The battlefield was silent. Too silent. Smoke curled from broken weapons, and the ground was littered with the bodies of his fallen comrades. Moonlight struggled through the clouds, casting pale light over the carnage.
Hakiru Tenshi stood in the center of it all. His silver hair was disheveled, stained with ash and blood. His chest burned, his breath ragged, but his eyes… his eyes glowed faintly blue, like shards of the void itself.
It's finally over… he thought, voice barely more than a whisper.
No. Not over.
He dropped to one knee, gripping his chest, and looked down at the corpses around him.
I survived… but they didn't.
A faint red glow flickered on the edge of the battlefield. One of his friends, Yuto, still clung to life — but something was wrong. Shadow veins crawled up his neck, twisting him into something unrecognizable. Hakiru knew instantly: Rei had touched him.
The name slipped past his lips like a curse:
"Rei… I know you're watching."
Lightning cracked across the sky, illuminating the ruin. Hakiru's hand itched, and black sparks of void energy danced across his palm. His silver hair flickered, streaks turning black as anger bubbled within him.
From the distance, a figure emerged. Tall, calm, untouchable — Rei. His crimson eyes pierced through the darkness, and the faint mist of shadows swirled around him.
"Grow stronger, Hakiru," the voice echoed in his mind.
"I want you to reach me."
Hakiru's jaw tightened. Rage burned behind his glowing blue eyes.
I will hunt you… and avenge my fallen comrades.
---
Flashback
A week ago, everything had been different.
The village burned. Flames devoured homes and fields, and screams filled the night. Hakiru's squad fought desperately, but Rei was unstoppable. Steel clashed, fire erupted, and shadowed void energy sliced through men like paper.
Hakiru had charged forward, screaming Rei's name. "Rei!"
Rei had smiled coldly.
"That's it, Hakiru… Show me despair."
A wave of void energy engulfed the battlefield, throwing Hakiru to the ground. Darkness. Pain. Loss.
---
Back to Present
Hakiru opened his eyes. Moonlight caught the edge of his sword. Dust swirled around his boots. His hair had mostly returned to silver, but black streaks lingered as a reminder of the void energy simmering within him.
The wind whispered, carrying a faint voice.
Don't die yet. You're the only interesting one.
Hakiru gripped his sword tighter. His voice was low, filled with ice and fire.
"I will survive… and I will kill you."
He stood tall amidst the ruins, wind whipping his hair. The battlefield lay in ruins, but he would rise from it. From now on, there was only one path. Revenge.
This is the story of a man who became a monster… to kill another monster.