No matter where you looked, you saw blood. Hope never imagined a person could bleed that much.

He was the one who caused that. He killed a man. And for the first time. He was only 11 years old at that time.

He slit the man's throat with his own hands and then stained his hands with blood. The scene was too grim for him to watch.

It became a decisive event that would follow him for the rest of his life.

Such a graphic scene didn't end with just a large amount of blood. It was accompanied by a terrible, metallic smell that filled the air in the small cell.

So much so that Hope's nervous breathing quickened even more.

The man he killed was someone he knew. Moreover, Hope's long-time mentor and, in his opinion, one of his best teachers.

But the boy killed the man quickly and painlessly.

He expected the killing to bring tears to his eyes, or at least nausea. 'It was easier than I thought.'

This was his first thought, which made his actions even more severe in his own eyes.

Then he looked at the man's soulless corpse for a long time. Longer than he wanted to, but he did it anyway.

The question manifested itself: Why did Hope kill the teacher he respected so much?

The problem was that this man himself ordered the boy to do it.

The instructor prepared the boy for years. He taught him everything he knew, and in the last lesson, he ordered such madness.

"Hope, I taught you everything I knew. But there is one thing that even I don't know, but the path you must take requires knowledge of it!"

"What do you mean, Vizi?" the boy naively asked his mentor. He thought this would be one insignificant lesson. Oh, how wrong he was.

This was the last moment when he addressed the man by his name.

"Murder, Hope. This is a great art that I never dared to master. Now, as the Chosen One, it is expected of you. So this is your last lesson from me."

Vizi said, handing the boy a dark-coloured dagger.

The man spoke so calmly that the boy could hardly believe his ears. 'He is joking, right? But Vizi never jokes.'

The teacher's voice was the only thing that broke his thoughts. "Follow me. We need to do this in a suitable place." He was as calm as he was at the beginning.

He led Hope to the room, not allowing him to argue. Then he turned his head back into the cell, looked at the boy in the dim light, and smiled.

It was the first and last time the boy saw Vizi smile. "Now do as I told you. Do it quickly and try to make it painless."

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Hope was scared. He didn't want to do this. However, the entire 11 years of training were meant to make the boy obedient.

He didn't know how to resist; it was even harder than cutting a man's throat.

That's why he did it. Hope killed the instructor as he looked him in the eye.

Then he watched the man who had turned into a corpse for a long time. The boy watched as his mentor's warm body lost all the heat.

He may not have understood it, but he believed he had done the right thing.

There was a reason for all that.

Three hundred years ago, humanity was on the verge of extinction. Their once carefree existence has been transformed by a struggle for survival as a result of massive planetary changes.

All of humanity has felt the impact of the cosmic forces that erupted centuries ago.

Monstrous entities appeared, some controlling human bodies, others taking over animals.

And then there were entirely new beings, whose powers far surpassed human capabilities. Their origins, intentions, and weaknesses remained mysteries.

These monsters pushed humanity back, driving it to the edge of annihilation.

In this darkness, the Prophecies began to emerge. Their origins were uncertain, unknown, unknowable.

Fragments of visions appeared in poems, tales, and stories out of nowhere. Each prophecy carried purpose and meaning, dictating life and death.

But collecting and interpreting these fragments proved beyond human abilities, especially as monsters and deadly creatures covered the planet.

Having glimpsed hope, humanity was further plunged into panic over its untapped knowledge.

Many settlements gave up; others waged wars, leaving society almost entirely fragmented.

At the most critical moment of humanity's survival, the gods appeared. No one knew their exact number and fragmented prophecies offered no details.

Instead, the undeniable acts of service came into view from these lofty beings.

The gods promised humanity aid from their realms in exchange for forming bonds and gathering fragments of prophecy.

Over two hundred years later, the gathering of fragments continued. Prophecies spread, and people gained more knowledge, understanding that peace was temporary. They must pay the price, and it won't be cheap.

Throughout this time, humanity continued to grow. According to the prophecies, the danger wasn't over. The number of monsters grew daily, and even the god's power wasn't enough to reduce their numbers.

Thus, fear lingered in every heart. The threat remained, and accumulated knowledge indicated it would never vanish. In fact, the tension it caused never disappeared.

People needed some kind of authority. Someone who would guide them, protect them, and give them hope.

A fragment of a poem emerged, joined by fables, until one day the whole world spoke of it.

A child, not yet born, became a beacon of hope. He was tasked with ensuring the survival of the entire species, and according to the rumours, he was soon to appear.

A few years later, a child was born whose real name none of the prophecies spoke of. Everyone called him Hope, and every moment of his life was controlled.

The prophecy manifested itself as an ultimate system. A system that will guide him on his journey and will be a source of his transcendent power.

Myths and legends about him spread immediately. Fragments spoke a lot about his destiny.

He will be the leader of the fighting force, he will collect all the prophecies in the future and bring true peace to the world.

However, the boy never knew freedom. His food, his clothing, his friends, and toys were defined by others.

His mother died when he was born, and his father was separated from him the next day. The guardians were also chosen by the planet's government.

He was transferred to a closed city, forbidden to outsiders and with strict controls on visitors.

Nothing was spared for his education and welfare.

The best instructors were selected, and every parameter of his health was checked twice a day. He was guarded by the most powerful Binders of the time.

In short, Hope was the most protected and important person on the planet. In his early training, he seemed to live up to his name.

Quick-witted, nimble, and intelligent, he picked things up quickly and was a few paces ahead of his peers.

He studied how to be the finest leader, lead humanity, and save the world with the help of prophecy.

Just 4 years after his early murder, Hope stood against the first monster he had to slay.