October, 2183.
The full moon hung complete in the night sky. The horizon lay flawless and bare, as if deliberately emptied so the moon would not have to share the stage.
Stars scattered across the heavens—dense, radiant, relentless in their shimmer. From the rooftop of this aging building, I could take it all in without obstruction.
Alone.
The night wind tugged at my black cloak, teasing the long strands of hair that trailed down my back. Beneath the moonlight, the city stretched out like an ocean of light.
Skyscrapers gleamed. Streetlamps glowed. It was as though they were daring the stars themselves.
Too quiet.
Too peaceful.
Too beautiful to believe.
And I hated this world.
On the surface, nothing seemed wrong. Garnha City—the safe district of the Kingdom of Asteria—was paradise for conglomerates and nobility alike. They lived in comfort behind walls of glass and nano-shielded steel. Warmed by artificial climate systems. Guarded by private security forces.
They had never seen how we survived in the city's forgotten corners. Never cared to know what it felt like to be stripped bare and squeezed dry in the name of "shared prosperity." We were cast aside simply because we were not born with powerful names or endless wealth.
A notification sound cut through my thoughts.
The upper corner of my vision flickered. An invisible interface projected an incoming voice call.
"[No. 217. Report your status.]"
My gaze shifted to the towering structure roughly a kilometer ahead—Grand Nord Tower. Tonight's target.
Night Vision activated. The world dissolved into gradients of shadow and light. Blue dots moved in coordinated patterns—our members. Red dots weaved sharply—guards and security systems. They avoided each other in a silent, lethal dance.
"Blocks A, B, C, and D are secure. All teams have successfully infiltrated," I reported quietly.
"[Good. It's your turn. Do not get detected.]"
"Understood."
I pulled the hood lower, shadowing half my face. A spherical drone the size of a clenched fist latched onto my shoulder.
"Percy. We're moving."
"Ready!" The metallic voice sounded light—almost eager.
I ran.
Cutting through the night. Clearing the gaps between buildings. My boots struck concrete and launched again before the echo could return. This city might be bright for those who lived comfortably within it—
—but for us, darkness was an ally.
Grand Nord Tower stood proud in the distance. Inside, leaders from two great kingdoms were meeting. Tonight, history would be carved in a way they had never imagined.
If I possessed the power to level everything, perhaps this world would have fallen by my hand long ago.
But I am no god.
I am only someone who clawed her way up from the lowest depths—learning to survive among the embers of hypocrisy and greed.
That is why I will not destroy this world.
I will tear out its roots.
With the power I hold now.
°••°[PROLOGUE]°••°