[Alastair Voss, the God of the Shadow Realm and Supreme Leader of the Abyssal Council.]He was the sovereign who once reigned over every shadow, the tyrant of darkness feared across countless worlds. His conquests left galaxies trembling. For a century, he clashed against the Goddess of Stars and the God of Chaos, each battle shaking the heavens themselves. His final duel was against Sylvester Armstrong, the Astral Hero and commander of the Astral Guardians. That clash ended not in victory, but disappearance—Alastair Voss vanished from all records of history.
Meanwhile, in Cyranth City, heart of the Durnholde State of Nevan, the colossal headquarters of the Astral Magus towered like a fortress that pierced the skies. Within its central spire, a member of the Department of Defense hurried down a pristine marble corridor. He stopped before a large door, saluted sharply, and entered the office of the Zenith Sovereign—the supreme commander of the Astral Magus.
She was seated behind her desk, the glow of runic screens illuminating her eyes.
"Zenith Sovereign, I bring an urgent report," the man said, his voice wavering.
Her sharp gaze lifted. "Speak."
"Our surveillance division detected an anomaly within Lunaris City, in the State of Ravenshade. An entire district… disappeared. Monsters placed there as containment are gone as well, devoured by something resembling a veil of darkness."
The Zenith Sovereign jolted to her feet. "What did you say?!"
"W-we confirmed it, ma'am. A dark veil was erected… but it was not Astral magic."
Her pupils narrowed. "Those bastards… Contact the Shadow Blades immediately. Deploy their strongest unit to Lunaris. Now."
"Yes, ma'am!" The officer sprinted from the room.
Left alone, the Zenith Sovereign clenched her fists."Darkness swallowing a city… Don't tell me… they're after the Nethermoth."
Back in Lunaris, the moon cast a pale glow over the ruined shopping district. There, amidst shattered buildings, stood a lone figure—his hands in his pockets, his shadow stretching unnaturally far.
A voice echoed through the veil.
"…So I've returned." His voice was deep, resonant, tinged with menace. But as he glanced at his hands, a frown formed. "This body feels… weak. And this mask—"
He ripped the skull mask from his face and crushed it into dust.
The ground trembled. From the darkness, countless Ashenfiends—grotesque wolf-like and spider-like monstrosities—emerged, their red eyes burning. Behind them loomed the hulking Nethermoth, its horns curving like a crown of nightmares.
Alastair smirked. "I'll question things later. For now… let's see how strong the beasts of this timeline are."
He tore off his tattered shirt and vanished in a blur. A Galeclaw's head exploded as his palm crashed against it.
"…Holograms?" He waved his hand through the glowing text. "Hmph. So this vessel has a system…"
Two Galeclaws lunged. With a grin, Alastair conjured a massive obsidian scythe from writhing shadow.
Their heads fell in a single sweep.
"…Not bad. But weak."
The Ashenfiends roared and surged toward him. Alastair vanished again, reappearing mid-air above them. Purple flames, divine and blinding, erupted from his scythe.
"Disappear." He cleaved down. A Chillbane was split in two, its corpse consumed by violet fire.
The Nethermoth bellowed, launching spears of dark energy. Alastair blocked with ease, shadows coiling around him like armor. Their clash shook the ruins, shockwaves ripping through the district.
"…Out of the pack, you're the only one worth killing."
With ruthless precision, Alastair severed the Nethermoth's limbs, ending it with a single decapitating strike.
Landing amidst trembling Ashenfiends, he sneered. "And yet… you're all so pitifully weak."
He stretched out his hand. Shadows writhed and took shape, forming dozens of miniature soldiers—his Shadow Spawn.
"Thanks to the moonlight, your shadows are mine. Witness, then, only five percent of my power."
The Shadow Servants clashed with the remaining Ashenfiends as Alastair turned his back and wandered deeper into the ruins.
Inside a crumbling newspaper store, he leafed through ancient papers until one worn book caught his eye.
"'Sylvester Armstrong, Astral Hero, Savior of Humanity…'" His lip curled. "So the shiny bastard gets a legend while my name is erased? Humans… still so arrogant."
He snapped his fingers. The book burst into purple flame.
"…Perhaps it's time they remembered the true threat."
As he walked out, moonlight revealed a woman descending gracefully before him—white hair cascading, glowing eyes calm, her bare feet untouched by dust.
"Did you call for me, Shadow Sovereign?"
Alastair's gaze sharpened. "Lyrhal. Warden of Eternal Night."
{Lyrhal, the Goddess of the Moon. One of the Abyssal Council.}
"The plan was for me to resurrect after a thousand years. Tell me—did you miscalculate?"
"I made no mistake," Lyrhal said softly. "This vessel was the most suitable. The system you see is no Astral Benediction—it is something else entirely."
"…Hmph. Then dig deeper. Find out why."
"As you command." She vanished into moonlight.
Alastair returned to the battlefield, the faint glow of the white moon spilling over the ruins. His shadow servants had already encircled the last trembling Galeclaw Ashenfiend.
"How pitiful," Alastair murmured, his voice laced with disdain as he walked forward, hands in his pockets. "Not even one of my servants was felled."
The beast's body quivered, its glowing red eyes flickering in primal terror.
"Game over," he declared, raising his hand lazily. He shaped his fingers like a gun, cloaked his fingertip in purple flames, and smirked. "Die, weakling."
A thunderous crack echoed as the flames burst forth. The Galeclaw's skull shattered, its body collapsing into lifeless ash.
Alastair exhaled a long sigh, almost disappointed. "And here I thought the first thing I'd experience after a thousand years of slumber would be a decent fight. Tch… how dull. You're all dismissed."
With a flick of his will, the shadow servants dissolved into nothingness, retreating into the darkness. The veil cloaking the district unraveled, the scene of devastation revealed to the silent night.
He swept his gaze across the ruins. "This reeks of war… not human hands, though. Was it Voidwalker's spawn?" He shook his head. "Hmph. Irrelevant."
His palm ignited with divine purple fire, and in the next instant, the entire city of Lunaris was engulfed in flames. The inferno burned silently, swallowing every trace.
With his hands still in his pockets, Alastair rose into the night sky. His eyes narrowed with certainty.
"All that matters… is that one year, within this thousand, shall mark the resurrection of the Serpent of the Abyss."
He descended near the Lunaris station, but suddenly his body stiffened. His limbs faltered, numbness creeping in.
"…What's this?"
The Following Day
Sunlight filtered through the curtains of a cozy home. Eve sat on the couch scrolling through her phone, while her mother's eyes were fixed on the news playing on the television.
"Breaking news. Yesterday, the Astral Magus Association confirmed the temporary disappearance of Lunaris City. When it reappeared, the entire district was already engulfed in purple flames. The Silent Blades dispatched to the scene reported no survivors… Experts claim such devastation cannot be wrought by a mere Hazard. The Zenith Sovereign is now under immense pressure from the press."
Eve's mother gasped. "How terrible. Eve, wasn't that around the same time you left yesterday? Did something happen to you?"
Eve lifted her head, her expression soft and serene. "Nothing happened, Mother. I'm perfectly fine, see?" She offered a gentle smile.
Her mother frowned with worry. "The streets aren't safe anymore. Hazards keep appearing, and now this… You must be careful, especially since you're a supermodel. You'll always be a target."
Eve's smile remained, but her thoughts twisted darkly beneath it.
So… not only did he fall to the Ashenfiends, but his corpse was also erased by the flames. Perfect. Their plans will be delayed another thousand years. He was of no use to me, so I discarded him. If only he had possessed something worthy of my attention…
Her lips curled upward ever so slightly, a sinister glint flickering in her eyes.
Meanwhile, elsewhere—
Kael bolted upright, breath ragged. His heart pounded as he scanned his surroundings. He was lying in a bed, not in the middle of the battlefield where death had nearly claimed him.
"…I'm still alive? How? I remember fighting… the Ashenfiends…"
His hands trembled as he touched his right arm. Whole. No scars. His abdomen bore no wounds either.
"Did I… dream it all?"
Notice:
You have met the conditions and awakened the celestial ability Shadow Benediction, an ability that defies the very foundation of Astral Benediction.
Notice:
You have unlocked 1/6 Tiers of Shadow Benediction. Current Level: Beginner.
Shadow Manipulation (First Tier). Notable Skills: Dispel, [Locked], [Locked], [Locked], [Locked]
Notice:
You have attained the title The Lone Reaper: a title that invokes dread, for it belongs only to those who stand alone against the darkness.
Boosts stats by 10% when fighting stronger opponents
Increases Damage Output by 50%
Grants razor-sharp instinct
Reduces incoming damage by 40%
Restores 20% Stamina and 10% Health with every kill
Kael's eyes widened. "Wh-what is this?!" He tried to touch the glowing panels floating in the air, but his fingers slipped right through them. "A hologram…? Wait…"
His mind snapped back to Eve, watching her system windows.
"Don't tell me… I finally awakened?! But… Astral Benediction is what Eve had. Mine says… Shadow Benediction…"
Name: Kael Voss FischerTitle: The Lone ReaperAge: 17Gender: MaleClass: NoneRank: D Tier (Common)
Core Attributes:STR: 5 | END: 4 | AGI: 4 | INT: 7 | WIL: 7 | CHA: 0 | LUK: 5
Combat Stats:HP: 50/50 | MP: 50/50 | STM: 15ATK: 5 | DEF: 3 | SPD: 3
Critical Rate: 2% | Dodge Rate: 10%
Skills & Abilities:
Active Skills: Dispel, [Locked], [Locked], [Locked], [Locked]
Ultimate Skill: [Locked]
Weapon Arts: None
Progression:Level I (Beginner) | EXP: 4,120 | Skill Progression: 1%
"W-woah…" Kael's hands shook with excitement as he clenched them into fists. "This… This is incredible. I can feel it—my body's brimming with power!"
Then—
"Oi, human lad…"
"WAAAH!" Kael yelped, nearly falling off the bed.
Floating beside him was a tiny blob of shadow, its misty form flickering with strange shapes. A childlike face was etched faintly within the darkness.
"Wh-who… who are you!?" Kael stammered.
The creature's voice echoed with ancient weight.
"My name is Alastair Voss—God of the Shadow Realm, Shadow Sovereign of the Abyssal Council. The one who once clashed with the so-called Hero, Sylvester."