Six years had passed since Kai was abandoned at the orphanage. He would run through the streets, ask the villagers for things, bother the blacksmith, and follow the soldiers everywhere. He was fascinated by swords; he always wanted to touch them, lift them, and imitate them. To keep him from getting hurt, the soldiers eventually asked the blacksmith to make him a small wooden sword.
When Kai held that sword in his hands for the first time, it was as if something invisible had stopped to watch.
The boy played with it every day. He didn't speak much. He laughed, helped others, and had ideas that were surprisingly intelligent for his age, but he was quiet. Very quiet. No one understood why, but he had still won everyone's heart. Kai was different.
He was about to turn seven years old.
At the orphanage, since no one knew the exact birth dates of the orphans, a single day of the year had been chosen to celebrate all their birthdays together. On that day, there were cakes, laughter, and games. The villagers would go to the church, the priest would say a prayer, and the nuns—young women—would help the children, who clapped and laughed without stopping.
That day, the town was full of joy.
They didn't know it, but something was advancing from the peninsula. A beast crossed the border.
An immense darkness began to envelop the valley. It was a chimera, a monster born from the remains of hell, from the fragments left behind after ancient explosions. For centuries it had remained dormant on the peninsula, but finding no humans to devour, it decided to emerge.
It had three heads: lion, pig, and hyena. A serpent's tail, bat wings, and the body of a lion. It was as tall as a five-story building; a beast brought directly from hell.
The soldiers sounded the alarm. The party music stopped abruptly, and the metallic ring echoed through the town. Kai didn't understand what was happening, but he grasped something essential: danger was approaching. Without panicking, he began to help. He took his orphan friends by the hand, pushed them toward the exit, and helped the youngest ones. The nuns carried the smaller children to an improvised shelter while the soldiers shouted orders, telling everyone to abandon their homes.
Then came the roars.
Flames rose in the distance, and the screaming became unbearable. People ran without knowing where to go. The soldiers attacked the beast, but their weapons barely seemed to bother it. In the middle of the chaos, Kai was left alone.
The church was next to the orphanage. With a monstrous leap, the chimera landed near both buildings. Its tail knocked down the church roof… and the orphanage's as well. The world came crashing down: dust, wood, stone.
Kai was trapped among the rubble. His small wooden sword was pinned under a beam; he tried to lift it, but it broke in his hands. A nun screamed his name from outside, trying to break down the door, but she couldn't see him through the cloud of dust and dirt.
Kai saw the beast.
He recognized it as the enemy. His gift was broken; the town was being destroyed. Rage flooded him.
He gripped the fragment of the sword he had left. He leaned back and drew his right arm, as if he were about to throw a stone. He didn't think he could hurt it; he just wanted to hit it.
Then, the atmosphere darkened. The air compressed. Everything seemed to stop.
When Kai threw the piece of sword, it wasn't wood that flew. A blue bolt shot out; a brutal, compact, impossible discharge. It struck the chimera's chest, and the beast exploded. Flesh, bone, and blood flew in every direction. The monster disintegrated into pieces, and silence fell suddenly.
Kai was covered in blood. The villagers and the soldiers were too. No one understood what had happened. Kai stood paralyzed, staring at the spot where the beast had once existed.
At that moment, the nun managed to break down the door. She ran to him, took him in her arms, and pressed him against her chest. She ran away, while the town, covered in remains and silence, began to realize that something impossible had just occurred.
Chapter V: Path to the Church
While the town's soldiers gathered the orphans and helped the villagers, the nuns distributed food and tended to the wounded amidst the remains of destroyed houses and streets covered in blood and debris. The chaos was slowly beginning to find order.
It didn't take long for an official delegation to arrive at the village. Priests of the church, holy soldiers, and full units of the White Mages' Kingdom army descended the main road. News of the beast's attack had reached the capital, and the response had been immediate. When they set out, they assumed the village would be razed; they never imagined the beast would no longer exist.
The scene they found was baffling: the village was still standing, though damaged, and the chimera's entrails were scattered everywhere. Soldiers and villagers worked together clearing remains of flesh, bone, and blood, trying to restore some normalcy to the place.
The priests and holy soldiers watched in silence as the scholars began to examine the remains. There were white mages, some authorized black mages, black warlocks, and church scholars. For hours they analyzed what had happened, measuring marks, studying the dispersion of fragments, and debating in low voices.
The conclusion was unanimous: the beast had not been destroyed by a spell. Nor were there signs of prolonged combat or multiple impacts. No remains of active magic or traces of complex summons were found. The chimera had received a single direct hit; a solid object at an impossible speed. That single blow had been enough to destroy it completely.
"Not even the most powerful spell could do this," some admitted. "No ordinary warrior would be capable of it."
This unsettled everyone. The church took notes and the army drafted its report. The detachment captain and the kingdom's head mage agreed that this would be the official report sent to the King of the White Mages. Meanwhile, there was an urgent decision to make: the orphans. The orphanage had been destroyed, and the church was also heavily damaged. The children could not stay there. The order was clear: everyone would be moved to the capital of the White Mages' Kingdom.
The wagons lined up, and the convoy began to form under the protection of the holy knights. One by one, the children were loaded onto the wagons, accompanied by nuns and priests. Among them was Kai. The young boy didn't say a word; he watched in silence, his eyes alert as the village was left behind.
The journey was long but safe. Upon arriving at the capital, the orphans were housed in a new orphanage, much larger, where other children already lived. There were more nuns, more caretakers, and more space… but also less human warmth. Kai accepted this new home without protest.
Meanwhile, the church and the army continued to investigate the incident. The explosion of the beast remained a mystery; they could not accept that someone, or something, possessed such power. They knew one thing for certain: whoever had destroyed that chimera was no ordinary being. Sooner or later, the King of the Church and the King of the White Mages would have to know.
Unbeknownst to him, as the reports traveled toward the thrones, little Kai was beginning a new stage of his life far from the village that had seen him grow.
Kai enjoyed life in the great metropolis in his own way. The capital was immense: endless streets, crowded markets, festivals, music, dances, and faces of all kinds. There were good people and bad people, but he was fascinated simply by walking, observing, and getting lost in the crowd. That was why he escaped from the orphanage constantly.
A couple of months had already passed since the beast's attack. By then, the kingdoms had reached a convenient conclusion: the incident had been isolated. There were no deaths and no further attacks; perhaps the chimera had simply exploded on its own. That was one of the explanations that circulated… and one that the kings accepted with little interest. The matter was forgotten.
Kai also left it behind and moved on with his life. He would slip through the streets, mingle with the crowds, and watch the grand festivals and public dances. Sometimes soldiers would search for him throughout the city, scouring markets and squares until they found him. One of those days, as Kai was being dragged back to the orphanage, someone watched the scene closely: Cardinal Alessandro Moretti.
Moretti had a mission entrusted by the Church: to find exceptional children, hidden talents, and future holy knights. Some of these children would reach legendary ranks, the so-called SS ranks, the most powerful on the planet: paladin knights, great elemental mages, or even extraordinary half-beasts. The Church did not just train them; it also distributed them among the nations… along with authority. Alessandro was the one in charge of finding them.
Kai was held by one arm by a soldier and by the other by another; he did not want to return to the orphanage.
"I've told you a thousand times!" the Mother Superior shouted. "Don't you dare run away again! This city is dangerous! If something happens to you, it will be your fault. You'll go three days without eating!"
Kai looked at her. He didn't cry, he didn't mock her, he said nothing. He had a serious, almost adult expression. The soldiers brought him into the orphanage and left him sitting on one of the church benches. Alessandro Moretti then approached the Mother Superior.
"Who is that boy?" he asked.
"He calls himself Kai Killerman," she replied. "He is one of the orphans from the orphanage that was destroyed by the beast a few months ago."
"Ah… yes, I heard that story," Alessandro nodded. "Has he been tested?"
"Not here," the woman answered. "The nuns from the other orphanage say they tried, but they didn't have the proper equipment. According to them, he shows no abilities or power whatsoever."
Alessandro watched her in silence for a few seconds.
"We don't have the necessary instruments here either," he said. "Only the Church capital possesses them. Would you mind if I took the boy with me?"
The Mother Superior was surprised.
"You want to take Kai?"
"Yes. In the capital, he will be more controlled, better protected… and he won't be in danger of running away through the city."
She hesitated, but finally accepted:
"Very well. But I want you to send me a letter with news of him."
"It shall be so," Alessandro replied.
The cardinal approached Kai and knelt before him.
"How are you, my boy?"
Kai watched him closely.
"I want to take you to the Church capital," Alessandro continued. "You will be better protected there."
Kai frowned.
"And why do you want to do that for me?"
Alessandro smiled slightly.
"Because I think you have something. I don't know what it is... but I'm good at finding talent."
Kai thought for a moment.
"If I get plenty of food," he said.
Alessandro laughed.
"Yes, yes. You will have all the food you want."
"Then it's fine," the boy replied.
Shortly after, Kai was placed in a carriage escorted by holy soldiers. The convoy set off for the Church capital. During the trip, Kai observed everything carefully: the enormous cathedrals, the towers rising into the sky, the white marble buildings, and the spotless streets. It reminded him of images he had seen before... skyscrapers, monumental temples, cities from another world.
It wasn't strange. Although his body was that of a child, his mind retained the consciousness of a twenty-eight-year-old adult. He remembered everything he had lived through since he was little with total clarity. He saw no poverty there, no misery; only luxury and order.
Upon arrival, Alessandro took him by the hand.
"Come," he said. "Follow me."
He led him into a massive building with wide hallways and rooms fit for kings.
"This will be your room," he explained. "Wait here. They will bring you food soon."
Kai nodded. Alessandro left immediately and headed to the main cathedral. He had to speak with a High Father. He had found something; he didn't yet know what it was.
But he was certain that this was no ordinary child.
Chapter 6: Dilemma
Kai waited in silence inside the room assigned to him in that immense palace, erected in the heart of the Church's kingdom. From the balcony, resting his forearms on the cold white stone railing, he observed the landscape unfolding before his eyes: enormous buildings of solemn architecture, ornate domes, and stylized towers that seemed to want to pierce the very heavens. It was a place that combined the fantastic with the modern in an unsettling, almost surreal way.
To Kai, however, this vision awakened a vague memory. Those constructions felt strangely familiar, as if they belonged to a past life. The infrastructure, the order, the ceremonial grandeur… everything reminded him of a place he had known in his former land, a place called the Vatican. But he never said a word; he kept those thoughts in the deepest part of his mind, like secrets he wasn't yet ready to understand.
The room was enormous, far too large for a child. The bed, disproportionate, looked more like an altar than a place to sleep. Kai jumped on it, fell back, laughed silently, and stood up again, oblivious to the weight of the place where he was. To him, that palace was nothing more than a new space to explore, though his instinct told him that important decisions were made within those walls.
While Kai played, far from the room in a hall reserved for the clergy, two figures spoke in low voices.
"You have brought a child?" a deep voice asked, heavy with authority.
"Yes, Eminence," Alessandro replied, bowing his head slightly. "I have brought a child from the orphanage. I have come to request your authorization to use the machine."
The Cardinal narrowed his eyes.
"You know that you cannot bring a child without the prior authorization of the Church, Alessandro."
"I know, sir," he admitted. "But I have a hunch. This child… has something special."
There was a brief silence, dense and almost uncomfortable.
"Very well," the Cardinal finally conceded. "I will give you the necessary orders for the procedure to be carried out. But remember this: before bringing a child from the orphanage, you must notify me. Do not bypass protocol again."
"Yes, sir. Forgive me."
Alessandro left immediately. His destination was one of the most heavily guarded buildings in the ecclesiastical complex: the chamber housing the great machine. It was a colossal structure, ancient and sacred at once. At its core floated six perfectly aligned orbs, each pulsing with a distinct energy. Those orbs were capable of analyzing every magic, gift, and skill existing within a living being—not only humans, but also humanoids—as humans were far from being the only race inhabiting that planet.
Once the corresponding authorizations were delivered, Alessandro returned for Kai.
The boy waited for him obediently. A group of nuns approached and offered him simple but plentiful food; Kai ate calmly, suspecting nothing, while Alessandro watched him in silence. He did not take his eyes off him. There was something about that child that deeply unsettled him.
In a world where any newborn possessed at least fifteen innate skills—regardless of race—Kai showed absolutely nothing. No trace of magic, no latent talent, no affinity.
In that world, there were magic humans, humans with special skills, and half-beasts. There were also the superior races: the divine dragons and the crowned beasts, descendants of ancient and powerful lineages, though belonging to different species. There were vampires and high humans considered skill bearers, direct descendants of the angelic caste: the half-angels. There were also half-demons, originating from the Demon Lord's territory, one of the continent's great empires.
In total, thirty-seven races coexisted on that planet.
There were mages of all kinds: white mages; white warlocks—who had vanished a thousand years ago during the last war against the Heralos—black mages, black warlocks, red mages, and mages of wind, water, ice, and fire. Entire empires were built around elemental affinities. The Sand Empire, for example, primarily housed earth mages, though they actually belonged to the Kingdom of the Mountains and possessed hybrid skills.
Red mages were an exception: they could use all magics, though none reached their full potential; they only managed to power each one to half of what a pure-blood mage could achieve.
Races, as a rule, bred within their own kind. Mixtures were rare and, in many territories, rejected. Half-breeds ended up migrating to marginal places: the Kingdom of Pirates, the Kingdom of Mercenaries, or the Kingdom of the Jungle, where mostly descendants of dark elves lived. Dark elves inhabited vast forests and possessed powerful, ancient magic. The Elves, guardians of the forest, were even more feared and respected. Elf women were considered the most beautiful in the world, and dark elves, with skin smooth as velvet, were not far behind.
There were the half-beasts of the Kingdom of the Fang, gifted with overwhelming strength; the half-tigers, incredibly fast; the half-panthers, extraordinary warriors; the Kingdom of the Spear, forged in honor and discipline; the Kingdom of the Axe, brutal and savage; the Kingdom of the Fox, powerful yet peaceful; and the Oni, giant one-horned warriors feared on the battlefields.
All this knowledge swept through Alessandro's mind like a storm. And yet, one idea hit him harder than all the rest:
This child… does not belong to any race.
Kai had finished eating. He wiped his hands with childish clumsiness and looked up as Alessandro approached him.
"Come with me, Kai," he said in a serene voice.
The boy nodded without a word and naturally took his hand. Together they headed toward another building, located just a few steps from the previous one. At first glance, it seemed like just another palace within the complex, but crossing its doors revealed a place steeped in history and solemnity.
Inside rose enormous statues of ancient priests, legendary figures sculpted in white stone with stern gazes and eternal gestures. Along the hallways, ancient armor, relics of forgotten wars, time-worn banners, and murals narrating sacred feats were on display. That building was not just a palace: it was a living archive of the Church. The place was filled with priests and nuns moving in silence, but also scholars and scientists dedicated to the study of magic, energy, and races. Everything coexisted in a delicate balance between faith and knowledge.
Suddenly, massive doors opened with a deep metallic sound. Beyond them lay an immense hall, crowned by a glass ceiling that let in the light from the sky. In the center, dominating everything, stood the machine.
It was an imposing structure, made of large concentric circles. Six metallic rings floated suspended, ready to spin around whoever stood in the center. In each of them shone a different orb, created to read, analyze, and unravel every existing skill within a living being.
Kai was led inside.
The nuns helped him sit in the center seat while the rings slowly began to activate. Alessandro leaned toward him and spoke softly.
"Do not be afraid. We only want to analyze you."
Kai watched him closely. For anyone else, that scene would have been terrifying, but Kai was no ordinary child. His mind was that of an adult trapped in a child's body, and although the situation felt strange, he felt no fear. This did not go unnoticed by Alessandro.
He isn't trembling... he thought. He doesn't show even a hint of fear.
Alessandro stepped away, and Kai was left alone in the center of the machine. The six rings began to spin around him, faster and faster. The orbs lit up, and at the other end of the room, the scholars watched as information flowed toward large boards covered in runes. The ancient inscriptions began to glow; the orbs pulsed as if they had a life of their own.
Then, something happened that no one expected.
In the air, in front of Alessandro, a golden parchment appeared, slowly materializing and suspended as if an invisible will were holding it. The parchment unfurled on its own and remained within his reach. The machine stopped abruptly.
Kai was carefully removed by the nuns and taken to an adjacent room, away from everyone's sight. There they waited for him, cared for him, and kept him isolated, without explanation.
Meanwhile, Alessandro was reading, and with every line, his expression hardened further. There was only one skill registered. Just one.
"Evolution..." he whispered.
An unknown skill. Never before recorded. There was no precedent in the Church archives, nor in ancient texts, nor in the records of past wars. Alessandro stood paralyzed. He didn't know what that skill did or how it worked, but a certainty began to form in his mind: this child could become something much greater than he appeared.
Even so, he said nothing. Carefully folding the parchment, he immediately went to see his superior. Kai remained with the nuns, isolated in another building, not fully understanding what had just happened.
When the Eminence took the parchment and read it, he looked up with a grave expression.
"Is this true?"
"Yes, sir," Alessandro replied. "The child possesses only one skill... and it is Evolution."
"Nothing else?"
"Nothing else. But there are strange statistics: his energy belongs to the dark side."
The Cardinal's face tensed.
"To the dark side?"
"Yes. To the naked eye, he looks like an ordinary human; we detect no magic in him... but we do detect dark energy. It is as if this child exists in this plane and, at the same time, in another."
The Eminence remained silent for a few seconds.
"I understand, Alessandro. It is... unsettling. We don't have the technology to fully analyze him, but we know what skill he possesses. I want you to keep him isolated. We will see what role he can fulfill." He paused, then added: "Oh, by the way. His Majesty wants to see you."
"The King, sir?"
"Yes. The King wishes to speak with you."
"Understood," Alessandro replied. "I will head to the main palace."
Meanwhile, Kai was being taken back to his room. The nuns cared for him diligently, but they also followed a clear order: keep him separated from everything and everyone.
The King received Alessandro in an austere room, more political than religious. He was the highest representative of the Church, a figure equivalent to what, in another world, would have been the Pope.
"My old friend has informed me," the King began, "that you have brought a child without authorization. And he also told me that this child possesses an extraordinary skill."
"That is correct, my King."
"Tell me then," he continued, "what do you plan to do with him?"
"We are studying him. But only a week has passed; we need more time."
The King slowly shook his head.
"I do not like the idea of young children in places like this."
"He will be protected, sir."
"I know, Alessandro. But this is a civilian-free zone. Here we train, we investigate, and we prepare soldiers. If word gets out that there is a child here, people will think we are experimenting on him." He stared at him. "Do you know the human law?"
"Yes, sir."
"You cannot experiment on children. And I find it striking that you have broken that rule… when you yourself helped write it."
Alessandro clenched his fists.
"I understand. But we must discover all the possibilities of this boy."
"Why?" the King asked. "Why turn a child into something he did not choose to be?"
"The prophecy, sir," Alessandro replied. "The Heralos will return. The Jailer will no longer be able to keep them bound. We need to be prepared."
"The chains will break after a thousand years… so the prophecy says," the King countered. "But it could also just be a legend. We haven't had a war in over a thousand years. The races coexist in peace. The Church has maintained diplomatic relations even with the Demon King and the Hero King."
He leaned forward.
"Why turn a child into a weapon to fight something that might never return?"
Alessandro held his gaze.
"Because protecting ourselves is also our responsibility."
The King sighed.
"Very well. You shall have the child under your custody. But I do not want him in the palace. Take him far from the capital. I want no trouble with the Hero King or the human laws. Is that clear?"
"Yes, my lord."
"Then do it."
Alessandro withdrew. The Church capital was no ordinary city. There were no houses, no schools, no commoners. It was a command center, a military and strategic core where warrior nuns, combat priests, and Holy Knights were trained. A place where a child should not be. And Alessandro knew it. Human law did not allow it, but even so… he could not let go of Kai.