The skies above the Seraphin kingdom were unusually calm that morning. A gentle breeze danced through the silver leaves of the towering trees, and the golden hue of the rising sun kissed the marble towers of the King's castle. Standing at the edge of his grand balcony, the King looked out at the horizon. His eyes narrowed as a familiar figure emerged from the distant forest.
"Daeshim..." he whispered, a rare, genuine smile forming on his usually composed face.
As Daeshim walked closer, his aura darker but stronger, the guards stiffened in awe. His every step felt like thunder rolling over calm waters. And yet, his face held a warmth only the King had once seen — back when he was just a broken boy.
The moment Daeshim reached the balcony, the King stepped forward, arms wide. Without hesitation, Daeshim embraced him.
"Welcome back, Prince Daeshim," the King said, his voice trembling with pride. "You've returned far stronger than I ever imagined."
Daeshim smiled faintly. "I'm not at my peak yet... but I will be soon."
"Before we talk of returning to the world of Necravores," the King said, his tone changing to something gentler, "there's a place I must show you."
---
The hallways of the castle whispered with memories as Daeshim followed the King. They stopped before an ancient wooden door, its surface engraved with marks Daeshim had seen only in fragments of dreams.
"This was your father's room," the King said, pushing it open.
Dust particles floated like ghosts in the still air. Inside, the room remained untouched. A sword rested above the fireplace. A cracked mirror reflected the echoes of a forgotten past. Drawings Daeshim had made as a child lay scattered on the floor.
Daeshim stepped inside, his eyes widening. A flood of memories returned. His father's laugh. His mother's song. The warmth of home before it was all taken.
"He used to sit here every night," the King said, pointing to a chair. "Staring into the fire, saying your name. Dreaming of your future."
Daeshim's throat tightened. He reached for the sword above the fireplace, running his fingers over the hilt.
"I remember this... he let me hold it once. Said it would be mine when I'm ready."
"You are now," the King said solemnly. "And perhaps more than he ever imagined."
---
The next morning, the serenity shattered. In the deep part of the jungle, a strange portal shimmered like a wound in the air. Daeshim, while meditating, felt the pulse of its energy.
He raced toward it, and what he saw chilled him — the markings were Necravorean.
Without wasting time, he reported it to his master.
The master's eyes widened, his usual stoic expression cracking. "This shouldn't be possible. That magic... it was sealed centuries ago."
Daeshim stared at him. "How did they break it?"
The master stepped back, clutching a pendant around his neck. "There's only one explanation — someone from our world betrayed us. Someone who knew the coordinates."
Daeshim's eyes darkened. "Then they're already inside."
---
It began with an ambush. Daeshim was caught off guard by three Necravores. Their flesh twisted, their bodies reeking of corrupted power. He fought with intensity, but even after tearing them apart, they reformed.
"They don't die... unless their commander is defeated," he growled.
From behind the portal stepped the commander — tall, armored, and radiating overwhelming power.
The first clash was brutal. The commander moved like a beast. Every punch Daeshim threw was countered, every move predicted. Within minutes, Daeshim was on his knees, blood dripping from his lips.
"You're nothing without tricks," the commander hissed.
Daeshim smiled. "Then let me show you one."
---
He ran.
Through the jungle.
Vanished into the shadows.
The commander chased, laughing. "Run, little prince. Your father ran too!"
But Daeshim wasn't running away. He was leading.
He darted past thick roots, snapped branches, and carved symbols onto trees as he moved. He smeared his blood on stones, rearranged branches, set traps made of thread-thin energy lines only he could see.
Finally, he stopped at a clearing surrounded by towering trees. A beam of moonlight pierced the canopy — a perfect stage.
"Come then," Daeshim whispered.
The commander charged.
Suddenly —
A spike shot from the ground. A tree branch snapped and slammed into him. The ground beneath exploded, revealing a pit Daeshim had dug with condensed shadow energy. The commander tumbled in — but he leapt back up.
"Nice try!"
Daeshim grinned. "That was just the opening act."
He clapped his hands.
The forest responded.
Dozens of energy lines — tripwires connected to nature itself — activated. Trees bent unnaturally. Shadows moved on their own. A net of living vines wrapped around the commander, pulsing with anti-Necravore energy Daeshim had secretly developed during training.
"Let's see you reform from this," Daeshim growled.
The commander screamed, his body twisting, shrinking, burning. As the vines crushed him, Daeshim leapt into the air and brought his father's sword down in one clean, perfect arc — splitting the commander's core.
Silence fell.
Then — the other Necravores disintegrated into ash.
---
Back at the castle, the master stared at Daeshim in awe.
"You knew? You planned all this?"
Daeshim nodded. "From the moment I saw that portal. I knew he'd come. And I knew brute force wouldn't be enough."
The master looked down, shame in his eyes.
"I couldn't see it before... but now it's clear. You're not just a warrior. You're a predator... a tactician. And the Necravores should fear what's coming."
Daeshim walked away silently.
His father's sword shimmered on his back. His mind sharper than ever. His next target already forming in his thoughts.
The hunt had just begun.