-Frey starlight POV â
In the Age of Legends, it was impossible to tell the difference between monster and man.
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Three hundred years ago, during the War of Light, the battle between humanity and the Extermination Corps of that vile race reached its peak.
Demons waged war against countless forms of life across this vast universeâhumans were not their only target.
In truth, humans were not even the strongest among their prey. But that did not change the fact that the first Extermination Corps to enter human territory was enough to push them to the brink of extinction.
As the world itself convulsed in metamorphosis, humanityâs slumbering potential eruptedâprimordial powers awakening in the crucible of planetary chaos. From this maelstrom rose Kezess Valerion, the greatest warrior and the first emperor of this world .
He stood against the highest-ranked demons and, in the end, sacrificed himselfâigniting his very soul to seal the rift and prevent the demons from invading.
This legendary being left his will to wander the world for decades, waiting for one worthy of his power.
And that chosen one was Snowâthe protagonist of the story. The one I was forced to defeat.
I clenched my fist at the thought.
The One-Sword Style was undeniably overwhelmingâŠ
At present, I had no style at all.
A swordsman without a combat style was, quite literally, nothing. No matter how much he trained, no matter what he did, he could never reach true strength.
But I was not worried about that.
After all, letâs talk a little about the hero worshipped by so many in this worldâthe One-Sword Kezess Valerion.
Was he strong?
My answer is yes. He was beyond powerful, an SSS-class existence with enough strength to shake the world.
But was he the strongest? The ultimate human?
My answer is no. And I doubt it.
The One-Sword was undeniably great, but not the only one. That was something I knew as the creator of this story⊠yet the One-Sword had led this world into a delusion.
During the War of Light, many great warriors emergedâperhaps even ones who surpassed the One-Sword himself.
Names like the Sword God Avalon and the Patriarch of the Black Death, Chun Ma.
Both could have achieved what the One Sword did⊠but they didnât.
Because they understood the truth: the âpowerâ that sealed the rift was merely a childâs game to the Demon King. Even his highest-ranking demons could shatter this so-called âimpregnableâ defense.
Had it not been for the large-scale war that demons waged across various races, Earth would have long since ceased to exist.
Understanding this, warriors like the Sword God had no interest in noble sacrifices or sealing rifts.
They were warriorsâbloodthirsty ones.
Even before awakening their powers, they were fighters by nature. Madmen who tried to take the war to the demonsâ realm, crossing the rift to spread havoc.
What I sought now was one of these madmenâs techniques: Chun Maâs â10,000 Steps of Shadowâ.
Without it, my entire plan was worthless.
I needed this style, no matter the cost .
Luckily, I knew where to find it.
The storyâs hero, Snow, was destined to find it far in the future while hunting for a weaponâstumbling upon Chun Maâs blade and the accompanying martial art. By then, however, heâd already mastered the One Sword Style.
In truth, that subplot existed solely to introduce readers to ancient legends.
I knew where it was, but therein lay the problem.
Chun Ma was a warrior of Chinese descent. His style was hidden within his sectâs ruins, buried beneath what was once the Himalayas in China.
Now, however, that region lay at the heart of the Nightmare land , a domain infested with S-class beasts and worse.
My chances of surviving a journey from the Eastern Empireâs borders? Zero.
But did that mean I would give up? Never .
I had a plan up my sleeve. Though most of it was built on mere conjecture, I trusted my instinctsâas the one who created this world from nothing.
Whether I would succeed or not⊠only time would tell.
Without realizing it, I had already fallen asleep.
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**Early the next morning**, I awoke as usual in my training hall bed. Iâd long lost count of how many times Iâd opened my eyes to this ceiling.
Following the habits of this body, I awoke at precisely six in the morning, took a long bath due to my obsession with cleanliness, and spent the rest of the time doing whatever I pleased.
But today was different. At 7 AM sharp, Iâd take my first step into this world:
A three-day journey to the Oklas Mountains, home to the Starlight Familyâs headquarters.
This would be my first time leaving Starlight Palace. I felt like a bird escaping its cageâequal parts exhilarated and uneasy.
I chose clothes from Freyâs massive wardrobe and left my room.
The servants had already prepared everything, and I found Ada waiting for me downstairs.
She would be my escort during the inauguration ceremony.
In the main story, this would have been impossibleâAda agreeing to accompany Frey or live with him.
And yet, here we were.
The Starlight siblings together for the first time.
I sat across from her and quietly ate my breakfast. Apart from the brief morning greetings we exchanged, Ada and I had not spoken a word during breakfast for the entire past month.
That didnât bother me. As long as our cooperative relationship remained intact, I asked for nothing more.
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-Ada Starlightâs POV-
I couldnât stop watching him.
It had been a month since I moved in with my little brother, the one they called the devil.
I loathed him to the core.
He was corrupt, an evil existence unworthy of being part of this family, and I had believed that with all my heart.
So I refused to accept what was happening.
In the past, Frey left disasters wherever he went. Irresponsible, self-serving, caring only about himself.
But somehow⊠heâd changed.
First, he gave up his title and privileges to me, fulfilling my greatest dreamâso much so that I couldnât believe it at first.
That day, I started watching him.
My little brother, Frey.
He suddenly began following a strict daily training routine. He started requesting various training potions and occasionally asking me bizarre questionsâquestions he should have already known the answers to.
What was even strangerâŠ
Frey had stopped tormenting the servants.
He had always shouted over the smallest things, throwing violent tantrums that led to disasters.
In the past, he harassed the noblewomen of major families and had long been obsessed with the daughter of the Moonlight Familyâs lord.Now? Not a flicker of interest.
Heâd grown cold, detachedâshoulders perpetually weighted as if bearing mountains.
When heâd told me he wanted to focus on his swordsmanship and escape the familyâs nonsense, especially their attempts to kill him⊠those last words left a bitter taste.
Did I pity him? No. He deserved every ounce of contempt for what he had done.
ButâŠ
If, somehow, he had truly decided to changeâto finally become serious again⊠truly returned to the kind younger brother Iâd once known.
Then I would protect him with everything I had.
These were my thoughts as I watched his back while we departed Starlight Palace, servants bowing in our wake.
Today, our journey to the main family estate would begin.
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-Frey Starlightâs POV-
I boarded the carriage waiting for us at the palace gates.
Inside, Ada sat across from me. I still wasnât used to the strange technologies this world relied on.
This carriage resembled a limousineâexcept for the fact that it had no wheels and instead hovered above the ground.
I remember writing about something like this in the past⊠vehicles powered by aura, gliding effortlessly over the earth.
But seeing it in reality, I couldnât help but admit how ridiculous the idea was.
The carriage shook slightly as the driver set it in motion.
At the front, an armored vehicle cleared the way, while riders followed from behind, escorting us along the road.
We had a long journey aheadâover a thousand kilometers, to be precise.
Although the trip wasnât supposed to take a full three days, it was still understandable for two reasons.
The first was the danger of flying too high. The skies were far from safe, ruled by terrifying creatures that claimed the heavens as their domain.
The second was our destination. The empire was filled with teleportation gates connecting major cities, but since Starlightâs headquarters was a military stronghold, no gates were available nearby.
And so, we were forced to travel the long way.
The scenery blurred past the carriage window at incredible speeds.
From time to time, I saw people and other vehicles soaring along the roads.
I saw strange architectural designsâthings I had once only imagined in my mind.
I was happy to see the world I had created come to life.
And yet, I was devastated to be a part of it.
Watching the rapidly shifting scenery, I found myself wishing for what had happened beforeâwhen I was in the car with my family.
I wanted, more than anything, for that light to return and take me back to my world.
But that was nothing more than a one-sided wish.
âFrey.â
âHmm?â
âNever mindâŠâAda averted her gaze as if she had stopped herself from saying something.
âIf you have something to say, just say it. Who knows? This pleasant little journey might be our last chance to talk freely.â
I meant what I said. I was likely about to embark on a long journeyâone that could very well end in my death.
âI know. Donât worry about me⊠I just spoke without thinking.â
I caught a fleeting sadness on Adaâs face⊠but I didnât understand why.
Of course, I had no way of knowing that she simply wanted to ask, *âFrey, why do you always look so sad?â*
Naturally, I wouldnât know. I didnât have a mirror to see my expressions all the time.
The three days passed quicker than expected. We stopped only at designated rest areas, traveling solely at dawn.
Finally, we arrived at Starlightâs territoryâevident from the relentless checkpoints and the eerie absence of civilians for kilometers.
I lifted my gaze to mountains so colossal they pierced the clouds: the Eastern Border Peaks, Mount Oklas. Spanning thousands of kilometers, they formed a natural barrier against the Nightmare Landâs. At their heart lay the Starlight familyâs stronghold.
It was only a matter of time before we arrived.
What I saw left me speechless.
Before me stood an enormous structure that rivaled the towering mountains surrounding it.
It resembled a small city, encased in brilliant white marbleâthe signature of House Starlight.
Grand palaces clustered together, forming an architectural masterpiece.
âIncredibleâŠâ I muttered under my breath.
On the other hand, Ada let out a soft chuckle, amused that I had finally dropped my indifferent facade.
Well, I couldnât help itâwhat I saw was truly breathtaking.
The vehicle came to a halt, and we stepped out to be greeted by heavily armored guards.
I stiffened immediately as I stood before them.
An invisible pressure radiated from their bodies, a silent testament to their overwhelming strength.
Of course, my rank was merely F , but the fact that even the gate guards possessed such power made me instinctively wary.
It only emphasized Starlightâs might.
The knights greeted both Ada and me before stepping aside to let us pass.
Their expressions remained rigid beneath their helmets, completely devoid of emotionâthey were machines in human guise.
We entered a vast courtyard where hundreds of soldiers trained, their combined aura radiating oppressive force. Some wielded weapons, others fought bare-handed, but most gripped rifles.
Yes, this world had guns.
After all, combat techniques were limited. Not everyone was strong enough to awaken any notable talent.
And with the demons waging war against humanity, an alternative was necessary.
The solution? These advanced firearms that fired aura-infused bullets.
A means that allowed *everyone* to fight.
Of course, firearms were vastly inferior to swords and other weapons that enhanced martial techniques.
But even so, they made a difference.
I was deeply intrigued.
Until I mastered the technique I sought, I urgently needed a means to protect myself.
And the answer was right in front of me.
Lost in observing the firearms and the bullets flying in every direction, I failed to notice the giant man approaching me.
I only realized his presence when a crushing pressure suddenly fell upon me, making me want to kneel.
When I looked up, I saw a muscular man with long white hair and a terrifying scar over his right eye.
I barely managed to steady myself before Ada stepped forward, standing between us.
âItâs been a while, General Byron.â
The suffocating aura from the giantâapparently named Byronâreceded as he smiled at Ada.
âWell, well. Look who honors us,â he boomed. âLong time no see, Lady Ada. And you⊠Lord Frey.â
His voice was harsh, and he failed to hide his disdain when he spoke my name.
He had been speaking of Ada with such admiration, only to suddenly sound like he wanted to spit the moment he mentioned me.
I chose to remain silent, letting Ada take the lead.
âI see your A-rank strength is as impressive as ever, Byron⊠but I hope you remember to mind your place before the Lord of this House⊠even if youâre just joking.â
Hearing Adaâs tone, Byronâs eyes widened in shock.
He wasnât the only one surprisedâI hadnât expected this either.
His thoughts were probably along the lines of, âSince when does Lady Ada defend Frey?!â
As for me, my thoughts were similar. âWhy is Ada standing up for me? She despised Frey, didnât she?â
In the end, Byron begrudgingly apologized before stepping aside, though his disgust remained evident.
As I expected⊠Frey was hated here as well.
What did I expect? He was the villain doomed to die in every possible scenario.
On the other hand, my respect for Ada grew.
Byron was an A-rank, while Ada was merely a D-rank.
But Adaâs achievements within the family spoke for themselves.
her brilliance in managing the familyâs affairs had earned her authority far beyond her strength.
A faint smile crossed my lips.
âYou have an incredible sister, Frey.â
With Ada by my side, I stepped deeper into the den of beasts.
