That night... even the moon dared not show its face.
The sky was swallowed whole by a suffocating fog—so thick, it seemed to reject the very notion of light itself.
The world was cloaked in a stifling darkness, a silence so deep it made everything feel hollow… utterly empty.
All that remained was the roar of battle.
The clash of steel rang out across the battlefield—swords met swords, shields shattered beneath the weight of axes.
Cries of valor echoed through the chaos, mingling with the groans of the wounded and the howls of those meeting their end.
Slashes and thrusts came in relentless waves,
like a grim painting of suffering—forced into existence as the price of victory.
A victory desperately hoped for by the Kingdom of the Eternal Light Order,
now under siege by the relentless forces of the Demonkin.
Several demons had broken through the defensive line.
Without mercy, they slaughtered anyone who hadn't managed to flee—
a mother and her child, trembling beneath a table, clinging to the faint hope that a miracle might save them.
But that night… there were no miracles.
Only fangs and claws that tore hope to shreds.
Elsewhere, a different story was unfolding.
A lone knight stood before a power far beyond his own.
He knew… this might be the end for him.
And yet, he raised his sword—not for the kingdom, not for glory…
but for the one person he loved.
The one he would protect, even if it cost him his life.
Everyone fought… with blood spilled at every step.
Soldiers, common folk, even youths who had never once felt the weight of steel in their hands—
all took up arms, just to survive.
Just to live.
Meanwhile, far behind the palace walls,
the king and queen could do nothing but cower in their chamber.
Their bodies trembled, cold sweat pouring endlessly,
and each scream of agony from beyond the window drained the color from their faces—
as if every cry were a whip striking their very souls.
Right in the grand garden stretched before the palace's main gate,
three figures stood tall amidst the burning night.
They were no ordinary soldiers—
they were the leading actors in this bloodstained drama.
It was as if the spotlight of fate shone solely on them,
the entire world holding its breath to witness what would unfold next.
And among them, one figure stood out with a brilliance unlike any other.
She was Seraphina Valeblanc.
The grand princess of the Eternal Light Order.
Heir to an ancient legacy—now risen not as a mere mortal,
but in a legendary form: Drakania,
the incarnation of a dragon knight, bearer of the blood and power of the sky's true sovereigns.
Radiant wings unfurled from her back,
her dragon eyes glowed a vivid green, piercing through the darkness of the night.
An aura of ancient magic cloaked her body—
like a sacred flame, burning away all traces of darkness.
Beside Seraphina stood a young man named Dann—
one who bore the heavy fate of a soul reborn from another world.
And before them stood a formidable figure: a dark knight,
his body cloaked in a dense aura that pulsed like living mist.
From behind his helmet, his eyes burned like embers from the depths of hell,
radiating the pride and power of a warrior who had embraced the darkness without hesitation.
"Well, well… look who decided to show up. A Drakania?
What's a descendant of the sky dragons doing here?"
"And this lowly human? Already beaten to a pulp before the fight even started—"
The dark knight cut his words short the moment his eyes fell upon the revolver in Dann's hand.
"Oh? So you're the so-called 'Mysterious Knight' everyone's been whispering about lately?"
he said in a calm, almost bored tone—though a mocking smile could be felt beneath his helmet.
"You don't look like a knight at all."
"Why does everyone keep calling me the Mysterious Knight? Is that supposed to be my nickname in this world?"
Dann grumbled.
"You... Are you the Demon King?"
Seraphina pointed her sword straight at the dark knight.
Her dragon eyes narrowed, reflecting the silent blaze of magic burning within.
"Me? The Demon King?"
His voice was calm, yet carried a hint of amusement—
as if the question itself was a low-grade joke.
"How arrogant... to think any creature could deem themselves worthy of a name that grand."
He bowed his head,
with the grace of a nobleman introducing himself in a banquet hall—
even as the dark aura swirling around him roared,
as if it sought to devour the very sky.
"Allow me to introduce myself—
I am Sevrak the Eclipse.
Merely a humble knight… who serves the great Demon King with all his soul."
Dann fell silent, his gaze fixed on the dark aura enveloping the knight's body—
thick and whispering like living mist, yet so heavy…
it felt as if it pressed against the very air itself.
There was something within that darkness—
something eerily familiar, and yet utterly terrifying.
"In RPGs, dark knights usually show up right before the final boss..."
Dann thought, a bead of sweat forming on his brow.
"So why is he already here? That's cheating… isn't it?"
His eyes locked onto Sevrak the Eclipse,
a figure wreathed in suffocating darkness—
far too intimidating to be called a mere enemy.
"This monster… he's gotta be level 99.
Lethal attack patterns, surprise strikes, extra phases—
and to top it off, he can probably teleport whenever he wants."
his eyes falling on the only weapon in his hand—
a small pistol from his former world.
"...Can I really beat him?
With just this revolver...? Don't be ridiculous!"
Doubt began to creep into his heart,
but he knew—turning back was not an option.
"What is your purpose in attacking this castle?
Was it the Demon King who gave the order?"
Seraphina's calm voice carried a sharp edge.
"Allow me to explain our purpose… Lady Drakania,"
Sevrak said with a courteous tone that felt utterly out of place—
as if this were a casual chat in a tea room,
not a battlefield drenched in blood and magic.
He dipped his head in a quiet bow, then went on.
"First… we require a sacrifice for the ritual."
Seraphina's eyes narrowed,
her voice as sharp as the tip of her blade.
"Sacrifice...? What do you mean by that?"
"Fear."
His whisper held more weight than a shout.
"Arrogance. Pride. Greed. Avarice. Lust."
With each word, the shadows thickened, drawn to him—
or perhaps obeying him.
"...And above all—
the dreams you all cling to."
His gaze pierced through the shadow of his helmet,
sharp as a cold blade stripping away the soul.
"That is what we require.
That… is our sacrifice."
"So then… what do you say?
Would you be willing to assist us, Lady Drakania?"
Sevrak spoke as he slowly lowered his body into a graceful bow—
a gesture far too refined, far too unnatural… for a battlefield.
Seraphina unfurled her dragon wings with a thunderous roar, shaking the very air.
A burst of sacred light erupted from her body,
shining like the morning sun breaking through the darkness.
The radiance was blinding—so pure, so overwhelming—
that even Dann and Sevrak, the Dark Knight himself,
couldn't help but let out a breath of awe.
With a graceful yet powerful motion,
Seraphina raised her sword high into the night sky,
divine light flowing along its blade.
"In the name of the Eternal Light Order...
I, Seraphina Valeblanc, shall bring an end to your darkness—here and now!"
"Very we—"
Sevrak didn't even get to finish his sentence.
A flash of lightning split the night sky,
crashing into the ground right in front of him.
In the blink of an eye, Seraphina was already in motion—
soaring through the air, her radiant dragon wings cutting through the darkness like a blade of light.
An explosion of light and dust burst around them,
blinding everything for a brief moment.
As their silhouettes emerged from the swirling haze,
Seraphina's sword had already been swung—
the blade of light nearly piercing her opponent's chest.
But Sevrak…
had raised his dark blade at the very last second.
Holy steel and hell-forged metal clashed—
sparks of light and shadow erupting between them,
marking the beginning of a battle that would shake the very threads of fate.
"It seems you have quite the fondness for surprise attacks… Your Highness,"
his voice deep and slick—like a shadow crawling along the walls of the night.
From behind his helmet came a mocking tone,
this time laced with a whisper so sly,
it danced dangerously close to the edge of propriety.
"In that case…
how about I give you a little surprise as well? Don't worry… it won't hurt.
In fact, it might just make you… far too comfortable to fight back."
His words slid forth like sweet poison,
a dark seduction whispered in sin—
seeking to crack the resolve of the princess of light with a temptation born of shadow.
Despite the venomous taunt, Seraphina's expression remained calm—
but the aura around her began to surge.
She intensified her magical pressure,
unleashing a field of holy light that silenced every dark whisper
trying to seep into her mind.
The radiance pulsed from her body—slow, steady, unyielding.
It rejected all infernal temptations,
as if declaring that her faith would not waver,
not even in the face of the most piercing words.
"Crimson Howl!!"
The scream erupted from Seraphina's throat—
sharp, echoing, and laced with the color of blood.
It was a cry woven from sacred magic and blazing fury.
But it was more than just a scream.
It was a wave of pure willpower,
a mental onslaught that crashed straight into her opponent's soul.
The moment the attack was unleashed, the air itself trembled violently.
Even Sevrak—shrouded in his veil of darkness—staggered.
His head rang with deafening noise,
as if dozens of bells were tolling inside his skull.
His vision blurred, his footing faltered—
the devastating close-range assault had stunned him completely,
leaving him momentarily unable to move.
"Take this—my final strike… Blazing Fang!!"
Seraphina surged forward,
her dragon wings spread wide as blazing light wrapped around her sword—
like heavenly fire made manifest.
Her voice echoed across the battlefield,
fusing with the searing heat that ignited the air around her.
Her blade burned crimson-gold,
shaped into a fang of pure light—
ready to tear through the darkness once and for all.
The strike landed true.
Blazing Fang crashed into Sevrak's body with overwhelming force—
tongues of sacred flame tore through his shadowy armor,
scorching the air and engulfing him in a blaze of crimson-gold light.
Sevrak's body was hurled backward,
slamming into the ground with a thunderous crash.
Smoke rose from the cracks in his fractured armor,
and the dark aura that once cloaked him now trembled—unstable,
as if it were burning away from the inside out.
"Magnificent, Your Highness…
You truly are worthy of the title Drakania,"
Flames still licked at his scorched body.
But those flames—slowly, yet surely—
were swallowed by the darkness.
As if his very body refused to burn,
the light was consumed by a rising shroud of thick, oppressive shadow.
With slow, deliberate movements, he rose to his feet.
Each step he took made the earth tremble beneath him,
and as he raised his sword once more,
his dark aura surged—deeper, heavier… deadlier.
"Now it's my turn,"
slipping into a battle stance—
ready to unleash a counterattack that could change everything.
In an instant, Sevrak's body began to fade—
as if the very air was swallowing him whole,
shrouded in a wave of darkness that wrapped around him.
There was no explosion. No sound.
Only a chilling silence
as his figure vanished completely from sight.
Seraphina's brows furrowed for a moment—
but it was already too late.
"—?!"
In the blink of an eye, Sevrak was already there—
right in front of her.
No signal. No warning.
Just the embodiment of darkness,
standing far too close—
so close that Seraphina hadn't even registered his presence
until it was already too late.
From beneath his black cloak,
Sevrak raised a single hand—
a dense shadow writhed from his palm,
forming a hand of darkness that slithered through the air like a living illusion.
In an instant, it touched Seraphina's lower abdomen—
right above her navel.
"Dark Luminous."
The whispered incantation was quiet…
but it struck like thunder from within.
In an instant, a black magic seal flared to life on Seraphina's skin,
a complex circle pulsing with malevolent energy.
"Ghh—!!"
Seraphina let out a pained gasp, her body instantly going limp.
In a flash, her sword slipped from her hand,
falling and stabbing into the earth—
just as she collapsed beside it.
Her breaths were ragged, and her holy aura flickered, unstable.
That seal…
it didn't just paralyze her body—
it disrupted the very flow of sacred magic from within.
Seraphina's dragon wings began to fade,
fragments of light peeling away from their surface—
sparkling like crystal sand carried by the wind.
One delicate strand after another vanished,
leaving behind a trail of silence…
heartbreakingly still.
The sharp green glow in her eyes—the eyes of a dragon—
slowly faded into a haze.
The light was gone,
and all that remained were the eyes of an ordinary human…
empty, weakened, barely able to focus.
The Drakania form…
had vanished.
But Sevrak wasn't finished.
Calmly, he extended his right hand toward Seraphina's fallen, sacred form.
A sly gleam flickered from beneath his helmet,
dark intent evident in every movement he made.
Just before his fingers could touch her skin—
"DON'T YOU DARE TOUCH HER!!"
Dann's voice tore through the air,
exploding with raw emotion.
He stepped forward with fierce resolve,
his eyes blazing with pure fury.
In one swift motion, his revolver was raised—
its barrel aimed straight at Sevrak's head.
Everything appeared clearly before Dann's eyes—
as if a virtual system window had opened inside his mind.
"Oh? Trying to play the hero now?"
his tone light but laced with a thin layer of mockery—
as if he were watching a cheap drama unworthy of a real reaction.
Dann's hands trembled with fear,
his aim unsteady and wavering—
after seeing the status screen of the dark knight standing before him.
"What's wrong? Cat got your tongue?"
Sevrak's voice was calm, almost playful.
"Or perhaps…
you'd rather hear this voice instead?"
As the final word left his lips,
the five fingertips of his right hand lit up—
glowing with a pulsing violet light,
like the heartbeat of a demon rising from the abyss.
The moment that light touched the air,
a wave of energy surged into Seraphina's body
through the black seal on her abdomen.
"Ghh… a-ahh…!"
Her body trembled violently.
Agonizing pain surged from within,
stabbing through every nerve—
not from physical weakness,
but from a darkness that felt like it was tearing her very soul apart.
Her holy aura flickered…
as if desperately clinging to life itself.
"Damn you… YOU BASTARD!!"
Rage welled up in Dann's chest,
so overwhelming it left no room for thought.
His fingers trembled.
His eyes locked, unblinking, on Sevrak's figure—
and before he even realized it...
—click.
The trigger was pulled.
BANG!!!
Without Sevrak even realizing it,
both Dann and Seraphina had vanished from the battlefield—
leaving behind not a trace,
as if the very space had swallowed them whole.
Only dust and wind remained,
drifting across a land still scorched by the heat of battle.
He stood in silence for a moment,
then lifted his gaze toward the night sky, veiled in dark energy.
"So... that's your power,
Mysterious Knight," spoke under his breath.
Somewhere unknown...
Dann landed unsteadily on a field of soft green grass,
his legs nearly giving out beneath him.
The rough displacement had thrown off his balance,
and his grip loosened—
causing Seraphina to slip gently from his arms,
falling to the ground with a faint thud.
"Seraphina!"
Dann dropped to his knees,
quickly reaching out and pulling her into his arms with frantic urgency.
His breath came in ragged gasps,
his body trembling—not from exhaustion,
but from fear.
He stared at her face, flushed red as if stricken with a high fever,
her body still wrapped in remnants of the dark aura
that hadn't yet completely faded.
"Seraphina, wake up! Please—tell me what to do!"
Dann shouted at her, his voice shaking with desperation.
It wasn't anger—
but fear, raw and uncontrollable,
pushing him to yell in hopes that her eyes would open.
He clutched her tighter,
as if his voice alone could bring her back.
Seraphina didn't say a word.
Her body trembled faintly,
her eyes were open—yet unfocused.
She was still breathing,
but her voice… was gone.
As if all her strength,
all her will,
had been swallowed by the dark seal embedded deep within her.
Dann gently shook her shoulders,
calling her name again and again—
but there was no response.
That was when it happened.
A sudden chill crept in from behind.
The air grew heavy,
as if even time itself had begun to suffocate.
And then—
a black hole slowly formed from the empty air,
spinning in a spiral of darkness that radiated a sharp, piercing aura.
That aura… was familiar.
Dann froze.
A shiver ran down his spine.
The lingering trace of darkness still clinging to him
—from their earlier contact—
allowed him to feel it.
He knew what was coming out of that void…
even before he saw it.
"Now, now… slipping away like that? How rude,"
came Sevrak's voice from within the swirling darkness—
calm, almost amused, yet sharp enough to pierce the soul.
"That Drakania…
she belongs to me now."
The atmosphere instantly turned oppressive,
as if the air itself had frozen at his words.
Then—his tone shifted.
Cold. Sharp.
Completely devoid of emotion.
"Hand her over… and I'll let you live, human."
The gaze from behind his helmet pierced like a blade
aimed straight at the heart,
and the dark aura surrounding him pulsed slowly—
as if waiting for permission to erupt at any moment.
In the silence of the night,
Dann's voice rose—quiet, almost a whisper.
Not for anyone else.
Only for himself.
"Why should I be afraid…?"
he whispered under his breath.
"This is redemption…
Redemption for all the sins I've committed.
To my father… to my mother…"
A single tear fell,
trailing down his cheek,
and soaking into the cold, silent earth below.
But beneath that tear…
a quiet resolve began to bloom.
Gently,
he laid Seraphina down on the soft bed of grass—
as if entrusting the entire world to her care.
His left hand reached for the dragonblade of the princess—
its hilt was cold, yet heavy…
as if it recognized the one now holding it.
Dann rose with hesitation
His shoulders still trembled,
but his steps were firm.
He turned—
his eyes meeting the Dark Knight's head-on.
For the first time—
Dann stood without fear.
"My name is… Dann Fasto!"
His voice rang out,
echoing through the frozen night.
His body may have still trembled—
but his heart no longer wavered.
"If I was born to be the knight who sets darkness ablaze…
Then with my soul and body—
I will answer the call of destiny!"
He raised the dragon sword high into the sky, and a holy aura began to surge from within him, mingling with the remnants of Drakania's power still lingering within the blade.
"In the name of the Order of Eternal Light…"
The sky trembled. Clouds roared and rolled as lightning split across the horizon.
"Hear my plea, you who rule the highest skies… Dragonkind—"
Dann gripped the sword tighter.
"DRAKANIA!!!"
.......
Dann closed his eyes.
Fear.
Fear that his hope would go unanswered, that his cry would be swallowed by a silent sky.
Yet behind that fear, something stronger stirred—a pure prayer, born from a wounded heart that still chose to believe.
He wasn't praying for himself...
But for Seraphina, who now lay weak and broken—
And for the people, ensnared by darkness, with no light left to guide them.
"Please... even if just this once... answer me..."
The sky remained silent.
"How unfortunate... human," Sevrak said in a cold tone, his gaze emotionless.
"You are not one of the chosen."
Sevrak drew his sword from the vortex of darkness—the blade pulsed with a thick aura, like the heartbeat of a demon.
With a single light step, he took his stance.
Darkness crawled across the ground around him, like shadows welcoming the coming of destruction.
Yet Dann stood firm.
Eyes closed, hands tightly gripping the dragon sword, his body didn't flinch in the slightest—as if defying fate itself, waiting for an answer from the silent heavens.
"So be it. I'll end this,"
He dashed forward—his figure almost invisible.
In an instant, the distance between them vanished, and his black blade swung downward—aimed straight for Dann's head.
But just as the slash was about to land—
Light descended.
A brilliant blue glow—like sacred threads falling from the night sky. Gentle… yet inescapable.
It was not lightning, nor fire—
But pure Luminous, heavenly radiance slicing through the air like a divine rain of blessings.
Sevrak abruptly halted his advance.
His eyes narrowed beneath his helm.
"…What is this?"
The Luminous light slowly descended… like celestial threads woven from hope.
Soundless, yet brimming with power, the light gently touched the dragon sword in Dann's grasp.
And in that instant—
WUUUOOOMMM!!
The sword blazed with radiant light.
It wasn't ordinary light. It wasn't just brightness.
It was a holy blaze—dazzling, like the very first sunrise in a world that had never known morning.
Its soft blue hue blended with golden white, dancing through the air, forming waves of radiance that scorched every trace of darkness.
The grass began to glow. The air trembled.
And the night sky… cracked open, bathed in that light.
It was as if the world itself was rejoicing.
"Ghh—!!"
Sevrak squinted, gritting his teeth. His body trembled, and the dark aura surrounding him began to hiss—evaporating, scorched by the holy power.
Cracks formed on his armor—thin lines, but the first to ever breach his once-impenetrable defense.
BOOOM!!
A burst of sacred energy blasted him backward.
His body was thrown through the air, crashing into the ground several meters away.
Slowly, the Luminous light that had enveloped the world began to fade.
But it didn't vanish—instead, it fused, drawn into the dragon sword held in Dann's hands.
The light compressed upon itself, condensing, focusing all its divine power into a single point.
A final glimmer shimmered softly along the blade's surface—like a last whisper from the heavens.
Dann opened his eyes.
His pupils reflected a silver-blue glow—calm, yet profound… as if he had just glimpsed the will of the sky itself.
He exhaled.
Then slowly, he took his stance—unshaken, unwavering.
His body aligned, the blade pointed forward.
"You wretched lowly human!!"
Sevrak roared in fury.
The cracks in his armor could no longer be hidden, and the wound to his pride hurt far more than any blow to his body.
With a thunderous step, he rose—then shot forward, his dark blade raised high, aiming to cleave off Dann's head in a single, brutal strike.
But Dann didn't move.
The wind stopped.
The sky fell silent.
With eyes shining with divine light, Dann raised the dragon sword—now glowing like a falling star.
And—
With all his soul, all his will, and all the light entrusted to him—he shouted:
"HEAVEN—BREAKER!!"
A burst of light erupted from the tip of the blade.
It wasn't just brightness…
It was as if the heavens themselves had crashed down upon the earth, engulfing Sevrak in a holy storm that swept away the darkness without mercy.
The wind howled. The ground trembled. The very air felt as though it had been torn apart.
All the demons who witnessed that divine light were scorched into ash—
But not Sevrak, the Dark Knight.
Though he appeared thoroughly defeated, the darkness clung to him… still trying to lift him back to his feet.
"...It's not over..." Sevrak muttered, his voice hoarse but still laced with venomous hatred.
"I haven't... been defeated yet."
The Luminous light that had once cloaked the blade… slowly faded, then vanished completely.
The dragon sword now looked like an ordinary weapon—no glow, no aura.
"Huh…?" Dann breathed, unease tightening in his chest.
Please… not now… don't fade now…
Meanwhile, Sevrak was still standing—barely.
Darkness continued to slither across his body, covering the cracks in his armor, mending his wounds like old scars that refused to stay closed.
Dann gripped the sword tighter, trying to hold on.
But it was clear now—Luminous had vanished.
And just as the darkness began to thicken once more—
Another light appeared.
Not Luminous. Not magic.
But… a natural light.
From the far east, the once-black sky began to shift in color.
Dark blue gave way to hues of golden orange.
The first rays of the sun crept over the horizon.
Dawn.
The morning light slowly touched the ground, sweeping across the battlefield.
"What a shame... it seems our battle will have to wait."
Sevrak's body slowly sank into the ground, as if swallowed by an unseen earth.
The dark aura surrounding him faded along with his form, retreating from the morning light now sweeping across the world.
And just before the sun's rays could reach the spot where he stood—
He was gone.
The moment Sevrak vanished completely, Dann finally let himself fall.
His body collapsed weakly onto the grass, shoulders rising and falling with each heavy breath—
Not from physical exhaustion alone…
But from the weight on his soul, which had come so close to breaking.
With trembling hands, he released his grip on the dragon sword—
The sacred blade slipped gently from his fingers, sinking softly into the grass, now warm under the morning light.
Silence.
But not for long.
A faint voice broke the stillness.
"…Dragon?"
It was soft—like a whisper carried on the wind.
Her eyelids fluttered open.
The morning light brushed against her pale skin.
She blinked slowly—breathing faintly, still weak… but alive.
Her eyes quickly scanned her surroundings—
Then settled on the young man sitting not far from her, battered and bruised, drenched in sweat…
But still there.
"…Was it you?" Seraphina looked onto Dann.
Her body trembled as she tried to rise, confused and anxious.
Faint memories of the battle, the seal of darkness, and unbearable pain still lingered in her mind.
Seraphina approached Dann with quiet steps,
who was now standing, gazing toward the morning sun.
"It's beautiful," Dann said, his voice quiet, his expression distant—
"This is the first sunrise I've ever seen in my life."
"Mm," Seraphina replied, her voice barely more than a whisper—gentle as the morning breeze.
Her eyes were still a little drowsy, but now they looked at Dann with quiet curiosity… and a silent gratitude yet to be spoken.
Dann felt her gaze.
A slight nervousness rose within him, and he quickly turned his face to the side.
"…Guess I'm a bit late," he said, forcing a sheepish smile.
"I'm… Dann Fasto. It's, uh… nice to meet you."
He extended his right hand—hesitantly.
A soft laugh escaped Seraphina's lips,
her voice chiming like a small bell swaying gently in the morning wind.
It wasn't mocking.
It was the kind of laugh a princess might give—
one whose heart had finally been comforted after weathering a long, bitter storm.
Dann froze.
His eyes widened—just a little—before a warm flush crept across his cheeks.
"U-uh… w-what's so funny…?" he mumbled quickly, turning his face away, trying to look composed.
"I mean… I did just defeat that monster, you know…"
His outstretched hand trembled slightly—
But he didn't pull it back.
Seraphina looked at him for a moment, her smile never fading.
For the first time, her eyes held a different kind of warmth—
Not as a princess…
But simply as a girl.
"My name is Seraphina Valeblanc," taking Dann's outstretched hand.
Their smiles were warm—
as warm as the sunlight that bathed the world.
There they stood, two souls together,
gazing at the beauty of the horizon.
On soft green grass swaying gently in the breeze,
beneath a vast, open blue sky.