Snowflakes drifted gently across a small elven village.
A young boy — barely ten, pale hair glowing like moonlight — stood before a practice target, magic circles swirling around his hands.
"Ice Spear!"
The spell shot forward, piercing clean through the wooden dummy.
A tall human approached behind him, clapping proudly.
"Well done, Eldrin," the teacher said with a warm smile. "That was a strong ice spear. Your control is exceptional."
The boy's pointed ears twitched with excitement.
"You really think I can be strong?"
"Strong?" The man laughed. "At this rate, you'll surpass even the Seven Heroes one day."
He crouched down, looking the boy in the eyes.
"Maybe… strong enough that even the Death God won't stand a chance against you."
Eldrin's eyes widened.
The idea of being that powerful… it was intoxicating.
The world faded—
and returned in fire.
20 Years Later
Screams. Blood. Shattered earth.
The battlefield trembled under the shadow of a colossal throne carved into the mountain.
Eldrin — now older, scarred, trembling — stood beside the Seven Heroes.
Before them… the Death God towered like a living nightmare, wreathed in darkness that devoured light itself.
"We end this here!" one of the heroes shouted.
They charged forward as one, blades glowing, magic circles spinning.
Eldrin stayed back, gathering mana until his vision blurred.
Runes spiraled around him, burning white-hot.
"O mighty gods…"
Mana surged up his arms, scorching him.
"Grant me power to exterminate these monsters from the mortal realm…"
The ground split beneath him.
"CONFLAGRATION SPHERE!!"
"ELDRIN, NOW!!"
All seven heroes leapt away.
A sun made of fire erupted.
A wall of infernos swallowed the Death God whole—
Five hundred advanced-tier flame detonations rained from the heavens, turning the battlefield into a sea of roaring destruction.
Eldrin fell to his knees, exhausted, sweating, trembling.
"It's… over…" he breathed, a small smile forming.
Then the flames parted.
And Eldrin froze.
The Death God walked out of the inferno, flesh knitting itself together, armor untouched — only a faint scorch mark on his shoulder.
"ELDRIN!"
One of the heroes grabbed him and dragged him back as black tendrils lashed toward them.
Another hero shouted, "Get him out! He's our only chance in the next cycle!"
Eldrin's eyes widened. "Next… cycle?"
And then Eldrin was thrown into a teleportation circle as the six heroes charged the Death God, shouting battle cries that turned into screams.
Light swallowed him.
The battlefield vanished.