Chapter 0 - Prologue

Sitting atop a devastated building, a young man leaned against the wall. His breath was ragged, his vision blurry, and his legs wobbling. His body screamed in pain.

Blue screens of death repeated themselves in his vision, taunting him with his imminent demise. Yet, he only chuckled. “Who could’ve imagined they would throw their ulti straight away? Heh, that’s just diabolical.”

“I’ve already done what I must do.”

“They’ll help the Hero to reach the end.”

His eyelids drooped, fluttering with effort as he struggled to keep them open. Each blink came slower than the last. His vision narrowed and blurred as darkness crept in at the edges.

A faint sound drifted to him, barely cutting through the fog of his mind. It was distant and muffled like a whisper carried on the wind.

“…Lu”

“…Luca”

“cas…”

“Lucas!”

A woman dressed in paladin armor shook his body. “Oh no! Are you alright?! Wait, I’ll heal you, right now!”

Lucas struggled to lift his hand and pressed it onto the woman’s shoulder. He coughed. “No, Jesse… It’s the Divine Curse. Your healing won’t help… me.”

“How can I not try?!” Jesse shouted in fury, her hands glowing with milky energy before it enveloped Lucas.

“Listen to me, Jesse. Go help her, go help them. They need you more than I do,” Lucas said, his voice almost pleading as his weak grip tightened on her shoulder. “I won’t die anytime soon. My cells are fighting against the Divine Curse right now.”

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Staring at Lucas’s haggard and desperate appearance, Jesse couldn’t stop the tears from flowing. The milky energy in her hands intensified. “No, I’ll save you. I’ll definitely heal you!”

“Jesse!” Lucas growled before coughing violently. “I already had a cure concocted in the lab. I’ll be fine. Go and help them. They need you!”

Jesse’s tears rolled down her face as she stared at Lucas. Finally, she sniffled and nodded. Lights began to form around her feet as she leaped away.

Watching her leave, Lucas let out a soft chuckle. His gaze drifted to the far side, where a destroyed wall stood. Beyond it, waves of blackness swarmed toward him.

His gaze shifted slightly downward, where he saw numerous individuals with various weapons and armor, forming a giant line of defense.

His eyes settled on a specific spot.

There, he saw a black-haired man with a solidified aura of a six-armed humanoid behind him.

There, he saw Jesse, who had been desperate to heal him moments ago, landing next to the man.

There, he saw a giant man clad in full metal armor, armed with a giant hammer and shield.

There, he saw a man draped in a black robe, armed with a rifle.

There, he saw a woman with long auburn hair, armed with a spear.

There, he saw a woman with long black hair, armed with a sword.

His gaze lingered on the woman with the sword as a gentle smile formed on his face.

All of them were shocked when they saw Jesse return to them. One by one, their gazes turned toward him.

Sensing their panicked looks, Lucas struggled before sluggishly raising his arm in a weak wave.

The group turned back toward the black waves when they saw him waving.

Gasping for breath, Lucas tilted his head back against the wall. “I’ll help you guys clear the mob levels first. That way, you can jump straight into the boss fight.”

“Heh, let’s do that again. It sounds awesome anyway.”

Seeing the black waves inching into his desired range, Lucas smirked. Energy began to concentrate and revolve within his body. He raised his arm and whispered.

“Be my order, ready the cannons.”

At his command, the energy within him spread out. Every cannon mounted on the wall began to hum.

“Use my treasures to show them the power that protects my family.”

“My resolve shall flood the earth.”

“King’s Signal Cannon.”

Then, ear-splitting explosions erupted. An endless stream of flashy beams arced toward the black waves.

Thunderous explosions deafened him.

Flashes of beams blinded him.

Clouds of dirt and dust swirled around him.

Lands of the earth trembled beneath him.

Cacophonies of agony rang out.

"Get Gilgamesh-ed," he chuckled.

These were the last things his senses captured before the darkness embraced him.