There was a saying everyone knew in the apocalypse.

Never trust zombies. Never trust strangers. And above all…

Never trust teammates who smiled too much.

Sadly, Ethan learned that lesson five seconds before he died.

"We're almost there!" someone shouted ahead. "The helicopter is waiting!"

A faint smile spread across Ethan's exhausted face. After three years of surviving the apocalypse, three years of endless running, fighting, and watching the world crumble, they had finally reached the military's evacuation point.

They had actually made it. Ethan tightened his grip around the bloodstained machete in his hand, his chest rising and falling with ragged breaths. Every muscle in his body screamed in protest, yet he forced himself to stay on his feet.

Behind him, however, thousands of zombies surged through the shattered streets like a black tidal wave, swallowing everything in their path.

Ethan came to a stop and turned around. "Go!" he shouted. "I'll hold them back!"

His teammates froze. "We'll come back for you!" someone yelled.

Ethan let out a tired chuckle.

"No, you won't if you keep standing there."

Despite everything, he still couldn't resist teasing them. It had always been this way.

Whenever the team found themselves cornered, Ethan was the one who stayed behind. He charged into danger first, retreated last, and somehow always managed to drag everyone else back alive.

Not because anyone expected him to it was simply because he was the strongest and so if someone had to buy them a few extra minutes…

He was the obvious choice.

The team leader looked at him with reddened eyes. "Thank you, we owe you everything."

Ethan rested the machete on his shoulder and grinned. "You can repay me by surviving."

The group nodded before sprinting toward the rooftop. Only after they disappeared did Ethan turn to face the approaching horde.

His hands trembled from exhaustion. Blood seeped through countless cuts across his body, and the pistol strapped to his waist had long since run out of ammunition, only the machete remained.

He let out a slow breath. "Come on, then."

The first zombie lunged.

The blade flashed through the air, cleanly separating its head from its body before the next monster rushed forward. Ethan kept moving, cutting down one infected after another as blood splattered across his face and soaked into the cracked pavement beneath his feet.

Minutes blurred together and his arms grew heavier with every swing, while his vision slowly lost focus. Even so, he refused to retreat.

By now…

They should have reached the helicopter safely. The thought eased the weight pressing against his chest.

Good.

Then this hadn't been for nothing. The roar of helicopter blades echoed across the ruined city.

Ethan instinctively looked up.

The rescue helicopter hovered above the rooftop, its spinning rotors scattering smoke into the air.

Relief flooded his face.

"They came back…"

He actually laughed at himself.

See?

And here I was thinking they'd leave without me.

The thought had barely crossed his mind when his smile slowly disappeared.

Standing beside the open cabin door were the very people he had protected for the past three years.

None of them looked relieved or desperate. They simply looked down at him with expressions he couldn't quite understand.

Pity.

Regret.

Distance.

The team leader slowly raised his rifle.

"…Sorry, Ethan."

A gunshot shattered the air.

Pain exploded through Ethan's shoulder, forcing him back several steps. Before he could process what had happened, a second shot rang out.

His leg gave way beneath him, he crashed onto one knee as the surrounding zombies closed in.

For a long moment, his mind was completely blank.

"W-What are you doing…?"

No one answered immediately. The woman whose life he had once saved from a zombie swarm lowered her head, unable to meet his eyes.

"If we bring you with us…" she whispered, "…they'll eventually trace us through you."

Only then did Ethan notice the bite mark hidden beneath the blood staining his sleeve. It must have happened during the fight.

He hadn't even realized it.

A bitter smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

"So…"

"So that's how it is."

The team leader looked away.

"You've always protected us."

"But we can't risk everyone for one person."

The helicopter slowly began to rise causing Ethan to laugh, the sound echoing through the ruined streets, hollow and strangely calm. For three years, he had shared every meal, fought every battle, and risked his life without hesitation to keep them alive. Somewhere along the way, he had convinced himself they were more than teammates.

He had thought they were family.

Turns out…

He had been the only fool who believed that.

The helicopter disappeared into the smoke as the zombies closed in from every direction. Ethan slowly shut his eyes.

"I've been such an idiot…"

If there was another life…

He wouldn't spend it sacrificing everything for people who would abandon him the moment he became inconvenient.

Next time…

He would live for himself.

The first zombie reached him then darkness swallowed him whole.

…

"Ethan."

A cold voice cut through the darkness.

"Ethan Ashford!"

Someone tapped lightly against a wooden desk.

His eyelashes fluttered.

"Wake up."

The growls of zombies vanished, replaced by the murmur of dozens of unfamiliar voices. Ethan slowly opened his eyes only for them to land on a crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling.

It was beautiful.

Expensive even.

And, most importantly...

Definitely not something you'd find in a zombie apocalypse. His gaze slowly drifted across the spacious lecture hall.

Polished marble floors, dark wooden desks, students dressed in immaculate academy uniforms.

No blood. No corpses. No zombies trying to eat his face.

"..."

Well.

That was a pleasant change

At the front of the classroom stood a silver-haired instructor, who adjusted his glasses before fixing Ethan with an impatient glare.

"If you're done sleeping, perhaps you'd like to explain why you're late for your own engagement dissolution ceremony."

Ethan stared at him.

Engagement..

Dissolution?

"…What?" What the hell was going on?

A splitting headache exploded behind his eyes and instantly memories that didn't belong to him surged forward in a violent torrent—Guides, Sentinels, compatibility tests, the Ashford family, endless ridicule, a broken engagement…

By the time the pain subsided, only one conclusion remained.

He had transmigrated.

And of all the people in this world…

He had become the weakest Guide in the entire Empire.

Ethan closed his eyes for a long moment.

Then he sighed.

"…You've got to be kidding me."

...

A ripple of laughter spread through the classroom instantly.

"I think he finally snapped."

"Can you blame him?"

"I'd lose my mind too if Drey dumped me."

"I heard half the entire academy are already gathered to watched him get dumped" 

Every pair of eyes was fixed on Ethan as more mummurs spread through the room. He, however, wasn't looking at the students, nor the silver-haired instructor glaring at him from the front of the classroom.

His attention was completely occupied by the torrent of memories crashing through his mind and the splitting headache he was having trying to understand the situation. 

He had died.

Then he had transmigrated.

"..."

Of all the ridiculous things that could happen after being eaten alive by zombies... this had to be the most ridiculous. A dry laugh almost escaped him.

He had expected heaven.

Hell would've been understandable too.

Instead, he woke up in a classroom. Life—or whatever came after it—clearly had an interesting sense of humor.

More memories surfaced, weaving themselves naturally into his own, this world was nothing like the one he had left behind. They were monsters, rifts, dungeons and all of that… 

Humanity still stood at the top of the food chain, but only because of two groups of people.

Sentinels and Guides.

Sentinels possessed extraordinary physical abilities far beyond those of ordinary humans. They hunted monsters, entered dangerous Gates, and protected the Empire from threats no normal soldier could face. But immense power came with an equally devastating price.

The stronger a Sentinel became, the more unstable their mind grew.

Without regular Guiding, corruption would slowly consume them until they completely lost themselves.

That was where Guides came in.

A Guide's spiritual power soothed a Sentinel's mind, cleansed corruption, and allowed them to continue fighting without descending into madness.

The stronger the Guide...

The more valuable they were.

Unfortunately, Ethan Ashford belonged to the complete opposite category.

His Guiding compatibility had never risen above five percent, despite coming from one of the Empire's oldest Guide families.

Every practical examination ended in failure, every assessment placed him at the bottom of the rankings, and every student knew his name-not because he was talented, but because he was a joke. His family had long since given up on him, his classmates mocked him, even the academy instructors treated him like dead weight.

Ethan rested his forehead against his hand and let out a long, defeated sigh.

Haah…

Even after being betrayed and eaten alive by zombies, the heavens still refused to show him even the slightest bit of mercy. Instead, they had thrown him into a life that somehow looked just as miserable.

Still…

This was a second chance, he had already died once, and he had absolutely no intention of dying again. Who knew where he'd end up if there was a third life? Judging by his luck, it'd probably be somewhere even worse.

No.

This time, he was going to live for himself, a quiet life and peaceful life.

And the very first step toward achieving that dream was staying as far away as possible from someone as powerful and famous as Lord Drey Valen.

Which meant…

Cancelling their engagement.

According to the original Ethan's memories, the engagement had been arranged years ago by both families, who believed their children would one day become the Empire's strongest Guide and Sentinel.

Back then, everyone had expected Ethan Ashford to awaken extraordinary Guiding abilities.

Unfortunately…

Reality had other plans, while Drey awakened as the Empire's youngest S-Class Sentinel, Ethan became the weakest Guide in history.

Since then, the engagement had become nothing more than a laughingstock.

And today…

Drey intended to end it.

"…Perfect." The word slipped out before Ethan even realized he'd spoken.

"Ethan Ashford!" The instructor's furious voice exploded through the classroom. "If you're done talking to yourself like a madman, then let me remind you that you're already several minutes late for your engagement dissolution!"

The icy glare directed at Ethan looked cold enough to freeze water. "…Alright."with another helpless sigh, Ethan rose from his seat and followed the instructor toward the academy's central hall.

By the time they arrived, quite a few students with free schedules had already gathered to watch the spectacle unfold.

But Ethan barely noticed any of them because the moment he stepped inside, his attention was stolen by the man standing at the very center of the hall.

…

Good Lord. The man was breathtaking.

Short black hair framed a face so perfectly sculpted it almost looked unreal. His sharp jawline, striking brown eyes, and calm, indifferent expression gave him an almost unreachable aura. Dressed in the academy's black-and-gold Sentinel uniform, he somehow managed to look ten times better than everyone else in the room.

That was Drey? His Drey? His supposed fiancée?

Whoa.

He was ridiculously handsome. For one dangerously brief second, a ridiculous thought crossed Ethan's mind.

If I wasn't straight…

…I might've actually reconsidered cancelling this engagement.

"…"

His eyes widened.

Wait.

Oh my God.

I am straight! Why did my brain even go there?

With a horrified expression, Ethan immediately tore his gaze away from Drey.

No.

Absolutely not.

A handsome face was just…

…a handsome face and that wasn't enough to shake his principles.

Right? The fact that he'd actually had to question himself was already concerning.

Before he could continue spiraling, his attention shifted to the blond-haired young man standing beside Drey, leaning closer, the blonde whispered just loudly enough for Ethan to hear. "He came… He actually came. For a moment there, I thought you'd have to resort to another method to end the engagement."

At that exact moment…

Ethan felt a pair of eyes settle on him causing him to look up and for the first time since entering the hall, Drey was looking directly at him.

Those deep brown eyes held no warmth, no affection, no hesitation. Only quiet indifference…

… along with the faintest trace of annoyance.

Ethan waited, surely Drey would say something now. After all, he was the one who wanted to end the engagement.

But…

Nothing.

The man simply continued staring at him in silence.

"…"

Ethan resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

Nope. I'm not standing here having a staring contest with this guy.

Clearing his throat, he broke the silence first. "I'm here now." He looked directly at Drey. "So… are we calling off the engagement or not?"

The hall instantly fell silent as the students exchanged stunned looks. Did Ethan… just say that? The same Ethan who had clung to Lord Drey for years?

The same Ethan who refused to let this engagement end no matter how many times he was rejected?

Not only had he shown up…

He was the one urging Drey to hurry up and cancel it.

Even Drey seemed momentarily surprised. One of his elegant brow rose slightly before the surprise disappeared behind his usual calm expression.

He gave a faint, almost mocking shake of his head before walking toward Ethan, stopping only a few steps away, he looked down at him with effortless confidence, with a small, arrogant smile curved at his lips. "I'm glad you came."

His voice was calm. "And I hope you truly want this as much as I do." He paused before adding," I also hope you won't try any tricks to get close to me after this engagement ends."

"…"

The smile on Ethan's face twitched, the hell Who did this guy think he was?

…No.

A better question was…

Just how shamelessly had the original Ethan chased after him for this man to be this full of himself?

Well… He wasn't the original Ethan and this overly confident man was about to receive a reality check.

"Hmph." Ethan folded his arms. "Trust me. I won't."

For the first time, Drey studied him for a second longer than necessary. "…Good." Satisfied, he turned around and returned to his original position.

The Headmaster stepped forward. "As many of you know, Lord Valen has long been engaged to Guide Ethan Ashford."

Without hesitation, Drey continued. "Today, I am officially dissolving our engagement." His expression remained cold as he spoke. "I cannot bind my future to someone incapable of guiding even low class Sentinels, I want nothing to do with him."

The moment the words fell whispers erupted throughout the hall.

Ethan couldn't have cared less. If anything, he felt relieved. Being tied to someone as powerful and publicly adored as Drey Valen would've only brought endless trouble.

Now he could quietly disappear into the background and enjoy the peaceful academy life he'd always wanted.

When the headmaster finally turned toward him, Ethan merely shrugged. "Of course. I agree."

Another wave of stunned silence spread through the hall.

Even Drey looked at him again, this time… There was the faintest trace of surprise in his eyes. Completely ignoring it, Ethan smiled brightly before giving the most exaggerated, overly polite bow he could manage.

"I sincerely hope you find someone who's actually compatible with you."

Without waiting for another response he turned around and walked away leaving behind a hall full of stunned faces…

...

"Well, news sure did travel fast in this school," Ethan muttered under his breath as he made his way back to his classroom. It had only been a few minutes since the engagement was dissolved, yet the entire academy already seemed to know about it.

Everywhere he walked, students whispered among themselves, openly discussing him without making the slightest effort to lower their voices.

Curious gazes followed him from every direction, but Ethan honestly couldn't care less.

Too bad for them.

He merely cast them a cool, dismissive glance that silently told everyone they weren't worth his attention before continuing toward the classroom as though none of them existed.

Much to Ethan's surprise, the same instructor who had looked at him with nothing but cold indifference moments ago was now looking at him with a trace of pity. The change was so obvious that he almost stopped walking.

Oh God… no.

Please don't look at me like that.

He really didn't want anyone pitying him.

Look, he was fine. Really.

If anything, he had wanted the engagement to be cancelled too. Sure, the public humiliation hadn't exactly been part of the plan, but the cancellation itself? He certainly wasn't crying over that.

Pushing those thoughts aside, Ethan walked into the classroom nonetheless, only for the instructor's voice to stop him in his tracks.

"You came back?"

Ethan frowned in confusion. What kind of question was that? It wasn't as though skipping classes wasn't exactly an option, the academy had plenty of creative ways to punish students who did.

"Yes, I did, sir. Why wouldn't I? I was already in class before I got called out... Surely I had to come back, right?"

The instructor stared at him for a moment before slowly shaking his head.

"You really didn't have to." He said his voice softening slightly "I wouldn't want to see you break down in tears during my class, so you can take the rest of the day off to atleast clear your mind."

Oh no…

He didn't just say that.

Did he seriously look like someone who was secretly heartbroken over a stupid breakup?

"I really don't need any—"

Ethan abruptly stopped himself.

Wait.

Was he actually about to reject free rest?

He genuinely needed time to clear his mind… just not for the reason the instructor thought. He had literally transmigrated into another world and inherited someone else's memories.

If anything, he desperately needed time to process everything. Rejecting a free day off would be idiotic besides the instructor meant well, even if the reason was hilariously wrong.

Ethan coughed awkwardly before correcting himself.

"…Actually. I really do need it. Thank you."

The instructor gave him a sympathetic nod, apparently convinced Ethan had finally accepted reality.

If only he knew.

Without another word, Ethan turned on his heels and headed straight for his dorm room. At least, after countless frustrating things that had happened since he arrived in this world, he had finally experienced something good.

Unfortunately…

That thought barely lasted.

He was only a few steps away from his dorm room when he suddenly froze.

His eyes widened.

His belongings… Clothes. books. luggage's.

Everything was being carelessly thrown out of his room as though it were nothing but garbage.

His expression darkened instantly "The fuck?! Who had the audacity to do this?"

His shout echoed through the hallway, but the students moving his belongings merely glanced at him as though he were some kind of joke before continuing to toss everything outside without the slightest concern.

Ethan instantly felt his temper flare.

Seriously?

He had planned to spend the rest of the day peacefully resting, finally enjoying the one decent thing that had happened after countless disasters, yet these people had the audacity to ruin even that. Even worse, they ignored him completely as if he didn't exist.

Well…

Not on his watch.

He strode over without another thought and immediately grabbed one of the boys firmly by the arm.

"You..." His voice turned dangerously cold. "How dare you throw my things away without my permission? And… why the fuck are you even throwing them away in the first place?!"

The two students visibly froze.

Not even in their wildest dreams had they expected Ethan to look this terrifying.

The Ethan they knew had always been a pushover. Someone who rarely fought back no matter how badly he was treated.

But the person standing before them now…

His sharp gaze alone was enough to make chills run down their backs.

"Ouch! Ouch! Ouch!" Karl cried, desperately trying to pull his arm free. "H-He ordered us to do it, okay?!"

Using his free hand, he hurriedly pointed toward Leon, who was now calmly approaching them.

Ethan immediately released Karl before turning his attention to the newcomer.

Wait…

He recognized that face.

Wasn't this the same boy he had seen standing beside Drey earlier?

Well, it didn't matter.

Stopping only a few steps away from him, Ethan spoke in an even voice.

"You ordered them to throw my things out? Why? And what exactly gave you the right?"

Leon let out a mocking scoff.

"Hah! You've suddenly got guts? Talking to me this way, huh?" His lips curled into a sneer as he folded his arms across his chest. "Besides, are you forgetting something? The only reason you were allowed to stay in this high-ranking dorm was because you were engaged to Drey. Now that the engagement is over…"

His smile widened.

"So is your privilege."

Ethan frowned.

Wasn't Ethan Ashford still a member of one of the Empire's oldest Guide families? From the memories he had inherited, his family background alone should have been enough to secure a place in this dorm with or without Drey.

"And so?" Ethan replied calmly. "I'm from the Ashford family. Rightfully, I'm ranked high enough to stay in this dorm."

Leon chuckled lightly, his expression filled with amusement.

"You seem to have forgotten something." His smile widened. "Your family abandoned you and made that very clear to everyone. The only reason you were staying here was because of Drey…"

He paused just long enough for the words to sink in before delivering the final blow.

"And now he wants you out."

His statement made Ethan freeze ever so slightly.

"…Wait."

His eyes narrowed immediately as disbelief flashed across his face.

"You're telling me Drey ordered this!?"

...

Ethan knew Drey didn't owe him anything, but come on… ordering someone to be thrown out of their dorm just moments after publicly humiliating them?

Wasn't that a little too much? Couldn't the man at least let him catch a break before making his life even more miserable?

Across from him, Leon studied Ethan for a brief moment, seemingly weighing his response. The truth was, Drey hadn't actually ordered him to do anything.

But then again….

The engagement had already been called off, and as far as Leon was concerned, throwing Ethan out of the high-ranked dorm was only common sense. And Leon was convinced Drey would only thank him once he found out.

So, in Leon's mind, that was practically the same thing as receiving the order directly. With a smug smile stretching across his face, he shrugged casually. "Of course he did."

Ethan let out a quiet scoff.

Hah…

What else had he expected from an arrogant dick like Drey?

He was willing to bet Drey had done this hoping he would come crawling back, begging to keep his room, but that simply wasn't happening.

He wasn't about to stroke Drey's ego by pleading for something as insignificant as a room.

Besides…

How bad could my new dorm possibly be?

With a resigned sigh, Ethan decided not to waste another second arguing with Leon.

He crouched down and gathered his belongings one by one, carefully arranging everything that had been carelessly thrown across the hallway. After asking where his new room was located, he carried his luggage over without another word.

…

Now standing in front of his new room, Ethan suddenly felt like crying.

"…This is an actual room for humans?" he wondered aloud as his gaze slowly swept across the tiny space.

The room was barely large enough to fit a narrow single bed, a small wooden desk with chipped corners, and an old wardrobe that looked as though it would collapse if someone leaned against it too hard. The walls had long since lost their original color, faint cracks ran across one corner of the ceiling, and the lone window hardly let any sunlight in, making the already cramped room feel even duller. It wasn't completely unlivable… but it was a far cry from the spacious dorm he had just been kicked out of.

How could one of the Empire's most prestigious academies actually have living conditions like this?

Then again…

He already knew the answer. This was the reality of being a low-class Guide.

Or rather…

Being at the very bottom of the low-class Guide rankings.

Within the academy, dormitories were assigned according to rank and status. Students were accommodated based on their ranks as Sentinels or Guides, the level of their abilities, or the standing of their families within the Empire. Sadly, Ethan no longer had either. His family had abandoned him, his Guide rank was embarrassingly low, and his engagement to Drey—the only thing keeping him in the higher-ranked dorm—had officially ended.

If he hadn't been motivated to train harder and increase his rank before…

He certainly was now.

He didn't dream of becoming famous. Nor did he want to stand at the top of the academy. He simply refused to remain weak enough for people to keep deciding how he should live.

If becoming stronger meant earning a better life… Then maybe putting in a little effort wouldn't hurt.

Letting out another sigh, Ethan tossed himself onto the bed, only for it to creak in protest beneath his weight.

"Well, Ethan," he muttered while staring at the ceiling, "you survived far worse living conditions during the apocalypse than this."

"This…"

"…You'll survive too."

Surprisingly, despite how uncomfortable the bed was, exhaustion overtook him almost instantly.

He fell asleep the moment his eyes closed.

The next morning…

Ethan shot upright in bed, the last traces of sleep vanishing from his eyes almost instantly.

"Oh no…"

"No, no, no…"

"This can't be happening."

His heart skipped a beat as his gaze landed on the alarm clock sitting beside the bed. He distinctly remembered setting it before falling asleep so he could wake up early, yet the time displayed on it was already far past what he had planned.

His eyes widened.

He was absolutely certain he hadn't heard it ring.

"…Don't tell me this piece of shit doesn't even work."

"Aughh!!"

He hurriedly threw the blanket aside, jumped out of bed, and rushed to wash up. Classes at the Academy began as early as eight in the morning, and according to the schedule he had memorized yesterday, today's first lesson was Physical Experiment. It was one of the academy's practical classes where students entered real dungeons and rifts for training exercises. The instructors took attendance incredibly seriously. Arriving late alone was enough to earn punishment.

Missing the class altogether?

Yeah…

He was in trouble.

After washing up as quickly as humanly possible, Ethan reached for his uniform, only for his movements to suddenly come to a halt when he caught sight of his reflection in the mirror.

"…Wait a damn minute."

How had he completely forgotten to check what he looked like in this new life?

Curiosity instantly replaced his panic for a brief second as he slowly walked toward the mirror.

Then…

He froze.

Staring back at him was an unbelievably handsome young man with smooth, fair skin and delicate yet striking features that looked almost unreal. Sleek shoulder-length black hair framed his face perfectly, making his sharp jawline stand out even more, His enchanting grey eyes, paired with his naturally rosy lips completed a face that looked as though it was sculpted to perfection.

…

Woah.

How the hell did Drey have the guts to reject this?

This face practically belonged on the cover of a magazine.

Hell…

If it were physically possible, he could practically fuck himself.

Looks definitely weren't something he'd been blessed with in his previous life, so he was absolutely going to cherish this upgrade.

…

Okay Ethan.

Enough admiring yourself.

For fuck's sake, you're late!!

By the time Ethan finally arrived at the training grounds, every bit of briefing had already been completed, and the instructors were in the middle of assigning students into groups.

The instructor in charge immediately noticed him.

His face darkened.

"The audacity you have, young man." His sharp glare locked onto Ethan without mercy. "A low-ranked Guide like you still dares to attend my session late?"

A dangerous smile slowly spread across the instructor's face.

"I'll teach you a lesson today."