Kazuki's POV
The cold breeze of Aurelith brushes against my skin as I walk through the dim-lit streets. The image of that corpse, lifeless and forgotten in the alley, flashes once more in my head.
But strangely… it doesn't bother me.
Maybe it should.
But it doesn't.
It's not my problem.
I'm not here to play hero. I'm not here to solve a city's problems. I'm here for one reason. Revenge.
Then… the memories strike.
Like a dagger to the chest.
Ryohie, His smug expression.
The laughter. The betrayal. The one I trusted the most joining in—mocking me.
That throne room…
The king's voice still echoes in my skull.
"This power… it's the magic of devils… and the electric element… the magic of gods."
They feared me.
Banished me.
Then…
That party that picked me up off the dirt road like some stray animal.
Three turned their blades on me when it mattered.
Three stayed.
Only three…
And now one is dead.
Sato.
I see myself digging his grave.
Dirt under my nails.
Tears I didn't want to shed falling anyway.
His voice…
So clear.
"When I'm old or gone, you're the next one to save it."
Maybe… maybe that's why I saved Mirkdusk.
Even though I told myself I didn't care.
Even though I had every reason not to.
His words still live in me.
And maybe that's the only part of me that's still human.
I clenched my fists without realizing it.
Revenge.
That's all I have.
All I know.
I walk until I find myself back at the inn.
The one Selena and I checked into earlier.
And then, another thought slithers into my head.
We were summoned from another world.
But… where are the disasters? The threats? The reason for the summoning?
Or was that only told to the others?
After I was banished.
After I was cast out like filth.
Wouldn't surprise me.
Then again…
I don't care.
I look up.
The moon's high.
Lanterns flicker and burn in orange and gold.
Aurelith looks peaceful.
"I don't care about this world," I mutter inside.
"And I know I'm not the man who'll save it."
I step into the inn.
It's… empty.
Too quiet.
Mirkdusk's inns were always loud—even at night.
But here? It's like the place is asleep.
I make my way to the counter.
A woman wearing glasses greets me from behind it.
She's the type that notices everything.
Sharp eyes behind that nerdy look.
"Strange for an inn to be this empty at night," I ask casually.
She pushes her glasses up. "The mayor passed a law. No loitering or drinking past nightfall. Curfew for the drunks."
Huh.
Aurelith's playing it safe.
I nod and start to head upstairs—until she stops me.
"Wait," she says, pointing to the daggers on my belt.
"Those are… Duskpiercers, aren't they?"
I glance down.
"Yeah," I reply. "Just bought them a few hours ago."
"You're a vampire hunter then?"
"No. Just a guy with coin and curiosity."
She doesn't seem convinced.
"The mayor's already spread the word… A vampire's in town. You planning to join the hunt?"
I pause.
My mind lingers on the alley.
The bite marks.
The blood.
"…I'll think about it."
I take the stairs.
Each step heavy.
The news spread fast.
Too fast.
Maybe this vampire's more dangerous than I thought.
I open the door to our room.
Selena's asleep.
Peacefully.
She took the separate bed. Good.
I'm too tired to talk.
Too tired to explain myself again.
I take off my bloodstained cape and burned coat, hanging them on the rack.
The Duskpiercers come off next—laid gently on the small table beside my bed.
Finally… the bed.
It creaks under me as I lie down.
Staring at the ceiling, I let my thoughts eat away at me again.
This world…
My past…
My revenge…
I close my eyes.
And let the weight carry me into sleep.
Selena's POV
I was in a war.
Chaos roared all around me—comrades falling one after another. Blood splattered, blades clashed, and spells exploded like dying stars. In the middle of it all stood a towering figure made of black smoke, like a shadow given form. I fought, we all fought, but nothing seemed to land.
Then suddenly, I was lifted.
The monster had grabbed me by the neck and hurled me through the air like I was weightless. I crashed hard. Thick black smoke erupted around me on impact. My lungs choked on the dark air, my hands wiped at the smoke just to see, and that's when I spotted it—this glowing, spiraling orb of pure mana heading right at me.
My heart skipped.
But I reacted—summoned my sword of light, and with one clean arc, I split the projectile apart. Mana scattered like fireflies.
I charged.
Speed took over. I darted past attacks, weaving through them like the world was moving in slow motion. Every punch of black energy, every claw swipe—I dodged them with a dancer's grace. Then another orb appeared—another mana shot fired from behind. I twisted and pushed forward, narrowly avoiding it.
An opening.
My light sword screamed as I swung, slicing the black monster clean in half. Its body collapsed behind me like a statue falling into dust. I took a breath.
Then—BOOM.
Another projectile hit me out of nowhere, throwing me off my feet and drowning me in smoke.
When I opened my eyes, everything had changed.
A guy wearing a scorched green coat stood nearby. Bloodied. Broken. Next to him, a long-haired girl with twin daggers. I looked up.
Three figures hovered in the sky.
The one on the left wore a long white robe, his arms raised like a priest. The middle one donned heavy battle armor, radiating authority. The right one was a woman with wings, holding a glowing staff.
The robed figure swung his arms forward. A gust of wind—not just wind, blades of air—tore through us. My skin stung. My blood screamed. I raised my arms to block and shut my eyes.
Screams followed.
Explosions. Death.
When I opened my eyes again… everyone was dead.
Both sides. Every soldier.
Only me, the guy in green, and those three heavenly monsters remained.
He was kneeling—clutching the body of the long-haired girl. Crying.
She was dead.
The three walked toward him, speaking something… but I couldn't hear it. Everything muted. He screamed, a raw, broken sound that made even the sky tremble. The wind carried his torn coat away.
Then…
Dark magic spiraled around him like a raging storm, covering him, consuming him. Lightning joined it, dancing across his skin.
They readied for battle.
He dropped into a wild stance—a beast's stance—and charged. So fast. I couldn't even see it. The wind user clapped his hands, sending out a shockwave that shattered the ground. The armored one summoned a meteor—glowing purple—descending slowly like death itself. The winged woman fired beams of mana, but he didn't stop. He dodged, crawled, ran—all fours, like a rabid animal.
Then came reinforcements.
More gods. More magic. More destruction.
I tried to run. My legs wouldn't move.
Explosions. Light. Fire. Screams.
And then… silence.
It was over.
They won.
The three divine figures stood over the field, then turned to me. They tossed something.
His body.
No longer cloaked in darkness, no longer surging with lightning. Just… Kazuki.
Lifeless.
His heart was gone. His eyes were gone.
I wanted to scream, to vomit, to disappear.
Then I woke up—gasping.
My cheeks were wet. I wiped my tears away and looked at Kazuki. Still sleeping. Still breathing.
I turned to the window. The sky was still dark.
Just a dream.
But it felt like a warning.
NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR:
I'm sorry for not uploading a new chapter for almost a month. I had to study for my exam and I'm also brainstorming some ideas for the future of this wn thank you for understanding and I'll try to upload weekly.