The pathetic soldier before him went up in flames. Screaming, he burned to ash until nothing remained but blackened dust on the floor.
Rero leaned back in his chair, jaw tight with rage.
How dare they fail? How could they not kill those two bastards?
The ones who had questioned his power. The ones who had humiliated him.
His fists clenched, knuckles turning white.
Once, long ago, it might have been out of anger and despair.
But today it was pure rage… and burning hatred.
Despair had been stripped from him a year ago in that cursed dimension—torn out by that interfering anomaly.
Rero rose to his feet. With a violent motion, he flung open the heavy door of his dark chamber and stepped into a long corridor.
There were no "altered" soldiers here. No—these had once been ordinary people. Until he had remade them.
Men and women who, like him, had ended up on the garbage heap of society.
People who had suffered, who had already thrown away their lives.
He had given them a second chance.
He had given them power.
And he… he held their lives in his hands. These worthless lives.
Because without power… you are nothing.
Without power… you have no voice.
He turned a corner, his footsteps echoing.
Power… did this Ruigh possess it? Was he a match for him—the Star?
No. Never.
And even if he was… Rero would kill him himself.
He stepped through an archway and emerged onto a high balcony inside the massive building.
Below, his soldiers moved about, training.
Their speed.
Their strength.
Their power.
His power.
Yes… he had given it to them. And still, these worthless creatures failed to appreciate it.
Just like the one who had dared to surpass him… and defeat him.
Uhra.
His investigations had revealed the man's name.
And Rero swore he would have his revenge for what Uhra had done.
He would never accept it. Never believe that Uhra was truly the better.
Painful memories gnawed at him—of those who had once praised him, only to let him fall.
He slowly ran a hand down his face.
When the hand lowered, only one thing remained in his eyes: clarity.
Clarity about what was to come.
He would see them fall.
He would destroy them.
He would have his revenge on Uhra.
And Ruigh… would never surpass him. Let alone defeat him.