Azuel

Chapter 1: Azuel's End

Sprawled across a hill, making it nearly impossible to see the grass underneath, lay hundreds of thousands of dead soldiers. Most notable among them was a man kneeling at the hill's peak. At first glance, it seemed that he knelt upon a natural hill, but closer inspection revealed the glimmers of armor from the dead soldiers, piled together to form the mound.

The man atop the hill wore silver armor that emitted a faint white aura. Each of his shoulders bore the figure of a dragon's head, and on his chest and stomach were five intricate circles nested within each other like a Matryoshka doll, forming an upside-down triangle.

In his right hand was a long spear-like weapon, matching his six-foot height. Unlike a typical spear, this one had dual blades, each two feet long, extending from both sides of the shaft. Both blades were single-edged and radiated an aura. One blade emitted a red glow reminiscent of the southern deserts, while the other gave off a blue aura, evoking the frozen lands of the north.

A closer inspection of the kneeling man revealed that he was not human. Two horns sprouted from his forehead, each eight inches long, marking him as a demon. One leathery wing hung limply from his back, riddled with holes, while the other had been severed entirely. His eyes, barely visible beneath his drooping eyelids, were stormy gray.

If anyone had seen him at that moment, they would have wondered how he was still alive. His left arm was severed at the bicep, and everything below his right knee was missing. Arrows protruded from his back, making him resemble a porcupine.

"Haa... I sure caused a mess, didn't I? Haha. At least I don't have any regrets about leaving this cursed life... I've finally avenged you, Chrystal... Ahhh... Why am I so tired? I'll just shut... my eyes... real quick..."

As if in defiance of death, the demon refused to collapse. He uttered his final words, his eyelids fluttering a few times before he took his last breath and closed his eyes for the final time. What greeted him then was a peaceful rest.

In that moment, his spirit floated in darkness. He couldn't tell how much time had passed, but the feeling of relaxation and calm was new and pleasant for him, and he hoped to stay there forever. But alas, it was not to be.

One day, while drifting in the void, he felt his spirit being pulled away. Struggling to remain in the darkness, he was suddenly surrounded by blinding light.

Chapter 2: Azrael

“Azrael! It’s time for dinner!”

“Coming, Mama!”

At his mother's call, Azrael rushed out of his room. As he ran down the stairs, the fragrant smell of rabbit meat wafted through the air. His stomach churned with hunger as he dashed toward his mother’s smiling figure.

“Wow! Rabbit meat!”

“Hahaha, calm down, you little rascal.”

“Hoho, Azrael, you’re as energetic as always, huh?”

“Oh, Byrael, go clean up when you come in!”

“Haha, okay, okay, Azela~”

Azela scolded Byrael with a smile, having noticed that he had yet to clean. With a light smile, Byrael bent over and kissed her on the cheek before running off to wash up. As she shook her head in amazement, she laughed while watching Byrael head into the bathroom with eyes filled with love.

Byrael and Azela were Azrael’s parents in his new life. Byrael was a burly fellow who towered over others with his six-foot-six frame. He had long brown hair that reached his shoulders and a full beard. Though he seemed daunting at first, that notion quickly disappeared due to his jolly laugh and kind hazel eyes. At thirty years old, he was in his prime. At eighteen, he had joined the army and gained fame with his stellar swordsmanship and numerous battles. Many expected him to become a commander, but to everyone's surprise, he retired at twenty-six. The reason was the young lady by Azrael's side.

Azela was a very beautiful woman. At the age of twenty-six, she was a rare type of woman. Despite being raised in a noble family, she was kind and courteous to everyone, even peasants. His father had told him that she used to volunteer at clinics for those who couldn’t afford a hospital. Byrael had seen her there after returning from a campaign and immediately fallen in love.

After that, Byrael frequently visited the clinic to be with her. As they got to know each other, they quickly fell in love and were married within six months. Since her parents disapproved of the marriage, Azela had to leave her family home, and Byrael retired before they moved to the east.

For the past three years, they had raised him with the utmost love, always doting on him. Although their family couldn’t be considered rich, they were well-off because his father had been hired as a trainer for the Baron’s soldiers and even privately taught the Baron's son.

While they happily ate, Azrael made a promise in his heart once again.

‘Even though I wasn’t strong enough in my last life, I promise that in this one I will protect these two. Hmm… I’ve finally learned how to read fully now; I should start training tomorrow.’

The next morning, Azrael sneaked into his father’s study. He headed straight for the bookshelf. Unfortunately, his family only possessed a few books.

‘Well, books weren’t common in my previous life either.’

With that thought, he quickly found the book he wanted and pulled it out. As he set the book on his lap, the title printed in large letters was:

**Introduction to Mana**

Flipping the cover, he began reading to understand how magic worked in this world.

*Mana is the gift that the gods have given humanity. With mana, humans can perform miraculous feats, such as casting magic or exhibiting strength and speed that can rival some of the physically superior beasts. This has led to the creation of two occupations that defend humanity from demise: Warriors and Mages.*

*Warriors are people who strengthen their own bodies with mana. By allowing their mana to flow through their muscles constantly, warriors gain superhuman strength and agility. Their rank depends on their physical abilities, affinity percentage with their element, and the amount of mana they possess.*

*Mages are individuals who call upon the abilities of elementals. By pouring mana into their elemental, mages can cast spells related to their affiliated element. A mage's rank is determined by four factors: the amount of mana, affinity percentage with elements, purity of mana, and the rank of their elementals.*

*Warriors and Mages are divided into the following ranks:*

*Trainee*

*Apprentice*

*Knight/Wizard*

*King*

*Emperor*

*Hero*

*Saint*

*Demi-God*

*God*

*Each person is born with their elemental. Due to the long assimilation process between humans and elementals, one cannot know their affinity until the process is completed near the age of six. Similar to beasts, elementals are ranked as follows:*

*F*

*E*

*D*

*C*

*B*

*A*

*S*

*SS*

*SSS*

*There are also seven different elements that Warriors and Mages are categorized into by their elementals:*

*Fire*

*Water*

*Wind*

*Earth*

*Steel*

*Light*

*Dark*

*Most people have just one element. Those considered geniuses have two elements. The strongest magician and warrior of all time, Godar and Ryder, each had three elements.*

*As people reach higher ranks, they also tend to live longer. Demi-Humans are reported to live for thousands of years, not to mention those at the God level who gain immortality.*

*Mana capacity, however, is something a person is born with. No matter how much one trains, their mana cannot be increased. The only known method to increase a person’s mana capacity is by eating a beast’s core. By consuming a beast’s core, people experience an increase in physical ability and mana capacity. Naturally, the increase depends on the rank of the beast. A core from an E-ranked beast will not provide nearly as much of an increase as a core from an A-ranked beast.*

‘Ho… so that’s why I couldn’t use magic before,’ thought Azrael. Even though mana in his past world and the one he was now in worked similarly, there was a major difference: Elementals.

The concept of elementals intrigued Azrael. The idea of using an external source to conduct magic fascinated him.

‘Hm… I wonder what kind of element I have. Maybe I’ll be lucky and have more than one? Oh well, unfortunately, that’s not something I can find out until I turn six. I should focus on what I can currently do, which is to purify my mana.’

With that thought, Azrael began meditating every night in his room to purify his mana. Though it was a tiring process for such a young mind, he persisted with the motivation to become strong and protect his parents. Time passed slowly without his parents noticing. If they had seen him meditating, they would have been extremely shocked. The method of meditation was typically taught only to mages and warriors who had surpassed the King Rank by their kingdoms. Azrael, however, had already stumbled upon the method through his previous life. Gradually, the murky gray mana inside him became more distinct and purer.

During the day, Azrael pretended to be a normal child and told his parents he was going out to play. When he went out, he instead headed toward the open fields to run. Although Azrael was eager to begin training, he knew starting too early would harm his growth, so he bore with it and focused on running to improve his cardiovascular system.

When he first started, he could barely run a quarter mile. Even though his mind yearned for the times he could easily run fifty miles, he gritted his teeth and continued. As he persisted, the distance he could cover slowly increased—half a mile, one mile, two miles. And so, three years passed by.

Chapter 3: Twin Siblings

“Brother!”

While Azrael lay in the grass, enjoying the beautiful weather, two cute voices rang out. Hearing them, he smiled and raised his upper body. Looking toward the source of the voices, he saw two small children running toward him.

“Haha Aurora, Azer, stop running so fast, you’ll fall.”

Ignoring Azrael’s words, they continued to sprint toward him and jumped into his arms. Laughing, he slowly fell backward, making sure the two wouldn’t get hurt. While lying down, both the twins’ faces revealed pure smiles as they looked at him. Laughing, he started patting them on the head.

Aurora and Azer were Azrael’s twin little brother and sister. When Azrael had heard he was getting siblings, he had been very excited. In his past life, he had been an only child and had always wished for a little brother or sister. A little over two years ago, his mother had finally gone into labor. During the childbirth, he had been pacing in front of the door, wondering if he would be getting a little brother and sister when he heard the sound of new life being brought into the world.

“Waaah!! Waaah!!!”

'Ah… I’m finally an older brother! I’m going to make sure that my little siblings live a happy life!'

While Azrael was in a very happy mood, he heard the voice of another child in the room.

“Waah!! Waaah!!”

“Eh? Twins?!”

Two tiny voices erupted from inside the room. Unable to bear it any longer, Azrael pulled open the door and rushed in. Inside, he saw his mom holding two little bundles in her arms. Raising her head at the sudden noise, a smile appeared on her face when she saw Azrael, and she waved for him to come closer.

“Azrael, come here and say hi to your little brother Azer and sister Aurora.”

With tiny steps, he walked forward. As he reached his mother’s side, he saw the two tiny angels. Looking at them, a warm feeling enveloped him.

'Ahhhh… they’re so cute and pure…. I will definitely let no harm come to them!'

Looking at them, he hardened his desire to get stronger even more!

From that day forward, he focused a lot of his time on watching over them. He helped his mother change their diapers and feed them. When one of them started crying, he’d rush to them and make funny faces to make them laugh. Seeing him so focused on the twins, Byrael and Azela couldn’t help but be moved and smile at the scene. At first, they were worried that Azrael would be jealous of all the attention given to the twins, but contrary to their fears, he spent even more time taking care of them!

Even though Azrael spent so much time with his little siblings, he never neglected his training. Every morning, he would go running. By the age of six, he could run more than ten miles. Even though he might not have much bulk in his muscles yet, his lean muscles had become very hard, surprising for a child.

At night, Azrael always meditated. His mana purity had vastly improved. If someone could see the mana surrounding him while meditating, they would see a pure grey aura enveloping him. It took most Mages and Warriors a minimum of ten years of meditation to reach this state, but it had only taken him three years. Azrael, however, wasn’t excited about this as he already knew of one of the highest forms of meditation and that it was easier to improve purity at the beginning. Later on, as mana became more pure, it would become even more difficult.

For the past three years, Azrael had spent every day like this.

“Brother, brother! Happy birthday!”

Saying this, Aurora handed him a drawing. It was a picture she had spent the last couple of days making of their family. It wasn’t exactly good—just stick figures—but Azrael felt deeply moved. It was something little Aurora had put a lot of effort into making! Being the doting older brother he was, of course, he would cherish it. Azer, not to be outdone, also handed over a drawing.

“Brother! Happy birthday! I drew this for you.”

The drawing he handed over to Azrael was a stick figure holding hands with a smaller boy and girl who were smiling. Seeing this, Azrael smiled and ruffled both of their hair.

“Haha, thank you, Aurora, Azer. Brother will cherish these, okay?”

Happy that he liked their presents, the twins’ eyes sparkled with big grins.

'I really do have some great little siblings, huh? Even though they’re only two years old, they still think of me so much that they gave me a birthday present.'

While he was thinking about this and feeling grateful, a voice came through the window.

“Alright, children! It’s time for dinner. Come inside!”

“Haha, alright you two, let’s go inside and eat yummy food, okay?”

“Yay, dinner!!”

At the mention of yummy food, the two immediately stood up and grabbed his hand, trying to pull him up and hurry inside to eat. Laughing at their tactics, Azrael stood up and went inside, holding their hands. As they walked through the door, a tempting aroma greeted them. Looking at the dining table, a variety of delicious-looking foods were laid out. A roasted boar took up the middle of the table while side dishes of vegetables surrounded it. Excited at the sight, the twins hurriedly sat down in their seats and awaited the feast. Seeing the two, Byrael, Azela, and Azrael laughed and also sat down.

“Our little boy has finally turned six, huh? Anyway, starting tomorrow, I plan on teaching you swordsmanship, so we’ll go out and get you a wooden weapon for your birthday present, okay?”

“Thanks, Dad!”

Hearing that his father would finally start teaching him swordsmanship, Azrael was very excited. He had always been curious about how it would differ from his previous world. Byrael was the sword instructor for the Baron, so he must have at least some talent. Azrael had been constantly asking his father to teach him for a couple of years now, but he had always refused, saying it was too soon for him. Seeing Azrael so happy and hugging him, Byrael released his jolly laugh and patted him on the back. Azela warmly smiled at the sight, feeling very thankful for her wonderful family. Soon afterward, she pulled out a thickly wrapped package.

“My lovely Azrael, thank you for being such a wonderful son. Happy birthday!”

Saying this, she handed over the package. Curious about what it was, Azrael ripped off the wrapping and opened the box. What greeted his eyes was a large tome titled “History of the Continent Xiosu.”

“M…Mother, how did you afford this?! It must have cost a fortune!”

Azrael was very shocked. Books cost a lot in this world as there was no method to mass-produce them, and they could only be painstakingly copied by hand. A book, especially such a large one, must have cost over ten gold!

“Hehe, Mother has been saving since I found out that you loved reading and wanted this book. Father also helped pay for it. I hope you like it.”

Ten gold was not a small sum of money at all. An average family could live off of three gold a year. Even with a five-member family, only four gold was needed for a year. To have spent so much on a gift… Thinking about this, Azrael was very touched.

'Ahhh… I really am lucky to have such loving parents.'

Feeling this, he rushed to his mother and father again and earnestly thanked them.

“Mother, Father, thank you very much! I will treasure this for the rest of my life!”

Seeing him so happy also brought joy to Byrael and Azela. They both agreed that it was a blessing to have such a wonderful son. Even though he was still young, he never rebelled and was always polite. After his siblings were born, he even took it upon himself to be a great older brother and care for them.

For the rest of the evening, the family continued to eat and talk happily. When the moon rose, they finally called it a day and headed to bed. Azrael, as usual, took his two siblings upstairs to their rooms and read them a story before tucking them in.

“Alright Aurora, Azer. Sleep well tonight.”

“Thank you, brother~ good night.”

“Good night, brother.”

Bidding them good night, Azrael headed out of the room with the lamp and lightly closed the door. After notifying his parents that the twins had gone to bed, he said good night and went back upstairs. That night, after spending two hours meditating, Azrael brought out his book and began to read.

Ten thousand years ago, our ancestors, in hordes, took to ships and landed on the continent Xiosu. The reason for why our ancestors traveled here has been all but lost, except to the five Demi-human level Warriors and Mages who came. These five Warriors and Mages, being the strongest, made a pact. Each of them would take people to different parts of the continent and create a kingdom.

These five kingdoms, named after their founders, are: Raxim, Sunder, Rhostaz, Nifl, and Felsia. After creating these kingdoms and ensuring their prosperity, all of them stepped away and made it known to all the people that they would not interfere unless their kingdom was at risk of falling. After that, all five went into seclusion to train in pursuit of reaching God

level.

For the first two hundred years, Xiosu saw peace. At first, the people from the separate kingdoms stayed within themselves, steadily improving their lives and getting situated in this new foreign land. Commoners began to cultivate the land while Warriors and Mages went out and hunted beasts. During this time, each kingdom also took separate routes in forming.

In the north, the kingdom of Raxim, like their founder, was a kingdom that prided itself on its Warriors. Even though there were still some Mages, they were few and far between. The Warriors in the Raxim Kingdom quickly stood out and became known as the Kingdom of Warriors.

In the east, the Nifl Kingdom took the polar opposite route and became famous for its Mages. Through the teachings of their founder Nifl and their vast investments in magic, they quickly rose and stood out for their advancements and talents in magic.

The Felsia Kingdom, in the center, was built on the religion their founder brought with them. Instead of having an actual anarchy, the kingdom was run by the Holy Church. Gaining power through their followers and priests blessed in light magic, they gained much influence. In the ideal location of being in the center of the continent, the Holy Church branched out and established cathedrals in every kingdom.

The Sunder Kingdom in the south rose through its talented tailors, blacksmiths, jewelers, and architects. Products from the south were quickly recognized as superior and were sought after by all the kingdoms.

In the west, the Rhostaz Kingdom grew strong through trading and food production. The food ingredients from the Rhostaz Kingdom were highly sought after and became very popular with the upper class of all the other kingdoms. Using the funds generated from this, they were able to grow quickly and become a large nation.

As all the nations sufficiently grew, frictions started to occur. The royalties of each nation greedily eyed territories under different kingdoms, and soon fighting broke out. Even though none of the kingdoms had to worry about being completely wiped out due to the original five founders, the countries still bitterly fought over land…

“…Master.”

For over an hour, Azrael had been engrossed in the book, reading about the beginnings of the kingdoms with interest when he heard a soft whisper. Immediately becoming alert, he covered his body in mana and looked toward the direction of the voice. Floating in front of him were three smoky substances, colored in red, blue, and black. While berating himself for not noticing their presence sooner, the smoky substances began to solidify.

“…We have waited several centuries for the arrival of someone like you, Master.”

Chapter 4: Elementals

As the smoky substances solidified, three distinct figures appeared.

The red smoke took the form of a large bird with crimson feathers. It had the face of a golden pheasant, the body of a mandarin duck, wings of a crane, and the tail of a peacock. Despite the blend of different bird features, they harmonized well, and the red aura surrounding it gave the impression of a royal being.

The blue smoke elongated and solidified into the outline of a long, snake-like figure covered in azure scales. A white mustache flowed from its large jaws, and its dark blue eyes radiated intelligence. The creature floated in the air with four limbs hanging down, each ending in sharp claws that looked capable of slicing through steel. The blue aura it emitted was calm and serene.

The final smoky substance condensed into the outline of a black crow. Its dark feathers exuded a majestic aura, absorbing the small amount of light in the room. Unusually, the crow had three legs instead of two and piercing golden eyes. Despite being much smaller than the bird and the dragon, it held a commanding presence, as if the other two were deferring to it.

Azrael was stunned by the appearance of these creatures. Each radiated such immense power that even he, who had been known as the devil in his past life, felt a deep instinct to bow. While he grappled with what to do, the voice he had heard earlier spoke again from the three-legged crow.

“Master, the three of us greet thee.”

“…..What are you beings?”

“Allow us to introduce ourselves, Master. The humans in this world call us elementals. Bonghwang is a fire elemental and the queen of all birds. Chunryong is a water elemental and the lord of the east seas. This servant is Samjoko, a darkness elemental. We three have come to finally introduce ourselves.”

…Three elementals, huh? All three seemed to be high-level entities. Even though Samjoko hadn’t given a title for itself, the deference shown by the queen of all birds and the lord of the east seas suggested that the crow must be an even higher-level elemental…. As Azrael’s mind quickly processed this shocking revelation, the azure dragon spoke.

“Master, it has been thousands of years since any of us have found a human worthy to rule over us. It brings us great joy that we have finally found you.”

“…. What makes me qualified to be the master of you three majestic beings?”

Despite his excitement, Azrael couldn’t understand why he was deemed worthy to rule them. Samjoko’s response, however, shocked him.

“Master, when we were searching for a new master, your mana’s aura drew us to you. Although I was initially hesitant about whether you were destined to be my master, when I touched a strand of your mana, I glimpsed your past life. To grow to such strength as a mortal! Seeing that convinced me you were destined to be this one’s master, Azuel the Devil. I believe I speak for Bonghwang and Chunryong?”

At Samjoko’s question, both the bird and azure dragon nodded in agreement. Azrael, however, was preoccupied with the mention of his previous life.

'Azuel the Devil, huh? It’s been a while since I heard that title. Though I hoped to leave it behind, it seems the saying that you can’t escape your past is true. Still, these three elementals will help me grow stronger so I can protect those I love in this life…'

Coming to terms with everything, he decided to accept the situation.

“Alright then. Bonghwang, Chunryong, Samjoko! Please treat me well.”

“””We pledge ourselves to you, Master!”””

The three elementals bowed their heads. Seeing such majestic beings bow toward him stirred complex emotions within Azrael. He shook off his feelings and decided to learn more about these elementals.

“Samjoko, since I haven’t been in this world long, I don’t know much about elementals. Could you explain more about them to me?”

“Of course, Master. Elementals are beings created by the deities to rule over the elements. We were once supreme beings who ruled the world. No human or beast dared to defy us. However, two hundred thousand years ago, a foolish light elemental challenged one of the deities, believing himself to be supreme. Leading his followers, he attempted to overthrow the deity.

The deities, infuriated by this challenge, destroyed them. The deity who was challenged gathered the other deities and demanded the elimination of all elementals. After a century of argument, the deities agreed that, while elementals would not be killed, they would lose their ability to generate mana.

Though we were not killed outright, this was a severe blow. Mana was everything to us. Without it, many weaker elementals began to perish, and beasts preyed upon us since we could no longer defend ourselves. Humans, struggling to protect themselves from stronger beasts, offered mana to elementals in exchange for borrowing their powers. The elemental lords, despite their pride, realized that without human-provided mana, we would become extinct. Thus, a pact was made.

Even though elementals no longer create mana within themselves, we are highly sensitive to the auras of newborns. When an elemental finds a newborn with compatible mana, they merge with the child, assimilating with their body and mana. In return, the human can use magic through the elemental. Initially, the human will not be aware of the elemental’s existence or be able to use magic, as assimilation takes time. By the age of six, the assimilation should be complete, allowing the host to channel mana into the elemental and use magic. Elementals can then take ethereal forms. Through this agreement, elementals ensured their survival, and humans gained the power to fend off beasts.”

Azrael listened in silence, processing the information. He had always wondered why elementals bound themselves to humans despite their ability to manipulate elements. The history Samjoko provided clarified many things.

“So the reason I couldn’t use mana was that you three were assimilating with it?”

“Correct, Master.”

“I always thought it didn’t make sense that I couldn’t use my mana until the elementals appeared, but now it makes sense… Also, I learned that elementals have different ranks. What determines this?”

Bonghwang, with her feminine voice, answered.

“Master, not all elementals possess the same strength. The age of an elemental and their affinity with their element determine their strength. Although I am not familiar with the human rank system, you cannot compare the strength of a spell cast by a human with a middle-rank elemental to one cast by a human with a high-rank elemental. The stronger an elemental, the faster and more powerful the spells they can cast. Additionally, higher-ranked elementals know more spells, which allows their human host to use them.”

“Hm… that makes sense… Is there anything else I should know?”

“Master, at your current level of strength, we can only assist you in casting spells. As your mana grows larger and more pure, we will be able to materialize in our original and even humanoid forms.”

As the conversation continued, Azrael began to feel the weight of fatigue from the depletion of his mana.

'So allowing these three to take ethereal form uses up a lot of mana, huh?'

He asked one final question.

“Now that you three have finished assimilating with my mana, do I need to summon you in ethereal form to speak with you?”

“No, Master. Now that we have finished assimilating, you can communicate with us mentally.”

“Okay then. It seems my mana is almost depleted. Dismiss yourselves for now. I will call upon you when needed.”

“””Yes, Master.”””

With that, Bonghwang, Chunryong, and Samjoko’s forms began to shimmer and slowly faded. As they disappeared, the strain on Azrael’s body also dissipated. Sighing, he stood up and headed to bed. As he lay down, he reflected on what he had learned that night.

'Hmmm… Now that I can use magic, I should see if any spells from my old world work here. I can also start channeling mana into my muscles to strengthen them.'

As he planned for the future, fatigue overtook him, and he fell asleep.

The next morning, Azrael went outside with his father to create a wooden training sword. At the weapon store, after checking the length and size, the owner presented a wooden sword that was perfect in length, though a bit light. Byrael, satisfied after making Azrael swing it a few times, paid for it, and they returned home.

Currently, they were outside in the backyard. Before beginning, Byrael gave his son a speech about swordsmanship.

“Alright, Azrael, as you wished, I will begin teaching you the way of the sword. Let me first give you this warning: The path of the sword is not an easy one. You will need to spend countless months mastering the basics. There will be times when you’re so tired you’ll want to quit, but remember this! You are the eldest son of the Celeste family! The men of the Celeste family never give up! If you put in your best effort and stay true to your sword, it will always stay true to you. Understand?”

“Yes, Father!”

Hearing his determined response, Byrael nodded in approval and continued.

“Alright, we will start with the basics. Without a solid foundation, no matter how much effort you put in, you will never advance. Watch me as I demonstrate.”

Chapter 5: Anguish

After he said that, Byrael took a stance. With his upper body straight as a board, he widened his stance and brought his left leg forward. He gripped the wooden sword with both hands and slowly raised it straight over his head. Byrael performed each movement deliberately, ensuring that his son observed every detail.

Once he was confident that Azrael had seen all the movements, Byrael channeled strength into his abdomen. This strength quickly traveled to his chest and shoulders before he executed a downward slash. The speed and force of the slash made the wind howl as if it had been cut.

After completing the slash, he moved his lowered arms toward his left waist and stepped forward with his right foot. Once his right foot was planted firmly on the ground, he exerted force throughout his body and swung his upper body to the right, bringing the sword up in an upward slash.

Without pausing, he raised his shoulders toward his right shoulder, keeping his arms straight and parallel to the ground. He stepped forward with his left leg, planting his foot on the ground, and used the momentum to slash left, once again causing the wind to seem to howl.

From that position, he pulled his body back toward his right foot, releasing his left hand from the sword. Bending his right elbow, he suddenly exploded forward with the wooden sword thrusting ahead. Afterward, Byrael recovered and looked toward his son.

Although he had executed each movement slowly so Azrael could see them, the attack, though seemingly simple, had taken Byrael years to perfect. He didn’t expect much from Azrael at this stage, only that he understood the movements.

“So, Azrael, what do you think?”

Azrael was mentally reviewing the movements. He noticed that swordsmanship in this world seemed to focus more on fluidity and using the body’s momentum to add strength to the strikes, which impressed him. In his old world, swordsmen focused more on crude slashes and using mana to boost their strength and speed.

'Hmm… Even though the sword isn’t my weapon of choice, I could use this technique in my forms later…'

As he considered the differences, he finished analyzing the movements and stood up.

“Dad, may I try these out?”

“Sure, go ahead.”

Byrael stepped aside, giving his son space. Internally, he approved of Azrael’s eagerness. It was best to memorize and practice new moves immediately to avoid forgetting them.

Watching Azrael assume the starting stance, Byrael prepared to adjust his son’s position but stopped, astonished. The form that had taken him years to perfect was now perfectly mimicked by his son after only one demonstration.

'…My son must have exceptional talent to imitate this stance so perfectly on his first try…'

As Byrael pondered this, he saw Azrael take a deep breath and refocus.

After releasing his breath, Azrael’s body sprang into action. He channeled strength from his abdomen to his chest and shoulders, slashing down with all his might. Though not as forceful as his father’s, a soft screech accompanied the wind as it was forced apart.

Using the momentum, Azrael brought his sword toward his left hip. Applying power through all his muscles, he pulled the sword upwards to his right. Although the swing was slower than Byrael's, it had a mesmerizing quality.

After completing the swing, he brought his arms downward toward his right side. With his arms still extended and parallel to the ground, he stepped forward with his left foot, using it as a pivot to slash horizontally to his left shoulder.

Releasing his left hand from the sword’s grip, he twisted his body toward his right foot, bending his elbow. Straining his muscles, he exploded forward with a thrust. After relaxing from the thrust, Azrael stood up and looked at his father to gauge his performance.

Byrael’s mouth dropped open in shock. Even though the speed and strength were not as impressive as his own, each form was executed almost perfectly, despite some awkward transitions. Such skill would be rare even among those who had trained for less than two years, let alone someone who was trying them for the first time. Could his son be one of those rare prodigies?

Azrael, eager to test his skills, asked, “Hey Dad, can we spar? I’d like to try out these moves in a real situation…”

“Huh? Oh, sure!”

Despite being surprised by the sudden request, Byrael agreed immediately. Although it seemed ridiculous to spar with someone wielding a sword for the first time, he was curious about his son’s battle instincts. There were tales of individuals born with an innate talent for combat.

They took their positions and prepared to engage. Byrael, while preparing, was mindful not to go all out. His son was still just six years old, after all. Despite this, Byrael was no ordinary sword instructor; he was a renowned warrior in the Baron.

Azrael, on the other hand, was excited. He had not used a weapon or been in a battle since arriving in this world. Though it was just a spar, it was a chance to let his body move freely and experience combat firsthand. He was also eager to test his skills against a real swordsman. As he prepared, he asked his father something he had always wondered about.

“Dad, what is your rank?”

“Ho ho, curious, are you? Be proud! Your father is a wind-element Emperor Rank warrior!”

'So he’s above average, huh? Stronger than I expected. Usually, sword instructors outside the capital are weaker. This will work to my advantage!'

With that thought, Azrael finished his preparations. Byrael, now ready, asked if his son was prepared.

“You ready, son?”

“Yes, Dad, let’s begin.”

With those words, Byrael rushed at him. His speed was incomparable to a year and a half ago when he first sparred with his son. Now, using his full strength and mana, he moved like a tempest. The Soldiers, seeing the sudden action, became alert and quickly drew their swords. Byrael didn’t hesitate; he plunged into their ranks and attacked mercilessly.

The Soldiers, though surprised by his tenacity, fought back desperately. Despite their numerical advantage, they could only defend against someone of Byrael’s higher rank.

“Sh…Shit! This guy is strong!”

“Why is such a strong person out here in the boondocks?!”

Amidst the enemy, Byrael seemed to be everywhere, darting between them and delivering slashes. As a peak wind-element Emperor warrior, he prided himself on his speed and used wind magic to aid him. However, his advantage was soon challenged when the mage began to act.

“…and bury the foe who dares to challenge you. Entrench!!”

As the mage completed his incantation, the ground around Byrael suddenly opened. Surprised, Byrael couldn’t evade in time. His legs fell into the opening, which quickly closed around them, trapping him. The Soldiers, seeing this, cheered and attacked with renewed vigor. Though Byrael fought fiercely despite his predicament, the Soldiers eventually found openings in his defense and began to land blows.

Byrael started to tire, wounds appearing all over his body.

'Haa… I guess this is the end for me. I’m just not strong enough. I need to make sure my family gets away…'

As he prepared to turn toward his family, a sudden wail of anguish and a massive burst of mana erupted.

“AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

The battle stopped abruptly due to the deafening noise and intense mana burst. Everyone, including Byrael, shivered with fear. The source of the burst was the child who had stayed behind. The sight of the child radiating pure silver mana made everyone tremble as if their bodies were in terror. The child, with a hollow expression, addressed the Soldiers with a chilling calmness.

“Die.”

Chapter 6: Chrystal

Azrael, seeing his father charge into the fray, gritted his teeth. Although he wanted to help, he understood the distraction of having loved ones in danger during battle. As he watched his father fight, he was inwardly impressed. Even though he trained with Byrael every day, he had never witnessed him going all out.

The difference in Byrael's speed now, compared to when he sparred with Azrael, was vast. From just a glance, Azrael could tell that his father had a wealth of battlefield experience, using his knowledge and the terrain to counteract their numerical disadvantage.

Despite being outnumbered, Byrael repressed the soldiers with nothing but his strength as an Emperor Rank warrior. The skill difference was overwhelming. But then, the mage entered the fray and immobilized Byrael.

With his movement restricted, Byrael fought desperately, defending against relentless attacks from all directions. Initially, none of the soldiers' strikes could breach his defenses. However, as the attacks continued, they began to wear him down, causing cracks and wounds to appear on his body.

Seeing his father's injuries, Azrael's face twisted in anguish. Years of training had been aimed at protecting his loved ones, but despite his efforts, he was still a seven-year-old child, lacking the strength to fight without using magic. Memories of his past life flashed through his mind.

A ceremony was held by a lake. As they faced each other, a demon and an elf gazed into one another's eyes with affection. Azuel, reflecting on his experiences with the person before him—Chrystal—recalled their first meeting.

Azuel and Chrystal had met six months earlier. While leading his company on patrol, Azuel's unit had been ambushed. The element of surprise and overwhelming numbers caused his soldiers to fall one by one.

Driven by fury, Azuel fought with renewed vigor, using his strength and magic to defeat the ambush party. The battlefield was littered with the bodies of demons and humans, blood staining the gravel.

Though Azuel survived, he was severely injured. Barely conscious, he stumbled forward, determined to survive and avenge his fallen comrades. Eventually, exhaustion overcame him, and he collapsed.

When Azuel next opened his eyes, he saw a wooden roof. Surprised, he tried to get up, only to be met with sharp pains throughout his body. Hearing his pained cry, a girl rushed into the room.

Azuel stared in shock as she entered. She had short blonde hair, a slim figure standing about five foot six, with curves in all the right places. Her slender face, pointed chin, and bright blue eyes reminded him of the sky. Most striking were her pointy ears—she was an elf.

Seeing Azuel awake, the elf girl sighed in relief. With a dazzling smile, she approached to check his wounds. Azuel, startled by her sudden approach, went on guard, causing her to halt.

After a moment, she seemed to understand the situation and flashed a bright smile. She explained that her name was Chrystal and detailed how she had found him in the forest, tending to his wounds, and nursing him back to health over the past week.

Despite his initial wariness—demons were often discriminated against by other races—Azuel gradually relaxed as Chrystal's cheerful nature and kindness won him over. He soon developed feelings for her, and they grew very close. During their time together, Azuel learned that Chrystal had no parents and had lived alone in the cottage for a hundred years.

After five months, Azuel had fully recovered and proposed to Chrystal. Tearfully, she accepted, and they were married by the lake. Azuel's parents, overjoyed to see their son alive, were initially confused by the presence of Chrystal. As they learned her story, their shock turned to gratitude.

As Azuel recalled these memories with a smile, he saw his father finish the wedding vows.

"And thus... I pronounce you husband and wife."

Azuel and Chrystal leaned in for a passionate kiss before reluctantly parting. As Azuel turned to his father, he saw him beam with the largest smile he'd ever seen. But then, tragedy struck. With a sound like tearing wind, an arrow pierced his father's throat. His father clutched at the arrow with a look of disbelief, his gaze fixed on Azrael.

"FATHER!!!"

"AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!"

As the scene of his past life’s father’s death merged with the present, Azrael’s anguish erupted into a powerful wail. His mana surged, filling the area with a silvery light.

"YOU LOWLY CREATURES... DARE TO TAKE ONE OF MY PRECIOUS PEOPLE?!?!"

With a final, fearsome look at the soldiers who had stopped in terror, he uttered a single word.

"Die."

Azrael poured mana into his muscles and charged forward. The soldiers, paralyzed by fear and the oppressive aura, began to retreat. Ignoring them, he conjured an image of consuming darkness, swallowing all light in the area where the soldiers and mage stood, and directed it to Samjoko. Understanding his master's intent, Samjoko cast a spell that plunged the area into complete darkness.

While most mages in Xiosu used incantations to understand spells, Azrael’s extensive knowledge allowed him to bypass this need. He visualized the process and channeled it directly to his elementals.

As the soldiers flailed in the darkness, Azrael charged toward the mage. Panicked, the mage fumbled with a defensive earth spell, but his delay proved fatal. Azrael, like a wraith, struck swiftly, slashing the mage’s throat. The mage fell, clutching at his wound before becoming still.

With the mage dealt with, Azrael prepared his next spell. He visualized the ground around him becoming moist and soft, then transmitted this image to Chunyong, who cast the spell. Water seeped to the surface, turning the ground muddy.

The soldiers struggled to maintain their footing. Azrael heard their movements and rushed toward the nearest soldier. Meanwhile, cries of pain echoed through the clearing, a smile forming at the edge of Azrael’s lips.

The softening ground had allowed him to detect enemy movements and provided his father with the chance to free himself. With the mage gone and the darkness spell lifted, the results of Azrael’s actions were clear. Out of the ten soldiers, three lay dead, and the mage’s lifeless body was visible.

The soldiers’ faces paled at the sight. Realizing they were outmatched, they dropped their weapons and surrendered. Byrael, however, remained focused on his son.

"Azrael... yo... you."

As his father spoke, Azrael began to form an excuse when Samjoko's voice echoed in his mind.

'Master... a very powerful presence is approaching.'

Azrael instantly went on alert. Seeing his son's sudden change, Byrael also prepared himself. The area fell silent as they awaited the approaching figure.

As the oppressive mana from the approaching figure reached Azrael, he felt a shiver of dread. The power radiating from this presence was overwhelming, like standing in front of a descending tsunami.

Feeling hopeless and trapped, Azrael could only wait for what was to come.