Journey to Become the Zenith

Blood Beneath the Moon

Then he slowly raised his sword.

”So if you’re calling yourselves mercenaries...”

His voice wasn’t loud.

Yet somehow, in the dead silence of the forest, it felt heavier than a roar.

His eyes narrowed slightly.

”Then at least show me some pride before you die.”

A cold wind drifted through the clearing.

Above them, the moon hung silently in the sky, pale and distant. Under its dim light, Victor’s figure somehow looked darker than the night itself. His black hair swayed gently with the wind, and those golden eyes reflected the fear spreading across the faces before him.

Silence.

A suffocating silence.

Nobody moved.

Nobody wanted to move.

Sweat slowly slid down one mercenary’s neck.

Another tightened his grip on his sword, only to realize his fingers had already started trembling.

Someone swallowed nervously.

Someone took half a step back.

Fear had already entered their hearts.

Then—

”RUN!”

The desperate scream tore through the silence like shattered glass.

The moment the mercenaries heard Azriel’s voice and saw that vicious smile stretching across his face, they understood something instinctively.

Death was standing in front of them.

But humans were strange creatures.

Even cornered animals fought back before dying.

”Kill him!”

”Don’t hold back!”

”If we run now, we’re dead anyway!”

A mercenary hurled his axe with all his strength.

Another immediately released an arrow.

Several others rushed forward, mana surging violently into their weapons as they swung with desperate expressions.

The peaceful forest instantly exploded into chaos.

Leaves scattered.

The ground cracked.

Shouts echoed beneath the trees.

Yet in the middle of all that madness—

Azriel simply stood there.

He didn’t move.

He didn’t dodge.

His smile only widened.

”...Too slow.”

Then—

A flash.

For a brief instant, the world turned white.

A blinding light swallowed everything.

Then darkness returned.

Nobody understood what had happened.

Nobody even saw the swing.

Bodies froze in place.

Eyes widened.

Weapons slipped from lifeless fingers.

One after another—

Thud.

Thud.

Thud.

Bodies crashed onto the ground.

Some still wore expressions filled with desperation.

Some still carried fear in their eyes.

Some had not even realized they were already dead.

Silence returned once more.

Only this time—

It was the silence of a graveyard.

The entire area had become a field of corpses. Blood dripped from branches and leaves like crimson rain, soaking into the earth below.

Drip.

Drip.

Drip.

Azriel glanced down at his right hand.

A faint numbness spread through his fingers.

He flexed them slowly.

”Tch.”

His hand twitched slightly.

For the first time since the battle started, annoyance flickered across his eyes.

”This brat’s body really is disappointing.”

He clenched his fist.

Then loosened it again.

The muscles ached.

Even the bones felt strained.

The body felt as if it would split apart after that single movement.

’Shit... just how weak is this body...?’

His lips twitched.

Though a moment later, the annoyance faded.

’Well, whatever.’

His eyes swept across the corpses littering the ground.

’Against trash on this level, a little strain won’t kill me.’

A dangerous smile slowly formed again.

’Still... better use weaker skills from now on. At least until this body stops feeling like wet paper.’

He stared toward the dark sky above.

Then he laughed quietly.

”Hah... still, there is potential.”

He could already feel it.

The body was adapting.

The muscles were remembering.

Every movement.

Every strain.

Every limit broken.

After assessing his current condition Azriel sat on a nearby rock waiting for whoever was in charge of these people to come.

He lazily rested his sword over his shoulder.

His golden eyes slowly closed.

Anyone seeing him now would think he was simply resting beneath moonlight.

Not sitting in the middle of a graveyard he had created.

...

On the other side of the forest—

A horse moved quickly between the trees beneath the night canopy.

Branches whipped past.

Leaves scattered beneath powerful hooves.

The rider’s face carried irritation.

Henrick.

The Prime Minister’s son’s right-hand man.

The one given responsibility to handle Videl.

”Damn it...”

He pulled the reins harder.

”If that useless group couldn’t even catch one girl, what exactly am I paying them for?”

Sometime ago he had been enjoying himself with beautiful women when a man suddenly rushed toward him in panic.

”My lord!”

The messenger almost stumbled while kneeling.

Henrick frowned.

”What happened?”

The man lowered his head.

His body visibly shook.

Sweat rolled down his face as hesitation flashed in his eyes.

”My lord... the target appeared...”

Henrick narrowed his eyes.

”Videl?”

”N-no...”

The man swallowed hard.

”The... Videl’s lover appeared!”

Henrick frowned.

”Victor?”

He remembered Shawn’s warning.

Then he snorted.

’That arrogant prick Shawn must have been exaggerating about that Victor guy. He must be planning something, so after I deal with Victor, I’ll expose Shawn of his lies.’

The more he thought about it, the more confident he became.

”Hmph.”

”Trying to scare me?”

”Pathetic.”

He could already imagine praise from powerful people.

He could imagine people admiring him.

He could imagine stepping over Shawn afterward.

While Henrick was imagining the Prime Minister’s son praising him, he suddenly smelled a very familiar scent.

His expression changed.

Blood.

Heavy blood.

’This is the smell of blood; did they actually kill Victor?’

Henrick truly didn’t believe Victor was strong.

So he thought his subordinates had already dealt with him.

Then he arrived.

And froze.

A pile of corpses littered the area.

Blood covered the ground.

Broken weapons.

Dead eyes.

Bodies scattered everywhere.

And in the middle of all this mess—

A boy was taking a nap.

The moment Henrick got closer, the boy yawned and stretched his body while looking toward the new arrival.

Golden eyes slowly opened.

A vicious smile appeared.

”Took you long enough, so are you the leader of these losers?”

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Authors Notes: Dear Readers, Thanks so much for joining me on this adventure! Your enthusiasm, feedback, and encouragement really keep me motivated to keep bringing *Journey to Become the Zenith* into existence. If you’re loving the Chapters, I’d love it if you supported my book with a Powerstone, review, or even a Golden Ticket—it helps me develop as a writer and lets more readers enjoy the story. I look forward to hearing your ideas and thoughts, so please don’t hesitate to share!

With love,

Scorpio_saturn777

Creator of Journey to Become the Zenith

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