Several trees towered toward the sky, their branches interwoven densely. There were so many that the sunlight barely penetrated the forest.
Running among these trees was a beautiful girl. Her hair was long, blonde, and slightly wavy; her skin was pale with a yellowish tint. She wore a bluish-gray dress with long sleeves, fitted around her torso, but short. She was barefoot, and her blue eyes showed signs of nervousness. She was heading in a specific direction—clearly running from something.
Suddenly, she found herself in a clearing. A green garden surrounded a two-story wooden cabin. When she looked at the building, her eyes brightened. It seemed like a good place to hide.
As she approached, she noticed the door was open. However, as soon as she entered, she saw something unsettling: a man lying on the floor. He had black hair, dark eyes, and wore a black cloak. He was one of the men who had been chasing her. He was pale… dead.
Confused, she tried to make sense of it. This area was isolated—who could have done this? His companions? No, they were too far away. Nothing made sense.
Despite her confusion, a sense of hope lingered. She entered the cabin. The place was silent and empty. There was a room, a kitchen, a closed door, and a staircase leading to the second floor.
Cautiously, the girl began to explore. Then, she heard something from upstairs. Slowly, she climbed the staircase. On the second floor, she saw two doors: one was closed, and the other was slightly ajar.
Curious, she approached the ajar door. She peered inside and saw a woman with brown hair lying on a bed. Her eyes were closed as though she were asleep—but the girl knew she wasn't.
Before she could move, she heard footsteps from downstairs.
Not knowing who it was, she quickly hid under the bed. The creaks of the stairs indicated someone was coming up. The door to the room opened. Someone entered and walked toward the bed.
"It's okay, Mom. Keep sleeping. Dad will be home soon. We'll have dinner as a family. Rest… everything will be fine."
It was the voice of a boy. He seemed to believe the woman was still alive—or perhaps he knew the truth. From under the bed, the girl could sense something unusual about him. There was a strange presence… perhaps even dangerous.
Maybe he had killed the man outside. Maybe he was an ally. But his mind clearly didn't seem stable.
Still, she didn't have many options.
Calming her breath, she slowly stood up and crawled out from under the bed. As soon as she appeared, she saw the boy. His hair was white, his eyes were white, and his skin was incredibly pale. Everything about him seemed to glow white. It was striking... but his eyes were empty, and a strange smile twisted on his lips.
As soon as he saw her, anger flickered across his face. The aura around his body intensified, shining brighter.
He began to approach.
She prepared herself.
One hour earlier...
As soon as he noticed the lifeless body, the man released the boy. However, something unusual happened: the boy didn't fall to the ground — he remained standing. His eyes slowly opened. They were no longer blue, but completely white. His entire body began to radiate a blinding white aura, as if he were being reborn, transforming. It was as if his body was blooming while the aura grew stronger.
The man, startled by what he was witnessing, took a step back and then summoned his own aura. Suddenly, his body was engulfed in black flames. Without hesitation, he raised his hand toward the boy, channeling the fire into his palm and unleashing a whirlwind of black flames.
CRACK!
The space around the boy shattered — as if an invisible wall of glass had been standing before him. The moment the flames reached that barrier, it broke… yet still, the fire couldn't pass through. The flames were held back.
The man looked around, confused by the suspended shards of space and his flames being contained. Something felt terribly wrong.
But he didn't stop. Cloaked once again in fire, he marched forward. The flames gathered in his fist. As he was about to strike with a powerful punch, his body froze. He couldn't move.
It made no sense. How had this boy, so fragile before, become this strong?
The boy's white eyes locked onto him. A deep, consuming hatred filled his gaze.
The boy began walking toward him. The man, still frozen, could only watch. When the boy got close, he slowly raised his hand toward the man's neck.
As the hand approached, everything around them seemed to warp. The boy's white aura, upon touching the man's black flames, began to consume them, distort them… unravel reality itself.
Feeling the pressure of that aura, the man finally broke free — but it was already too late.
The boy's hands were around his neck.
There was no strength in the grip. Physically, it was weak. Yet that aura felt like it was crushing his existence, twisting his soul. The pain was unbearable.
The boy's white eyes stared deep into his own.
And the man knew — this was the moment of his death.