I never had to prove myself to anyone. I was born into privilege—money, comfort, indulgence. I lived like a scoundrel, untamed and careless. My sister and I fought daily, but she cared for me more than I knew. My mother and father granted every wish, never demanding anything in return.

I thought they had no expectations because I was incapable. A spoiled brat, just taking up space. But the truth came crashing down the day they died.

They didn't expect anything because they knew. They knew this world could never be outrun. They just wanted us to live freely for as long as we could.

And when death came for us, I couldn't stop it. I couldn't protect them. My mother threw herself in front of a blade—her final act, her final wish: "Live on." So I ran. Cowardly. Empty. Alive.

For ten years I wandered—lost, hiding from my guilt, from the world, from myself. I joined wars to forget. Then one day, I stumbled upon a forgotten castle, abandoned by time and filled with silence.

Inside lived an ancient yokai, older than empires. He became my master. For three years, he forged my body and mind into a weapon. He taught me power—not to save, not to protect—but to destroy.

And now, the day has come.

We've been fighting for ten days. My blood, his fury. My pain, his laughter. But I'm ready. I bind him with threads of mana, every inch wrapped in my will. Then I strike—

"Celestial Cut!"

His body splits nearly in two. He should be dead. But he laughs.

"Hey, brat..." he wheezes, still standing. "You did it. After thousands of failures... you're the one. The only one to fulfill my wish."

He smiles, and I see the emptiness in his eyes. "Now let me fulfill yours."

Suddenly, a thousand blades rain from the air—piercing my flesh, binding me in agony. Blood pours from me like a river. And then, I understand.

I had wished for power—but there's no one left to protect. I am alone again.

The loneliness I had buried under years of rage and training rises, raw and merciless. That's why he wanted to die. That's what he saw in me before I did.

Then—his body explodes. A light that could tear the world in half consumes us.

And silence.

Where am I?

My body... it's young again. Weak again. I'm in the academy dorms, just like before. Is this death? A flashback? A final dream?

I sigh.

At least show me my family one last time...

No matter. Whether it's Heaven or Hell, I'll rest for a moment.

I close my eyes.

"Good sleep to myself."