That day, light pierced Arya Setya's eyelids. Slowly, he opened his eyes and found himself lying in a strange meadow. The blue sky stretched wide, different from the gray, polluted sky he knew on Earth. The scent of fresh soil and the gentle whisper of the wind greeted him, but all he felt was confusion and emptiness.
He sat up slowly. His small hands trembled, not out of fear, but because he didn't recognize the form of his own body. His fingers were small, thin, like those of a child. He reached for his hair, touched his face, then stood up carefully and looked around.
"Where is this?" he murmured softly. His gaze swept across the sky, then the ground. "Wasn't I… already dead?"
The shadow of his death returned. He had reached the end of his life on Earth as an old, frail man, dying alone in a silent room, without family, without honor. The world had forgotten him, even though he had once been the deadliest sniper in history.
"It's not that I regret it…" he said in his heart, his eyes empty, "but… what was I living for? Who were all my deeds for?"
Silence wrapped around his heart. The world he left behind had given him no appreciation, and this new world had yet to welcome him. But one thing was certain,he was alive again. Somehow.
"This body… feels light. And these hands… so small." He examined himself closely. "I was reborn… as a child? A stray child, it seems."
The rustling of leaves was heard. From behind the bushes, a short-haired girl appeared, staring at Arya curiously.
"Hey, why are you talking to yourself?" she asked innocently.
Arya was silent for a moment before finally replying, "Ah, it's nothing. Eetto… Dina, right?"
"Yes," the girl answered with a small smile.
That name just appeared in his mind, like an embedded memory. Dina. A girl one year younger than him. Though they had just met, Arya felt a strange bond with her. Maybe because they were both strays. Maybe because fate had brought them together in this foreign land called DIRU.
When he closed his eyes, fragments of memory began to fall into place. This world was a world of magic and swords. The place they were in now was a forsaken land, where forgotten children gathered.
His stomach suddenly growled. "Groowlll…" the sound broke the silence. He sighed.
"Well then, let's find food first," he whispered.
He climbed down a small cliff and found banana-like fruit growing among the bushes. He picked some, then returned to Dina.
"Here, eat this first," he said, handing her the fruit.
"Thank you," Dina said, her voice soft but sincere.
Arya only nodded slightly and sat beside her. His eyes wandered, staring at the unfamiliar sky, thinking about why so many children were abandoned in this world. Where were the city rulers? Why did no one care?
He stood up, walked toward the cliff's edge. The wind brushed his face, caressing his now short hair. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
"So, the rulers of this city are corrupt, huh…" he muttered. The fragments of memory grew clearer. "This world… is a world of magic, huh?"
Suddenly, mischief flashed in his mind.
"If I can use magic… that would be cool. Let's try…"
"Fire!" he shouted, raising his hand.
At once, a small flame appeared on his palm.
"Woah… it worked. Water!"
Droplets of water appeared and flowed.
"Wind…"
Air swirled around his hand.
"Earth…"
The ground shook and slightly lifted.
"Light…"
A bright glow emerged, dazzling his eyes.
"Darkness…"
A dark aura wrapped his palm for a moment.
He froze, stunned by what he had just seen. "That means this body can use six elements… If I train properly, I could become unbeatable."
He chuckled softly. Not out of euphoria, but out of resolve.
"Purpose, huh? What's my purpose in this world? OH RIGHT! If the rulers are corrupt, and maybe the others are too… what if I just execute them all? Maybe even… the king himself." A sharp smile spread across his lips. "Okay, it's decided. I will execute them all."
And from that moment, he began training.
Arya wasted no time. Day and night, he honed his magical power, trained his body, recalled his past memories of strategies, combat techniques, and weapon engineering. He taught Dina the same, forming their little strength in the forest far from settlements.
A month passed.
One afternoon, Arya sat cross-legged on the ground, sketching diagrams in the soil with a twig.
"It feels incomplete without a sniper rifle," he muttered. "But make it out of what? Earth? No, that would be fragile." He tapped his chin. "What if… I search for iron sand underground?"
He channeled magic into the earth.
"Search…" he whispered.
The soil before him churned. Black, oily sand began to surface.
"Raise sand!"
The sand lifted, forming a lump. He heated it with fire magic, melting it until it could be shaped. With precision, he began forging piece by piece: barrel, trigger, scope, and bullets. All done with hands and magic.
A few days later, a sniper rifle of black metal was complete.
"Good, it's done. The bullets are ready too." He aimed the weapon at a tree.
Bang!
The shot fired, but the result was unsatisfying.
"Hmm, not accurate enough." He reopened the scope. "Try again."
Phuu!
The second shot was far more precise.
"Perfect."
Suddenly, light footsteps approached.
"What was that loud sound, Ar?" Dina asked, arriving breathless, as if she had run uphill.
"Oh, I made a weapon."
"A weapon? Is it a staff? A spear?"
"No. This is called a sniper AWM. A long-range weapon. Doesn't need magic or arrows. Its range is much wider."
Dina stared at the weapon in awe. "Why did you make that?"
"Didn't I already tell you my purpose?" Arya smiled. "This is for executing corrupt rulers. Now, how about your training?"
"I was training, but I heard that loud sound, so I rushed up. I'm tired, you know." Dina sighed and crossed her arms. "I thought something happened. Turns out you were making a weapon."
"Hahaha, sorry, sorry. Here, watch this." Arya aimed at a tree and pulled the trigger.
Phuu!
A large hole pierced through the trunk.
"Woah! What the heck! The tree got a hole without arrows. And that sound is so funny… Phuu hahaha!"
"Hahaha! Amazing, right? This sound makes it harder to detect from afar, unlike the first time when it went Bang like that."
"Yeah yeah, amazing, amazing. I'm going back to training, bye!"
"Good luck…"
Days kept passing. Their training grew harsher, their magic more refined, their strategies sharper. They grew, slowly but surely.
Three years later, Arya was twelve. Dina, eleven. By then, they were no longer ordinary strays. They were silent killers ready to shake the world.
That morning, thin fog still lingered in the forest they lived in. Amidst the quiet of nature, Arya and Dina stood side by side on a narrow path. Before them stretched the road to the city of LILA, where the first execution would be carried out.
"This is our debut, right?" Dina asked, her voice flat but her eyes gleaming.
"Yes," Arya answered calmly. "Don't hold me back."
Dina scoffed. "I won't. I've trained hard."
Though Arya seemed relaxed, behind his cold demeanor was full confidence in Dina's abilities. For three years, they had grown together, trained together, and built strength from nothing. Dina was a close-combat specialist. She mastered silent killing techniques and wielded two special daggers forged by Arya, made from mithril. The daggers could channel magic, and Dina had mastered two elements: fire and wind. That combination made her deadly in close combat.
Arya looked toward the horizon. "You still remember our target, right?"
"Of course. The ruler of LILA… right?"
"Yes. A cruel ruler who raised taxes and tormented the people for years."
Dina raised an eyebrow. "So you're the one who executes? What do I do?"
"You infiltrate. Confirm his location and kill the guards if needed." Arya pulled out a small, crystal-like device. "Use this."
Dina took the device and inspected it. "Wow, a magic tool that lets you talk from afar… You're really a genius!"
Arya chuckled softly. "Hahaha! Keep praising me!"
"Cih. But why not let me do the execution? I'll already be inside."
"This isn't your stage." Arya looked straight at her. "If I do the execution, the investigators will be confused—they'll think the bullet came from outside. That way, you stay safe."
Dina sighed. "Oh, fine."
The journey to LILA took two days. They walked through the forest, disguised as wanderers. When they arrived, evening had fallen. The hot air and dust filled the dry stone streets. The buildings looked gloomy. Though the city was a little better than the forsaken lands, the stench of injustice was heavy in the air.
"This city is miserable…" Dina muttered. "Even if it's better than where we came from, it's still bleak."
"Yes. That's our job," Arya replied. "To cleanse the world of these rats in fancy clothes."
He pointed to a high ground on the edge of the city facing a large mansion.
"I'll be there. If anything happens, contact me."
"Alright."
Night fell. Dina slipped into a bar to gather information. She wore a black hood and sat quietly in a corner. Her eyes scanned the room without saying much. When she ordered milk, some customers laughed mockingly, but she ignored them. Her focus was only on information.
The old-looking bartender finally spoke, perhaps out of pity or the need to complain.
"The ruler of this city is cruel. The city guards all focus at the mansion. There are more than twenty of them," he said quietly.
"Thank you," Dina said, placing a few coins before leaving without looking back.
She returned to Arya, who was waiting at the high ground.
"More than twenty guards," she reported. "But I don't know which one is the strongest."
Arya only nodded. "You can handle it. You're strong, Dina." His voice carried certainty. "You have magic, your weapons are strong. Even if there are a hundred, you can handle it."
"Alright…" Dina replied, still looking hesitant. But Arya's confidence sparked courage in her heart.
That night, the first execution began.
Dina slipped into the mansion grounds, her movements light and silent. She hid in shadows, moving from corner to corner. Two guards stood at the gate, but they didn't see anything before their throats were cut with precision.
Dina kept going deeper. She moved like the night wind, silent and deadly. Three… four… five… up to fifteen guards fell in silence, their blood nothing more than stains in the dark.
"Fifteen already…" Dina thought. "The rest must be near the ruler's chamber."
She walked noiselessly toward the large, gold-ornamented door. The remaining guards stood firmly, but one by one they fell. Her fire and wind daggers danced in the dark.
At last, she stood before the ruler's chamber.
"The ruler's inside," she whispered into the device.
"Understood," Arya answered from afar.
He closed his eyes, channeling magic.
"Search. Lock."
The rifle lifted, its barrel aimed at the master bedroom's window.
Phuu!
The silent bullet shot forth, piercing the glass, then the ruler's head precisely. His body fell without a sound.
"Done," Arya said coldly.
Minutes later, Dina walked out of the mansion calmly. But her face looked annoyed.
"If it was that easy, why did I have to bother killing all the guards?" she grumbled.
"They were just as vile as their master," Arya replied. "If they had hearts, they wouldn't have obeyed corruption and cruelty. As for the servants… they're only victims of pressure. They don't need to die."
Dina fell silent. She nodded slowly, then walked on. She didn't answer, but in her heart, she agreed. What they did wasn't mere killing. It was execution of corruption.
The next day, screams echoed from the mansion. The servants found the ruler's and his family's corpses in gruesome condition. Fear spread like plague. But at the same time, relief began to grow among the people.
Rumors spread.
"Hey, have you heard about the ruler of LILA's death?"
"Yes. They were all slaughtered in one night."
"But the city's better now."
"Who do you think did it? A secret organization?"
"Maybe. But whoever they are… they brought change."
Two weeks had passed since the first execution. Arya and Dina now continued their journey to the next target.
"Who's our next target?" Dina asked.
"The ruler of SIJU. South of LILA. Their family is also known to be corrupt."
"Are their guards strong?"
"According to my info… yes, somewhat. Why? Do you want a challenge?"
"I'm not a battle maniac… but I do want to feel a more intense fight."
"Hahaha. Hopefully this time you'll find strong opponents."
Dina snorted. "Tch."
One day later, they arrived in SIJU.
"The conditions are the same as LILA… why did the king choose garbage rulers all around? Could it be the king himself is like that too?" Arya said.
"Yes, so pathetic… But with us here, this world will be purified."
"Of course. My hands are itching to execute them."
"You're a battle maniac too?"
"Hah? Too? So you admit it?"
"No!"
Night came. The second operation began.
"How's the situation there?" Arya asked through the device.
"Already inside the front gate. The guards… same as before."
"Scare him into coming out. That way, I can execute from here. From this spot, I can't see directly."
"Alright."
Dina moved swiftly. But this time, the guards were far more numerous,more than fifty. She channeled fire and wind magic into her daggers. Each slash burned and tore apart. She was no longer silent. This time, she was a storm.
"Damn! This woman is so strong! Kill her!"
"Orraaa!! Die!!"
Dina leapt high, slashing two heads mid-air. Flames burst from her body, striking more guards. Blood sprayed. Screams filled the night.
"It won't be that easy, you trash… You'll be the ones to die."
Slash! Boom! Slash! Blood stained the white marble floor, turning it into a silent witness of massacre.
Meanwhile, inside the master chamber…
"What's that noise?! Why so loud?!" the ruler woke up in panic. He ran out, surrounded by his last guards.
"Eek! Kill her! Don't let her get near me!!"
From the high ground, Arya adjusted his aim.
"Hahaha, Dina's really rampaging tonight. Usually silent, now like a storm." He raised his weapon. "Lock."
Phuu! The bullet struck the ruler's head precisely. His body collapsed, followed by his guards.
In the mansion yard, Dina stood, breathing heavily. Her eyes scanned the scattered corpses.
"I'm done. Their number… more than fifty. Damn, that was no joke."
"What about his children?"
"Do we kill them like before?"
"No. This time… the children are still young. They can be raised by someone proper."
"The servants?"
"Same as before. Leave them."
Dina nodded. "Alright."
The second target was eliminated.
Two days later, in the royal palace…
"WHAT?!" a thunderous voice shook the palace walls. A crowned man stood with blazing eyes.
"The ruler of SIJU is dead?! And before that, LILA… Now this?!"
He laughed loudly, anger and strange joy mixing together.
"KuHAHAHAHA! Interesting! Some little rats dare to disturb my way of ruling!"
SEKIUS BELMERA IV, King of Belmera Kingdom, grinned wide.
Meanwhile, far from the palace, Arya sat under the night sky, deep in thought.
"What's wrong?" Dina asked, sitting beside him. "Moody?"
"Hmm… I can use many types of magic. But it feels empty if I only rely on the sniper. I want to feel close combat, like you."
Dina smiled broadly. Her eyes sparkled with challenge.
"What if the next target… both of us go in directly? Kill the target up close?"
Arya turned to her. His eyes lit up. A new idea formed in his mind.
"Not bad! A combination of magic and guns… sounds interesting."
"Hah?!" Dina glared, shocked that Arya was seriously considering it.
Arya just chuckled.
The next execution… would be different.