Kael stretched his arms slightly as he sat up in bed, his movements slow and unhurried. For a while, he remained still, staring at the empty wall before him, his mind deliberately blank—holding off the tide of thoughts that threatened to rise.

Eventually, he mustered the will to move, slipping out of bed and getting dressed with quiet efficiency. As he made his way to the kitchen, preparing to make breakfast, he finally allowed his thoughts to drift. Memories surfaced, uninvited yet familiar.

From an early age, he had been orphaned, forced to survive on his own with no one to lean on. He could no longer recall his parents’ faces—only the warmth of their love, a distant, fading sensation that felt more like a dream than a memory. But his younger sister remained a clear fact in his mind, a piece of his past that time hadn’t erased.

Once, they had faced the world together—two lost children clinging to each other in the dark. But somewhere along the way, they had drifted apart. Not to death, not to tragedy—just to time, to distance, to the slow, indifferent pull of life.

He didn’t know where she was now, if she was safe, if she even remembered him. But that was the nature of the world. People lost each other, pulled apart by forces beyond their control. He had long since accepted that.

With his life constantly on the line, Kael had been forced into all manner of unsavory work—stealing, blackmailing, lying—whatever it took to survive. Morality had never been a luxury he could afford. And through this honorless work, he came to witness the ugliest sides of human nature.

People were willing to kill, deceive, and betray even lifelong friends if it meant gaining an advantage. At first, Kael had been horrified by the depths of cruelty humans could sink to in pursuit of their own interests. But as the years passed, his perspective shifted. In a way, he had come to appreciate these experiences. They had given him a deeper understanding of people—an insight most only gained after decades of life.

And yet, no matter how ruthless they seemed, he couldn’t bring himself to hate them. Because, at their core, they were no different from him. Just like him, they were only trying to survive, to carve out something better for themselves in an unforgiving world.

and finally, after years of brutal survival, Kael awakened as a Luminaire. His newfound power and enhanced physique gave him the confidence to take on more dangerous work. Before he knew it, he had become a mercenary. He didn’t care what the job was—as long as there was a price on it, he would see it done. Stealing, killing, hunting—it made no difference to him. Efficiency became his greatest weapon, and with it, he carved out a name for himself in the hidden world of mercenaries, earning enough to live comfortably.

However, comfort was never truly his aim. Throughout his relentless struggle, survival had taught him one undeniable truth: control was the only currency that mattered. Life was like a river, and fate its unyielding current—a force that bent forests, shattered stone, and drowned even the most defiant. Kael didn’t know if he’d ever reach shore. But still, he swam. Still, he clawed at the torrent, muscles screaming, lungs burning, carving temporary furrows into the unyielding flow. Let the river call it wasted breath; let it drag him deeper. When the edge came, he’d meet it on his own terms—eyes wide open, teeth bared, a lifetime of ripples etched into his skin like scars. And until then? He’d thrash. Again. Again. Again.

“Life waits for no one huh.”

Kael let out a soft, knowing smile, thinking about his past.

The past had not been kind to him, but it had given him something else—confidence in the future. Few were as prepared as he was for the trials ahead.

Yesterday after having collected the bounty on a young barista in a cafeteria, on his way home, a new mercenary job caught his eye.

Throughout the city, numerous billboards displayed news, advertisements, and various offers. However, hidden among them were cryptic messages meant solely for mercenaries. At first glance, this might have seemed unnecessary, but the complexity of these postings served a purpose—to ensure only the most qualified could decipher them.

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Kael had spent quite a few years now as a mercenary, honing his ability to decipher. Most coded messages were easy enough for him to crack, but one in particular caught his attention. It was needlessly convoluted, its complexity bordering on absurd.

At face value, it spoke of nothing more than a simple letter delivery to a close friend. Yet, as Kael stared at the message, gears turning in his mind, the true meaning gradually unraveled. It took him tens of minutes, longer than he cared to admit, but eventually, the pieces fell into place.

‘No wonder they went to such lengths to encrypt this.’

His brows furrowed. Whoever had written this message wasn’t just being cautious—they were desperate.

It was, without a doubt, a special mission—so much so that even Kael found himself momentarily surprised. The request came from the only noble family in Farkath, the Eirendaile. It was exceedingly rare for a noble house to seek the aid of a mercenary. Not only did they have their own trusted forces, but they also possessed the wealth to hire virtually anyone they desired.

Across the world, noble families were direct descendants of powerful cultivators, with four of them tracing their lineage back to paragons—the highest-ranked cultivators in existence, standing at rank nine. Their names were known to all, yet their true nature remained a mystery to anyone outside their bloodlines.

For a family of such stature to seek the aid of a mercenary was nearly unheard of. While Eirendaile was not among the paragons’ bloodlines nor a bloodline spanning millions of years, its ancestor had been an exceptionally powerful rank five Luminaire—and the very founder of Farkath. Within the city, his name was known by all, his legacy woven into its very foundation.

That was precisely what made this so unusual. A family of such prominence had no shortage of trusted allies, nor any lack of wealth to secure the best. For them to resort to a mercenary meant only one thing.

This mission was something they couldn’t afford to be tied to.

Sigh.

Kael exhaled sharply and ripped the poster from the board, ensuring no one else would have the chance to take it.

Deciphering the message had taken him tens of minutes, but making the final decision took only a moment. The treasures and rewards from a family that had endured for centuries were, without a doubt, exceptional. The opportunity was simply too big to ignore.

—

A faint sizzle snapped him from his thoughts.

Kael blinked, realizing his hand had been hovering over the pan for longer than necessary. The scent of frying eggs filled the small kitchen, blending with the lingering cold of the morning. He exhaled slowly, shaking off the remnants of yesterday. That was done. The decision had been made. Now, all that remained was to see it through.

There were still a few weeks before his mission began, and Kael intended to make the most of it—taking it easy and enjoying this rare moment of free time. That was precisely why he was making such a hefty breakfast, not sparing a single thought on the cost.

Before long, his meal was ready. Crispy bacon, freshly baked bread, eggs, vibrant vegetables, and a steaming cup of coffee—all neatly plated in front of him.

He awkwardly picked up his plates and coffee cup, heading for the porch. It was simple, with only a small table and a chair—but for Kael, it was enough.

Just last year, he had finally saved up enough to buy a small cabin on the outskirts of the city. It wasn’t anything special, just a modest home tucked away in the woods. But he liked it. It was peaceful, a place where he could escape the noise of the city and enjoy some quiet.

It wasn’t luxurious by any means, but it had all the essentials. More importantly, it was surrounded by trees in every direction, with a small lake visible through the gaps in the foliage—a quiet retreat where the only sounds were birdsong and the gentle rustling of leaves in the wind.

Kael sat down and opened one of the many books he had picked up from his bookshelf. The pages were slightly worn, the spine creased from countless readings, but that only made it feel more familiar. As he read, time slipped away unnoticed. The morning sun climbed higher, warming the wooden porch, but he remained lost in the world within the pages.

A cool breeze drifted past, carrying the scent of damp earth and pine, stirring the leaves overhead. Somewhere in the distance, a bird called out, its song blending seamlessly into the gentle hush of the forest. Kael turned another page, shifting slightly in his chair.

Eventually, the warmth of his meal had faded, the last crumbs of bread sitting forgotten on his plate. The golden afternoon light spilled through the trees, stretching shadows across the porch. He blinked, glancing up at the sky—when had it gotten so late?

He let out a slow breath, stretching his arms before leaning back in his chair.

For a brief moment, he simply sat there, listening to the sounds of the forest. There was no rush, no pressure—just him, his book, and the quiet company of nature.

And for now, that was enough.