Shuuuuu...!"
The deafening rush of wind echoed through the skies—a sound only heard when something massive plummets from unimaginable heights. And yet, the one who heard it… was also the one falling.
A man descended from the heavens, tumbling from a height far above the tallest buildings. His hair shimmered a radiant blue, glowing like a flame in the wind. His eyes—white as stars—shone with a brilliance that pierced the very clouds. Perched on his nose were sleek, sharp spectacles. He wore casual summer clothes, loose and carefree, and a pair of worn-out slippers. To any passerby, he might appear like an eccentric or some weirdo falling from the sky…
But what lay beneath him told another story.
A gigantic skull, grotesque and fresh with crimson vapor rising from its surface, stretched below. Blood evaporated in the air like smoke from a dying god. The beast it once belonged to had left a scar on the land—its remains covering nearly thirty percent of the city, yet the boundaries of the carcass were still visible. That was no ordinary corpse.
And neither was the man.
A glowing blue aura danced around him like fire. His presence radiated power—but it was his expression that truly defined him.
He was laughing.
A deep, unhinged laugh that tore through the wind louder than the fall itself. He laughed until tears welled in his eyes. Joy. Wild, pure, unrestrained joy.
The drops slid down his face and clung to the edge of his spectacles. Slowly, he removed them, wiped them with his shirt, and looked to the sky with a nostalgic smile.
> "The day that changed my life..."
---
"Aura... Aura!?"
A soft, melodic voice pulled him from his thoughts. He turned, only to find her—Meri—standing close, very close.
Her gentle eyes searched his, just ten centimeters away, glowing with concern and affection.
"Are you still caught up in that moment? Mesmerized by your achievement?"
She blushed as she realized just how near she was. But her heart was already his—unapologetically.
Meri, known across the Seramoid Kingdom as the Golden Guardian, was no ordinary girl. Her signature spell, "The Goddess' Words", was a mid-tier chant, but her true strength lay in a mysterious contract—one that allowed her to sense approaching danger with uncanny accuracy. She possessed many secret powers, whispered about across the kingdom. A noble's daughter from the central city, she wore a flowing speed-tier outfit in pinkish red hues. Her eyes were warm brown, her hair dark as midnight.
Aura smiled softly at her words.
> "Achievement? No… I wasn't thinking about that. I was just... remembering my parents."
The "achievement" she mentioned was no small feat. Aura and his team had slain the 5,000-year-old Dark Phoenix, a beast of legendary terror. Its defeat had earned them promotions. Aura was now in the Seventh Subdivision of Light, while Meri rose to the Fourth Subdivision. During the battle, Aura had led the charge—his courage earning him the rank of Captain and recognition from the kingdom's higher-ups.
---
The Seramoid Kingdom ranked its protectors with great precision:
1. First Division – Guards
2. Second Division – Earth Protectors
3. Third Division – Wind Regulators
4. Fourth Division – Water Controllers
5. Fifth Division – The Endless Flame
6. Sixth Division – The Light
7. Seventh Division – The Hidden Spot
8. Eighth Division – Divine
Each division held seven sub-rooms, determining levels within that class. Above all divisions were the Higher-Ups—those granted the authority to alter the kingdom itself. They could restrict, create, rebuild, or protect the land as needed. Though they were given such power, the expectation was that they would serve faithfully. But… once someone reached the Higher-Ups, their life often turned toward peace, luxury, or mystery.