"Unbelievable... Truly, unbelievable..."
Trembling, the man stared at the result of his experiment—a masterpiece defeated with a single attack. Henji, the creator of Sin of Greed, stood frozen in disbelief.
Initially, he was certain Mayuri would die when corrupted by Mamon, but fate had other plans.
"Ha... hahaha..."
His laughter erupted—not from desperation, but overflowing with relief and profound gratitude. Finally... he had found it. A being truly pure from sin in this corrupt world.
For Henji, who had lived believing the world would be destroyed by hypocritical gods, the existence of a Spirit named Mayuri was a glimmer of hope he had never imagined.
"She..." his voice trembled with conviction, "will bring salvation to humanity."
His eyes flashed with new determination. "I must help her, no! I must devote my entire life to making her The Savior!" he exclaimed, his voice echoing in the silent laboratory.
The thought of helping someone reach a higher status had never crossed Henji's mind before. To him, this world was destined for destruction. But now, everything had changed. With the existence of this Spirit, perhaps there was still hope to save the world...
Perhaps... they could...
"An interesting thought. But unfortunately, your dream must end here."
A woman's gentle voice broke the silence—calm yet deadly like a blade wrapped in silk.
"?!!!"
Henji startled, his heart seemingly stopping. He turned with a sharp movement. Impossible! No one should have been able to find his hiding place!
"Who—"
BLAAARR!!
His words drowned in a massive explosion. His body was thrown from the research room, while his rare collections and strange experimental creatures vanished in an instant.
But Henji was unharmed. His entire body was protected by a black energy shield that appeared automatically—an emergency defense system he had implanted in his own body.
With a furrowed brow, he observed the figure before him.
A young woman with enchanting features. Golden hair cascaded like liquid gold under the dim light, a pair of brilliant blue eyes observed sharply. Her fair skin contrasted with the tight clothing that exposed certain areas—a design unfamiliar in any region Henji knew.
Even more puzzling was the equipment she wore.
'Is there a kingdom or empire developing technology this advanced without my knowledge?' Henji thought, his brow furrowing deeper.
The woman held a glowing blue sword—its blade resembling a lightsaber, emitting pure energy that cut through the air. On her back, neon blue and purple structures floated, forming magnificent mechanical wings.
Her appearance had mecha elements, but Henji was certain this wasn't technology he recognized. This world did have mechas and robots, but none had developed combat exoskeletons this sophisticated.
And most importantly...
'Powerful.'
Regardless of whether that power came from technology or personal ability, this woman was at a level far beyond Henji's current reach.
"Professor Henji," the woman said with an intonation like reading a document, "one of the leading scientists in biology. No marriage history and severed all ties with relatives. For reasons unknown to the public, resigned from his academic position and chose to disappear from society." Her blue eyes pierced sharply. "Am I correct?"
Henji's expression became ice-cold. "Which organization are you from?"
He didn't bother asking her name—with an opening attack like that, identity wasn't important. What he needed was information about who sent this woman and how they could track him.
Even the strongest empire actively hunting him didn't know the location of his hideout. So what kind of organization had such an extensive information network?
The woman narrowed her eyes. "Sorry, it's not my obligation to answer that question."
"I see," Henji grinned, his expression turning terrifying. "Then... die."
Instantly, the laboratory floor shook violently. Monstrous creatures emerged from underground, surging like a fierce tidal wave. Dozens, no, hundreds of Henji's failed experimental creatures that he had kept as a final trump card.
Meanwhile, Henji took advantage of the chaos to escape. He might have hoped the woman would be killed, but his instincts told him that was impossible.
Based on his estimation, the woman was at least equivalent to Hunter Rank A+ or even Rank S. While his monsters were mostly only Rank C and B level. However, with such unreasonable numbers, even a Rank S Hunter would be overwhelmed and severely injured.
Previously, Henji would not have fled like a coward. With Mamon, Sin of Greed in his hands, he would have dared to face even the entire imperial army. But now it was different. Without Mamon, even a Rank B Hunter was a threat to him.
Ironically, a genius scientist who created a creature as powerful as Mamon only had fighting abilities equivalent to Hunter Rank D.
So escaping was the only—
SLABBB!
A sword pierced his chest from behind, mercilessly tearing through his heart.
Henji's eyes widened in horror, his head slowly turning to face his attacker.
"H-how..."
Then he saw it—an astonishing sight. Hundreds of his monsters that should have bought him time to escape now lay lifeless, their bodies shredded in disgusting pools of blood.
The woman stood behind him, her expression unchanged in the slightest.
"Quite a strong army," she said flatly, "but only to that extent." Her blue eyes flashed coldly. "Now, you can die in peace."
"Heh... hehehe... THEN LET'S DIE TOGETHER!"
With a mad laugh, Henji activated something within his body—a final suicide mechanism he had prepared.
The woman's expression finally changed, a fraction of a second before layered green energy shields appeared to protect her.
BLAAAAARRR...!!
A massive explosion equivalent to a mini nuclear bomb struck the area, destroying everything within a wide radius. A pillar of light soared high into the sky—a bright signal that would certainly attract the attention of forces from various kingdoms and empires.
"Hah..."
The sound of a breath emerged from behind the smoke and dust. But it was no longer a feminine voice, rather a younger and more childlike one.
In the midst of destruction stood a figure protected not only by the earlier green shield but also by an ice dome that neutralized Henji's suicide explosion.
And that figure had changed.
No longer the elegant blonde woman, but a white-haired child with a pair of heterochromatic eyes that glowed behind a skull mask and dark billowing cloak.
Lux.
"The Artemisia template is decent... but only excels in speed, and that's thanks to CR-Unit technology," he muttered to himself.
Artemisia Bell Ashcroft—the identity and template he had just used. Surprising that the template came from the same world as Takamiya Mayuri.
But after directly experiencing Mayuri's power firsthand, Lux realized that Artemisia wasn't that special. The only thing that made her stand out was her ability to create shields capable of neutralizing energy pressure to a certain extent.
"Forget it." Lux shook his head and directed his gaze westward.
From where he stood, even ordinary people could feel the terrible energy remaining from Mayuri's battle against Mamon. Chaotic cloud formations and wildly fluctuating mana spread across the sky, mixed with traces of Mayuri's reiryoku energy that could still be faintly felt.
"...Time to go home," he decided. All his goals and missions were complete.
The chaos he had ignited—both Mayuri's battle and other damage—let the empire clean it up.
But one thing was certain: this event would be etched in world history.
***
Several weeks later...
"Is everyone present?"
An authoritative voice broke the silence. A middle-aged man opened his eyes, his sturdy hands folded on the magnificent round table that filled the room.
Around the table sat the most influential people from various guilds, kingdoms, and empires. On the walls, dozens of advanced monitors displayed the silhouettes of other important figures who couldn't attend physically.
The atmosphere was so tense it felt suffocating—the combined aura of world rulers gathered in one place.
"You must have felt it," John van Mighty, the global Hunter Association Chairman, began in a deep voice. "It would be even stranger if any of you hadn't known about it."
His sharp eyes swept across the room—looking at kings, guild leaders, family heads, and emperors sitting in ominous silence.
"A few weeks ago, at Blue Sea City port, a tremendous battle occurred between a High Spirit and one of the Seven Deadly Sins."
John pressed a button on the control panel and satellite images appeared on the main screen. A terrifying figure with a body towering over the highest mountains—Mamon, one of the strongest Demons in the world.
Facing it, a beautiful girl glowing like an angel, behind her a giant drill-shaped creature hovered obediently, gathering energy with unprecedented intensity.
"That creature," one of the Guild Leaders pointed to the girl on the screen, his voice choked. "Are you sure that's a Spirit? What I see is the harbinger of world apocalypse."
No one blamed this doubt. Even now, weeks after the incident, the energy of that drill creature could still be felt enveloping Earth's atmosphere.
"She is indeed a Spirit," John confirmed. "The energy waves she emits are identical to the Spirit race. But indeed... we've never seen a Spirit with such terrifying power."
"How can you be so sure?"
"I verified it myself." A man with an upright posture spoke up—Klein, Hunter Rank SS known for his Talent that could see detailed information about any creature. "And this is no ordinary Spirit. She is a Pure Spirit... a being born from the crystallization of pure feelings. An abstract existence that has manifested."
Stifling silence filled the room. Several meeting participants exchanged tense glances.
A creature born from feelings? They had heard of some abnormal births in history, but this was something new that transcended understanding.
Worried whispers began to be heard, some guild leaders discussing in low voices.
"Everyone, calm down," John raised his hand. "Let's return to the main topic. Although the resurrected Mamon had not fully recovered, the fact that this Spirit defeated one of the Seven Deadly Sins remains an extraordinary achievement." He looked at every face in the room with deep seriousness. "Therefore, I firmly declare... by any means necessary, we must bring this Spirit to our side."
"Speaking of this issue," the Sky Order Guild Leader cut in with a cold tone, his gaze directed at one of the screens, "I heard the Frost Assassin was involved in the incident. What's your response, Shadow Order Leader?"
The screen he stared at showed no face, only the silhouette of a woman with an alluring yet deadly body shape. Though not clearly visible, everyone knew the identity behind that shadow—a Hunter Rank SSS whose guild sheltered some of the strongest Rank SS Hunters.
It might seem strange to see an illegal organization, considered evil, present at this high-level meeting. But in dire situations like now, the line between good and evil blurred for the sake of human survival.
Of course, not all participants trusted the good intentions of such organizations. Who knew when they might stab from behind?
"Fufu..." A soft yet cold laugh was heard from the screen. "Honestly, although Frost Assassin is a member of my guild, it doesn't mean I monitor every movement. So, no comment."
"Don't act stupid, wench."
A heavy voice full of anger shook the room. The Emperor of the Lightsun Empire rose from his chair, his eyes flashing with pure hatred.
"Thanks to your dog's reckless actions, not only has my son become permanently disabled, but most of the Rank S Hunters from my empire were killed." His voice rose to a roar, "HOW WILL YOU EXPLAIN ALL THIS?!"
Despite the distance and screen, the pressure from the emperor's anger felt suffocating to the farthest corner of the room.
No one dared to interrupt. They understood the emperor's anger—attacked by the Frost Assassin without warning, the Third Prince Vian suffered permanent disability and several of their best Rank S Hunters perished.
This news shocked everyone. Frost Assassin was indeed known to be dangerous, but not to this level. The conclusion was clear: it wasn't that Frost Assassin was too strong, but that the victims were in their weakest condition after the Mamon incident.
"How frightening," replied the Shadow Order Leader in a casual tone, "then what do you want as compensation?"
"Hand over the Frost Assassin and that Spirit to me."
"Pfft... Hahaha..." Mocking laughter filled the room before turning into a dangerous tone. "Don't make ridiculous requests. Do you think I'm afraid of you? Frost Assassin is mine alone. As for that Spirit? Do I look like I care?"
All participants felt the room's air seemingly freeze. The emperor's expression darkened further. "I'll take this as a declaration of war."
"War?" The woman chuckled with an undisguised mad tone. "Go ahead. I'm not afraid of you."
A suffocating silence enveloped the room. In just a few brief exchanges, two of the world's greatest powers stood on the brink of open conflict.
"Enough," John interrupted firmly, his brow deeply furrowed. "We're not gathered here for this." He heaved a heavy sigh before looking back at the Shadow Order Leader's screen. "Shadow Order Leader, I beg you to direct Frost Assassin. Ask her to attend the next meeting with that Spirit."
"Hmm... I can't promise anything..."
"That's enough for now." John massaged his throbbing temples. "And there's something else more urgent..."
He pressed another button, and a horrifying scene was projected on all screens. Gasps were heard from several corners of the room.
"This is the main issue I wanted to address..."
The screen displayed footage from a helicopter hovering above an area formerly known as Life Forest.
...
"It's t-terrible! The weather and condition of Life Forest are completely chaotic! No one knows what happened, but—"
JEDAAR!!
"Kyaa!!"
The helicopter shook violently when a purple lightning bolt struck nearby. Fortunately, the vehicle was coated with special material with extraordinary durability.
But everyone's attention was focused on the scene below: Life Forest, once one of the most beautiful places in the world, now just shapeless ruins.
Giant trees that should have been green and glowing with life now withered and dead. The bright weather that always sheltered the forest had changed to electrical storms and endless acid rain.
Magnificent mountains that once rose gracefully were now split as if cut by a giant sword, creating irregular chasms and plains.
Most worrying were the purple lightning bolts automatically striking anything that approached, and a large dimensional crack with a three-point pinwheel symbol pulsating in the center of the area.
...
"What the..."
Expressions of shock appeared on every face. Some suspected this was a large-scale dungeon break, but...
"No, this isn't a dungeon break," John shook his head with a grim expression.
"Huh? It's not?"
"Yes." John exhaled heavily, his eyes showing deep concern. "This is... the result of a battle between the Goddess of Life and her enemy. And in that battle... the Goddess of Life nearly died."
Total silence. No one dared speak, as if those words carried a curse that would spread if discussed.
With this, the world faced a new threat that even the gods couldn't avoid.
***
"Master, do you see this?"
The spirit in the necklace was silent for a moment before snorting. "Foolish question. Of course I see it. This old spirit's eyes are still sharper than any human's."
"Then..." The young man swallowed, his voice trembling. His shaking fingers pointed toward the destruction before them—fallen giant trees, cracked earth, and purple energy flashes striking through the air. "Do you think I could cause damage like this?"
The spirit residing in the crystal necklace around the young man's neck fell silent, his silvery gaze revealing deep concern.
Chen Ye, a young man with jet-black hair and eyes as blue as the deep sea, looked ordinary at first glance—wearing a gray tunic and worn leather pants. But the necklace on his throat emitted a mystical aura that glowed faintly, as if having its own life. The pale blue crystal hanging in the center occasionally shimmered with unnatural light when the spirit spoke.
He now stood at the border of Life Forest—an ancient forest said to be the center of life energy flow on this continent. Initially, he only intended to rest briefly from his intensive training in the forest, but he never expected...
Something terrible had happened during his training.
Before him, a magical energy wall rippled like a transparent purple curtain, containing the explosion of extraordinary power raging inside the forest. Rumbling sounds and booms were heard from behind the wall, along with the faint screams of forest creatures.
Driven by blinding curiosity, Razel reached out his hand, trying to touch the energy wall to feel the nature of its power.
"Ugh?!"
His body instantly jerked backward as purple energy struck his hand. Excruciating pain spread from his fingertips throughout his body, as if his blood had turned to lava flowing through his veins.
"YOU FOOL! WHAT WERE YOU THINKING BY TOUCHING IT?!" The spirit in the necklace appeared in complete form—an old man with a long silver beard and pristine white robe flowing without wind. His wrinkled face reddened with anger, and his transparent hand hit Razel's head.
"Sorry, Master!" Chen Ye winced, rubbing his head even though the blow didn't really hurt him physically. "I thought the energy would be stable like a normal barrier, but this... this seems alive and... hungry."
The old spirit's hand that had touched that energy was now filled with purple lines like glass cracks, slowly spreading up his arm.
"HEY! What are you doing there?!"
A thundering voice came from the distance. A Hunter with a dark green cloak and the Guardian Forest Guild emblem on his chest ran closer, an arrow already fitted to his bow.
Razel glanced toward his master in panic.
"Run, you idiot!" whispered the spirit. "This energy is too dangerous. We need to find out what happened before they imprison you for thinking this was your doing!"
Without needing to be told twice, Chen Ye darted away. Blue energy glowed around his feet, making him move as fast as the autumn wind. Leaves flew behind him as he cut through the forest to escape.
"STOP! Don't run away! Damn it!"
The guard could only curse, lowering his bow in frustration. He knew it was futile to chase someone with such speed—clearly not an ordinary Hunter...