This world was one where magic was both a gift and a curse. In the early days of the planet's history, gods fought for dominance. It was the battle between Seth, the god of reincarnation, and Opera, the god of space, that changed everything. Their conflict caused the very fabric of existence to ripple, creating a violent storm of magic that shook the realms.
Seth, in his desperation to escape Opera's superior powers, fled to a distant, lifeless planet—Earth. He released the magic from other worlds, an immense surge of energy. This release gave birth to the first beings of this new world, a spark of life igniting the lifeless stone. But this influx of magic also created a problem. As the magic flowed, it began to create pollution—a toxic byproduct that would become the bane of existence for all living things. The demons, led by Diablos, sought to harness this pollution for their own ends, while other gods, like Opera, observed from afar, wary of the power growing on Earth.
Yet, there was hope. Amidst the chaos, the World Tree, Yggdrasil, took root and grew. It became the stabilizing force of the world, a guardian of sorts, its branches reaching into the fabric of reality itself. But even the World Tree was not immune to the power struggle between gods. It attracted the attention of powerful beings, demons and gods alike, all vying for control.
And it was in this world of growing tension, amidst a cycle of wars and conflicts, that Kael, the hero born of free will, emerged.
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Kael’s eyes narrowed as he watched his target. A massive boar, its hide thick and matted with mud, barreled through the underbrush. Standing at five feet tall, the boar had tusks that jutted out like the horns of an elephant, sharp and deadly. It snorted angrily, trying to flee from the human that had been pursuing it for the past hour. But Kael was relentless.
The boar’s name was Gorrak, the Mammoth-Horned Boar. It had terrorized the surrounding villages for weeks, its massive tusks carving destruction into fields and settlements alike. Now, it was Kael’s prey.
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With each step, Kael calculated. He wasn’t just a hunter—he was a tactician. Gorrak’s movements were predictable. Kael had already studied its behavior, predicting the animal’s path through the forest with precision. His boots barely made a sound on the dirt path as he followed at a steady pace, his hand resting on the hilt of his dagger, ready for the final strike.
Gorrak had stopped momentarily, snorting as it turned to face its pursuer, eyes wild with fear. It wasn’t ready to die.
Kael’s fingers twitched, the air around him shifting with intent. He muttered under his breath, calculating the magic he needed. He needed something strong, something that would end Gorrak’s life with a single strike. His mind spun through possible combinations in the Chain System, recalling the correct formula he had used countless times before. Firestone, Windroot, Earthcore, Waterleaf, and Lightbloom. These were the elements he would use to craft his magic—a five-chain combination, powerful enough to bind the boar’s eyes and leave it vulnerable for a kill.
With a deep breath, Kael summoned the magic. His hands moved gracefully through the air, the elements twisting and combining at his will. In an instant, the spell took shape, a web of energy wrapping itself around Gorrak’s eyes. The beast let out an enraged screech, its vision obscured. Kael seized the opportunity, sprinting forward and drawing his dagger from his belt. The blade was light but deadly, designed to slip between the ribs and sever the heart.
In one swift motion, Kael lunged. The dagger plunged into Gorrak’s neck with a sickening crack, and the beast collapsed to the ground, dead.
But as it died, something unexpected happened. The body began to writhe, and a dark, polluted energy began to leak from it, swirling in the air like a thick, black smoke. Magic pollution. It spread quickly, poisoning the ground around it.
Kael stepped back, watching the pollution spread. He grimaced. “Too bad we can’t salvage the body. The magic pollution is too dangerous. No one will be able to use this creature for anything.”
The pollution continued to billow from the corpse as the last remnants of the beast’s life force dissipated into the air. Kael sheathed his dagger and turned away, his thoughts already moving to the next hunt.
The story of Kael was only just beginning. The hero born of free will, a man who rejected the fate others tried to impose upon him, would soon find himself drawn into the war that raged between gods, monsters, and mortals. As Kael continued his journey, he would uncover the mysteries of magic, the truth about the gods, and the secrets of the Chain System. But for now, all he needed to do was survive the next hunt.