I sat beneath the gnarled roots of the ancient tree, my breath coming in ragged hitches. I needed this silence—a temporary sanctuary from the chaos of blood and duty. But in this world, peace was a fleeting illusion. Two shadows approached, their footsteps synchronized and heavy with purpose.
Commander Valerius and General Seraphina stopped before me. What they did next felt like a scene from a forgotten era. They dropped to one knee, bowing their heads until their chins touched their breastplates, and placed three fingers over their hearts. It was a salute of absolute, terrifying devotion. I had seen kings greeted with fanfare, but this was different. This wasn't a salute for a ruler; it was a ritual for a deity.
'What kind of circus is this?' I called out to Night in the void of my mind. "Hey, answer me! Am I falling into another trap?"
Night's voice echoed back, cool and clinical. "You lack the most basic knowledge of this world, Reyansh."
"Basic knowledge my foot!" I snapped. "Have I had a single moment to breathe? Every time I step through one door of death, another one opens right in front of me. How am I supposed to understand this world? Just tell me why they're bowing like I'm their creator."
Night sighed. "There are twelve nations, and four of them are 'Ranked.' These are the people of the Solis Kingdom, the Third Rank. For them, Heroes are not just warriors—they are living Gods. This salute is an act of worship. Their military is the second most powerful on the planet, but their nation remains Third Rank because Corruption has rotted them from the inside. Even we 7 Heroes know little about each other; we are merely myths in the books the rest of the world reads."
"Interesting... but how is that girl, Seraphina, using the 'Rank 4' title?" I asked.
"It is an honorary title bestowed only by a King. As one's ability evolves, so does their name," he replied.
The soldiers raised their heads. Valerius spoke with a booming reverence, "Rest now, Hero. We shall handle the remaining cleanup." Seraphina was staring at me with the same predatory admiration I had seen in Yumi and Hina.
'Man, these girls are crazy for you, and you're just playing the gentleman,' I mocked Night.
"Your words remain incomprehensible to me," Night replied, feigning ignorance.
The Trail of Carnage
I forced my battered body up, every nerve ending screaming in protest. Seraphina stepped forward, "Allow me to escort you." But before she could reach me, Yumi and Hina intervened, their faces flushing with a sudden, sharp jealousy. "We can take care of Night-ji. Your help is needed elsewhere," Yumi said, her voice dripping with possessiveness.
'I just crawled out of a grave and they're starting a romantic drama?' I exhaled a long, tired breath. They supported me, leading me toward the horse-drawn carriage. The path was a visceral nightmare. The ground was littered with the severed limbs and torsos of those who hadn't survived the demon raid. The air was thick with a cloying, metallic stench that burned my lungs.
Inside the carriage, Yumi whispered, "You can rest your head on me. I'll heal you."
"Forget it, I'll manage," I muttered, but my head felt like it was being split by an axe. Yumi didn't listen; she cast a subtle healing spell, and the world faded into a forced, heavy sleep.
The Vow and the TestWhen I awoke, the sky was bruised with the colors of dusk. My head was resting on Yumi's shoulder. I stepped out of the carriage and saw the soldiers burying the dead. I stood with them for a moment, offering a silent prayer for the fallen.
General Seraphina approached me and bowed. "Hero Kiran, Princess Isabella has requested your presence. Will you journey with us to the Solis Kingdom?"
I considered my options. Running was no longer a viable strategy. "I need rest today. We depart tomorrow, when the sun is at its zenith."
"It is a two-day journey, but we shall depart at the hour you command," Seraphina said. Her gaze drifted toward the mountain I had cleaved in half earlier. "Did you do that? Our ruler, King Alaric, will require details."
"I'll tell you on the way," I said, turning toward the dense forest. "I have things to attend to. Do not follow me."
Raw Power, Zero Control
Deep in the woods, I decided to test what this body could truly do. If the elements wouldn't obey my command, I had to rely on raw, physical force. But I knew this wasn't my strength—it was the Azure Knight's physical power, channeled through the sheer density of my Soul Weight.
I focused the crushing pressure of my spirit into my right fist and struck the trunk of a sturdy pine.
CRACK!
The wood splintered deeply under the impact, and the tree groaned before slowly toppling over. There was no explosion, just the heavy, brutal force of a body built for war. My knuckles throbbed with a dull ache; the power was there, but it was unrefined.
"Powerful... but clumsy," I noted, checking for bruises.
I attempted to pick up the pace, testing my sprint. As I pushed off, the earth cracked beneath me. I moved faster than any normal human, but the coordination was a disaster.
THUD!
I tried to bank around a curve in the trail, but my momentum carried me straight into a cedar tree. The collision jarred my entire frame, sending a jolt of pain through my shoulder. I wasn't an unstoppable juggernaut; I was a man with a powerful engine but a broken steering wheel. Every burst of speed made me lose control, causing me to collide with branches and trunks like an amateur.
"Dammit," I hissed, rubbing my bruised shoulder. "This is exhausting. I'm moving like a runaway carriage."
"Hey!" I barked at Night in the recesses of my mind. "This is your physical power, isn't it? Then teach me how to drive this thing! I'm not going to spend the whole journey to the Kingdom crashing into trees."
Night's voice finally surfaced, tinged with a faint, mocking amusement. "The strength is mine, Reyansh, but the balance is yours. Your soul is too heavy, making every movement over-compensated. Sit. It's time you learned the truth about those demons... and why they were sent for us."