In the earliest ages of the world…
when nature still moved according to its pure instincts,
when the world was quiet, untouched, and scarce of life—
a tree was born… unlike anything existence had ever witnessed.
A colossal tree.
Its roots sank deep into the earth as if embracing its very heart,
while its branches stretched toward the sky… as though trying to reach it.
It was no ordinary tree.
A gentle, warm aura surrounded it—
one that brought peace to anyone who approached.
Even animals gathered around it without fear,
as if they understood… that this place was different.
In that era,
there was a human boy… who was different.
He was not a king.
Nor a leader.
But he was calm… wise… far beyond others of his age.
After his father died in a tragic hunting accident,
he lived with his uncle,
working with him to gather firewood.
Yet… his heart was never there.
It belonged… to that tree.
Every day,
he would go to it,
sit beside its trunk,
place his hand upon its bark…
and feel.
No voice.
No words.
No miracle.
But still…
it felt as though the tree understood him.
Until the day…
everything changed.
The tribe's leader ordered the tree to be cut down,
claiming it would be used to build a temple for children.
The boy objected.
He pleaded.
He shouted.
But his voice…
was weaker than the axes of men.
The next morning,
he returned to the tree… for the last time.
He sat there for a long while,
reliving every memory he had with it.
And for the first time…
he felt a strange heaviness in his chest.
Then—
The air trembled.
The ground shook.
And the elements of nature surged around the tree.
Water…
Air…
Earth…
Fire…
Lightning…
They moved like living beings,
before rushing into his body… all at once.
He did not die.
But—
he was no longer the same.
The tribe feared him.
They cast him out.
They hunted him.
And he spent the rest of his life… alone.
Until he reached the brink of death.
In his final moments…
he raised his trembling hand—
and divided those elements…
into weapons.
Weapons that carried will…
weapons that would choose their owners.
Then he hid them across the world…
…and fell.
Dead.
Centuries passed.
The world entered a new era—
An era of war.
Battlefields drowned in blood,
tribes fighting for survival,
kingdoms rising… and others falling.
With time,
powerful clans emerged—
each wielding strange and terrifying abilities.
Among them—
The Izoka Clan,
whose eyes were never alike,
possessing visual powers that could perceive the unseen.
The Yamikage Clan,
masters of sealing techniques…
and the fusion of cells,
creating monstrous, hybrid creatures.
The Tatsuma Clan,
whose members were born in harmony with nature,
granting them immense physical strength,
unnatural speed,
and heightened senses beyond human limits.
Amid this chaos…
a new faction appeared.
One that sought something different.
Peace.
They called themselves:
The Second Serois.
But peace…
cannot be achieved through words alone.
It requires power.
And so—
A tournament was announced.
To select the strongest warriors.
Among fifty participants…
there was one boy.
Simple.
Poorly equipped.
With nothing compared to the others.
But—
he possessed something rare.
Determination.
His name…
Enzo.
Two days before the tournament,
Enzo went into the forest at night.
Because nature…
was the only place where he felt at peace.
He set up his camp near a mountain peak.
The night… was unnaturally quiet.
Then—
Disaster struck.
He saw a body lying near a tree.
He approached slowly…
his heart pounding violently.
"…Marai?"
It was his friend.
Marai opened his eyes with difficulty…
and gave a faint smile.
"Enzo…"
Tears fell from Enzo's eyes without him realizing.
"What happened to you?!"
Marai's lips moved weakly—
"Take care… of my mother…"
Then—
His hand fell still.
Silence.
Heavy… suffocating silence.
Then—
A footstep… among the trees.
Enzo lifted his head.
A figure stood in the shadows.
A long coat.
And a sword…
glowing with a dark red light—
neither fire…
nor blood.
His face was hidden.
He turned…
and disappeared.
"WAIT!! YOU BASTARD!!"
But no answer came.
After a heavy moment of silence—
Enzo stood and shouted again:
"Stop! You damned bastard!"
The man stopped.
He laughed…
a cold, merciless laugh.
Then slightly turned—without revealing his face—
…and walked away, vanishing into the darkness.
Enzo froze in place…
Then rushed back to Marai.
He knelt down,
lifting his friend in silence.
His steps were heavy…
as if the ground itself resisted him.
And with every step—
memories flooded his mind.
Their laughter…
their conversations…
their simple days…
Until he reached the graveyard.
Slowly…
he began digging a grave with his own hands.
Under the darkness of night…
and unbearable silence.
After a long time—
he laid his friend to rest,
burying him with care.
He stood before the grave…
tears streaming down his face.
And said, in a broken yet firm voice:
"I promise you… Marai."
"I swear… I won't die… until I avenge you."
He screamed—
a cry from the depths of his soul.
Then turned slowly…
still crying…
mourning a friend
who was like a brother—
no… more than that.
He went to Marai's house.
Knocked.
His parents opened the door.
He looked at them—
with a sharp… sorrowful gaze.
"Marai… is dead."
"I buried him."
Nothing more.
He left them there…
crying in agony.
…and walked away.
He left the city.
Left the kingdom.
And returned to the forest.
He sat on a tree trunk…
staring at the sky.
He imagined Marai's face…
and broke down once more.
He clenched his fist tightly.
"I must become stronger…"
Then—
A voice… from nowhere:
"Do you seek power?"
Enzo jumped, looking around.
"Who are you?! Show yourself!"
But the voice replied calmly:
"It doesn't matter who I am…"
"But I will give you… a small gift."
"A gift… that will fulfill your desire."
Suddenly—
A dark red light fell from the sky.
It struck the ground violently.
Enzo looked—
A sword.
Embedded in the earth.
Surrounded by faint sparks of electricity.
Its blade glowing with a deep red hue—
neither fire…
nor blood.
The voice spoke again:
"Try… to make use of this legendary weapon."
Then—
It laughed…
…and faded away.
Enzo stood there… stunned.
His eyes locked onto the sword.
"Should I… take it?"
Silence.
Then—
Marai's face crossed his mind.
His blood…
his final words…
His grip tightened.
He stepped forward.
He grabbed the sword—
—and was instantly shocked by electricity!
He stepped back.
Took a deep breath.
Then stepped forward again…
with stronger resolve.
"Come on!!"
He grabbed it—
and pulled with all his strength—
It came free.
The moment it was drawn—
The glow vanished.
The lightning faded.
Enzo stared at it in confusion.
"…What is this?"
He swung it through the air.
Nothing.
Silence.
Then he said quietly:
"I'll figure out… what you can do."
He exhaled slowly.
"I'm exhausted…"
He looked up at the sky.
"Tomorrow… I'll train."
"I need to become stronger… for the tournament."
He stood there—
The sword in his hand.
And deep within him…
Something…
had begun to change.
🔥 End of Chapter 1 🔥