leaves beneath him didn't rustle. The air grew tense, the smell of blood faint in the distance.
And then he saw it.
A massive bear, easily four meters tall, covered in black fur that shimmered like obsidian. Its claws were longer than daggers, and its fangs gleamed wet with fresh blood. It was eating the carcass of a deer.
The moment Kagon's eyes met the beast's, it froze.Then, it roared — a deep, earth-shaking sound that made the trees tremble.
"Found me, huh?" Kagon whispered, stepping out from the bushes without fear.
The bear's blood-red eyes glared at him. Its roar tore through the forest as it charged — each step shaking the ground.
But Kagon didn't move.He watched the beast rush toward him like an unstoppable boulder, his expression still calm.
When the bear leaped, claws ready to rip him apart—
—SHING!
A single silver flash split the air.
The bear landed behind him… silent.Then, its massive body fell apart — sliced cleanly in half.
Kagon exhaled softly and whispered,
"Too slow."
His voice was neither proud nor cold — just a statement of truth.
The wind carried the scent of blood. Kagon turned his sword, letting the crimson liquid slide off the blade before sheathing it.
"Hmm…" he crouched down beside the corpse, inspecting the meat. "Just like people said — its flesh looks firm. Might be delicious if cooked properly."
He ran his hand through the thick fur, feeling its warmth fading away.
Then, he grabbed the beast by one arm — and effortlessly lifted it onto his shoulder.The creature weighed more than a hundred kilos, yet Kagon carried it as if it were a sack of feathers.
"...Heavier than I expected," he muttered, frowning slightly. "But manageable."
He didn't realize what he had just done.To any other human, that feat would have been impossible. But to Kagon, it felt… natural.
The sun was already high by the time he returned home.His house was small but sturdy, built from rough wood and stone — surrounded by tall trees and silence. A place forgotten by the world.
Kagon dropped the bear beside a wooden table outside, sighing quietly.He wiped the sweat from his forehead and smiled faintly.
"Not a bad day."
He began to butcher the beast with practiced ease — slicing through the hide, separating the meat, washing the blood off with water from the nearby stream.The smell of raw flesh mixed with the scent of pine trees and damp earth.
After some time, he placed a few pieces over the firepit, seasoning them with wild herbs. The flames danced, and soon the air was filled with the smell of roasting meat.
When the meat turned golden brown, Kagon sat down and took a bite.His golden eyes widened slightly.
"…They were right. This tastes really good."
The texture was soft, juicy, and rich — the kind of flavor that could make anyone smile. For a moment, he forgot how lonely the forest was.
He looked at the smoke rising from the fire, disappearing into the blue sky.
"How long have I been here?" he murmured. "A year? Two? I don't even know."
He couldn't remember anything before waking up in this forest.No parents. No village. No friends.Just a voice — faint and distant — echoing in his dreams.
'Live… as a human…'
He didn't know whose voice it was. Maybe his own. Maybe not.
But whenever he remembered those words, something deep inside his chest stirred — a heavy feeling he couldn't describe.
When the sun began to set, Kagon cleaned up and sat outside his house, watching the golden light fade through the trees.He leaned back, listening to the faint sounds of the forest — birds returning to their nests, the crackle of fire, the rustling of leaves.
It was peaceful. Too peaceful.
He sighed softly. "I wonder how the outside world works."
He had heard rumors from travelers passing near the forest sometimes — about kingdoms, cities of magic, wars, and races living together in uneasy peace.But to him, they were only stories.
He looked down at his hands.They were strong — stronger than any human's. He knew that much.Sometimes, when he trained or fought monsters, his body moved on its own, like it remembered something he didn't.
"It's strange…" he murmured. "No matter what I do, I never feel tired. It's like my body doesn't understand limits."
He clenched his fist, and the air around him trembled slightly — a faint ripple, invisible to normal eyes.
Kagon blinked. The ripple vanished."...Huh?"
For a moment, he thought he felt something — an echo deep within his soul. A whisper, old and heavy.
But he shook his head. "Maybe I'm just tired."
He stood and gazed into the horizon. The forest stretched endlessly, but far in the distance, faint lights glimmered — perhaps from a distant town.
Kagon smiled faintly."Maybe it's time I see the world for myself."
He turned toward his house, eyes glowing faintly in the twilight.The seal buried deep within his soul pulsed once — a silent heartbeat of forgotten divinity.
Unseen by him, faint cracks shimmered across his spirit — invisible, fragile, ancient.As if something vast and terrifying was slowly awakening.
That night, Kagon dreamt of fire.Of a world burning, gods screaming, and a crimson figure standing amidst the ashes.He saw eyes like his own — golden, blazing with madness and sorrow.
And a voice — powerful yet broken — echoed through the void.
"Azrakar…"
Kagon's eyes snapped open. Sweat dripped down his temple as he sat up, breathing heavily.
The forest was quiet again. The moonlight spilled across his floor.He looked at his trembling hands, confused.
"…Azrakar?" he whispered. "What… was that?"
He didn't know. But deep inside, something had stirred.
A memory, a name, a sin long forgotten.
And far beyond the stars, in a realm where light and darkness met — a divine presence opened its eyes.
He has awakened.
The forest was cloaked in darkness.Only the faint light of the moon slipped through the tall trees, painting silver shadows across the earth. The wind whispered quietly through the leaves, carrying the scent of night and dew.
In the middle of that silent forest stood a young man with crimson hair — a lone figure beneath the moonlight.
Kagon Axtaria tightened the strap of his bag and glanced at the small wooden house behind him. The faint glow of the dying fire still flickered inside.
That house had been his home ever since he woke up in this forest — empty, peaceful, and suffocatingly quiet.But tonight, he was leaving.
"…I guess that's it," he murmured softly.
His golden eyes reflected the moonlight, cold and calm like a beast's.He looked at the house one last time, then turned his back without hesitation.
No memories. No destination. No reason.Only a desire — to see what lay beyond the trees.
The forest stretched endlessly, but Kagon walked without fear or fatigue. His steps were soundless, his breathing steady. The air was cold, yet he didn't shiver. His body felt unnaturally light, as if the night itself accepted his presence.
He looked up at the sky through the gaps in the branches.
"The stars here look the same every night," he said quietly to himself. "Guess it doesn't matter where I go."
He walked for hours, guided only by instinct.The silence of the night pressed around him, but Kagon didn't seem to mind. He preferred it that way — quiet, distant, empty.
As he walked, his thoughts drifted.He remembered overhearing fragments of conversations from wandering hunters and travelers who once camped near the forest's edge. Words about a world divided by races — humans, elves, and beastmen.
"Humans… elves… beastmen," he muttered, his voice low and detached. "And the elves are said to live deep in forests like this, right? Strange. I've never seen one."
He stepped over a fallen log, brushing away a branch with the back of his hand. His golden eyes glowed faintly in the dark.
"Not that I'm hoping to," he continued. "I'd rather fight alone than travel with others. Groups only slow you down… and in the end, they die first."
There was no emotion in his tone — no anger, no sadness.Just cold certainty.
He paused, staring at the mist that hovered over the forest floor. His reflection in a small puddle rippled softly — crimson hair and golden eyes glimmering like fire in the dark.
"…I don't even know why I said that," he muttered.
The words slipped out naturally, like something from another life. Somewhere deep within him, an echo stirred — faint and heavy. But he brushed it aside.
He continued walking.
Hours passed. The forest changed subtly as the night deepened — the trees grew denser, the air colder. Every now and then, he heard faint growls or rustling in the distance, but nothing dared approach.
Animals could sense it — the quiet, suffocating pressure that lingered around him.Even without knowing it, Kagon emitted an aura that beasts instinctively feared.
When dawn began to creep over the horizon, a faint orange glow touched the trees. The forest awoke again — birds singing, leaves trembling under the morning wind.
Kagon stopped near a small river. He crouched beside it and dipped his hand into the cold water. The reflection that looked back at him was calm and sharp.Golden eyes that didn't belong to an ordinary human.
He drank a little and splashed water on his face.His body didn't ache, even after walking through the night. His mind was clear. His breathing steady.
"…I didn't rest once," he noted quietly. "Still not tired."
He looked at his hand — the same hand that had sliced through the Killer Bear like paper.A faint frown appeared on his face.
"This body… it's not normal."
But the thought faded as quickly as it came. He wasn't the type to dwell on mysteries he couldn't solve. Not yet.
He stood, slung his bag over his shoulder, and began walking again — following the river downstream.
By midday, he reached a clearing. From the distance, smoke rose faintly — a sign of civilization.
Kagon stopped and stared at it.
"…A village?" he whispered.
His first instinct was to turn away.Humans meant noise, lies, and pointless chatter. He preferred silence — the kind he could control.
But then he looked down at himself. His clothes were rough, torn at the edges from the forest. He had no supplies left, and no knowledge of the world outside.
He sighed softly."Guess I'll take a look. Just for a while."
He began walking toward the smoke.
The path to the village wasn't peaceful. The deeper he went, the more he felt… watched.His senses sharpened instinctively. His body moved without thought — quiet, prepared.
Suddenly, a faint rustle echoed behind him.He stopped.
"...You can come out," he said calmly.
A low growl answered him.
From the bushes, several pairs of glowing eyes appeared — wolves, their fangs bared and fur bristling. Their bodies were lean, hungry, and ready to kill.
There were five of them.
Kagon didn't move.He reached for the sword on his back, his expression unchanged.
"You guys really want to die this morning?"
The largest wolf lunged first — a blur of gray fur and fangs.Kagon's eyes followed the motion, calm as ever.
Then his sword moved.
One smooth step forward — a slash too fast to see.The wolf fell, its head rolling across the dirt.
The others froze. The scent of blood filled the air.
Kagon tilted his head slightly. "Still want to try?"
For a heartbeat, silence.Then, they turned and fled into the forest, tails between their legs.
He exhaled softly, wiping the blood off his blade."...Cowards."
He sheathed his sword and resumed walking.The corpses, the blood, the silence — none of it bothered him. It felt too familiar.
Maybe… too familiar.
By the time he reached the village outskirts, the sun had already begun to dip again. The sky was painted gold and purple.
From afar, he could see wooden houses, farmlands, and people moving around. Smoke curled from chimneys; laughter and conversation echoed faintly.
He stopped on the hill, watching them quietly.
"…So that's the world outside," he murmured.
It looked peaceful. Too peaceful.Almost fragile.
He walked down the hill, keeping his hood up. His crimson hair and golden eyes drew attention too easily. He didn't need trouble.
As he entered the village, people glanced his way — curious, cautious. Travelers were rare here.
A merchant called out to him, "Hey, stranger! You new around here?"
Kagon barely turned his head. "Just passing through."
The man shrugged and went back to work.
Kagon walked slowly, taking in the scenery — the smell of baked bread, the sound of children playing, the warmth of fire. It was all… strange.
Too bright. Too soft.
It made something deep inside him uneasy.
He found a quiet spot near a fountain and sat down. The water sparkled in the afternoon light.
"Humans… really live like this, huh?" he muttered. "Laughing… talking… pretending everything's fine."
He stared at his reflection again — those eyes that didn't belong here.
A faint breeze passed, and his expression turned colder."This world… feels fragile. Like it could break any moment."
He didn't know why he felt that way. But in the depths of his soul, something ancient stirred — faint but real.Like a whisper from a long-buried sin.
You destroyed this once… do you remember?
He blinked. The voice vanished.He pressed a hand against his chest, feeling the faint pulse of energy beneath his skin. It was weak, sealed, but there.
He closed his eyes. "No… I don't want to remember."
The sky turned orange, shadows growing long across the ground.
He stood and looked toward the road leading further into the world — beyond the village, toward the kingdoms, the unknown.
He adjusted his sword and whispered, "If I want to understand this world… I have to see it myself."
And with that, he left the village as quietly as he came.
No one knew that the young man who passed through that evening — calm, cold, and unreadable — was once a god who burned worlds to ash.
And even Kagon himself didn't know…that the moment he stepped onto that road, the seal on his fate had begun to tremble.