Before sunrise, in a small house in the center of a forest-surrounded village, a woman stood by the window, quietly sipping tea.
"Disaster will strike in a month… With my current power, can I really protect this village?"
Her fingers tightened around the warm cup as anxiety filled her eyes.
"Holy Son, you seem troubled."
A male voice sounded behind her.
"That voice… Uncle Rex?" She turned sharply.
Rex: "That's right, it's me. You're worried your strength isn't enough, aren't you? Why not form a contract with me? I can enhance your power."
"Why?"
"Why? Haha, you're so naïve. Of course…" His smile widened unnaturally. "It's to protect this village—this world!"
???: "No. I'm asking… why are you pretending to be Uncle Rex!?"
With a swift motion, the woman drew the sword at her side and pointed it at him.
Rex: "…So you noticed."
???: "Uncle Rex always calls me 'little girl.' He'd never talk this directly. And you… you feel fake."
Rex: "Tch, careless of me. I may not be the Rex you know, but the fact that I am Rex… is not a lie, little girl."
He dissolved into smoke and vanished.
???: "What… was that?"
She stared at the morning sky, heart filled with unease.
City C…
(The city where Lim He and Wei Tian are located)
Rex: "Hey, hello."
Wei Tian: "It's you. What do you want? My name is Wei Tian."
He spoke with a helpless expression.
Rui: "Oh please, don't sweat the details. I'm just here to tell you—when you spat blood earlier, it wasn't a big deal. Ever heard of a girl's period? You just had one from your mouth!"
Wei Tian: "...Can't you see I'm a man?"
Rui: "I can."
Wei Tian: "...Fine. With your attitude, if something serious happens again, I'll change my surname to Lim."
Rui: "Oh dear! You spat blood because one of the holy sons connected to your heart—heart! Heart affinity!—suffered a life-threatening injury! That's extremely serious, Lim Tian."
Wei Tian: "…"
Rui: "Alright, enough jokes. Let's talk business. You need to strengthen your abilities immediately. There's only one month left."
Wei Tian: "What? Only one month?"
Rui: "The end of peace… the beginning of doomsday."
His tone turned grim.
Wei Tian: "Explain properly. You mean the invasion?"
Rui: "Right…"
???: "Hello? Wei Tian! Are you home?"
A shout came from afar.
Wei Tian: "That voice… Ah Zhang? What's wrong?"
He opened the door.
[Explanation: Ah Zhang is Wei Tian's coworker from Lim He's construction site.]
Employee Ah Zhang: "Wei Tian… Lim He is in the hospital."
Wei Tian: "…"
His expression darkened instantly.