The air bore a foul and rusty stench, thick with the acrid scent of blood that seeped into every chilling gust. A poisonous haze, as thick as a shroud, enshrouded the vicinity. Even a single, timid breath inhaled by the frail could unleash an instant death.

Amid the eerie stillness, a soft, rhythmic 'tip-tap' echoed. Droplets of fresh, vivid purple fluid dripped steadily onto the blade of a gleaming silver sword. Before it, the gargantuan, two-horned head sprawled helplessly upon the polished, shimmering floor. Its sharp, vigilant eyes, fully awake and brimming with defiance, locked into an unwavering glare at the figure who loomed above, daring to step upon it.

"You who killed the Vessel, state your name."

The head, now severed from its main body, spoke with an eerie tone. Evidently, the High Rank on that 'side' still maintained a connection.

"Kaiser," it responded nonchalantly.

"Kaiser, the human child who successfully slew the Demon King's vessel, shall be granted both a blessing and a curse—!"

Before the bodiless entity could continue, Kaiser plunged his blade once more, reducing it to smoldering ashes.

"You're too loud."

This person held no regard for blessings or curses. He firmly believed in one's mastery over their own destiny. Unwavering in his conviction that any challenges, be they from gods or demons, would succumb to his indomitable will.

"I have no time for your nonsense."

Kaiser promised to return within a few minutes; conversing with a monster was nothing but a waste of time.

Finally, without any impediments in his path, Kaiser walked freely toward the king. There was no one else in this chamber except for the two of them and the corpses.

As the saying goes, it's best to savor the best for last.

*Hick

Albert the King cried and trembled as he crawled away from the assassin. But before he could escape, a glint of silver met his face, just inches away.

"You look like a cockroach, dear king."

"S-s-stay away from me, Kaiser!"

"Scared?" Kaiser nonchalantly drove his sword into the floor, then wiped away the remaining blood so meticulously, as if indicating 'you're next,' heightening the King's fear.

With the creatures the King had summoned now obliterated, he found himself with nowhere to escape. He bore a striking resemblance to a pitiful rat facing a carnivorous hawk.

"I heard you were going to kill me; where has your confidence gone? Hmm, Albert?"

"H-how dare you speak my name, filthy commoner—!"

With a swift swing, Albert's head flew into the air.

"Ah, noisy..."

It was an apathetic remark, as if he had just killed an insect rather than a human. He felt nothing. This king does not deserve an ounce of sympathy, anger, or pity. Kaiser won't show any emotion for him.

The severed head of the king tumbled to the cold stone floor, and its jeweled crown clattered as it rolled to a stop at Kaiser's feet.

It's finally over.

The once-unshakable reign of tyrants has finally come to an end.

How long did it take?

How many people died for this to happen?

....

The king's chamber burst open, expelling his concerned subordinate, Matrix, with a look of unease etched on his face.

"Lord Kaiser, Lady Elyana... She's..."

Kaiser clutched the crown, a sense of foreboding creeping over him at the mere mention of Elyana's name. Matrix's voice hinted at trouble, sending shivers to his soul.

"Take me to her!"

What could have gone wrong? He had entrusted his most formidable subordinates to protect her and secure the safest place possible. No one should have had the slightest chance to breach their defenses. Yet, that ominous feeling clung to him like a shadow, a silent torment that refused to be dismissed.

Matrix's expression couldn't be painted; beads of cold sweat trickled down his fine brow. He knew that if Kaiser lost control, no one could contain him. No one!

As Kaiser stepped into the room, his eyes immediately fell upon Elyana, sitting upright, her form gradually dissolving as though consumed by a gentle light. Yet, her smile remained warm and carefree, her outstretched arms beckoning him for an embrace.

Without a second thought, Kaiser embraced the person he feared losing the most.

'Why?... We're so close... Why now, why?!' He kept repeating to himself.

'I've already lost everything... But please, not you too.'

"Elyana..." His voice softened and nearly broke as if something were caught in his throat.

Yes, he was scared. He's scared to be left alone again. What's the point of reaching greatness if he will live with loneliness?

He can't bear it.

"Kai!" Elyana giggled, returning his embrace. Her voice rang with unbridled joy, as if nothing were amiss.

"You came! Hehehe, forgive this silly girl for defying your wishes. Ehe!"

'How could she maintain this cheerfulness, despite the unbearable pain she must be feeling?' Kaiser bit his lower lip and gazed at her in silence, silently imploring her not to leave.

Elyana gently wiped the blood from his lower lip. "Kai, please don't hurt yourself. I'm alright... See, I still have plenty of energy. Hehe, I can stay with you, hmmm, for a few more minutes?"

Her words only stoked the flames of his anxiety. It was clear that she wasn't fine. It was painfully evident that she had already made the decision to leave him.

"Matrix!!!"

His subordinate immediately knelt in response to his fury. "We deeply apologize; instead of us protecting her, she shielded us. The poison from the dragon's breath has spread this far, and others can't endure it. The Lady is also concerned about the nearby citizens."

Matrix felt a slight sting on his cheek as a sword was hurled at him. If there had been intent to kill him, he would surely have met his end, and he would have embraced that fate willingly. Matrix fully understand his Lord's wrath. It was their inadequacy and lack of power that had led to their lady's self-sacrifice, as she expended too much of her mana to neutralize the poisoned air.

"Aya, don't be angry with them, Kai... It's my decision... I'm content." Elyana gently held his face, ensuring his gaze was locked on her.

"Oh, no, you've marred that handsome face of yours, Kai."

"Elyana..." Kaiser, unconvinced by her cheery facade, wore a pained expression.

With the path he chose, death was unavoidable. It had already attached itself to him and his people. He'd already lost count of how many friends' bodies he'd buried and witnessed their deaths. He doesn't want her to be the next.

"Kai... I'm alright... Could you please show me your smile and tell me you'll be fine?"

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

How could he possibly manage that and be okay in this situation? He couldn't. It felt impossible. "Please, tell me how I can save you."

Kaiser desperately attempted to transfer his mana to her, but due to his lack of knowledge about the proper method and their incompatibility, it simply dissipated into the air.

"Kai, you'll only hurt yourself; please know that I'm content with my life. Meeting you has been filled with wonderful memories. So, smile. And be proud of what I've done. Can you do it for me?"

In response, Kaiser remained silent, resting his head on Elyana's shoulder. He knew this would likely be the last time he'd feel her warmth, and he couldn't help but sob, though his cries were barely audible, as if he were trying to conceal them.

Elyana was well aware of how unreasonable and forceful her request had been. She recognized the selfishness in it, but she couldn't bear the thought of her final moments being filled with sadness and gloom. She didn't want to be remembered as a painful memory for Kai. At least, that's what she hoped for.

"Oh, did you get the crown?"

Kaiser nodded in silence, like a child. Her face brightened a bit as she found him adorably obedient.

"Give it to me and allow me to place it on your head."

Matrix swiftly retrieved the left crown and presented it to Elyana.

With the crown symbolically placed upon his head, Elyana declared, "From this day forth, you are the king of this continent, Kaiser Heinrich Syntellizyor. Lead the continent toward prosperity. Long live the King!"

Everyone kneeled down, chanting in unison,

"Long live the King!"

Elyana smiled bittersweetly as she watched the back of her man. 'She has no regret.' It's a lie.

Yes, this man will be a great king, no doubt about it; however, as a person... Kaiser is strong, but also weak.

It pains her to know that her death will exacerbate Kaiser's suffering. And the outcome of this. She is terrified of the future, when the man she loved will despise himself even more.

The mere thought of this man enduring his struggles in solitude, oblivious to the care of his companions, weighed down her heart like a leaden burden.

It is her biggest regret: dying first and leaving him.

She only desired that he would be free of misery and completely happy.

"Kai..." Her emotions erupted and betrayed her; tears, shaped like glistening pearls, cascaded as she addressed him..

Kaiser's trembling hands desperately reached for her dissipating face. Tears and anguish blurred his vision.

"NO!"

Elyana's lips curled upward, her ethereal voice a blend of solace and sorrow, as she bade her farewell.

"Kai ... Please, be happy..."

Her words were like a soothing melody, tinged with profound grief.

To be continued:

[Kaiser's wife: Wtf, that's the end of the chapter!?

MeLovesRedFlags: Why, why, why? Why did you kill Elyana? I hate you, author!

I'mGay: Dammit. Kaiser lost another one. Cursed you!

Dukja'sWoman: Killing important characters one by one, wow!

Isyourslongandhardasmine: I hate the author.

Crybaby: Man, who's cutting onions?

DramaticQueen_101: He will be the king, but he lost his queen.

Justin: Why do I keep reading this sh*t?

Matrix_myBoi: I'm just here to read comments. Want some popcorn?

Ursugarmama: Ahmmm, finding the author's location.

Karen: Author? = No; Spawn of Satan? = Yes]

Reading the comments put a smile on my face from ear to ear. I scrolled more, and the majority of the comments were hateful toward me.

"Aya, I'm so popular, isn't it?"

I just finished my shower when all sorts of notifications popped up on my phone's screen. Just a few minutes passed after chapter 876 was uploaded by time schedule, yet the chapter was already bombarded with comments.

"Kekeke, that's it. That's the reaction that I want. Come on, dear readers, suffer more~"

I am so entertained and overly joyful that I can't help but laugh maniacally. My book [Syntellizyor Way to Become Monarch: Kaiser's Era] was not that popular; I only have 200 readers at most. Yet I managed to reach 800+ chapters, almost at the end, because of them.

My dear readers love to leave comments and pour out their emotions. Their tears, love, and hate motivate me to keep writing. Yes, I'm so thankful that some people are as weird as me.

This book doesn't even have a romance tag, but they keep asking where the female lead is. No way; that's normal.

They're a bit strange, but I love them.

And I love to kill their favorite characters, too.

After drying my hair, I sat down on my most comfortable chair and opened my computer, planning to start editing my draft for the next chapters.

But before I could even start, a weird message flashed, covering most of the screen.

[ ⊬⍜⎍⍀ ⟟⌇⟒☍⏃⟟ ⟊⍜⎍⍀⋏⟒⊬ ⟟⌇ ⌇⏁⏃⍀⏁⟟⋏☌ ⏁⍀⏃⋏⌇⌰⏃⏁⟒ ]

"A bug?" were words that left my mouth as I couldn't comprehend them.

I plan to restart my computer, but I can't even find the main menu. Just then the word changes to "triple dots."

[ ... ]

[Condition fulfilled.]

[Transferring your soul in 60 seconds.]

[59]

[58]

"What the—!" I almost fell off my chair looking at the countdown.

"What is this?" What kind of prank is this?!"

I panicked and hastily pulled the plugs to shut down the computer. The monitor went black, but an eerie bluish glow still lingered. What was worse was that wherever I looked, it lurked.

'A window?'

I chuckled.

"What the h*ck! Am I dreaming? Is this really a system?"

'Am I losing my mind?'

My question was swiftly answered. A sharp, searing pain gripped my heart, making it feel as though someone were squeezing it so tightly that I struggled to catch my breath.

A telltale sign of a heart attack.

[30]

[29]

"Oh, d*mn." My vision blurred and hazed. Desperately, I fumbled for my phone on the nearby table, gasping for breath, intending to dial 911.

'I can't die now.'

As the countdown reached 10, the screen flashed red with a warning sign.

But before I could even touch the phone, my body collapsed to the floor with a harsh and resounding thud. "It hurts." I clutched my chest, fearing my heart might leap from my body.

'It hurts... It hurts so much...'

[6]

[5]

"I can't die... Not now..."

[4]

[3]

'Not now, when I'm only in my boxers... the humiliation... please, not now...'

[1]

[You Died]

"Sh*t."