Sabre finished his business with Urhuma, mounted his horse, and began riding toward the frontlines.A storm of memories flooded his mind — moments with Urhuma, his days as a commander, the fights of his childhood, and the struggles of his youth.But among all these thoughts, one name echoed the loudest — Sakuran Kriega.
Sabre was someone who had obtained his mask through unnatural means. There were several ways to acquire natural masks.
The first way was by defeating monsters in dungeons and collecting their valuable parts — unique treasures like a giant's horn or a beast's fang.By combining these materials with an element, one could forge a new mask.The rarer the element, the stronger the mask.Masks created this way were usually B-Tier.
The second way was through emotions.When a person suffers too much, when their life is filled with endless pain and sorrow, their soul grows stronger.Eventually, it gives birth to a mask that reflects their soul — one that is truly unique.These masks belong only to their owner and are generally A-Tier.
The third way was the blessing of heaven.If one lives a life of hardship, filled with courage and purity, they may be granted Heaven's grace.However, simply being good is not enough — one must have complete control over their soul and die with honor.If you possess Heaven's blessing but no mask, Heaven will bring you back from death and forge a sacred spirit within you, granting an incredibly powerful mask.From that moment on, you must live as a hero of the oppressed, a champion of humanity.These masks are usually S-Tier.
The fourth and final way — opening your arms to Hell.Good and evil have always existed in conflict — as have Heaven and Hell.Hell, opposing Heaven, offers dying sinners a second chance — reviving them with a special mask.Yet to embrace Hell, one doesn't have to be purely evil; a burning purpose or a cursed destiny is enough.These masks are also S-Tier.
Sabre's path... was the fourth one.He had opened his arms to Hell.
When Sabre was just five years old, his father killed his mother.Seeing her body lying on the ground planted a deep hatred within him — a rage that never faded.His father was imprisoned afterward, and Sabre was left in the care of his stepmother.They lived in a poor, nameless village with no noble bloodline to their name.
At the age of ten, Sabre began working in a stone quarry, yet the money he earned was never enough.One day, he met an older man from another village — a man who worked as an assassin and earned vast amounts of money.Inspired, Sabre joined the assassin guild himself.
He trained in swordsmanship from a young age.By day, he worked at the quarry. By night, he carried out assassinations to feed his family.
When Sabre turned twenty, he was assigned to eliminate a target imprisoned deep within a fortress.That man... was his own father.
Sabre entered the prison and killed his father without hesitation.But one of the guards saw him.From that day on, his life changed forever.
He fled as soon as he completed his mission, but the guards caught up quickly.One of them thrust a sword straight through him.Sabre collapsed, and everything went dark.
When he opened his eyes again, he saw his own lifeless body lying on the ground.Behind him, the burning flames of Hell approached.
He ran toward his corpse, knelt beside it, and placed his hand on his own forehead.The flames whispered a single command:
"Call out... Sakuran Kriega."
At first, Sabre didn't understand.But as the flames pressed closer, pain began to consume even his soul.He screamed at the top of his lungs:
"SAKURAN KRIEGA!"
In that instant, the infernal fire recoiled.Sabre opened his eyes again — back in his body.
The wound in his stomach was gone.But on his face, he felt something... a demonic mask.
Time slowed to a crawl.He grabbed his sword and dashed through the guards as if they were frozen statues.They didn't even realize what had happened.
Sabre escaped.
From that day forward, he discovered his unique mask and its ability.With it, he mastered G-Technic up to Stage 3, passed countless trials, and eventually became the leader of the Ranshi Clan — turning it into the most powerful clan in Shadowia.
But recently… the authority of his clan had begun to crumble.