Chapter 2:- The King's First Move

In a grand chamber, where the fate of humanity was often debated, the Vanguards, Earth's strongest warriors, gathered for their routine meeting. Among them were five formidable warriors—each an unmatched force in their own right. But one was absent.

Raiken, the Second Strongest Vanguard, known for his mastery over lightning, leaned back in his seat with an irritated smirk. His sharp eyes scanned the room before landing on Kairo, the calmest and most mysterious among them.

Raiken clicked his tongue. "Hey, Kairo… I told you, that bastard pisses me off. This is the third time he's missed a meeting." His fingers sparked with faint traces of electricity. "It's been two days since anyone's seen him."

Kairo, the greatest hand-to-hand combat master, remained unbothered. His voice was quiet but firm. "I don't care about him. He's too full of himself all the time."

The tension in the room lingered, but before anyone could dwell on it, the scene shifted—to something far more sinister.

---

The Dark King's First Move

Deep within the Dark Realm, seated upon his throne of malevolence, King Artorius made his move.

With an amused smirk, he addressed his generals. "Send a fleet of 100 soldiers. Annihilate and conquer the birthplace of those pathetic warriors who dared to seal me away. Let the world see that humanity is too weak to stand against me."

His voice was filled with contempt, as if humanity was nothing more than insects beneath his feet.

The army marched. Their destination? Barnhill Village—the hometown of the two legendary warriors who once sealed the Dark Realm away.

---

The Attack on Barnhill Village

As night fell upon Barnhill Village, Rei Kamisaka and his mother were preparing for bed when sudden, bloodcurdling screams shattered the silence. The village was under attack.

The King's fleet stormed in, slaughtering everyone in their path. Houses burned. Families were torn apart. Chaos ruled the night.

Inside a small home, Rei's mother clutched him tightly, pulling him toward a hidden space behind their bed. "Stay quiet," she whispered, trying to suppress her own fear.

Footsteps echoed. Their front gate creaked open.

A soldier stepped inside, his eyes scanning the room like a predator hunting prey. His gaze landed on them.

Rei's mother held her hands up in a desperate plea. "Please… mercy…"

The soldier sneered. "Pathetic humans don't deserve mercy."

Without hesitation, he drove his blade straight into her heart.

Rei's world shattered. His mother gasped, her strength fading as she collapsed. Blood pooled around her as she managed to utter her final words:

"No matter where you go… No matter what you do… I will always love you…"

Tears streamed down Rei's face. His body trembled—not with fear, but with rage. His mother's warmth was fading, and the one who stole it stood before him, mocking her death.

Something inside Rei snapped.

In a blind fury, he grabbed a knife from the floor and lunged at the soldier. A fierce stab landed in the soldier's left eye. The man howled in pain, staggering back.

But Rei was still just a child.

With a single kick, the soldier sent him flying across the room. Blood trickled from Rei's mouth as he lay on the floor, dazed.

Dragging him outside, the soldier threw Rei into the dirt, laughing along with his comrades. "Look at this! A brat actually managed to land a hit on me!"

His amusement quickly faded. Eyes burning with rage, he raised his sword. "Time to end this."

But before the blade could strike—

CLANG!

The sword stopped. Not by another weapon.

By a single finger.

The soldiers froze. A cold shiver ran down their spines as they slowly looked up.

There he stood.

Kairo.

Dressed in a flowing black robe, his calm yet terrifying gaze locked onto the soldier.

A dying villager gasped, recognizing the man before them. "God… we're saved. It's Kairo… The Best Martial Artist… One of the Five Vanguards…"

Panic spread among the soldiers. They drew their weapons. "Kill him!"

Kairo let out a slow breath.

Then, he moved.

In an instant, bodies dropped—beheaded in a single strike.

One hit. One kill.

The soldiers' fear escalated. They tried to flee, but Kairo was faster. He hunted them down, eliminating every last one.

Only one soldier remained. Kairo grabbed him by the collar.

"Who are you?" His voice was emotionless, yet chilling. "Why are you killing humans?"

The soldier coughed, struggling in his grip. "We… we are soldiers of Artorius, the Ruler of the Multiverse."

Kairo's eyes narrowed. "Artorius? The one who was sealed 128 years ago?"

The soldier laughed weakly. "Yes… the portal is no longer sealed. One of your own kind broke it open."

Kairo's grip tightened. "Who?"

The soldier smirked. "Hercules."

Kairo's heart sank.

For the first time in his life, he felt fear.

His mind raced. "The seal is broken… and the strongest force of humanity betrayed us. What happens now?"

The soldier sneered. "You're scared, aren't you? Hahahaha! Just wait. My Liege will conquer this world. You humans are finished!"

Kairo didn't hesitate. He ended the soldier's life.

Turning around, his gaze landed on Rei, who sat on the ground, trembling in shock.

Kairo knelt beside him, his voice calm. "What's your name?"

Rei wiped his tears. "...Rei Kamisaka."

Kairo sighed, placing a reassuring hand on the boy's head. "You've been through hell… but it's not over yet."

As the flames of Barnhill Village flickered around them, a new war had begun.

And the world was not ready.