Tick.
Tick.
Tick.
The old prison clock hammered inside his skull like a funeral bell.
Kairen Veyl sat on the cold floor, his back against the damp wall, hands trembling—not from fear, but from the rage boiling inside him.
Seven years.
Seven years of rotting in this hellhole.
Seven years of beatings, chains, and silence.
Seven years of dreaming about killing them all.
Tonight, the dream finally began.
The prison alarms screamed. Red lights bathed the corridors. Guards yelled and boots thundered against steel floors.
Kairen walked out of his cell slowly, calmly, like a man taking a midnight stroll.
In his hand, a stolen pistol gleamed under the flashing sirens.
"Freeze! Drop the gun!"
Bang.
The first guard fell, his scream cut short.
Bang.
Bang.
Two more dropped.
Kairen didn't hesitate. Hesitation was death.
He had a list. A long one.
And tonight, names would burn.
First, his family.
The house was exactly as he remembered it — warm lights, soft laughter, fake smiles.
His younger brother opened the door, confusion flashing across his face.
"Kairen…? You—You're supposed to be—"
Bang.
"Supposed to be dead?" Kairen whispered, stepping over the body.
"Guess I'm late."
His parents didn't even scream. They knew. They always knew this day would come.
Then came the police officers who beat him half to death when he begged for justice.
Bang.
Bang.
Bang.
And finally, the judge who smiled while sentencing him to rot:
"You ruined my life," Kairen said, pressing the cold barrel against the judge's forehead.
"I'll return the favor."
Bang.
The city whispered his name now.
The Murderer.
Fear spread faster than blood.
People locked their doors.
Mothers hushed their children.
Even the night seemed to hold its breath.
But no matter how fast you run, the world always catches up.
By dawn, Kairen stood at the edge of an abandoned overpass, surrounded by rifles.
"Drop your weapon, Kairen!"
"On your knees!"
"We'll shoot!"
Kairen looked at the dozen guns aimed at his chest… and laughed.
"Do it."
Bang.
Pain exploded through his ribs.
The sky blurred.
Cold crept into his bones.
"Finally…" he whispered, collapsing onto the cracked concrete.
"It's… over."
Darkness. Silence.
Then… warmth.
Soft sheets. Fragrant air.
Kairen's eyes snapped open. A golden ceiling stretched above him.
"Where… am I?" he muttered, sitting up.
"I thought I'd be in hell… thought Satan would burn me alive…"
A voice came from the side — a trembling maid, bowing deeply.
"L-Lord Fell Red, please… you must rest."
Kairen froze.
"Fell Red…?" He whispered the name, his expression twisting.
"I've… heard this before."
His gaze darted around the room — the curtains, the crest on the wall, the ancient texts on the desk.
And then it hit him.
"Wait… no way."
"…I'm inside the book."