In a world where special individuals known as Soul Warriors exist, they possess the ability to harness the power of their soul and transform it into a magical weapon called Soul Equipment. These warriors are tasked with maintaining peace and protecting humanity.

After the fall of the tyrant Komodo's Empire, the importance of Soul Warriors in every army became critical. To guarantee that only the most competent fighters were identified and permitted to use their skills, a system of training and instruction was formed. Their capabilities expanded with their duties.

However, there was one exception.

…

“Remember student, the origin of Lizardwar since its appearance was unknown. Their place of residence was the Replord Empire and it was in the process of militarization...”

As the teacher stood at the podium, he gestured to the small machine mounted on the board, and with a tap, a holograph appeared. The class was transported back in time, witnessing the epic battle between the Soul Warriors and the Lizardwar. The teacher's captivating narration added to the allure of the lessons, and every student was entranced, carefully taking notes in their notebooks.

But one young man was not as interested. Asaga Uchire, a sixteen-year-old first-year student at the Uchire Academy, sat at the end of a row by the window with a bored expression. He leaned back in his chair, his chin resting on his hand, as he gazed out the window into the blue sky.

With dark blue hair that was slightly ruffled and striking blue eyes that shone like pearls from the sea, Asaga stood out among his classmates with his delicate features.

Asaga let his mind wander as the teacher continued the lesson. He felt the warmth of the early morning sun shining through the window and gazed at the green trees swaying in the breeze. He listened to the melodious chirping of the birds flying in the sky, and the scene before him was one of immense beauty and serenity.

Suddenly, a voice interrupted his thoughts. "Listen to the teacher, kid!" it chided. Asaga sighed wearily and replied, "Dark Blood, you know how many times I've heard this. Don't bother me."

"Haiz... all right. Tonight, I'll have a test for you, just do whatever you want," the voice, belonging to Dark Blood, reluctantly agreed before fading away. Asaga let out a long yawn and, with the class still in session, he put his arms on the table and rested his head. Despite his drowsy state, he drifted off to sleep, lost in his thoughts.

"Kid! Wake up, we have a problem," the voice of Dark Blood resounded in Asaga's mind once again, jolting him awake. When he opened his eyes, he found himself in a dark, unfamiliar space.

Asaga rubbed his eyes, wondering if he was dreaming or if this was reality. He took a deep breath and asked, "Dark Blood? What happened? Why am I here?"

Dark Blood was just as confused as Asaga. It was certain that this place was not meant for living creatures like Asaga, but rather only for souls. It seemed that Asaga's soul must have wandered here while he was sleeping in class.

"The problem here is that this phenomenon rarely happens, mainly in people with special abilities," Dark Blood muttered, deep in thought. "Wait... I and the kid can talk to each other. That makes sense, but it's not convincing enough."

Asaga and Dark Blood were both shrouded in mystery and confusion. What was the significance of this unusual event?

“Here’s the bad news! You didn't appear here by accident or by coincidence. Someone deliberately made you fall into this state.”

Asaga was frozen with confusion as Dark Blood's explanation echoed in his mind. He tried to understand the situation he was in, but nothing made sense. How could someone deliberately trap him in this place?

"Is that fire?"

He struggled to get up, but his body was still unresponsive, leaving him at the mercy of the growing flames. The heat was getting more and more intense, and Asaga was beginning to feel his strength leaving him.

Just as he was about to give up, he heard Dark Blood's voice once again.

"I have an idea. You will let me borrow your body, giving you the power until you gain control of your body again. But, this process is dangerous and I cannot guarantee the outcome."

Asaga did not hesitate, he knew he had no other choice. "Do it!" he yelled.

In the next moment, he felt a sudden surge of energy coursing through his body. He was no longer restricted, and he sprang to his feet. With newfound power, he fought against the fire, determined to escape this place.

The intense battle lasted for what felt like an eternity, but finally, the flames receded, and the steppe was engulfed in darkness once again.

Asaga was panting, his body drenched in sweat, but he had survived. He looked around, but he was still in the same dark space.

"Dark Blood, do you know who is behind this?" Asaga asked breathlessly.

"Yes, it was..." it stammered as if it wanted to hide something from Asaga.

“Who!?”

“I'm afraid that person is... The second ruler of the Replord Empire, Komodo.”

As soon as the name Dark Blood mentioned was heard, Asaga's anger boiled over, and his teeth clenched tightly together. The memories of the loss and pain he had suffered in the past came flooding back, overwhelming his mind with a chaotic chorus of voices.

"Kill them all! Any survivors will face my wrath."

"Hurry and run! Don't mind me.”

A little girl with jet-black hair clutched Asaga's hand, looking up at him with tears in her eyes, begging, "I'm sorry, Asaga." And with that, she turned to dust and vanished.

Time slowed as a dark figure stepped forward, stretching out its arms and laughing maniacally. "You see, this is your fate, a cursed creature. Everyone you know, love, or care about will suffer a terrible death. Hahaha!"

The killing intent in the air was palpable, dissolving the strange power that held Asaga back. He grabbed at his hair, puffing out his chest and letting out a distressed scream, tears streaming down his face, "Please, please, get out of my mind! Leave me alone!"

"Child of Divine Duo, I never expected you to truly exist. Unfortunately, this is not the place for conversation. Forgive me for what I must do."

Before Asaga could even react, he was interrupted by a voice that didn't seem to come from within his mind. He turned to find the source but was met with a powerful punch to the face that sent him crashing to the ground.

As he lay there, barely conscious, he struggled to see the face of the person who had hit him. The heat from his burning body, combined with the bruise on his face, made it nearly impossible.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

As he slipped into unconsciousness, the only thing he could see was a tall, dark figure reaching out to him. Despite his desire to fight back and seek revenge, Asaga was too weak to move. With his last breath, he whispered through gritted teeth:

"You...bastard!"

An overwhelming darkness surrounded Asaga. He was tortured by a memory of a group of people huddled together, desperately trying to protect each other from a barrage of bullets. The pain was almost too much to bear, causing him to clutch his head and let out a tormented cry:

"Get out of my mind!"

Sweat pouring from his body, Asaga stumbled to the ground, gasping for air. And there, he saw a river of red, viscous fluid flowing toward him. As he gazed upstream, he was faced with a sight that filled him with horror: piles of lifeless bodies, all torn apart by countless bullets and drenched in blood. Overcome with grief and helplessness, Asaga collapsed onto the red stream and closed his eyes, tears streaming down his face.

"Please, don't just lay there forever. I'm begging you. Don't leave me alone. Everyone, please, open your eyes!"

A mysterious voice called out to him, but Asaga was lost in his sorrow.

"Isn't this what you want?"

Through the bitter tears choking his throat, Asaga let out a silent scream of resentment: "Why did you do this to me, you bastard? What did I ever do to you?"

"Don't ask me why. I'm just here to help you, to train you. So, wake up now and talk to the lord." the voice spoke with a hint of obsession.

“Hey, kid! Wake up!”

As Asaga gazed upon the barren landscape before him, he took in the full extent of the inhospitable desert that surrounded him. Endless stretches of golden dunes rolled across the horizon, while the scorching sun beat down mercilessly upon the parched earth. There was not a single sign of life to be seen, not a single blade of grass or a drop of water.

“Divine Duo's child, glad to see that you are still alive.”

The imposing figure of the Lizardwar loomed before Asaga, his rough brown robes draped over his massive frame. His head was shaped like a crocodile, and his eyes were cold and filled with a hint of amusement.

He sat on a throne of solid gold, his legs crossed lazily as his fingers drummed against the chin. A bored expression played across his features, but Asaga could not shake off the feeling of unease that the aura of violence radiating from him brought about.

Asaga was aware that the Lizardwar in front of him was the great tyrant Komodo, a notorious figure in the world. He felt a mixture of fear and curiosity, wondering why the great tyrant would be here in this desolate place, and what he wanted from Asaga.

Komodo noticed the fear in Asaga's eyes, and let out a deep, guttural laugh. He stood up from his golden sofa, revealing his towering height, and approached Asaga with a predatory gleam in his eye.

Asaga tried to back away, but his body was frozen in place by the intense aura that Komodo exuded. He was trapped, and he knew it.

"Do not be afraid, child, Komodo is here," Komodo said, his voice booming across the desolate desert. "I just want to have a test that you are really their child, guards!"

Asaga watched as Komodo summoned his army of undead with a flick of his wrist. The earth trembled beneath him, and hundreds of corpses emerged from the ground, all bowing in homage to their master. Each of them was dressed in military uniform, bearing the flag of the Replord Empire.

The sight of the rotting and decaying bodies made Asaga feel disgusted. He watched as Komodo acknowledged their bow, causing the corpses to raise their heads and emit a wild, animalistic scream. The Lizardwar then pointed his hand straight at Asaga, causing the corpses to turn their gaze upon him, and let out a blood-curdling scream at the sight of a human.

Komodo stared at the undead, scratched his head for a moment, then glanced at Asaga and said:

“Child of the Divine Duo, show me your true strength. If you can send these corpses to hell once more, all your questions I will be willing to answer all in full, as detailed as possible, without the slightest bit of lies... Soldier! Destroy him!”

The legion of the undead immediately rushed towards him when Komodo's command had just entered their ears. At the same time, Asaga felt a burning sensation in his heart, realizing this was an opportunity for him to find the identity of that general, who was responsible for his traumatic past.

He quickly reached into his pocket and took out a red jewel, emitting a brilliant red light. Komodo opened his eyes wide in amazement at its pure beauty. The power that humans used against him when he was in charge of the Replord Empire, muttered in his mouth:

“That gem... What master and that old man said was correct. Once I take that power, Lizardwar will be unstoppable!”

The jewel that Asaga was holding in his hand suddenly turned black. A dark aura was emitted from it, causing most of the undead, who lost their cognitive abilities, to stop, show fear, and dare not approach him anymore.

The subordinates turned back shakily when astonished, Komodo showed a haunted smile, revealing his entire sharp teeth. Suddenly the lord's expression changed, and told them with a cold expression:

“You are soldiers of the Empire. You are the representatives of the Lizardwar's strength and will. We are not cowardly, not willing to give up. We are a people that are more enduring and determined than anyone else, so anyone who wants to run away will die by my own hands.”

The subordinates were trembling, terrified of the lord's admonition, so they turned around, ignoring the aura of darkness, and continued the attack.

The jewel began to distort, gradually loosened like clay, then clumped to form the shape of a sword, and the black veil clinging to it also faded, revealing the weapon.

“Dark Blood is ready to serve its master.”

Komodo raised his eyebrows in his eyes, a surprised expression at the true form of that dark weapon.

A strange sword with many ancient characters on it, the hilt engraved the smiling demon's face, and the blade part glowed bright red. Asaga took it and put her body in a ready-to-fight posture while waiting for the corpses to approach, smiling triumphantly:

“Come!”

A corpse has approached him. It screamed frantically while waving its hands over its head and scratching it hard. In a quick reflex, Asaga immediately dodged to the side and swung the sword at him.

The blade was so sharp that with just one swing, the man's entire body was split in two, blood and gore were all over his body. The rest of the men saw one of them lying at his feet, his whole body cut in half.

At first, they were dumbfounded by the sight of a person being defeated so easily. But that made the undead more insane, roaring loudly and at the same time rushing towards him.

Asaga took a deep breath. After that, he put his legs shoulder-width apart, leaned down, and clasped the sword in his hand while pointing at them. One of his eyes suddenly flashed a red light.

[Silent Death]

While the undead rushed towards him, a series of slashes appeared in the air. Only the person performing that attack was able to see it clearly, so they continued to tumble without knowing anything. Asaga kept his posture, appearing calmer than ever. When his stretched hands were only half a knuckle, something suddenly happened.

All the undead were suddenly thrown into the sky. Komodo raised his head, a blue sky with hundreds of small black spots, shaking his head and laughing.

“Impressive!”

Not realizing what just happened, they looked at each other bewildered, discovering on each other's chest appeared two diagonal slash lines.

Asaga sighed and stuck the sword into the ground. In the blink of an eye, the whole blue sky turned bright red. Immediately after that, a rain of blood rained down on the two of them, strong and stench, crept into them several pieces of corpses the size of a hand.

Komodo stood from his throne, a grin on his face as he beheld the power of Asaga's "Silent Death". He reached for the hilt of his weapon, a massive black axe that was three times the size of Asaga's sword, and pulled it out from its sheath behind his shoulder. The lord was ready to engage in battle, to test his strength against this "lucky" Soul Warrior.

It was also a mysterious weapon, depicted on the handle of its owner's face. Besides, the axe had reptilian patterns that look to honour the Lizardwar. He pointed it straight at Asaga, opening the fight between the two with a provocation:

“Honestly, the Divine Duo, your parents, are the two stupidest Soul Warriors I've ever seen. I tell the truth. Look closely, I'm still alive, they are dead. The Empire is still there and you human beings still can't do anything hahaha!”

Asaga's eyes narrowed at Komodo's words, the pain of losing his parents and the anger towards the one who took them away surged within him. He gripped the sword tighter, determination clear in his eyes.

"I will make you pay for your crimes. I am the one who will bring justice for my parents and for all those who suffered under your rule."

However, an opposite attitude towards Asaga came from the Dark Blood, its tone showing disbelief at what it had just heard, especially the part "I am alive, they are dead". It screeched quickly hoping it could stop its client:

“Wait! I'm alive, they're dead ... Stop! Calm down kid, there is no chance that we will defeat him!”

“Shut up!”

Asaga refused to listen to DarkBlood's words, still determined to keep his intention to approach Komodo, so angrily shouted back at it. Seeing that his weapon was silent, he screamed in indignation, rushing towards the man, unaware that he was stabbing his head in the place of death:

“Go to hell!”

“Open a fight with an angry scream? How classic!”