Shattered Dream
Khiel Leonhart had dreamed of one thing his entire life — to join the Hero Association and prove that even a nobody could rise to protect the world.
He trained, studied, and bled for that dream. Thanks to his dedication, he awakened one of the rarest abilities… The Void.
It sounds dark and villainous, but for Khiel, it doesn't matter. What's important is that he'll use it for righteousness.
This morning, he even unlocked Void Sight, a branch skill of The Void.
However, the next day — the day of the final examination — his dream, his ambition —Everything collapsed.
Not because he was weak.
Not because he failed the tests.
But because a sudden incident erupted on his way toward the testing ground.
An inhuman creature — not an animal —Appeared in public.
A worm-like creature with a lamprey mouth layered with ringed teeth. Skin is pale and covered in dark purplish fumes.
"What the hell is that?" Khiel exclaimed upon seeing it.
He had no idea what kind of creature it was but his intuition told him it was dangerous.
Weirdly enough, the few people around seemed not to notice it yet.
Khiel widened his eyes when the strange creature suddenly charged toward the nearest person.
"Watch out!" He warned, but the elderly woman just looked at him confusedly.
"Shit! That thing is bad news!"
Seeing the worm-like creature close to devouring the elderly woman, a dark ripple burst from Khiel's hand. He summoned black energy and produced a dark sword from it.
He leaped forward and attacked it. The creature shrieked as its body slid into two pieces.
Khiel sighed in relief seeing the worm-like creature spasm on the ground, bathing in a puddle of dark liquid.
To the people around him, time seemed to have stopped. Everyone was wearing shocked expressions and disbelief.
"Well. I can't blame them. That creature is truly strange,' Khiel told himself.
He sighed in relief when—
Sirens screamed behind him. And that's not all.
Heroes arrived and immediately surrounded him. Guns raised. Cameras rolling.
"Drop your weapon! Step away from the civilian you just attacked!"
Khiel froze, looking confused.
"What civilian?" He asked.
They replayed the CCTV feed on a holographic screen.
It showed Khiel killing an ordinary man — no monster, no strange creature, no threat.
Just a terrified citizen collapsing under Khiel's void sword attack.
Khiel stared, horrified. In the video, the creature appeared as a normal human. However, whenever he glanced at the corpse, it was an inhumane creature.
By then…
The world saw a murderer.
And in that single moment, Khiel Leonhart—once a hopeful hero—became the name whispered with fear.
The criminal.
His dream of becoming the hero that everyone will look up to— died in an instant.