Beneath a boundless sky of stars, countless lights shimmered in silent harmony.
Across the vast cosmos, galaxies drifted like luminous islands in an endless dark ocean. Nebulas bloomed in distant clusters, painting the void in hues of violet, blue, and gold. Planets revolved around their suns in perfect rhythm, tracing ancient paths carved by time itself.
For eons, the universe had known only peace.
Silent.
Unchanging.
Eternal.
Then—
Space trembled.
At first, it was subtle. A faint ripple in reality, as though the universe had drawn a sharp, uneasy breath.
But the ripple spread.
The void twisted violently, folding in on itself as fractures tore through the darkness like shattered glass. Invisible forces distorted gravity, bending starlight into unnatural arcs.
Stars flickered.
Planets quaked.
Even the vacuum of space seemed to shudder.
Then—
Reality broke.
A jagged fracture split open the fabric of existence.
And from within it…
A man stepped out.
His long white hair drifted behind him like silver threads in the void. Tall and imposing, he might have resembled a god—if not for the state he was in.
His body was covered in scars.
Some old. Faded remnants of battles long past.
Others fresh.
Deep wounds carved across his chest, arms, and legs. Blood flowed freely, scattering into crimson droplets that floated weightlessly before dissolving into the abyss.
His breathing was ragged.
Each breath slow. Painful.
As if death stood just one step behind him.
In his right hand, he held a sword.
Or rather—
What remained of one.
The once-glorious blade was nearly destroyed. Cracks spread across its surface, chunks missing, its edge jagged and broken.
Yet his grip never loosened.
Fragments of shattered armor drifted around him, remnants of a battle already lost. In places, his flesh had been torn so deeply that bone was visible.
Anyone else would have collapsed.
Most would already be dead.
Others would be screaming in agony.
But he remained standing.
His body trembled.
Blood continued to flow.
Yet his eyes—
Burned.
They blazed with an unyielding will, a fierce determination that refused to fade—even in the face of death itself.
Moments passed.
Then—
Space trembled again.
Another crack appeared.
Then another.
And another.
Fractures spread across the void like a spider's web, tearing reality apart.
From those distortions…
They emerged.
Four colossal beings.
At first glance, they seemed humanoid.
But the longer one looked, the more wrong they felt.
Their bodies were wrapped in chaotic, ever-shifting matter—something that defied all natural law. It twisted and writhed endlessly, never settling, as though alive.
Their true forms could not be perceived.
As if the human mind itself refused to comprehend them.
And their size—
Was absolute.
They towered across the battlefield like living mountains.
Planets, once vast beyond imagination, now seemed insignificant beside them.
The white-haired man, standing at 190 centimeters…
Was nothing more than an ant.
Their very presence distorted space.
Even gravity bent beneath them.
Slowly, the four beings turned their gaze toward him.
Their eyes glowed with a cold, merciless white.
No anger.
No hatred.
No emotion.
Only indifference.
To them—
He was nothing.
One of the beings spoke.
Its voice echoed like divine judgment across the cosmos.
"Escape is impossible."
Another followed.
"Today… you will die here."
A third voice, colder than the void itself:
"You would not be in this situation… if you had accepted our master's offer."
The fourth finished:
"Serve him… and all this suffering could have been avoided."
Silence fell.
Then—
The man laughed.
A quiet sound.
Hoarse.
Yet filled with burning hatred.
"Me… serve him?"
His voice was rough, strained by blood loss.
"Never."
His eyes ignited with fury so intense it felt capable of freezing stars.
"Your master took everything from me."
His grip on the broken sword tightened.
"And you dare tell me… to kneel?"
The four beings remained silent.
Watching.
Waiting.
A faint smile appeared on the man's lips.
"Not in a million years."
Then—
He raised two fingers.
Energy gathered.
At first, it was faint—mere sparks.
Then it grew.
Brighter.
Wilder.
The surrounding space trembled violently.
Stars flickered.
Planets shook.
The four beings reacted instantly.
"He's gathering energy."
"Stop him."
For the first time—
There was urgency.
They moved.
The four titans surged forward like collapsing stars, tearing through space as they charged.
The universe trembled.
But the man remained calm.
The energy around his fingers spiraled into a raging storm.
His body shook violently as he forced out the last remnants of his power.
It was unstable.
Dangerous.
Beyond his limit.
His body began to break.
Cracks spread across his flesh.
Blood burst from his wounds.
Still—
He did not stop.
The colossal beings closed in.
Their massive hands reached out—capable of crushing worlds.
"Stop him!"
Too late.
The man pressed two fingers to his forehead.
His gaze locked onto them.
"I swear…"
His voice echoed like a vow etched into eternity.
"No matter the cost…"
The energy condensed.
"…I will return."
They were almost upon him.
Fingers outstretched—
Just one moment away—
"And when I do…"
His eyes burned with absolute killing intent.
"…I will kill every single one of you."
Then—
Everything ignited.
He detonated.
A blinding explosion consumed the cosmos.
Light swallowed all.
Space shattered.
Stars vanished.
The battlefield dissolved into a storm of destruction.
And then—
Silence.
—
A young man jolted awake.
His heart pounded violently.
Sweat soaked his clothes, his body trembling uncontrollably.
His golden eyes were wide, filled with lingering shock.
For a moment—
He was still there.
The explosion.
The oath.
The endless battlefield.
"Damn it…"
He clenched his teeth.
"That dream again."
Slowly, reality returned.
He was on a bus.
The faint rumble of the engine vibrated beneath him. Sunlight streamed through the windows, illuminating the interior.
Passengers stared.
Some concerned.
Others confused.
All wondering—
Why he looked like he had just come back from death itself.
End of Ch 1
Author's Note
This is my first novel, so there may be mistakes along the way. Please feel free to point them out so I can improve.
Also, English is not my first language, so there might be some inconsistencies.
Thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoy the story!