I have failed."
The words left his lips in a hushed whisper, as if they were a truth he needed to remind himself of every single day. He looked down at his hands—scarred with old wounds, fingers that had gripped thousands of swords, a fist that had long since lost its feeling. His body, once an instrument of war, now stood at its limit.
Power… it had been everything to him.
"I have spent my life chasing absolute strength."
I lost. I humiliated myself. I shattered every bone in my body— all for my insatiable thirst for power.
"Power… it was, and still is, my only purpose in life."
Lifting his gaze, he stared up at the dark sky above his secluded garden. He stood amidst ancient trees and rare, withering roses. The air was still, but within him, a storm raged without end.
"Weakness is a curse. I do not, and will never, regret my pursuit. My only regret… was believing that I had reached the peak."
His name had echoed across the world. Kingdoms feared him. Armies bent the knee before his might. His enemies whispered his name in terror.
And yet…
He was not the strongest.
There were still beings greater than him, those who could trample over his existence without even moving. And he hated it. He hated the mere thought that someone, somewhere, could look at him with pity.
He had lost his emotions—his humanity—in his pursuit of strength. To prove himself. But life… was never fair.
"My ambition drives me ever higher, but I regret never reaching my true goal. The wall separating me from my desire still stands…"
Through blood, power, loss, and endless struggle, he had reached the throne of the Kingdom of Thrones.
And yet, his body—his once-loyal vessel—had betrayed him. The body that had always responded to his will to evolve had ceased to grow. It could not endure any longer.
His soul and body stood at odds.
For the first time… he pitied his own flesh for failing to keep up with his greed.
"I want another chance…"
But before he could dwell further on his thoughts—something changed.
A presence—vast and unfathomable—descended upon his world.
A power unlike any he had ever faced.
It wasn't just overwhelming—it wasn't merely something that could crush him. It was something beyond comprehension. Something older than the world itself.
He did not move.
He did not raise his sword.
He did nothing at all.
Because against this force, he could not fight.
Because he knew his limits.
The ancient trees trembled in silence, the air froze, and the sky above split open.
A void—a chasm of endless night—tore itself into existence, and from within, something emerged.
Not a creature, not a man.
A star—no, an orb of brilliant, sapphire light—hovered within the darkness, floating in the abyss like a celestial entity beyond mortal understanding.
Then, a voice.
Deep. Infinite.
A voice that did not belong to this world.
"It is a pleasure to finally speak with you, human king."
Isaac's pupils contracted, yet no fear flickered across his face. He stared at the radiant blue light amidst the eternal darkness, his gaze reflecting both caution and intrigue.
"I have been watching you… since your childhood."
For the first time, Isaac's breath caught in his throat.
"You have always been brave. Wise. Fearless in the face of death… You have never cowered, always running toward the abyss rather than away from it. From the moment of your birth, you have fought for your life, even when you never met the family you lost. Your will alone kept you alive."
The voice echoed across the empty space, as if the entire world spoke in unison.
"Your sheer force of will reached beyond this world, great king. From the moment you first opened your eyes in this wretched life, I have watched you with interest."
Isaac… smiled.
Not in fear.
Not in shock.
But in excitement.
"I am honored to receive such praise from a being of your power."
He stood firm amidst the overwhelming aura suffocating his surroundings, as if he had stepped into a separate dimension.
"But forgive my bluntness—why would a being like you watch me for so many years? What could you possibly gain from observing a mortal whose body barely listens to him anymore? Tell me, what use am I to you?"
The entity's voice carried a rare amusement.
"That is the king I have long awaited to meet. Ninety years of watching… and you do not disappoint."
For a moment, the oppressive aura ceased, as if the world itself bowed before the words to come.
Then, the voice spoke once more—
"Let us make a deal."