The streets outside Eden’s apartment were still wet from the rain, reflecting the pale gray sky above.
Kael sat alone on a bench directly across from the apartment building.
In his hand was a donut.
He took another bite.
Chewed.
Looked at the apartment.
Then at the street.
Then back at the apartment.
Nothing.
Kael sighed dramatically.
"Why is this so boring?!"
He took another bite.
He had been assigned to guard Eden for several days.
At first, he’d imagined something far more exciting.
’An ambush.’
’A dangerous rogue!’
’Perhaps an entire criminal organization bursting out of the shadows while I stand between them and the innocent civilians behind me!’
Kael desperately craved for something worthy of him.
Instead, he’d spent the last few days sitting on a bench and eating pastries.
Kael looked down at the half-eaten donut.
"At least the donut’s good."
He took another bite.
Nothing happened.
A few pedestrians passed.
A car drove by.
Somewhere nearby, a dog barked.
Kael slumped farther into the bench.
"I was promised a guard assignment."
He stared at the apartment.
"Aren’t those supposed to be exciting?"
A deep voice answered from behind him.
"Shall I spice things up for you?"
Kael froze.
His eyes widened.
He slowly turned his head.
A man stood several meters behind the bench.
Kael’s expression changed instantly.
The donut fell from his hand.
The man was enormous.
He stood well over two meters tall, his body covered in thick muscle beneath a simple dark shirt. His shoulders were broad enough to make the clothing look almost too small for him. Short brown hair framed a stern face, and his arms hung loosely at his sides.
He didn’t look particularly old.
He didn’t need to.
The pressure coming from him told Kael enough.
Kael stood.
"You’re an Awakened."
The stranger smiled faintly.
"Good eyes."
Kael’s expression hardened.
The lazy attitude disappeared.
[King’s Judgement]
A faint golden glow began gathering around his arms.
"So you’re the one who came here looking for trouble."
The stranger tilted his head.
"I’ll have you know, I’m not one to hold back."
"You’d regret holding back against the Judgement Blade, you wretched Villain!"
The golden Essence surged towards his hands now.
He stepped forward.
"I don’t know who you are."
The Essence condensed.
"And I don’t particularly care."
A brilliant golden blade materialized in his hand.
Its edge hummed with power.
Kael raised it toward the stranger.
"But if you’re here to hurt Eden or anyone else in this building..."
His grip tightened.
"...then you’re in for a world of justice and pain!"
The stranger’s smile widened slightly.
"That’s quite a speech."
Kael frowned.
"What?"
"Nothing."
The stranger flexed one hand.
"I was wondering when you’d start."
Kael’s eyes sharpened.
"Start what?"
"Acting like a god damn Idiot."
Kael’s expression went blank for half a second.
Then he lifted his sword higher.
"You Villains are all the same!"
And he charged.
Elias released everything.
The chamber shook.
Raw Essence erupted from his body in violent waves.
The first explosion tore through the stone floor.
The second shattered the ceiling.
The third blew apart the walls.
And then another.
And another.
There was no rhythm anymore.
No careful timing.
No restraint.
Just destruction.
"You should have played dead if you knew what’s good for you!"
Elias screamed.
He swung his arm.
Another wave of Essence detonated.
The blast engulfed the chamber.
Eden stood in the middle of it.
He watched the Essence and dust roll over him.
His expression didn’t change.
Elias emerged from the smoke.
His breathing was ragged.
Blood ran from his mouth.
"You don’t understand!"
He raised both hands.
"That first attack was nothing!"
Essence gathered around him.
"I held back because I thought you were already dead!"
The air trembled.
"This is everything!"
Elias slammed his hands forward.
The dungeon exploded.
A massive wave of raw Essence ripped through the chamber, destroying everything in its path.
Stone was reduced to fragments.
The ground cracked.
Dust filled the air.
Elias laughed.
"There!"
He stared into the smoke.
"There’s no way you survived that."
Silence.
His smile slowly faded.
Then a sound came from within the dust.
Footsteps.
Eden walked out.
His clothes were torn.
There was dust on his hair.
But he wasn’t bleeding.
Elias stared.
"...What?"
Eden looked at him.
"You talk too much."
Elias took a step backward.
"What the hell are you?"
Eden didn’t answer.
His red Essence began leaking from his body.
It moved strangely.
Not like fire.
Tiny mouths appeared within it.
Then eyes.
Then rows of teeth.
Elias’s face went pale.
"Wait—"
Eden raised one hand.
"Devour."
The crimson mass exploded outward.
Elias tried to use Burst Step.
His body vanished.
For a fraction of a second, he crossed the chamber.
But Devour followed.
Red Essence snapped around his ankle.
Elias hit the ground.
"What—?!"
More crimson tendrils wrapped around him.
His arms.
His legs.
His torso.
He tried to release another Essence explosion.
Devour swallowed it.
The blast never happened.
"What are you doing?!"
Elias struggled.
The red Essence tightened.
He screamed.
Eden slowly walked toward him.
There was no anger on his face anymore.
Elias stared at him.
"Wait!"
Eden stopped.
"W-We can share their loot!"
For the first time, Elias sounded genuinely afraid.
"Hell, you can have all of it!"
Eden said nothing.
"I’ll even pay you!"
Still nothing.
"I’ll leave! I’ll disappear!"
Elias’s voice cracked.
"I won’t come after you!"
Eden looked down at him.
"You killed them."
Elias swallowed.
"They were going to die anyway."
Eden’s eyes hardened.
"You don’t get to decide that."
"They were a bunch of Low Ranks! They were nobodies!"
"You killed them."
"So fucking what?!"
Elias screamed.
"I needed stronger prey to level up! That’s how this works!"
His desperation turned into rage.
"You think you’re different?!"
Eden’s expression remained still.
Elias laughed bitterly.
"You’re standing there because you’re strong! You think that makes you better than me?"
Eden looked at him for several seconds.
"You’re right."
That answer seemed to confuse Elias.
Eden crouched.
"I’m not one bit better than you."
He placed a hand against Elias’s chest.
"So I’m still going to kill you."