Prologue

Zero smirked slightly when he heard the approaching footsteps growing louder, causing his aura of light to flare up instinctively. "Hmm... I might finally be able to free myself from this cursed armor," he muttered quietly, looking down at his body and limbs while sighing.

With regal composure, Zero leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes, awaiting the arrival of his unknown adversary.

Just as he expected, an eerie silence had engulfed his room, only broken by a deafening boom that echoed throughout the giant castle.

To Zero, It sounded like an explosion of condensed fire mana had been unleashed in massive quantities, acting either as a warning to him or a message to the unknown intruder's followers.

"Dammit… they’ve all become slaves to the most powerful and untrustworthy beings in existence—The Divine Pantheons," Zero sighed in disappointment, shaking his head as he sipped some of his creation. This energy-restoring alcohol eased his fatigue while allowing him to indulge in his craving.

"Zero!" a deep voice resounded, causing the castle walls to tremble and crack.

Zero recognized the voice, but before he could utter a word, the massive figure spoke again.

"I know all about your betrayal. I guess I'll have to show you… what the titan bloodline is truly capable of achieving!” yelled the giant of a man possessing a fiery blue aura, standing where the massive obsidian door once stood before he incinerated it with his aura.

"Tidus... me? Betraying you? Have you become a dog of one of the gods? I once thought you'd make a worthy rival, but life doesn't always grant us what we desire… does it?" Zero's smug retort occurred as he opened his silver eyes hidden deep beneath his helmet.

"Hmph!" Tidus regained his composure as he wiped sweat from his face.

Their powers, though different, no longer seemed incomparable as they once did. Still, Tidus knew the strength of his former guild leader, Zero was not to be underestimated.

"I'm merely surviving and trying to take the next step toward greater power. You know I've always been like this. Yet… you said nothing. I guess you probably feared that killing me, a member of your own guild, would only end up ruining our reputation. Though let me tell ya, you should’ve killed me a long time ago. Because now that I found out my true lineage, I have no choice but to carry out their will." Tidus mockingly replied, finally becoming visible after ducking through the doorway due to his immense stature.

Tidus took two steps forward, making the entire room shake while releasing intense killing intent, making every living being nearby feel a surge of self-preservation.

Then, with great confidence, Tidus started glaring down at his former guild leader without fear, shocking Zero, who had never expected him to conceal his true nature for so long.

‘So, Tidus was unaware of his true lineage and identity for so long, yet his energy is completely aligned with our planet's divine frequency, allowing him to adapt to its shift without complications. Now, that clever bastard knows that challenging my authority in front of the entire guild is his only option, but turning everyone against me wouldn't be an easy feat. His accomplice must be pretty knowledgeable as well… who could it be?" Zero pondered as years of training enabled him to dodge the titan's giant mace by a few centimeters.

The attack left traces of blue flames, and yet it did not cease. It only grew more intense, breaking through the castle wall and ascending skyward like a beam of compact energy.

Observing the scene, Tidus raised an eyebrow, appearing perplexed. "You dodged it?!" he asked, grinning slightly as he swung his mace over his shoulder, causing blue embers to fall around him.

"The old you would have withstood my attack and sent me to the afterlife for such recklessness. You're washed up now, old man... you should've given up the guild long ago! Vryn, go ahead!" Tidus shouted, his grin stretching from ear to ear as the scenery abruptly transformed.

They were teleported to the open plains on the opposite side of the world, resulting from a prearranged transportation spell—evidence of meticulous planning.

"I see…" Zero surveyed his surroundings. He knew he had to stay calm to analyze the situation efficiently without letting his inner emotions cloud his judgment.

Just then, in Zero's peripheral vision, he spotted a white piece of paper descending to the ground, only to disintegrate into ash and vanish before it reached it.

"Transportation talisman?" Zero mused, with his arms crossed defiantly as he stood firm.

On the horizon, countless shadows loomed, their intense energies illuminating the desolate plains.

Masters of air, water, fire, and earth elements strategically claimed high ground along elevated terrain. While the sounds of clanking armor and synchronized marching from warrior-class adventurers echoed around them.

"HAHAHAHAHAHA! This is the end of the planet's most formidable guild leader — The Everlasting One, Zero. Executed in secret by his highest-ranking and most trusted members! A death hidden from all the insufferable or pitying gazes of ordinary citizens! A splendid demise indeed. Wouldn’t you agree, former guild leader?" Asked Tidus as he laughed maniacally, seizing the woman named Vryn by the waist since he knew she had been close to Zero in the past.

Tidus sought any reaction or sign of weakness, but Zero remained unfazed.

Utilizing a spell that amplified his voice fivefold, Zero played along, delivering his last words to his former subordinates. "So, you’re willing to take my life over a mere rumor? I can’t believe I was surrounded with such cowardly beings all this time. I once valued my closest comrades and every innocent life in this world. If death wants my soul that badly..." Zero paused; a sudden shift in the atmosphere compelled all present to gaze at him with fear, while some recoiled or fainted merely from the sheer force of his indomitable willpower.

"Then he’ll have to come get it himself." Zero resumed as if unaffected by the preceding events, causing beads of sweat to form on their foreheads.

A malevolent grin consumed Zero's helmet as if possessed by an evil entity. "Because you see, I've been yearning for an opportunity like this my entire life," he spoke, his voice devoid of emotion or malice, only exuding sheer authority.

"What are you yapping about, old geezer? Remember what you told us? Numbers, information, and power. These are the sole arbiters of war, and I have them all!" Tidus yelled, yet Zero saw a noticeable change in his posture after uttering his last words.

"You speak of matters beyond your comprehension. In this world, only a select few can withstand those three things. Unfortunately for you, I am one of those few. I guess you could say… we're just created differently," Zero taunted as a sinister smile crept onto his face when he unleashed his intense aura of light, pinning Tidus to the ground with overwhelming force, shattering the entire magic tiled floor beneath them.

"Hrgh! What element is this?!" Tidus exclaimed, struggling to support his massive frame under the weight of Zero's light energy, even with his immense mass.

"Oh… I forgot. No one has ever seen my true aura before. Well, none of you would understand anyways. People like me, who came from nothing… those which have been sacrificed, tortured or banished, bears the trauma of a thousand souls."

Tidus started to quiver instinctively as Zero's footsteps creating shockwaves, leaving small craters in the ground underneath him.

"But as you all know, that's not even the worst outcome. To fit in with human society, you have to risk your life at any moment for people who usually inflict the same harm you saved them from… onto other innocent beings, then have the audacity to play the victim when you confront them."

"I also can't overlook the fake love and false praise. A small percentage of intelligent life are pure beings, but most… are evil. They'll do anything to try to gain favor, just to turn around and take advantage of your protective nature. It's unfortunate, but our power makes us pariahs. I can see things for what they are now. That's why… I will create an era of defiance and autonomy. I'll do whatever's necessary to see it be. Even if that means embracing violence, which seems to be the only thing that brings about change. I was a pacifist up until now. I'm ashamed of both myself and the human race I once fought for. I never thought I'd be betrayed by the lost and broken souls I pitied." Zero proclaimed with his gaze fixed upon the sky, lost in silent contemplation.