FourYears After the Great Earthquake—In the Southern Ruins
"Do you sense anything unnatural, Jina?" one of the scouts asked, sweeping his gaze across the mist-choked ruins.
Jina closed her eyes, focusing. "I sense… creatures. But…" Her brows furrowed. "They have no mana."
"No mana?" The man stiffened. "How many?"
"I can detect ten." She swallowed. "There may be more."
"Ten or more, huh…" He clicked his tongue. "We need the other Necfars. Too dangerous to approach blind. I'll stay here. Go and bring the others."
"Understood, Master."
She bowed and sprinted off into the fog.
The ruins fell silent.
The Necfar kept his guard up—until the ground beneath him began to tremble.
*CRACK—*
Tentacles burst from the earth, wrapping around his legs and arms, binding him instantly.
"WHAT—WHAT IS THIS?!" He struggled, but the grip tightened like steel.
"Stop moving, human. It's pointless," a calm voice echoed from the shadows.
A figure stepped into view.
Humanoid, but disturbingly wrong—smooth pale skin, empty eye sockets, a smile that felt carved into its face.
The Necfar's blood ran cold.
"What… what are you?"
The creature tilted its head politely. "Me? How rude of me."
It placed a hand on its chest.
"My name is Helv. And I don't belong here."
"Don't belong here…?" The Necfar narrowed his eyes. "Then where—"
Helv laughed softly. "Do you really think I'd tell you?"
His smile widened.
"Now be a good human and stay still while I rip your heart out."
The Necfar ripped free from the tentacles at the last second, teleporting behind Helv.
He slammed a kick into Helv's stomach, sending him crashing into a broken wall.
"You talk too much for a monster," the Necfar said coldly.
Helv pushed himself up, dark smoke curling around him. "Your little friend said there were ten of us, didn't she?"
He chuckled.
"Your heart will make a lovely offering to God."
Before the Necfar could react—
Helv vanished.
And reappeared with his fingers buried deep in the man's chest.
The Necfar's breath hitched. "H…How…?"
His body fell limp.
Helv flicked blood from his claws. "Didn't need your help, smoke-face. But whatever."
A shadow loomed behind him.
The tall grey monster from four years ago stepped out—its head a mass of swirling smoke, blue eyes floating within.
"I was surprised you let a human injure you," the creature rumbled. "I thought you required assistance."
Helv rolled his eyes. "It's called *toying with prey*. Try learning about it."
The tall creature ignored the sarcasm. "More humans are approaching."
Then it dissolved into smoke.
"Why is that guy the leader…" Helv muttered before vanishing as well.
Moments later, Jina and the others arrived.
Her heart froze.
"Master…?"
She knelt beside the corpse, trembling. The hollowed chest. The blood. The emptiness.
Her voice broke.
"Master…"
Then, unable to hold back—
"MASTEEEER!!"
Her scream echoed through the dead ruins.
Two Days Later — Kingdom Nexus
Four years had passed since the Great Earthquake.
Four years since the prophecy awakened.
And two days since the massacre in the southern ruins.
As for me—
it had been four years since God gave me my divine order:
**Learn.**
And I had obeyed.
I studied the history of Zephyria, the deeper nature of mana, and even fragments about my father.
He was a high-ranking Necfar.
Although… I still didn't fully understand what a "Necfar" was.
Today, Father decided to take me to a Necfar meeting.
For a four-year-old, it was overwhelming—and fascinating.
I sat on his lap quietly as Necfars entered the hall one by one. Many smiled at me, cooing over how "cute" I was, until the meeting began and silence fell.
The king entered, taking his seat at the head of the table.
"Everyone is present?" he asked.
"Yes, my lord," the assistant replied.
The king folded his hands. "This meeting concerns the incident in the Southern Ruins two days ago."
A ripple of unease spread through the room.
"I believe A-rank Necfar Yu Zhong was part of that mission?" a white-haired woman asked.
"Yes."
The king's tone darkened.
"C-rank Necfar Jina brought the report."
He nodded to Jina.
She stood shakily. "While Master and I searched the ruins, I sensed multiple creatures… with no mana. Master asked me to bring reinforcements."
Her voice quivered.
"When I returned with the others…"
Tears gathered in her eyes.
"…his heart had been ripped out."
Silence.
No one dared breathe.
"You may sit," the king said softly.
She bowed and sat, trembling.
The meeting continued, shifting to investigation plans, defense reinforcement, and the nature of mana-less beings.
But one detail stuck with me:
The heart. Ripped out.
Just like before.
Just like the day I was born.
After the meeting, Father spoke with an elderly S-rank Necfar. I sat quietly—until a sharp pain stabbed through my chest.
I choked.
Blood spilled from my mouth.
"Dliva!"
Father dropped to his knees, panic flooding his face.
The old woman placed her hand on my chest. A soft, strange glow —not mana—spread from her palm.
The pain vanished.
"I've healed him," she said gently. "Take him home."
"Thank you," Father murmured, lifting me in his arms.
I fell asleep before he reached the door.
The voice calls out
"Listen, child."
The darkness of my dream trembled as God's voice echoed.
"Your next task is to train your mana.
Do it in secret."
A pause.
"And continue collecting knowledge."
Another pause—deeper, heavier.
"I will return when the time is right.
Until then, fulfill your purpose…
and remember not to reveal what you are."
I opened my eyes to the gentle warmth of my mother's lap.
"Are you awake, dear?" she asked softly, brushing my hair back.
I nodded weakly.
But my mind was elsewhere.
*How do I train mana… without anyone noticing?*
I clenched my small fists.
There was only one answer.
Because God's orders weren't suggestions.
They were absolute.