Henry_inketh

For centuries, sixteen castles have acted as seals to otherworldly monster dimensions, preventing their horrors from spilling into reality. When these monsters escape, they manifest as natural disasters—earthquakes, plagues, massacres, and worse. To keep them at bay, elite warriors and raiders with supernatural abilities fight back each time a portal opens.

Fifteen castles have accepted the help of governments and organizations, except one—the Kanagawa Castle. The secretive Kanagawa family has always fought "their monsters" alone. But when they unexpectedly call for help, the world listens.

Among those chosen to document the event is Kaede, a nobody—an awkward, cowardly school journalist assigned to follow the powerful Sun Jia, a top-tier raider and his long-time crush. But when they enter Kanagawa’s portal, everything goes wrong.

Two doors open instead of one—an anomaly. Sun Jia and the team enter what appears to be the safer path. But inside, they face a nightmare beyond comprehension—the domain of Shiniyuku Shinigami, the Dying Death God.

Reality collapses. The raiders don’t just die—they feel their deaths transcending time, erased from existence before they can even react. Kaede, the weakest among them, experiences his own death differently—shorter, but far more agonizing. Shiniyuku, intrigued by his insignificance, spares him, mocking his cowardice.

Kaede wakes up two years later, the only survivor of the disaster. The world has changed—door hunting is now a global industry, and the Kanagawa family has become more powerful than ever. But something inside him has changed too. A power is growing, something unnatural.

Determined to uncover the truth behind Kanagawa, Akihiko’s true intentions, and the identity of the enigmatic Knight X, Kaede embarks on a journey—not as a hero, but as a man seeking redemption. But as he grows stronger, a terrifying truth emerges...

Kaede is no longer just a survivor.

He is becoming something else entirely.

Something that should never exist in reality.

A Thousand Death System - The Death Paradigm

The cool morning air brushed against Kaede's face as he jogged down the sloping streets of his neighborhood, lined with sakura trees, their bare winter branches clawing at the pale sky. The rhythmic slap of his sneakers against the pavement echoed faintly through the quiet suburb. His breath puffed out in short clouds, and as he wiped the sweat from his brow, the familiar translucent window flickered into view.

"Light jog, light boost," Kaede muttered under his breath, slightly annoyed. "Gotta push harder if I want real gains."

His feet carried him through the bustling streets towards the local shopping mall. Traditional paper lanterns hung from shop fronts, their vibrant reds and yellows a stark contrast against the grey urban sprawl. Vendors called out, selling taiyaki and yakitori, the smoky scent of grilled meat wafting through the air.

Inside the mall, the warmth was immediate, mingled with the chatter of shoppers and the melodic jingle of background music. Kaede grabbed a basket, casually tossing in groceries from Grandma's list. His focus shifted when the TV in the electronics section blared a news report.

"Kanagawa Akihiko's new Global Gate Authority headquarters has officially launched. With so many active gates and rising hunter classifications, the demand for skilled hunters has never been higher—"

Kaede barely listened. His eyes trailed over the headline footage of armored hunters storming a gate, massive creatures falling beneath precise strikes.

I wonder where I'd even fit in this new world, he thought, pushing his cart forward.

The scream cracked through the air like a whip.

Kaede froze as two men burst into the store, one wielding a rusted handgun, the other a kitchen knife glinting under the mall lights. Shoppers dropped flat, screams filling the aisles. Kaede instinctively ducked behind a snack shelf, his heart hammering against his ribs.

The robbers barked demands at the cashier, yanking open drawers and stuffing cash into a duffel bag. Kaede clenched his teeth.

He stepped out. "Hey! I— I got money. Take it!"

The man with the gun whirled, eyes wide, finger twitching on the trigger.

Kaede raised his hands, but the glint in the robber's eyes had already shifted to panic.

The shot echoed, time slowing to a syrupy crawl as the bullet spiraled toward Kaede's skull.

Death No. 2 – Point-Blank Fatality

Titanium Bone Density Enhancement (Absorb Impact)

Arcane Veil Barrier (Deflect Projectile)

A timer ticked down—00:03... 00:02...

Kaede's mind raced. Bone density could help later... but a barrier? That's magic.

"Arcane Veil Barrier," he whispered.

The moment he accepted, the MAGIC STATUS window blinked to life:

Active Skill: Arcane Veil Barrier (Projectile Only)

The bullet struck an invisible force mid-air, bouncing off with a hollow twang before clattering harmlessly onto the floor.

The robbers gawked, wide-eyed. "The hell—?!"

Kaede didn't wait. He lunged forward, knocking the nearest shelf into the robbers and sending them scrambling. The mall erupted in chaos as they bolted out, leaving Kaede panting amid the spilled snacks and overturned carts.

Kaede stared at the floating window, a crooked grin pulling at his lips.

Outside, life resumed—cars honked, people whispered—but Kaede walked through it all, his heart racing, his mind already ticking through possibilities.

EPISODE TWO - Finale