Prologue

I walked barefoot across the cracked, smoking ground, the heat searing against my soles. It tried to hurt me, but I wasn't so easy to harm these days.

Scanning the wasteland, I saw nothing but craters—many small, some massive. No structures remained standing, only debris and destruction. A lone sun hung high in the sky, its harsh light casting sharp shadows over the ruins.

I rolled my neck and shoulders, trying to shake off the fatigue.

'Maybe I should get a good massage when I get back.'

For nearly twenty-one days, I had been fighting nonstop against these ugly, shrieking bastards.

I shoved my pinky into my ear, shaking it hard, trying to silence the ringing that had taken up residence in my skull. But it didn't work. The shrieks kept bouncing around inside my head, relentless and grating.

'Damn it. I should've brought some earplugs.'

A low shriek echoed from up ahead. I stopped, squinting against the brightness, and spotted them, six of them, running straight for me.

This creatures looked like the universe had a bad stomach-ache and vomited them out.

A golden vomit, at that.

Golden-skinned, clawed, their lanky, crooked bodies twisted in unnatural ways. Fangs like wolves, horns jutting from their heads, tails ending in jagged spikes. And the stench....gods, the stench...was enough to make my nose curl.

I stretched a little, rotating my body left and right, cracking my fingers one by one.

Then, I took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.

My eyes locked onto the incoming creatures, and without hesitation, I started jogging toward them. The moment they saw me closing the distance, their shrieks grew even louder, a grating, ear-piercing chorus.

"Shut up, you stinking golden shits!"

I shouted back.

That only made them shriek more.

I let out a short, irritated laugh.

"Hah! I'm gonna enjoy killing you bastards."

With that, I took off in a full sprint. My bare feet crunched against debris and dirt, sending up dust as I surged forward.

In an instant, I was in front of the first creature. I pulled my right fist back and drove it straight into its grotesque chest.

Boom.

A hole exploded through its torso, the force of the impact sending it staggering backward. Without missing a beat, I grabbed its limp right arm, swung it around in a wide arc, and hurled the corpse straight at the others charging toward me.

I stepped forward and whispered.

"First Node, activate."

The moment I commanded, my heart lurched.

With every step, my heartbeat climbed. Blood surged through my veins, rushing faster, feeding every muscle with raw power. Strength flooded my body, a surge so overwhelming I almost grinned.

I felt strong. I felt invincible.

And my heart thrummed like a war drum.

Ba-dump.

I exploded forward, closing the distance in an instant. Mid-air, I twisted, my leg whipping around in a brutal arc. My foot slammed into the creature's head with bone-crushing force, driving it straight into its torso.

Ba-dump.

I lunged at the next one, ducking under its wild swipe. My fist speared into its gut, then up through its ribcage. I ripped my arm free, its golden blood splattering across my chest as it collapsed.

Ba-dump.

I spun, catching another mid-leap. My hand clamped around its throat. With a sharp twist, its neck snapped like dry wood. I hurled the body into its screeching kin, sending them both tumbling.

Ba-dump.

Before they could rise, I was already there. My knee crashed into one's skull, the impact caving it in. It slumped lifelessly.

Ba-dump.

The last one lunged in desperation. I sidestepped, grabbed its arm, and tore it clean off. It howled and i grinned.

I placed my right palm gently against its chest, locking eyes with it. Fear poured off it in waves, overwhelming.

"Goodbye, you piece of shit."

A crimson glow flared beneath my hand.

Boom.

And its body erupted into countless bloody fragments.

I glanced down at my body, watching the hot red steam rise off my skin.

Ba-dump.

I commanded.

"Deactivate."

With that my heartbeat started slowing, the surge of energy settling as my blood calmed.

I exhaled, taking in the filth covering me.

"Guess I should clean up before moving forward, this stench might kill me first."

But before I could do anything, a sharp beeping cut through the silence.

I reached into my pocket, pulled out my communicator, and answered.

Steve's voice crackled through the communicator and he asked me hurriedly.

"Where are you?"

"Busy with my mission. What's up?" I answered.

"I think you're in deep trouble."

I frowned.

Trouble? Me? When was I not in trouble?

I thought hard. And harder. And even harder. But nothing came to mind.

I shrugged.

Yeah, I was always in trouble.

"Why?" I asked.

"I saw North… and I think she's angry."

"What?" I asked surprised.

"Yeah. She was beating the hell out of some of our guys… and she even destroyed a couple of buildings."

I rolled my eyes.

"Steve, that's literally a Tuesday for us. That doesn't mean she's angry."

"No, you don't understand."

He paused, then his voice dropped like he was delivering my eulogy.

"Her ponytail was swinging."

As soon as I heard that I staggered back. Stars exploded in my vision.

But I pulled myself together and swallowed hard.

"H-how much was it swinging?"

I waited, heart pounding, praying to every god in existence that it was just a pendulum-level swing.

Steve finally spoke.

"It was… triple pendulum"

I clutched my chest.

'Deep breaths. Stay calm.

Deep breaths. Stay calm.'

But I could not stay calm.

"Damn it. Damn it. Damn it. How much time do I have?"

Steve sighed.

"I'd say… one day at max. All the best, my dear friend. May the creator have mercy on your soul."

And he ended the connection.

My thoughts started churning, gears spinning at full speed.

'What did I miss?

Birthday? No.

Anniversary? Definitely not.

Some important date? Nope.'

I racked my brain harder.

'Did I break something important? No, not recently.

Did I forget to deliver a message? I don't think so…

Did I accidentally eat her food? No way—I learned my lesson last time.'

Then a cold realization hit me.

'Did I say something stupid?'

…Well, that was always a possibility.

I turned around, my expression turning serious.

"I need to head back."

I drew in a deep breath.

"Third Node.....activate."

A shockwave erupted from my body, sending debris flying in every direction. Stored essence surged through me, my hair whipping wildly in the force.

I took off, sprinting deeper into enemy territory. I needed to finish this fast.

I sprinted forward, building momentum with each powerful stride.

Then.....one leap, strong and steady, then another, even higher.

Each leap sent me higher, my speed and force propelling me like a rocket ready for launch.

On my fourth jump, I shot upward, soaring nearly 50m above the ground.

I hovered in the air, thousands of creatures shrieking below me, their golden bodies writhing in chaos.

Raising my palm, I pointed it downward.

Flames erupted, swirling violently beneath my hand. The vortex spun faster and faster, a fiery tornado forming in midair, its spiraling heat distorting the space around it. The storm of flames tightened, compressed, refined into a concentrated, high-speed spiral.

Keeping my focus on the storm brewing beneath my palm, I delivered judgment upon the abominations.

"Blazing Judgement."

From the tornado's lower end, a searing beam of fire erupted, a three-foot-thick pillar of destruction that cut straight downward.

The instant it touched the ground, fire exploded outward in every direction, devouring everything in its path. The land cracked and melted, the very air shimmering from the heat as the creatures below were swallowed in an infernal storm.

I looked up in the sky and muttered.

"I am coming North."