The Sentinel raised one hand, preparing to unleash its trump card. "How will you survive this, human?" it sneered, the battle already seeming decided.
As it lifted its arm, its feathers shot into the sky like bullets, stopping mid-air at an impossible height. Slowly, they began transforming into something far more dangerous than anyone could imagine.
Before anyone could react, the feathers had become massive, razor-sharp spears, each one ready to shred every creature on the battlefield. The crowd froze in terror. Whispers ran through the ranks of soldiers and exorcists alike.
"Is… is that even possible?" a young exorcist stammered, clutching her weapon tighter.
"we are all… doomed," muttered a veteran, shaking, eyes wide with disbelief.
Some soldiers fell to their knees, expecting death any second, while others raised trembling weapons, bracing themselves for the inevitable. The air was thick with fear, the battlefield trembling under the weight of the approaching doom.
The Sentinel's horrifying smile grew even wider, if that were possible. "This is only the beginning," it hissed, snapping its fingers once again. Flames engulfed the spears, scorching the earth below with merciless fire.
But Nova didn't say a single word. His expression was unreadable, calm… unnervingly so.
The Sentinel's laugh echoed across the battlefield. "What's wrong? Already scared to death, hahahaha?"
Nova's eyes flickered, his grin spreading casually across his face. "Why the fuck are all of you bastards so overdramatic?"
A pause.
Then, a wide, predatory grin crept across his face. "If you really want to see true fear… then let me show you."
Nova raised his blade, slicing through his own hand. Crimson blood sprayed, but he didn't flinch.
He began chanting, voice low and melodic, almost poetic: "Take my ten years of life… take my blood… take my flesh… grant me the power to dominate this unbalanced world… grant me the strength to rule everything that dares oppose me…"
A flicker of worry crossed the Sentinel's terrifying face. "What are you doing? It's no use!" it bellowed, but even as it spoke, doubt had crept in.
Just in case, the Sentinel lunged, swinging its massive dual-sided axe. "JUST DIE ALREADY!".
It roared, the axe slicing through the air with a deafening WHOOSH—!!.
But the moment the axe neared Nova, an invisible wall erupted around him with a CRASH!!.
The axe slammed against it, staggering back, slipping from its wielder's grasp and clattering onto the ground.
"How… how can a human possess such abilities!?" the Sentinel hissed, confusion and fear flashing across its monstrous features. It could do nothing now. The battle had already shifted.
As Nova's chanting reached its crescendo, small blue demonic flames began to flicker around him, whispering like ghosts of malice.
FSSHH— They coiled around his body, licking the air with unholy light. Within moments, the flames engulfed him entirely, a searing aura of power consuming everything in his immediate vicinity.
From a distance, the Second commander watched, her face twisted with hatred and fear. "Just die in those flames, you fucking vermin!" she spat, praying for Nova's destruction.
But her delusions shattered in an instant.
The flames shot upward like bolts of divine wrath—KRA-KOOM!!—racing toward each of the Sentinel's spear-feathers, igniting them one by one.
Each spear erupted into scorching fire, SSSHHHH—!!, consumed by Nova's unholy blaze.
The Sentinel staggered back, eyes wide in utter disbelief. "Wh… what… what is happening!?"
The spears twisted and contorted, faces emerging from the flames. Faces—not one, not two, but countless—each screaming with agony, wrath, lust, fear, anger, sadness, every dark emotion a soul could hold in life.
They twisted, roared, and clawed at the air like living nightmares, a tsunami of torment forged from fire and malice.
Nova's lips curved into a faint smile. "Now… time to end the show."
He raised his hand, fingers shaped like a gun, aiming straight at the Sentinel. A shiver of excitement ran through him. "BANG!"
The fiery faces launched at impossible speed, homing in on their target. FSSSHHH—CRACK!!
They tore through the battlefield like a storm of living fire, each one a dagger of wrath and vengeance.
The Sentinel roared in disbelief, shaking its massive wings. "No… it can't… I will not die… at the hands of a puny human!" It swung its hand in desperation, trying to block the assault.
But Nova didn't move. He stood calm, eyes blazing with demonic red fury, waiting.
The flames slammed into the Sentinel. BOOOOM!! CRASH!!
The air itself screamed as fire consumed the towering being. Flesh, feathers, and bone twisted under the onslaught.
The Sentinel's roar tore into the sky, a horrifying scream that shattered everything around it.
Faces melted into molten screams, claws ripped through its body, and in a final, catastrophic explosion of heat and light, the creature disintegrated into nothingness, leaving only silence and smoke in its wake.
Nova stepped back from the battlefield, casual as if strolling through a garden. "Just a bunch of big talks… and no show. Ha."
He paused, hand brushing a splatter of ash from his blade. Fuck… ten years of my life span gone in that last attack, he thought, but a grin spread across his face.
It had been worth it—the look on her face, the Vice Head, kneeling in disbelief, muttering through her fear, No… it couldn't be… how… he's just a vermilion…
The battlefield shifted instantly. Humans, once teetering on the edge of defeat, now surged forward with hope, sensing victory. The tides had turned. The Sentinel was gone, and Nova… he was untouchable.
But this short moment of happiness didn't last long. Nothing lasts forever, and for Nova, it was far too brief.
SKRIIIITCH—THUNK!
A blade pierced through his chest. Blood gurgled in his throat.
KHHHH…CHHH!
Nova looked down, feeling the heat of his own blood, a faint smile twisted in pain. "What now!?" he said, already anticipating what was coming.
He glanced behind him. A man—blonde hair, mid-twenties—stood there, calm, lethal.
"So… you were hiding it after all!" the man sneered. Nova sank to his knees, coughing blood, a weak chuckle escaping. "I knew… I would die either way," he muttered.
The bitch ran forward, excitement in her eyes. "Commander! So you finally got rid of this vermilion," she said, satisfaction dripping from every word.
The first commander gripped her waist. "Of course. Now we no longer need this dog. The battle's over, and his Asura power would've been trouble."
The bitch kicked Nova in the stomach.
THWAK!
"Why you b—" Nova coughed blood, gagging on the pain.
"Just die already, you fucker," she spat, a twisted smile on her face.
Nova rasped, weak but sharp: "Ruxu… isn't going to let you… get away with this."
The first commander laughed, mockery in every tone. "What are you even talking about? Who's gonna tell her? This comes straight from the chief—get rid of him."
"She'll soon be the chief's woman," the commander added, a lustful grin spreading across his face.
Nova's tiny spark of hope—his fleeting happiness—was crushed instantly. If someone took away the one person who had ever cared for him… Ruxu… And now, she was slipping away, too. But what did it matter? He was already dying.
The bitch sneered. "I can't bear to see this vermilion any longer. I'm leaving."
The commander leaned close, whispering, "Don't worry. Once the chief has had her fun, I'll enjoy her… to the fullest." His grin was vile, his intent obvious.
Nova didn't respond. But then… a low, dark laugh rumbled from him, almost like a spark in the void.
"Did you finally lose it?" the commander barked.
Nova's hand, trembling, dragged across the ground, carving symbols, etching lines into the dirt, blood dripping with every stroke, sizzling as it hit the earth, and with a faint, almost inaudible whisper, he chanted:
"I give my blood… my soul… my life… lend this curse… let even hell tremble at him… grant me power to burn the unbalanced world… take my pain… my suffering… my essence… consume it and return me strength… let him taste fear… let all who oppose me perish in torment…"
With each word, his blood fell on the carvings, dark flames licking the lines, sizzle… crackle… the earth shuddering under the weight of his curse. The chant was continuous, unbroken, a song of vengeance that filled the air with dread, making even the commander step back, unable to look away.
"What… what are you doing!?" the commander shouted, panic creeping into his voice.
Before he could react, a black mist rose from the ground.
SHHHH… RRRR—
It swirled, thick and choking, wrapping around the commander like a living nightmare.
Nova's voice was faint, calm, almost peaceful. "Don't worry… you will live a life of hell. I promise."
The commander panicked further, screaming, trying to thrust another blade through Nova's chest, but it was too late.
SHNNNNNNKK!
Nova's scream echoed: "I still have regrets… I couldn't enjoy my meal tomorrow—"
And with that, he closed his eyes. Heaven, hell… it made no difference. Both were the same for him. In this world, a class was everything—proof that you had survived Judgment and been acknowledged by it. Those without one were different. They were called classless… or worse, devil's children—people who couldn't be blessed even after passing Judgment. And because of that, they were hated more than anything in society.