The icy wind tore through Emil Myers's tattered clothes, biting into his skin like a thousand tiny blades. Every gust carried with it another wave of laughter, jeers, and curses from the villagers gathered behind him.
Their hatred had become as familiar as his own heartbeat.
"Abomination!"
The word rang through the air, followed by a chorus of mocking voices.
"A curse upon our village!"
"He should've died with his parents!"
Rough hands dug into Emil's arms, dragging him forward without the slightest hint of mercy. His frail body stumbled across the uneven ground as the village enforcers marched him toward the cliff overlooking the Forbidden Forest.
At thirteen years old, Emil had never seen the faces of those who despised him.
He had been born blind.
To the people of Myers Village, blindness was already a sign of divine punishment. But what truly condemned him was something far worse.
He possessed no blessing.
Every child in the kingdom awakened a blessing bestowed by the gods before reaching the age of ten. Some gained extraordinary talents, others received only modest gifts, but every child was chosen.
Every child...
Except Emil.
Without a blessing, he was branded an abomination—a flaw in the heavens themselves.
His parents had died during the Snake Queen's raid ten years ago, leaving him alone in a village that viewed him as nothing more than an omen of misfortune.
Today, they had finally decided to rid themselves of him.
"The Village Chief ordered banishment," one enforcer muttered.
Another chuckled darkly.
"But the Head Enforcer said accidents happen."
A cold shiver crawled down Emil's spine.
He understood what those words meant.
Banishment to the Forbidden Forest was already a death sentence.
An accident simply meant they didn't intend to let him reach it alive.
The sound of rushing water grew louder with every step.
They had reached the cliff.
The roaring river below crashed violently against unseen rocks, its thunder echoing through the valley. Damp earth filled the air, mixed with the scent of moss and ancient trees rising from the forest beneath.
One of the enforcers tightened his grip.
"This is where you belong, freak."
Another laughed.
"Try not to haunt us."
A powerful shove struck Emil's back.
For a single heartbeat...
Everything disappeared beneath him.
Then gravity took hold.
His body plummeted into the endless abyss.
The freezing wind screamed past his ears as panic gripped his chest. His stomach lurched violently while the world spun into chaos.
He instinctively curled inward, waiting for the impact that would shatter every bone in his body.
Instead—
Splash!
The river swallowed him whole.
The icy water stole every breath from his lungs.
Its powerful current tossed him about like a leaf in a storm.
He kicked wildly, arms flailing through the darkness that had always surrounded him.
His fingers finally scraped against rough stone.
With desperate strength, he dragged himself onto the muddy riverbank.
"Cough...!"
Water poured from his mouth as he collapsed onto the cold ground, gasping for air. His entire body trembled uncontrollably.
He was alive.
Barely.
Silence settled around him.
Not the peaceful silence of home...
But the suffocating silence of an endless wilderness.
Leaves rustled overhead.
Unknown insects chirped from every direction.
Far away, something enormous let out a low, haunting growl that sent chills racing down his spine.
Every sound reminded him of the truth.
He was blind.
Alone.
Helpless.
"...Help..."
His voice came out as little more than a broken whisper.
"Please..."
No answer came.
Only the forest.
Time slipped by unnoticed.
The warmth of day slowly faded as evening crept across the land. Cold air seeped into his soaked clothes while hunger twisted his empty stomach.
His body begged him to remain where he was.
His mind told him death would come if he did.
Emil clenched his fists.
"I... can't die here."
His voice was weak...
Yet determined.
"I won't."
Slowly, he forced himself to stand.
Every muscle screamed in protest.
He listened carefully.
The river continued flowing somewhere to his left.
Taking a deep breath, Emil turned toward the opposite direction.
Toward the unknown.
Toward the Forbidden Forest.
One cautious step.
Then another.
No matter what awaited him...
He would survive.
Ding!
A sharp metallic chime echoed inside his mind.
Emil froze.
"...What?"
Ding! Ding! Ding!
The sound repeated, reverberating through his consciousness instead of his ears.
His heartbeat quickened.
"What is happening?"
A cold, emotionless voice suddenly spoke.
[Detecting compatible host...]
Emil's eyes widened despite seeing nothing.
"W-Who's there?!"
The voice ignored him.
[Host confirmed.]
[Beginning integration of the Sun God Fragment.]
An unbearable heat erupted within his chest.
"AAAH!"
It felt as though molten fire coursed through every vein in his body.
His muscles tightened.
His bones ached.
His blood boiled.
He collapsed to his knees, clutching his chest as waves of searing pain consumed him.
The mechanical voice continued without pause.
[Integration Progress: 1%...]
[5%...]
[23%...]
[57%...]
[98%...]
[100%.]
[Integration complete.]
The burning sensation vanished as suddenly as it had begun.
Emil gasped for breath, sweat dripping from his forehead.
Before he could gather his thoughts—
[Booting System...]
[Loading...]
[4%...]
[31%...]
[76%...]
[100%.]
The forest fell deathly still.
Even the insects had stopped singing.
Then the voice returned.
It was no longer merely mechanical.
Beneath its emotionless tone lingered something ancient...
Something immeasurably vast.
Something divine.
[Host successfully awakened.]
A brief silence followed.
Then the voice spoke one final sentence.
[Welcome, Emil Myers.]
[You have been chosen.]