"You… you're Kudos?" Zeni asks, confused and shocked, seeing his brother for the first time in ten years. Kudos went missing when Zeni was around six years old. He hasn't seen him since—until today.
There's a slight pause before Kudos speaks.
"...Yeah, it's me," he responds, sounding unsure if he even wanted to reveal himself yet.
Zeni just stares at him—then suddenly leaps into Kudos' arms, hugging him tightly.
"I can't believe it's you!" Zeni exclaims. "I thought I'd never see you again."
He tightens his grip, constantly hugging his brother. Kudos can't seem to do anything but smile.
"Where have you been my whole life…" Zeni asks, a tear forming in his eye as if he's about to break down.
"It's a long story. Let's just say I was brought here the same way I brought you," Kudos replies. "Alright, we have stuff to do."
Zeni releases him, and the two proceed through Shallow-vill. Every person they pass stares at Kudos in awe, as if he were some kind of god.
"What is a Red doing here?"
"Why is he with that Black?"
"I heard they're related."
Whispers echo among the locals.
They continue along the road lined with buildings—each unique, each serving a different purpose. Kudos leads Zeni into a blacksmith's shop.
"What do we have here? A newbie Black, eh? And a… A RED?" the blacksmith exclaims.
"Yeah, that's me." Kudos tosses a handful of coins onto the counter. "Here. Buy my brother a nice sword, would you?"
"Y-yes, sir!" The blacksmith immediately gets to work.
Zeni and Kudos wait, catching up on life while the sword is being forged. About an hour later, the blacksmith calls out:
"It's ready, sir!" he says, nervous but proud. "What do you think? Quite a beauty, right? I put all my effort into it!"
"Yeah, yeah, save the chatting," Kudos mutters, taking up the sword. "Here, Zeni—try this."
Zeni lifts it—and almost collapses.
"Oh god—why is it so heavy?" he says, barely able to stay upright.
"It's made of pure nocturite," Kudos replies casually.
"Pure nocturite? How heavy is this thing?" Zeni asks, still struggling.
"About 920 pounds," Kudos says with a grin.
"Wow… so this is a sword of pure nocturite…"
The blade is single-edged like a Viking sword, its metal a shimmering purple. About 28 inches long and 2 inches wide at the base, tapering to 1 inch. Its handle is wrapped in white bandage-like cloth. Only Gradient Black Triangles can usually wield something that dense—but Zeni is different. Zeni is special.
He practices swinging the sword while Kudos corrects his stance. After a while, Zeni feels prepared, so Kudos leads him toward the Depths of Hill 1.
"Here we are, Zeni—the Depths," Kudos says.
"Wow… this place is huge," Zeni mutters, starstruck.
The entire view is swallowed by mist rising from dark clouds. The sky shifts ever so slightly.
"The sky… it's purple now…" Zeni thinks.
"Come on, Zeni. Let's go."
They descend toward the entrance of Hill 1, shaped like a giant dome of thick grass. A massive wooden door—eight feet tall with iron outlining—scrapes the ground as it opens.
A voice booms:
"Welcome, Zeni and Kudos, to Hill 1 of the Depths. Enter at your own risk."
"Let's do this," Kudos says, excited. "Together."
"A-alright! We got this!" Zeni replies, nervous but determined.
They enter and walk down a stairwell. At the bottom, Zeni encounters his first monster.
Nine feet tall—thin, lanky body, fists bigger than its head. Its skin a sickly mix of green and brown. Two enormous spiked rabbit-like ears jut out, and its pitch-black eyes look empty, like voids.
"There's one!" Kudos shouts. "Remember what I taught you—swing that sword like you're swinging your arms!"
"Okay… I got this!"
Zeni charges. The monster is slow—he lands the first blow. Then the second. He goes for a third, almost chaining a combo—
—but panic erupts.
The monster catches the blade with one hand, then hurls Zeni across the chamber. He crashes into a stone wall, dazed, drained—but not beaten.
He forces himself up, refusing to quit. Charging again, Zeni slices the monster's arm clean off.
"He's got potential…" Kudos thinks, watching.
Then, in a split second, Zeni lands a finishing strike, sending the monster crashing into the ground, leaving a crater-shaped imprint.
"I did it, Kudos!" Zeni shouts, proud.
There's a pause.
…
"LOOK OUT!" Kudos yells—but too late.
The monster rises and grabs Zeni, slamming him into the ground. Zeni screams as he's pinned, the monster raising its massive fist—
"Temporary paralyze," Kudos says calmly.
Instantly, the creature freezes—eyes locked, body stiff with the same paralyzed expression Zeni once wore.
Zeni slips out.
"Finish him," Kudos commands.
Without hesitation, Zeni drives the sword through the monster's chest. Green goo spills out. When he pulls the blade free, Kudos releases the paralyze—and the monster collapses before exploding into thousands of blue orbs. They swirl into Zeni's body.
Among them lies a pouch of pure copper coins.
Zeni finally understood why Kudos had chosen a nocturite blade for him. Nocturite wasn't just any metal—it was a rare purple ore found only in the most dangerous depths of Hill 1. It carried a faint glow in darkness and was so impossibly heavy that most fighters couldn't lift a weapon forged from it, let alone wield it in battle. The fact that Zeni could swing one at all proved what Kudos already knew: Zeni wasn't ordinary. He was something different. Something special.
"Is this currency I can use?" Zeni asks.
"In Shallow-vill, yes. They'll get you a few things. But not where I'm from."
Zeni turns with a smile—but something's changed.
"Thanks, brother!"
"You did it, Zeni," Kudos says proudly. "You've reached a higher gradient."
Zeni's eyes have transformed.
"You're Gradient Black Circle."
Excitement floods him, power surging through his veins.
"Come on, Zeni. Let's grab a bite."
They leave Hill 1. Back in Shallow-vill, the sky is yellow now. Zeni admires it as they head into a small noodle shop. He buys two bowls—for himself and Kudos—for twenty copper coins.
As they wait—
"E-excuse me… would you mind buying me a bowl of noodles?" a young man asks shyly.
"Move along. We're not buying you anything," Kudos snaps.
"Don't worry—I'll buy you one," Zeni says, offering up his last ten coins.
"Zeni…" Kudos warns.
"Let him have it. He seems friendly."
Zeni orders another bowl and invites the man to sit.
"So, what's your name?" Zeni asks.
"M-my name? Minichi…" he replies softly.
He's short—about 5'2—with puffy brown hair covering his eyes. A black trench coat. Gradient Black Circle.
The noodles arrive, and all three devour them. Afterward, they step outside. As Zeni and Kudos begin to walk away—
"E-excuse me!" Minichi calls.
"Huh?"
"C-can I join you both on your adventure?" he asks, bracing for rejection.
"Yes, of course," Zeni says immediately. "It's always better to travel in a group."
From that day onward, they stayed together.
Zeni, Kudos, and Minichi.
A group forming fast—and what happens next is unpredictable.
They walk through town until Kudos pulls Zeni aside to tell him some bad news.