The heavens trembled.
Amid a sea of collapsing stars and swirling clouds of gold, Kairo Valen and his sister Lyra faced the being that ruled the boundary between gods and mortals.
Her silver hair flowed like moonlight, and her eyes—pools of divine amber—glowed with the calm of eternal judgment.
"You cannot go beyond this," the goddess said, her voice echoing in the vast, broken sky.
"The truth you seek will unmake the balance itself."
Kairo stood protectively before his sister, his blade humming with celestial energy.
"Then let it be unmade! We've come too far to turn back!"
Lyra's hands burned with radiant power as her wings unfurled. "We won't stop until we find what you've hidden from us!"
The goddess sighed. "So be it."
The world shook as she raised her hand. Light exploded—mountains of divine energy crashing like waves. Kairo charged through the brilliance, sword flashing, while Lyra launched a barrage of blazing runes. Their combined strength split the clouds and scarred the heavens themselves.
For a moment, it looked as if the two siblings could actually reach her.
But the goddess's calm expression never changed.
With a single gesture, she unleashed a storm of divine chains that wrapped around Kairo's blade and shattered it like glass. Lyra screamed as a radiant spear pierced her barrier.
The goddess's power was overwhelming—like fighting the sun itself.
Kairo tried to shield his sister, but the goddess whispered, almost gently:
"You were never meant to walk this path."
Her hand glowed with divine sigils—and the world shattered apart.
The last thing Kairo saw was Lyra's terrified face reaching for him before a surge of light tore them apart.
When Kairo opened his eyes, everything was different.
The sky was blue. The air warm. He lay on a soft bed of sand near a glittering sea. The sound of gulls replaced the divine storm, and his once-shining armor was now cracked and dull.
His mind—empty.
He tried to remember who he was… why his heart hurt so much. But all he felt was a faint ache, like a name slipping from memory.
"Hey! You alive there, stranger?"
A shadow fell across him. A man with messy brown hair, a scar under his left eye, and a carefree grin stood over him, holding a fishing spear. "You look like you wrestled a sea god and lost."
Kairo coughed weakly. "Where… am I?"
"The shores of Valeris Kingdom," the man said, offering a hand. "Name's Renn. And you?"
Kairo hesitated. "Kairo… I think."
"'You think?'" Renn laughed. "Well, 'Kairo' it is then. Come on, you're lucky I found you before the gulls did."
Renn took him to his small house near the edge of the coastal town. The people were friendly, but everything felt foreign to Kairo—like a dream he couldn't wake from.
Over dinner, Renn leaned forward, studying him. "So, you really don't remember anything? Not even what you were doing out there?"
Kairo shook his head slowly. "Only… a light. And a girl's voice."
"Hmm. Maybe you were attacked by demons. Happens sometimes along the coast."
Kairo frowned. "Demons?"
Renn nodded. "Yeah. This world's crawling with 'em. That's why we've got Hunters—folks who take down monsters, protect towns, and make coin while doing it."
"Hunters…" Kairo repeated softly, the word stirring something deep inside him.
"Yep. They rank 'em from F up to S, depending on power. And every Hunter gets their rank tested by the Guild before they're licensed."
Renn smirked. "You look strong, though. Maybe you'd pass."
Kairo gave a faint smile. "I'll think about it."
But later that night, lying awake under Renn's roof, a thought wouldn't leave his mind.
A girl's voice… calling my name.
The next morning, Renn dragged Kairo to the Valeris Adventurer's Guild, a massive stone building buzzing with voices and clinking armor. Behind the counter sat a strict-looking woman with crimson glasses.
"So, a memory-loss case, huh?" she said, glancing between them. "Name?"
"Kairo Valen."
She scribbled it down. "Alright, let's get your rank reading. Place your hand on the orb."
Kairo did as told. The crystal pulsed faintly—then went dark.
The guild hall grew silent.
"…That's odd," the woman murmured. "No response at all?"
Renn frowned. "What's that mean?"
She adjusted her glasses. "It means… no measurable mana output. No rank."
The crowd began whispering.
"No rank? Impossible."
"Maybe he's cursed?"
"Or broken?"
Kairo pulled his hand back, confused. "Did I do something wrong?"
The woman shook her head slowly. "No. You're just… different."
Renn stepped forward. "Different or not, he saved my life once—he's joining me as a partner."
Kairo blinked. "I did?"
"Not that you'd remember," Renn said with a grin. "Come on, buddy. Let's get you a license before they change their minds."
The guild reluctantly issued Kairo a provisional hunter license, marking his rank as "Unclassified."
Whispers followed him out the door, but Renn just laughed it off.
That evening, they sat in a noisy tavern, mugs of ale between them.
"Not a bad start," Renn said. "Tomorrow, we'll take our first quest."
Kairo swirled his drink, staring at the foam. "I… keep thinking about that girl."
Renn raised an eyebrow. "Girl?"
"She's in my dreams. Every night. Silver hair… blue eyes… she keeps calling my name."
Renn leaned back, thinking. "Maybe she's the key to your past. And if so—then we'll find her."
Kairo looked up, hope flickering in his eyes. "You mean that?"
"Of course," Renn said, clinking his mug against Kairo's. "Partners stick together."
Kairo smiled faintly. "Thanks, Renn."
Outside the tavern window, the moon shone softly across the town of Valeris.
Somewhere far beyond the sea, a faint voice whispered his name again—
"Kairo…"
And unseen in the night sky, a pair of golden eyes watched from the heavens.
The Goddess of Balance smiled faintly.
"He has returned."
"Hehe."
End of Chapter One