In a secluded village, seven children were chosen for a ritual meant to open a portal to another world.However, the ritual failed, creating a partial opening that unleashed malevolent forces, killing their families and leaving the children as the sole survivors, which made the villagers to believed that the children were cursed, bringing bad luck upon the community. For ten years, the villagers mistreated the children, who were cursed, yelled at, and tortured. The children didn't understand what they had done wrong but endured the abuse.
The villagers decided to mark each child with a letter, naming them according to their age—each born one day apart. The oldest, who was seven days old when the ritual occurred, was named "C." The second, six days old, was named "U," and so on, until the sixth child, who was named "D." This spelled out the word "CURSED."
When it came time to name the seventh child, the villagers were at a loss. They took him every day to decide on a name, each day inflicting new scars as they branded different names onto his skin, only to cross them out. The boy screamed in agony until he could feel nothing. After months of this torment, they decided he didn't need a name because, to them, he was nobody. This nameless child endured unimaginable suffering, only to be left without even the simplest identity.
### **Chapter 1: The Expelled Project**
By the time they were ten years old, the government had heard of the children's supernatural abilities. They were taken from the village and placed into the "Expelled Project," a secret program designed to control and weaponize those with abnormal powers. Stripped of any remaining identity, they were labeled Object One through Seven.
For the children, this harsh treatment felt like heaven compared to the village. They thought this was what family life was supposed to be like. They were subjected to five years of intense training, during which they gained better control of their powers. Despite the grueling nature of their missions, the children believed they were playing the whole time.
However, the seventh child didn't show any progress. He didn't manifest any powers, so the government renamed him "Object Zero." The officials wanted to get rid of him immediately, but his six brothers protected him. Even though they knew he had no powers, they sent him on dangerous missions with his brothers, hoping he would die. But he survived every time.
As the years went on, his employees and the official started picking on him, trying to make him leave. They made him the janitor, forcing him to clean up after them repeatedly. Each time he mopped the floor, they would walk around, making a mess for him to clean again.
### **Chapter 2: The Big Reveal**
After completing numerous missions with a 100% success rate for the government, the decision was made to reveal the seven heroes to the world. A massive arena was booked, and every high-profile figure across the country was invited. The event was advertised everywhere, with the phrase, "Time to see your heroes," catching every eye.
The arena was packed, and the crowd waited in anticipation.
Suddenly, the whole arena fell into a tense silence when they saw only six children entering from different entrances. The crowd began to boo and curse, upset by what they saw. The tension grew as they started chanting in unison, "Zero wanna be a hero."
Zero, who hadn't entered because he had no powers, watched from the side. Tears filled his eyes. Despite his happiness for his brothers, he couldn't help but feel his own pain. "I'm happy for my brothers," he thought, "but I still have a heart that cries for me."
The crowd didn't applaud the six children; instead, they were disappointed, questioning how these mere children could be heroes. The mood soured even more when someone from the crowd pointed out, "Weren't there supposed to be seven of them?"
As the six brothers raised their swords to the sky, the arena fell into a tense silence, like the crowd could feel something extraordinary but didn't know what it was.
### **Chapter 3: The Demonstration**
The six brothers began their duel, demonstrating their powers to the crowd, who were now in shock at what they were witnessing.
- **C, the Light Bearer:** C moved with incredible speed, faster than the eye could see. He manipulated light to create illusions, making it impossible for the crowd to tell where he actually was. His technique, "Fraction," split his image into multiple directions, confusing even the sharpest eyes.
- **U, the Shadow Walker:** U moved in silence, his presence barely felt as he replaced himself with his shadow, only to strike from the darkness. He could swap places with his shadow or even replace an enemy's shadow with his own, launching attacks that seemed to come from nowhere. U vanished and reappeared from any shadow in the arena, turning the dark corners into his personal battlefield.
- **R, the Teleporter:** R blinked in and out of existence, teleporting across the arena with pinpoint accuracy. He could teleport objects, people, and even entire sections of the arena. His most terrifying move was teleporting inside his enemies, causing them to explode from within.
- **S, the Invisibility Master:** S vanished from sight, his body becoming completely invisible. But his power extended far beyond that—he could make anything he touched disappear permanently. If he made someone's head invisible, it wouldn't just be unseen; it would cease to exist, leading to a fatal end. S could even cancel physical actions by making them invisible, rendering speed or flight useless.
- **E, the Flame Conqueror:** E's fire attacks were fierce and relentless. When anyone stepped into his territory, they were surrounded by flames from all directions. Even if they blocked in one direction, the fire would consume them from another, like a wildfire spreading uncontrollably.
- **D, the Water Manipulator:** D's strikes came from every direction, like waves crashing down on his opponents. His attacks were fluid and adaptable, striking from any angle. Up close, he was like a powerful undertow, dragging his enemies down, overwhelming them as if they were sinking in deep water.
The crowd was left in awe as the six brothers demonstrated their powers. The arena, once filled with doubt and disappointment, was now silent, with every spectator captivated by the display of raw power and skill
Suddenly, the six brothers stopped their duel and ran to a single point. As their swords collided with immense force, the entire arena shook as if an earthquake had hit it. The impact was so powerful that their swords melted together into one, leaving behind a small ball of energy.
For a moment, the crowd thought the energy would reach them. But as the impact subsided, the arena was left in a state of eerie silence. The audience was stunned, unable to process what they had just witnessed.
Then, one person started to applaud, followed by another, until the whole crowd erupted into cheers. This time, they were chanting for the six brothers, celebrating them as the true heroes.
However, amidst the celebration, a question lingered. Someone from the crowd asked, "Where is the seventh?"
### **Chapter 4: The Seventh??**
They didn't know what to do as the six brothers formed a circle in the middle of the arena. The crowd's murmurs grew louder, with everyone questioning the absence of the seventh child. The circle of brothers tightened, and the tension was palpable.
Suddenly, from the center of the circle, a figure began to materialize. A man appeared out of nowhere, causing the six brothers to pause, their expressions shifting to worry and confusion. This mysterious figure wore a cloak that concealed most of his features, and his face was obscured, making it difficult to discern any details. The figure's head was bowed, adding to the enigma.
The crowd, eager for a resolution, mistook this newcomer for the seventh child. Their disappointment quickly turned into excitement, and they began cheering wildly for the mysterious figure, believing him to be the hero they had been waiting for.
But that didn't last long. The figure raised a hand and pointed at the first sector of the cheering crowd. In an instant, the entire sector turned to ashes, the people disintegrating into nothingness. The arena fell into a deathly silence.
The six brothers watched in shock and horror, their bodies frozen as if they were rooted to the ground. They were paralyzed by fear, unable to move or intervene, much like the crowd had been. Their expressions were a mix of disbelief and dread, their internal pleas for action muted by the overwhelming power of the figure.
Amidst the chaos, a single sound pierced the stillness—the clanging of metal. Zero, who had been watching from the side, could no longer bear the thought of losing his brothers. The echoes of his footsteps reverberated through the silent arena as he moved. Driven by fear and desperation, he grabbed a sword from the side and charged toward the circle. With a heart full of courage, Zero rushed to confront the mysterious figure.
Zero held the sword up to the figure's face, his hands trembling but determined. The mysterious figure looked at him with a mocking smile and said, "You are brave, but you are still deep in illusion. When will you wake?"
Confused and angered by the cryptic remark, Zero didn't have time to ponder its meaning. He swung the sword with all his might, but his attack was weak. The figure didn't even bother to defend himself. Instead, he laughed, saying, "You couldn't even cut the fiber of my clothes."
Zero's heart sank as he realized the futility of his effort. The figure then lifted his hand toward Zero. The six brothers continued to watch in slow motion, their faces etched with despair and fear. They were immobilized by the figure's power, unable to move despite their internal desperation to help. They could only watch helplessly as Zero fought alone.
The crowd watched in horror, paralyzed with fear, as the dark figure prepared his next move. Zero thought to himself, "Does 'illusion' mean life, and should I wake up by dying?"
As the figure's hand moved to point at him, Zero held the sword, bracing for the impact. Just before the figure could unleash his attack, Zero shouted, "Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!" with all the strength he had. At that moment, a ball of energy, similar to the one created by the six brothers' battle, surrounded Zero. It was even more powerful, crackling with immense force.
Seeing this, the six brothers closed their eyes, overwhelmed by the feeling of hopelessness. They knew there was little chance for Zero to survive the overwhelming energy that enveloped him.
But somehow, the attack didn't do what they feared. The energy dissipated without harming Zero. It merely destroyed the t-shirt he was wearing, revealing the scars across his body. For the first time, these marks were exposed in the light of day, etched into his skin like a silent testament to his past suffering.
Something unexpected happened then. The mysterious figure began to cry. Through his tears, he whispered, "What did they do to you?"
Zero acted as if he hadn't heard. He pushed himself back up to his feet, picking up his sword. Despite his exhaustion, he was determined to fight. He charged again, swinging his sword with all his might, trying to defeat this man.
But the mysterious figure did nothing but push him away gently, asking repeatedly, "Why?"
Zero gritted his teeth and struck again, and once more, the figure pushed him back, asking, "Why?" But Zero didn't answer. He just kept going, his body weakening with every attempt. His legs began to give out, his energy drained. He had survived the previous attack, but it had nearly brought him to his limit.
Still, Zero refused to give up. He kept trying to get back up, swinging his sword with whatever strength he had left, only to fall back down again. The figure continued to ask, "Why?"—the same question, over and over. But Zero didn't respond. He just focused on what he had to do, driven by a determination that went beyond logic or reason.
Finally, Zero could no longer stand. His body had reached its breaking point. He couldn't lift the sword anymore. His legs refused to support him.
For the last time, the enemy asked, "Why? Are you doing this for them after everything?"
Zero smiled faintly, his gaze shifting to his brothers, who were desperately trying to move but still couldn't. "Of course," he said, his voice filled with quiet resolve. "Even if I've gone through a nightmare, I'll always hope that they keep dreaming."
### **Chapter 6: Hoping**
A mysterious figure stood in the arena, surrounded by dark flames that seemed to move with a will of their own. As the flames flickered and twisted around him, he finally revealed his face. The crowd gasped at the sight of the scar across his right eye. It wasn't just a scar—it looked like a letter.
Zero, still lying on the ground, stared in disbelief. "That scar... It's like the ones my brothers carry," he thought to himself.
The figure smiled down at Zero, who could barely move. "You noticed," he said calmly. "My name is K, obviously," he added, pointing to the scar. He then looked down at Zero and asked, "So, what should I call you? Seven, or do you prefer Zero?"
Zero stared at him, unsure of how to respond. K's voice turned cold as he continued, "It doesn't matter, because you're a fool. You can't even get up from the ground, and yet you talk about hope and dreaming. But, I liked it when you mentioned nightmares..."
K's dark flames grew more intense, scattering wildly across the arena, moving forwards and backwards. He raised his hand and pointed at the crowd and the six brothers. "Choose," he demanded. "One to dream, and the other to have a nightmare. And please, trust me, I'll strike with my full power this time. What happened before won't happen again. You won't get away by just hoping."
Zero, still lying on the ground, shocked K with his unexpected answer before fainting. "Kill them all," he whispered.
K's eyes widened in surprise. He smirked, raising his hand. The flames surged, and he unleashed a devastating attack that destroyed the entire arena. The six brothers watched in horror, tears welling up in their eyes as everything around them was obliterated. The crowd sat frozen, unable to even attempt to flee.
Object One collapsed to the ground first, whispering, "We failed them." Object Two quickly followed, murmuring the same words as shame washed over them both. Soon, all six brothers were on their knees, able to move again but overwhelmed by guilt.
They looked at K, their expressions filled with anguish. Then, in a final act of defiance, the six brothers tried to strike him together, using all their remaining strength.
But K was faster. He disappeared and reappeared behind them, delivering a single, powerful attack that knocked them all unconscious.
Before leaving, K glanced at Zero, who lay on the ground, motionless amidst the chaos. "I saw you looking at the audience," K said coldly. "So I assumed that's what you meant. Good luck convincing your brothers. I hope they believe that."
Then, just like dust carried by the wind, K vanished, le
aving the seven brothers unconscious in the ruined arena, surrounded by the destruction he had caused.
TO BE CONTINUED...