On a quiet and beautiful night, Ferwel Noxes—the leader of the Noxes Organization—stood firmly in the center of his chamber. The aura he emitted felt incredibly heavy, as if it pressed down on the air itself, making it hard to breathe. Before him, ten Noxes members knelt with their heads bowed in complete respect.
An important report had just arrived.
Count Elvion Ornen, thirty-six years old—one of Noxes' insiders—had been exposed by the Kingdom of Neltan. His arrest was only a matter of time.
Without hesitation, Ferwel made his decision.
To prevent any information leak that could destroy the organization, a final order was issued:
Count Elvion must be silenced before he is captured.
"Ryudien…" Ferwel's voice was heavy, yet clear.
The moment his name was called, a chilling sensation crept through Ryudien's body. His heartbeat slowed, yet felt heavier.
"Ryudien," Ferwel continued in a firm, emotionless tone, "I entrust this mission to you. Do not disappoint me."
Not long after…
Under the full moon illuminating the courtyard of a luxurious mansion, Count Elvion had just returned from a long business trip. His face showed exhaustion, yet there was still a hint of joy.
In his right hand, he carried a suitcase and a work bag.
"Welcome home, dear," his wife said warmly with a smile, taking his belongings with the help of the servants.
"I'm back," Count Elvion replied softly, relief evident in his voice.
Without delay, he headed to his private office to store his work bag.
But his steps halted the moment he entered.
A young man sat calmly on the sofa—waiting for him.
A face he knew very well.
"What brings Sir Ryudien here?" Count Elvion asked, trying to steady himself despite the growing unease in his chest.
"You failed," Ryudien replied coldly, his gaze sharp and emotionless.
Those two words alone were enough to make Count Elvion tremble.
"Give me—"
Before he could finish—
Slash!
His head was severed and fell to the floor.
Moments later, his wife—who had come carrying a glass of cold water—froze at the doorway.
Her eyes widened in horror.
Her husband's head… rolled on the floor.
Her piercing scream shattered the silence of the night.
The guards rushed into the mansion. With them came a feared figure—
Strongest Warrior No. 5, Damnern Solv, twenty-four years old.
He had come to capture Count Elvion.
But… he was too late.
"Semi Angel!" Damnern shouted.
In an instant, a radiant wing of light appeared on his left side, illuminating the entire room with a holy aura. He looked like an angel—even with only one wing.
The guards attacked, but Ryudien acted without hesitation.
With a single wave of his hand, sharp weapons materialized in the air and were launched at deadly speed.
One by one, the guards fell.
Damnern activated his Judgement Eyes.
But—
Something was wrong.
There was no Judgement Thread around Ryudien's neck.
"This isn't him…" Damnern muttered.
In a blink, he stabbed Ryudien through the chest without hesitation.
The body crumbled into dust.
A decoy.
Ryudien had swapped places with a clone he had left somewhere in the city.
Clang!
Damnern immediately flew through the glass window into the night sky at full speed.
Elsewhere…
"If my Clone Manifestation could be used without distance limits… I wouldn't have to bother going to that man's residence," Ryudien muttered to himself.
15 minutes later…
Damnern, flying through the night sky, observed the city below. Soon, he spotted a cloaked man moving suspiciously in a quiet alley.
In an instant, he descended and blocked the man's path.
Judgement Eyes activated once again.
This time—it was clear.
A Judgement Thread was visible around the man's neck.
"You're the one," Damnern said coldly.
"What do you mean, sir?" Ryudien feigned ignorance.
"Still denying it?"
Without warning, Ryudien attacked.
He created sharp metal spikes and launched them relentlessly. But Damnern caught them with ease.
"Tch!" Ryudien clicked his tongue.
Damnern summoned the Judgement Sword—a glowing blade emerging from what looked like a holy portal.
"Other people's lives mean nothing to you, do they?" he said.
"You wouldn't understand…" Ryudien replied bitterly. "Those who have everything will never understand."
Civilians fled in fear.
"I don't see any chance of winning…" Ryudien whispered in his mind.
His survival instinct took over.
In an instant, he split into twenty clones, scattering in different directions.
He fled.
But—
In a blink, Damnern appeared behind him and attacked.
Swap!
Ryudien barely escaped—switching places with a clone.
But the attacks did not stop.
Every time he switched—
Damnern was already behind him.
Srek…
Srekk…
Srekkk…
The sound of flesh being torn filled the air.
"How… does he know?" Ryudien panicked.
Fear began to consume him.
But he refused to give up.
With one final gamble, he devised a plan.
He sacrificed one clone—
and appeared right behind Damnern.
Damnern struck the fake clone.
"Tch, I've been fooled!"
Without hesitation, Ryudien summoned a large scythe and swung it.
"You're finished!"
But—
Damnern's sword reached his neck first.
"Swap—!"
Ryudien tried to escape.
"…Huh?"
There were no clones left.
Everything slowed down.
He could see the attack coming…
But his body could not move.
His head was severed.
Yet his consciousness remained.
Is this the end?
What is happiness?
Why do I exist?
Why am I not like everyone else?
I just wanted to live like a normal human…
Why has fate never been on my side…
"Heh… I've always been unlucky…"
Tears streamed down his face.
"Now… be happy."
A strange voice whispered.
When he opened his eyes again—
warmth enveloped him.
A beautiful woman held him gently.
"Hi, my dear… mama's precious child, Elyra. Mama is here," she whispered softly.
Ryudien—now Elyra—cried unconsciously within that small body.
Then realization came.
He had been reborn.
As a baby girl.
Elyra—the daughter of Elina, known as Lady Elina.
Born on the very day he died.
With this new life…
I will take revenge.
Just wait, Damnern Solv.
That night, around two in the morning…
After Elina put her to sleep, Elyra suddenly woke up.
Beside her bed—
stood a familiar figure.
Damnern Solv.
His body was covered in blood.
His eyes stared silently.
"Huh… I've already been found?" Elyra panicked.
From her small perspective, a large hand reached toward her.
She cried loudly.
Trembling.
Unable to calm down.
"Oh… this little one is quite clingy," Damnern said softly.
"Don't cry, Elyra."
"I'm your papa."
"…Huh?"
End of Chapter 1