After the fierce battle with Domovoi, Nagi staggered out of the chamber, bruised and bloodied but victorious. He found Hiroshi waiting just beyond the corridor, eyes wide with concern.
"You're okay!" Hiroshi rushed over. "What the hell happened in there?"
Nagi exhaled, still catching his breath. "I fought the boss of this floor… a knight called Domovoi. He was strong, but I beat him."
Hiroshi stared at him in disbelief. "You what? You beat the floor boss? Damn, that's impressive. Looks like you're getting stronger."
"Yeah," Nagi explains."It's thanks to something called the bond system."
Hiroshi blinked. "Wait… what? Bond system? what is that?"
"It was given to me… by unknown god called orihara."
"What… WHAT?!" Hiroshi shouted, suddenly furious. He turned toward the empty air. "Orihara! What the hell did you do to him, you bastard?!"
Orihara's voice crackled through the space, laced with irritation. "Calm down, idiot. If I hadn't given him the power, he'd be dead right now. Or are you saying you'd prefer that?"
Hiroshi clenched his fists but said nothing for a moment. "…No. I'm glad he's alive. But why can he talk about the system—and you—but I can't? What makes him different?"
Orihara's voice answered with cool logic. "You know about saints, right?"
"Yeah," Hiroshi said slowly.
"Then think of it like this. You're the main path… but he's tethered to you, bound by life itself. That's why I could give him the bond system—as a Vice Saint. You get it now?"
Hiroshi took a deep breath and nodded. "Yeah… I get it."
With that tension behind them, the two sat down to eat, sharing a quiet lunch together amid the ruins of their latest challenge.
Meanwhile, in Tokyo…
A different story was unfolding.
A young man stood tall in the mirror, brushing a hand through his unruly black hair.
"Let me introduce myself."
"I'm Kaius, now eighteen, stands at 177 cm with an average, muscular build — strong enough to hold his own, even without supernatural gifts. His messy spiky black hair and jet-black eyes reflect a stubborn spirit that refuses to break, no matter how much he's lost.
Once i was cheerful underclassman of legendary heroes Hiroshi and Nagi, Kaius was part of an inseparable trio during their middle school years.that was when I had a happy home once, with a family that supported him. But like Hiroshi, fate was cruel. One day, everything he cared about was ripped away, leaving him with nothing but memories and grief. Unlike many others swept into the world of awakeners, I Kaius never received powers. just a ordinary human — no abilities, no blessings, no chosen fate.
Kaius grabbed his school bag and stepped out.
"But that never stopped me. Even without power, i refuses to be left behind. I trains harder, thinks sharper, and pushes forward with the strength of sheer will. In a world of awakened heroes and saints, I'm unshakable by world — the reminder that even without gifts, some people like me still stand tall, fueled by nothing but heart."
December 20, 2022. Tokyo.
Kaius strolled through the school hallway, shoulders relaxed, until he spotted someone. Her name Maria.
She walked toward him, a breeze catching her long hair. His heart skipped a beat.
"Hey, Maria. Good morning."
"Morning, Kaius," she replied with a warm smile.
Before he could say anything more, another student walked over and placed an arm around her shoulders—Leon, her boyfriend.
Kaius glanced away, quietly swallowing the familiar sting of disappointment.
but it's okay because i don't want waste time on trivial things.
But fate had other plans.
A sudden, blinding light tore through the hallway as a portal ripped open in midair. From within, grotesque, yellow-skinned zombies began to pour out—sluggish but deadly. One bite, and a person would turn.
"Z-Zombies?" a student screamed.
Kaius didn't think. He ran to the gym storage, grabbed a metal baseball bat, and charged back in.
No powers. No magic. Just grit.
He swung the bat with precision, clearing a path through the chaos.
"I have to find Maria," he muttered, sprinting toward her classroom. "I don't know why… but I just have to."
Bursting into the room, he shouted, "Everyone! There are monsters! We need to move—now!"
Without hesitation, he grabbed Maria's hand. "Come with me!"
The school was surrounded. Zombies swarmed every corridor. As they reached the balcony, Leon joined them—sweating, limping.
But something was wrong.
Leon charged at them, eyes vacant. Blood trickled from his mouth. Bitten.
Kaius didn't wait. He raised the bat.
And swung.
Over and over.
"Stop!" Maria screamed, trying to pull him back. "You're killing him!" , we can still save him.
Kaius shoved her aside and delivered the final blow.
Leon's body crumpled.
Silence.
Kaius stood, the bat dripping with blood.
Maria stared at him in horror. "Why… why did you kill him?! We could've saved him!"
"No," Kaius said, his voice flat. "He wasn't human anymore."
Maria's voice trembled. "Are you some kind of expert now?! I know why You hated him, didn't you? You hated him because he was dating me…"
Kaius didn't answer. His eyes dropped.
He turned to walk away.
"Hey!" Maria cried out. "Where do you think you're going?!"
Kaius didn't look back. "Isn't it obvious? You don't want me around."
Maria screaming stop Why.... Why are leave alone?