Eternal Exile

Prologue: The Immortal's Banishment

For as long as he could remember, Kael had walked among mortals, watching empires rise and crumble, seeing kings ascend and fall, bearing witness to the endless cycle of life and death that never touched him. Immortality was not a gift—it was a sentence. The gods, once amused by his existence, had grown tired of his defiance.

And so, they cast him out.

A portal of swirling energy tore through the sky, pulling him from the world he had known. Kael barely had time to curse the heavens before he was swallowed by the abyss. Darkness embraced him, and then there was light—a new world, unknown and untamed, stretched before him.

He fell from the sky, crashing into a dense forest. Pain wracked his body, but it would not claim him. It never did. The moment he stood, he knew: he had been sent somewhere far beyond the realm of men, a place where the gods' amusement would last a little longer.

Chapter One: Awakening in a New World

Kael awoke in the heart of an ancient forest, the air thick with mana unlike anything he had encountered before. The trees pulsed with energy, their roots digging deep into the veins of magic that ran through the land. His body, though weary from the fall, felt invigorated by the sheer potency of the world's life force.

As he explored, he encountered beasts far beyond anything he had seen before—creatures woven from raw mana, their forms shifting between corporeal and ethereal states. At first, he fought them off with sheer instinct, relying on the reflexes honed over centuries. But soon, he realized something deeper. He could feel the energy around him, flowing, waiting to be harnessed.

Through meditation and rigorous testing, Kael discovered his ability to channel mana from his surroundings and transform it into something more potent—Aura. Unlike raw mana, Aura was condensed energy, enhancing his physical abilities and strengthening his attacks. As he practiced, he learned to mold it into tangible weapons—blades of pure force, shields unbreakable by normal means. With time, he realized Aura could be shaped and wielded as a force surpassing ordinary magic, granting him an edge over even the most powerful entities in this world.

The gods had given him a challenge. He would turn it into his strength.

Chapter Two: The Path of Mastery

Kael wandered from land to land, testing his newfound abilities in battle. He encountered wandering swordsmen, tribal warriors, and monstrous entities lurking in the abyss. Each confrontation was a lesson, a step toward perfecting his control over Aura.

He scaled towering cliffs with sheer strength, pushing his body beyond mortal limits. He meditated beneath cascading waterfalls where mana pooled most densely, refining his ability to draw energy from his surroundings. He hunted beasts of legend, using his Aura to enhance his strikes until he could cut through enchanted steel with a mere flick of his wrist.

His journey led him to ancient ruins, where he uncovered lost texts detailing forgotten combat arts. He deciphered them, incorporating their teachings into his own growing arsenal. He faced warlords who wielded dark sorcery, learning to counter their spells by manipulating Aura as a shield against corruption. Each battle tested his endurance, but he endured, growing ever stronger.

As centuries passed, his name became legend. Some revered him as a god of war, while others feared him as a demon. But Kael cared little for the opinions of mortals. He had one goal—to surpass the limits imposed upon him, to prove to the gods that their punishment was nothing more than an opportunity.

He was no longer , the boy who had vanished from another world.

He was Kael, master of Aura, the immortal warrior.

Chapter Three: A Thousand Years of Mastery

Time in this world flowed differently. Days bled into years, and years into centuries. Kael wandered across mountains, through burning deserts, and deep into the abyssal caverns where mana surged strongest. He fought monstrous beings, challenged ancient sorcerers, and mastered aura beyond mortal comprehension.

His training was brutal and relentless. He scaled mountains with boulders strapped to his back, forcing his body to adapt to extreme conditions. He spent decades submerged in the depths of mana-rich lakes, allowing his body to become a conduit for energy. He dueled with ancient warlords, each battle leaving him stronger, sharper, more attuned to the flow of combat. He meditated for centuries, learning how to refine aura into nearly imperceptible threads, weaving them into constructs that could cut through solid stone.

He learned to condense aura into weapons—swords of pure force, spears that could pierce through mountains, and shields that withstood the fury of storms. With every battle, he grew stronger, his power rivaling even the gods who had cast him out. Eventually, his mastery over aura allowed him to manipulate the very elements around him, forging weapons from the heat of the sun, the fury of the wind, and the crushing weight of the earth.

Despite his growth, Kael found himself alone. The people of this world feared him, whispering of the immortal warlord whose strength rivaled the heavens. He had become a legend, a specter spoken of in hushed voices.

Then, the gods made their next move.

Chapter Four: Heroes from Another World

In a distant kingdom, a brilliant flash of light erupted in the royal palace. A circle of glowing runes faded, leaving behind a group of bewildered young men and women. They wore unfamiliar garments—strange uniforms, as if torn from another era. Their eyes flickered with both confusion and a strange certainty.

Among them was Renji, his fists clenched as he looked around. He recognized the others instantly—these were his classmates. Three years ago, they had all been together in high school… including Hoshi, the boy who had mysteriously vanished one day without a trace.

"Where… are we?" one of them asked, voice shaking.

An armored man stepped forward, kneeling before them. "Heroes, you have been summoned to save our world. The God of War threatens all existence, and only you—chosen warriors from another realm—can stand against him."

Renji's breath caught in his throat. "God of War?"

The knights hesitated. "He was once a man… but now he has ascended beyond mortality. He has mastered powers beyond our understanding, and soon he will wage war upon the world."

The students, now heroes, were each gifted with unique abilities. Renji discovered he could manipulate kinetic energy, allowing him to enhance his speed and strength beyond human limits. Akari, the quiet yet brilliant girl of their class, was granted mastery over elemental magic, able to summon storms with a flick of her wrist. Hiro, the self-proclaimed leader, wielded a sword imbued with divine light, capable of cutting through the darkness itself.

But none of them were prepared for what came next.

A portrait was brought before them—a detailed painting of the man they were destined to fight.

Kael.

Renji's blood ran cold. He recognized that face. It was Hoshi, their lost classmate.

"No…" Akari whispered. "It can't be."

But the truth was undeniable. Their friend—the boy who had mysteriously disappeared three years ago—had become the God of War.

A battle unlike any before was on the horizon, and at its center stood Kael—the immortal exile, now a god among men.

Chapter Five: The Imperial Academy of Sword and Magic

The heroes were given a place in the Imperial Academy of Sword and Magic, the most prestigious institution in the kingdom. It was here that they would train, learn about the world, and ultimately prepare to face the God of War.

The academy grounds were vast, filled with towering spires and grand halls teeming with students wielding swords and casting spells. The summoned heroes were assigned to different training regimens based on their newfound abilities. Renji found himself in the Advanced Combat Division, sparring against warriors trained in blade and magic alike. Akari studied under the Elemental Arts faculty, her control over wind and fire growing stronger by the day. Hiro, ever the leader, joined the Knight's Order, learning the ways of honor, chivalry, and tactical warfare.

Despite their training, whispers of Kael haunted their every step. Students spoke of the warlord in hushed voices, rumors painting him as an unstoppable force, a deity among men. Renji refused to believe it. Hoshi—his childhood friend—couldn't be this monster. He spent nights researching the God of War's past, desperately seeking proof that this warlord wasn't the same person they had once laughed with in the school hallways.

Interactions with native students only deepened their internal conflict. They met scholars who had studied Kael's techniques, warriors who had barely survived battles against him, and even defectors who had once served under his command. Every account reinforced the impossible truth: Hoshi had become something far beyond human.

As days passed, a question lingered among them—could they really bring themselves to fight him? And if they did, would they even stand a chance?

Chapter Six: The Strongest Sin—Pride

As Kael's mastery over aura grew, so did his ambition. He sought power beyond the mortal realm—he sought divinity itself. In his pursuit, he uncovered an ancient truth: the concept of divine sins, embodiments of power that transcended mortality. And among them, the strongest sin—Pride.

Through ritual and sacrifice, Kael embraced Pride, allowing it to consume him. His emotions dulled, replaced by an unshakable certainty in his own supremacy. He no longer felt fear, doubt, or even compassion. His power had reached heights beyond reckoning, and he had become something beyond human.

But he was not content.

Driven by a cruel curiosity, Kael descended upon the Imperial Academy of Sword and Magic, where the heroes trained. Kael's presence in the Imperial Academy sent a wave of unease through its halls. The air turned dense, suffocating under the sheer force of his aura. Students and teachers alike felt their knees buckle, instinctively recognizing the overwhelming gap between them and the warlord who had once been their friend.

Two instructors, unwilling to let their students be threatened, launched an attack. One conjured a storm of fire, the other a barrage of enchanted spears. Kael didn't even move. The attacks dissipated before reaching him, swallowed by an unseen force. With a flick of his wrist, the instructors collapsed to the ground, rendered unconscious before they could even process what had happened.

The heroes watched in horror.

"Hoshi! This isn't you!" Renji yelled, his voice shaking.

Kael's gaze was cold, distant. "Hoshi is dead. The weak boy you knew could never have survived this world."

Desperation set in. They refused to believe their friend had become this monster.

Then, the academy's strongest warrior stepped forward—Master Aldric, the kingdom's legendary swordsman. Without hesitation, he launched a flurry of attacks, his sword a blur of divine steel. Kael stood still, effortlessly parrying each strike with his bare hands. Between attacks, he smirked.

"Is this truly the best this kingdom has to offer?" he taunted.

Aldric gritted his teeth, his blade igniting with sacred fire. He roared and struck with all his might. Kael caught the blade between two fingers.

The courtyard fell silent.

"Pathetic," Kael whispered before shattering the legendary sword with a mere twist of his wrist.

Aldric staggered back, wide-eyed. The heroes trembled. Their strongest warrior had been dismissed like a mere insect.

Kael turned his back on them. "You will never be strong enough to face me. Accept your fate."

And with that, he vanished, leaving behind only despair and the terrifying realization that the friend they sought to save no longer existed.

Chapter Seven: The Struggle for Hope and the Flames of War

The heroes had begun to accept what seemed inevitable—Hoshi was lost to them. Yet, Akari refused to believe it. She spent countless nights in the library, researching divinity, searching for a way to break the curse of pride that had consumed Kael.

But her search was fruitless. No records spoke of reversing divine corruption. Time and time again, she hit dead ends, frustration clawing at her resolve.

Then, disaster struck.

The Empire of Ingrassia, a ruthless and expansionist nation, declared war on their kingdom. The academy became a center for war preparations. The heroes, still unprepared to face Kael, were forced onto the battlefield.

The first battle was a bloodbath.

The forces of Ingrassia struck without warning, their armies sweeping across the border villages with brutal efficiency. Their warriors wielded enchanted weapons, their mages cast large-scale destruction spells, and their cavalry tore through unprepared defenses like paper. The kingdom's army, though valiant, was caught off guard, suffering heavy losses in the first few days of the war.

The heroes were deployed to the battlefield in an attempt to turn the tide. Renji led the vanguard, his blade cutting through the enemy ranks like a tempest, but even he found himself struggling against the sheer numbers of the imperial forces. Shiro coordinated ambushes using his shadow magic, but the enemy's warlocks quickly adapted, countering his maneuvers with anti-magic barriers. Akari focused on healing the wounded, her light magic barely keeping up with the casualties piling up around her.

As the battles raged on, so did the tensions among the heroes.

"We have to find a way to bring Hoshi back!" Akari pleaded after another long day on the battlefield. "If we can just reach him—"

"Akari, open your eyes!" Renji snapped. "That man is no longer Hoshi! He's Kael, the God of War! We can't afford to hold onto the past while our people are dying!"

"And what do you propose we do?!" Akari shot back, her eyes blazing with defiance. "Kill him?! How can you even suggest that?!"

"If it comes down to him or us, we might not have a choice," Shiro said grimly. "Kael's power is beyond anything we've faced. If we hesitate, he won't."

The argument left the group divided. Some clung to the hope that Kael could be saved, while others accepted the harsh reality that they might have to kill their former friend to protect their new world.

As their kingdom reeled from the devastating battles, the prince of Ingrassia himself, Prince Alistair von Ingrassia, arrived at the capital.

The royal court was filled with nobles, generals, and the heroes, all present to hear the empire's declaration. The prince, clad in resplendent golden armor, strode forward with an air of absolute confidence, his sharp blue eyes scanning the room before he spoke.

"Kingdom of Eridell, your time has come to an end," he declared with a smirk. "You have stood against the might of Ingrassia for too long, and now, you shall be crushed beneath our heel. Surrender, and we will show mercy. Resist, and we will burn your cities to the ground."

King Alden, ruler of Eridell, stood firm. "You expect us to kneel before tyranny? We will fight until our last breath."

Alistair chuckled. "I was hoping you'd say that."

His eyes flickered toward the heroes. "And you—the so-called champions of this kingdom. Do you truly believe you can protect these people? That you can stop us?" He leaned forward, smirking. "Do you truly believe you can stop Kael?"

The room fell into stunned silence.

"Kael..." Akari whispered. "What do you mean?"

Alistair's grin widened. "Oh? You didn't know? He has already made a pact with us. When the time is right, he will march alongside the empire, and your kingdom will fall."

The weight of his words crashed down on the heroes. If Kael had truly allied himself with Ingrassia, then their worst fears had come true.

Renji clenched his fists. "That's a lie. Kael would never bow to anyone."

Alistair laughed. "Oh, he doesn't serve us. But he has made it clear that when the war reaches its climax, he will intervene. And when he does, none of you will stand a chance."

The declaration left the heroes shaken. If Kael was truly beyond saving, then what could they do? Could they still find a way to reach him? Or had their friend truly become their greatest enemy?

As the prince turned to leave, he gave them one final, chilling warning.

"Prepare yourselves, heroes. Because when the God of War arrives on the battlefield... there will be no mercy."

And with that, the flames of war raged ever brighter.

Chapter Eight: The God of War's Bargain

Kael stood before Emperor Regulus, his golden eyes devoid of warmth. "You require my strength. I require your obedience. Fail me, and your empire will not live to see another sunrise."

The emperor swallowed hard, struggling to maintain composure. "We—we honor our agreements. You have nothing to fear."

Kael let out a low chuckle. "Fear? No, that belongs to you. The gods played with this world, shaping it as they pleased. I exist to shatter their influence. Your war is nothing to me. Just another step toward my true goal."

Regulus nodded stiffly, hands trembling at his sides. He knew that he had not allied with a man—but a force of destruction incarnate.

Kael stood atop the imperial palace's tallest tower, gazing down at the city of Ingrassia with detached indifference. The deal had been simple: in exchange for his assistance, the empire would grant him unrestricted access to their resources—magical artifacts, forbidden knowledge, armies willing to obey his commands. He did not care for their politics, nor their ambitions. To him, they were a means to an end.

The gods had abandoned this world, yet they still influenced it. Kael would ensure their remnants were purged. If mortals had to suffer for that cause, so be it.

In the dimly lit halls of the imperial palace, Emperor Regulus sat in his chamber, his trusted knights gathered around him. Their voices were hushed, their expressions grim.

"He is no man," one of the knights whispered. "Kael is destruction given form. Monarch in name, calamity in truth. He has no loyalty, no allegiance. Only purpose."

Regulus exhaled sharply. "And yet, we need him. Without his power, we are nothing against Eridell. But if he turns on us..."

One knight clenched his fist. "This war is not by choice, Your Majesty. It was a command. Kael came to us not offering a deal, but dictating our fate. We follow his will, or we perish."

The room fell silent as the weight of their gamble pressed upon them. They had not allied with a savior. They had shackled themselves to a force beyond mortal comprehension.

And the chains would only hold as long as Kael willed them to.

Chapter Nine: Trials of War

Chapter Nine: Trials of War and the Battle of the Rhine

The war forced the heroes into relentless combat, pushing their abilities to new heights. Each battle was a crucible, forging them through fire and blood. They faced enemy commanders wielding ancient artifacts, mages capable of leveling cities, and beasts unleashed by Kael's influence.

Yet, amidst the hardship, they gained strength.

Renji honed his swordsmanship, learning to sense his opponent's intent before they struck. Shiro mastered shadow manipulation, blending into darkness to strike unseen. Akari's healing magic became more refined, allowing her to mend wounds once thought fatal.

Despite their growth, the shadow of Kael loomed over them. He had shaped the battlefield from the shadows, and they knew that, no matter how strong they became, he was always one step ahead.

But no battle tested them more than the Battle of the Rhine.

The Rhine was a key strategic point, a river crossing that separated the empire from the heartland of the kingdom. If it fell, the enemy would have an open path to the capital. The kingdom's forces, alongside the heroes, were tasked with defending it at all costs.

The battle began at dawn with the empire's mages summoning a dense fog to cover the battlefield. Within minutes, chaos erupted as imperial knights stormed the riverbanks, their enchanted weapons cutting through defenses like paper. Renji led a countercharge, engaging a squad of enemy champions in fierce duels. His blade danced between their strikes, but the sheer number of opponents pushed him to his limit.

Shiro moved through the mist like a wraith, eliminating enemy spellcasters before they could finish their incantations. Yet for every mage he felled, another took their place, forcing him into an exhausting game of cat and mouse.

Akari, stationed at the rear, struggled to keep up with the wave of wounded soldiers brought to her. She healed what she could—closing gaping wounds, stopping internal bleeding—but it was never enough. Then came the moment that would haunt her.

A young knight was carried to her, his armor drenched in blood, his arm severed just below the shoulder. He was barely conscious, his breathing shallow.

"Save him! Please!" a fellow soldier pleaded.

Akari placed her hands over the wound, golden light spilling from her fingertips. She focused all her energy, but something was wrong. The injury was too severe, the loss of blood too great. She poured more mana into the spell, her hands trembling, but the light began to flicker.

"I—I can't…" she whispered, horror dawning on her face.

The knight's breathing slowed. His eyes, once filled with hope, dulled. He was gone.

Akari let out a choked sob. She had trained for this. She was a hero, meant to save people. But in that moment, she had failed.

The battle raged on around her, but something in Akari cracked. She barely noticed when another soldier grabbed her by the arm, pulling her back before an enemy lance could impale her.

By nightfall, the kingdom's forces managed to hold the line, but at a terrible cost. The Rhine ran red with the blood of both friend and foe. Bodies littered the riverbanks, the air thick with the stench of death.

The heroes had survived, but they were changed. Renji's blade was heavier in his grip. Shiro's shadows felt colder than before. And Akari… Akari could still feel the knight's lifeless body in her arms.

The war was far from over. But for the first time, they truly understood what it meant to fight.

Chapter Ten: A Shadow's Arrival

As the sun rose over the war-torn battlefield, the heroes and soldiers braced for Kael's arrival. Each passing moment was a torment, their exhaustion heavy upon them, yet their hands gripped their weapons in silent defiance. But Kael never came.

Relief was short-lived. By midday, a new presence emerged.

A woman draped in black robes, her aura crackling with arcane power, stepped onto the bloodied field. Her voice rang clear despite the hushed fear in the air.

"I bring word from Kael, the God of War," she announced. "You have survived this day, but do not celebrate. Your true trial has only just begun. My name is Valery, and I am his most trusted sorcerer. He has sent me to test your worth."

Before the heroes could react, Valery raised her hands, and the air itself twisted. A surge of arcane force erupted from her form, sending shockwaves across the battlefield. The ground beneath them split apart, dark tendrils of magic surging forth.

Renji was the first to charge. His sword, now reinforced with divine energy, slashed toward Valery. But she merely flicked her wrist, and a barrier of black energy deflected his attack. In an instant, she countered, summoning a powerful gust of wind shaped like a fist that struck Renji square in the chest, sending him tumbling backward with a sickening crack.

Shiro melded into the shadows, attempting to strike from behind, but Valery anticipated his movements. As his blade neared her neck, she caught it with an outstretched hand. With a mere pulse of earth magic, the blade snapped in two. Before Shiro could react, the ground beneath him erupted, sending him flying backward with an unforgiving force.

Akari, gathering her courage, channeled her strongest purification spell, hoping to disrupt Valery's magic. A golden circle formed beneath her, but before she could release it, Valery's magic coiled around her throat, lifting her off the ground. "You rely too much on faith," the sorcerer whispered before releasing her, letting Akari collapse to the ground gasping.

The battle raged on, but Valery was beyond them. Her power was overwhelming, her knowledge of magic unparalleled. Every strike was met with effortless counterattacks, every strategy unraveled before it could be executed.

Eventually, she halted, standing amidst the fallen heroes. "You have spirit, I will grant you that," she said, her tone almost amused. "But you are not ready for Kael. Not yet."

With those final words, she vanished into the ether, leaving behind the wounded heroes, their spirits shaken. They had survived the war, but their greatest challenge was yet to come.

Chapter Eleven: Visions of the Forgotten God

The night was silent, yet Akari felt an unbearable weight press upon her chest as she lay in bed. Her body was exhausted from battle, but her mind was restless. Just as her consciousness drifted, a sudden warmth engulfed her. When she opened her eyes, she was no longer in the academy's infirmary. Instead, she stood in an endless field of golden flowers under a sky that shimmered like a canvas of stars.

A soft voice called her name. Turning around, she saw a radiant figure standing before her—a woman whose presence exuded an overwhelming sense of peace and sorrow. Her emerald eyes were filled with wisdom and compassion, her very existence intertwined with the essence of life itself.

"You have suffered much," the woman spoke gently. "But it is not yet over. You must see, you must understand. Only then can you decide the path forward."

Akari felt herself being pulled into a vision. The world around her warped, and suddenly, she was witnessing events from a time long past. She saw Kael—not as the warlord he had become, but as Hoshi, the friend they had all once known. His laughter rang through the air, his kindness evident in every gesture. But then the gods intervened.

The gods, she realized, had never been benevolent. They had taken Hoshi, experimented on him, twisted his very being. She watched in horror as divine beings tore at his soul, breaking and reshaping him as they saw fit. They gave him immortality not as a blessing, but as an unending torment. He was forced into countless wars, made to suffer endless losses. Whenever he grew too powerful, they stripped him of everything he had gained, laughing at his despair.

And then came the final betrayal. When he defied them, when he sought to escape their game, they brought him to another world, another game. They allowed him to find the divinity of pride, they had led him to it and cursed him with it. The strongest sin. A power that granted him unparalleled strength but stole away his humanity piece by piece.

"He does not hate without reason," the goddess said softly. "His hatred is justified. His pain is endless. And now, the Pride within him suppresses what little remains of the man you once knew."

Tears streamed down Akari's face. "Then how do I save him?"

The goddess placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "That is a question only you can answer. But know this—he is not beyond salvation. Not yet."

As the vision faded, Akari awoke with a new sense of purpose. She could not change the past, but she could still fight for the future. Kael was not gone. He was buried beneath the weight of divinity and torment.

And she would find a way to bring him back.

Chapter Twelve: Divided Beliefs

The morning after her vision, Akari gathered the heroes in a secluded chamber within the academy. Her heart pounded as she relayed every detail—how Kael had been tormented, twisted by the gods, and forced into his current state. She spoke of the goddess of life and nature, the only divine being who had ever tried to help him.

When she finished, silence stretched between them.

Then Shiro scoffed. "You're being naïve, Akari. That man isn't Hoshi anymore. He's Kael, the Warlord. The moment he chose to embrace his power, he stopped being our friend."

Akari clenched her fists. "You don't understand! The sin of Pride is controlling him! He's still in there, but his emotions are being suppressed. If we could just—"

"Just what? Save him?" Shiro snapped. "You saw what he did to us, to this world. How many people has he killed? And you think we can bring him back? You're delusional."

Renji, who had remained quiet, let out a heavy sigh. "I... I don't know. I see both sides. I want to believe that Hoshi is still in there somewhere, but if Shiro is right and he's truly gone... then what do we do? Do we keep fighting him, knowing he might be beyond saving?"

Akari's voice trembled with desperation. "I can't give up on him. I won't. If there's even the slightest chance that he can be saved, I have to take it."

Shiro turned away, his voice cold. "Then you'll die chasing a ghost."

The room fell into an uneasy silence. The divide between them had never been clearer.

As Shiro stepped out into the corridor, his mind raced. There's no way Hoshi is still in there. Not after everything he's done. Not after everything we've seen. He clenched his fists. People don't come back from that kind of darkness. The gods turned him into something else—something we can't fix.

He exhaled sharply, forcing himself to keep walking. If Akari keeps chasing this fantasy, she's going to get herself killed. And when that happens... I won't be able to forgive her—or myself.

And Kael's war loomed ever closer.

Chapter 13: Summoning of the New Heroes

In their desperate attempts to gain an edge in the war, the kingdom succeeded in summoning more heroes. Once again, they hailed from Japan, and astonishingly, they were also from the same school as Kael.

The heroes who had already been in this world went to meet them. As they gathered in the grand hall of the royal palace, there was a tense air of anticipation. Akari, Renji, and the others carefully explained the situation—the war, Kael's transformation, and the horrors they had already endured.

The newly summoned heroes were initially bewildered and struggled to grasp the magnitude of what had transpired. The idea that their former schoolmate, Hoshi, was now the feared warlord Kael sent shivers down their spines. Some refused to believe it outright, while others, seeing the expressions of the veteran heroes, began to accept the grim reality.

Among the summoned was a group of highly gifted individuals, each possessing unique abilities that made them formidable. There was Ayame, who had an extraordinary affinity for lightning magic, her presence crackling with raw energy. Kaito, a master of shadow manipulation, could bend into the darkness and strike without warning. Mei, a healer whose magic extended beyond simple restoration—she could accelerate regeneration to unnatural speeds, even regrowing lost limbs. Then there was Jason, the strongest among them physically, a towering force of brute strength with an ego to match.

Jason was also Hoshi's old bully, a relentless tormentor back in their school days. As he listened to the story of Kael, a scoff escaped him. "You expect me to believe that weakling Hoshi became some all-powerful warlord?" he sneered. "He could barely stand up for himself back home."

Akari's hands clenched into fists, her voice icy. "That weakling has surpassed every limit imaginable. He's stronger than you'll ever be, Jason."

Jason laughed, cracking his knuckles. "We'll see about that. If he really is this warlord, I'll put him back in his place."

The other newly summoned heroes exchanged nervous glances. Some, like Ayame and Mei, were deeply unsettled. If Kael was truly beyond human, what chance did they have? But others, like Jason, carried arrogance, unaware of the nightmare that awaited them.

As the explanation ended, a heavy silence hung in the air. The newcomers realized that their summoning was not the beginning of a heroic adventure but a plunge into a battlefield of gods, warlords, and uncertain destinies.

Chapter 14: The Challenge of the Battlefield

Fueled by his arrogance and a desperate need to prove himself, Jason wasted no time. He sent a message to Kael through the empire's ranks, demanding a duel. He wanted to face his old punching bag and show everyone that Kael was nothing more than a myth inflated by fear.

Kael accepted.

The battlefield had grown silent as the heroes, soldiers, and commanders from both sides gathered to witness the duel. Jason stood in the center, his towering frame radiating raw strength. His muscles tensed as he cracked his knuckles, grinning confidently.

Kael arrived with an eerie stillness. His golden eyes, devoid of warmth, settled on Jason like an executioner surveying his next victim. The battlefield was tense, the air thick with the weight of an impending clash. As Jason stood proudly, his arrogance evident, Kael made his entrance. His appearance alone sent shivers through the spines of those who dared to look upon him. His armor was a masterpiece of terror—an intricate set of plates with jagged black edges, its surface bathed in a deep crimson red that pulsed like living veins. The helmet he wore concealed his expression, but his glowing golden eyes burned through the darkness like twin infernos, radiating a malevolence that made the surrounding heroes question if this was truly the boy they once knew.

Kael stepped forward, his movements smooth and deliberate, exuding a presence that was both regal and monstrous. His aura crackled in the air around him, distorting the light as if reality itself shuddered in his presence. Jason, despite his bravado, felt a bead of sweat trickle down his temple as he stared into the abyss before him. The duel had yet to begin, yet already, it felt as though Kael had won.

Jason lunged first, his immense strength sending shockwaves through the ground as he charged. He swung his massive fist, aiming to shatter Kael's skull in one blow.

Kael sidestepped effortlessly, the air itself trembling with his movement. With a flick of his wrist, he sent Jason flying back with a gust of wind. Jason crashed into the ground, coughing as he struggled to his feet, his pride already bruised.

"Is that all?" Kael asked, his voice devoid of interest.

Jason roared and activated his ability—Titan's Strength—his muscles swelling with divine energy. He launched himself forward again, each of his attacks creating craters in the earth. But Kael, unbothered, danced between the strikes like a phantom, his movements so precise that they defied reason. 

Then Kael struck back.

A single punch to Jason's gut sent shockwaves through the battlefield, the sheer force carving a deep crater beneath them. Jason gasped, blood spurting from his mouth. He barely had time to react before Kael followed up, each strike generating powerful gusts of wind that knocked soldiers off their feet.

The other heroes watched in horror. They had known Kael was strong, but this wasn't strength—it was absolute dominance.

Jason stumbled, eyes wide with disbelief. "This… this isn't possible…"

But Kael did not end it swiftly. Instead, he beat Jason into the ground mercilessly, each blow landing with the force of a hurricane. Jason, the so-called strongest among them, had no room to breathe, no moment to recover. His body was thrown and slammed against the dirt, each strike breaking him further, shattering his pride with every passing second. The battlefield bore witness to a cruel irony—Kael, who had once been Hoshi, Jason's favorite target, now stood over him as an unstoppable force of destruction.

Kael took no pleasure in vengeance. In fact, he found it amusing how little he cared. Jason had been his bully, his tormentor, but now he was nothing more than another worm beneath Kael's boot. The only thing Kael relished was the look in Jason's eyes—not one of defiance, but pure, unfiltered fear. The cowardice of a man who had once believed himself superior. Jason finally understood. He was nothing before Kael. And that realization was the only victory Kael allowed him.

Kael stepped forward, placing a hand on Jason's chest. For a moment, Jason thought it was mercy. Then Kael's fingers plunged into his flesh.

The battlefield fell into stunned silence as Kael pulled Jason's heart from his chest, holding it before his lifeless eyes. Blood dripped from his fingers onto the broken earth. Jason's body collapsed, his arrogance and strength reduced to nothing.

Kael tossed the heart aside, turning to the other heroes. "If you thought you had a chance against me," he said coldly, "then let this be your lesson."

The duel was over. Jason, the so-called strongest among them, was nothing more than a broken corpse beneath the feet of a warlord who no longer recognized mercy.

The heroes trembled. Their greatest hope had been crushed in mere moments. And Kael? He merely cast Jason's heart aside and turned to them, a cruel smile curling beneath his helm. Slowly, he wiped Jason's blood off his armor, his golden eyes scanning their horrified expressions. Then, he spoke, his voice calm yet laced with mockery. "You shouldn't be afraid."

His words rang through the battlefield like a cruel joke. "You are not my target. The gods are. But the gods are the ones who allowed you to be summoned. In fact, they probably summoned you all on purpose to torment me more." He let out a quiet chuckle, his amusement void of warmth. "But I have no connection to you anymore."

Akari's heart sank. Her hands trembled as she took a step forward, desperate to deny what she had just heard. The weight of his words crushed her chest, making it hard to breathe. He wasn't just rejecting their past—he was rejecting her. She had spent years chasing his shadow, clinging to the hope that Hoshi was still somewhere inside of Kael. But now, hearing it from his own lips, she felt something inside of her break.

She loved him. She always had. And now, he was slipping further and further away, into the abyss of divinity and war.

Kael turned his back on them, walking away without another word. There was nothing left to be said. The duel was over. The war was still ongoing. And Hoshi was truly gone.

Chapter 15: The War's End and the Tyrant's Wrath

The war was nearing its end. The kingdom's forces, battered and weary, had held the line against the empire's relentless assaults, but the battlefield was stained with the blood of both sides. The heroes had fought with all their might, pushing themselves beyond their limits in the face of insurmountable odds. Yet, just as the dawn of what should have been another day of bloodshed arrived, messengers arrived from the frontlines with news so unbelievable that even the most seasoned generals struggled to comprehend it.

The Empire of Ingrassia no longer existed.

At first, the news was met with disbelief. Then, horror.

Kael had annihilated it.

Not just the army. Not just the ruling class. The entire empire had been wiped off the map in a single night of carnage and destruction. Witnesses who managed to flee described an event so surreal it felt like the stuff of nightmares. Entire cities burned to the ground in hellish fire, their people reduced to ashes. The imperial palace had been sundered, split in two as if by the wrath of the heavens themselves. Soldiers and civilians alike had been crushed beneath Kael's merciless hand, their pleas for mercy ignored.

The reason? Boredom.

Kael had deemed the war no longer entertaining, and so, he had decided to end it on his own terms. The heroes sat in stunned silence as the gravity of this revelation weighed on them. It was no longer a question of morality, of whether Kael was still the friend they once knew. He had proven, beyond any doubt, that he was something else entirely. A force of nature, a calamity beyond reasoning. He had become a god of war, and now, the entire world was at his mercy.

As if the destruction alone wasn't enough, Kael had taken everything of value from the empire before razing it to the ground. The greatest artifacts, forbidden texts, and weapons of immense power—he had claimed them all for himself. With these tools in his possession, there was no limit to what he could do next. His actions sent an unspoken message to every ruler, every faction, every being that called this world home:

Kael does not care for alliances. Kael does not care for balance. Kael does not care for anything other than himself.

The world had feared war. Now, it feared Kael.