Chapter 1
In the heart of the Sotheen Region, the largest and most advanced region on Earth, stood Valcrest Medical Center, a towering beacon of hope and healing. Tonight, however, it was a scene of controlled chaos.
The emergency ward was in complete turmoil as waves of injured patients flooded the halls. Nurses sprinted between beds, IV drips clattered, and stretchers rolled in rapid succession. The overwhelming scent of antiseptic mixed with the metallic tang of blood, and the cries of the wounded reverberated through the facility.
"Dr. Vale! We need your help!" a desperate voice rang out above the commotion. Several frantic people surrounded a stretcher, their eyes pleading.
Dr. Selena Vale—hailed as the pinnacle of medical excellence—emerged from the intensive care unit. Clad in a pristine white coat, her striking black hair was tied into a tight ponytail, her sharp, blue eyes scanning the new arrivals. Despite the exhaustion weighing on her shoulders, she showed no signs of slowing down.
She had just finished stabilizing multiple critical patients, yet she didn't hesitate. Turning to the nearest nurse, she issued swift instructions. "Wrap up the last set of patients and ensure they're monitored closely. We need the next wave in the auxiliary ward immediately."
The efficiency in her voice commanded absolute respect, and the nurses obeyed without hesitation.
A few feet away, in the observation room, a group of doctors stood watching. Their faces carried a mixture of admiration, frustration, and resentment.
"This was impressive at first," grumbled Dr. Murkel, a middle-aged man whose broad shoulders and five-star credentials marked him as an accomplished doctor. Yet, compared to Selena's perfect ten-star rating, he seemed almost insignificant. "But this is getting ridiculous."
A younger doctor beside him, Dr. Grant, scoffed, adjusting his six-star coat. "I know, right? She hasn't even been in the medical field for eight years, and now she's surpassed all of us. Not just that—she's the only one recognized as a 'Proficient Doctor.'" His voice carried a bitter edge.
"She's already reached the pinnacle," a younger woman, Dr. Liana, muttered, crossing her arms. Her crisp three-star badge glinted under the bright hospital lights. "At this point, she should just retire. How much higher can she go?"
"Let's not talk about her like she's some kind of villain." An older doctor, Dr. Hastings, sighed. His eight-star badge made his words carry more weight. "This is Dr. Vale we're talking about. She hasn't just saved countless lives—she's helped all of us improve in our respective fields. We should be grateful to her, not resentful."
There was a moment of silence before another doctor chimed in. "Regardless, the influx of patients today is extreme. I heard most of them were caught in a storm up in Renton Mountain."
"Strange things have been happening on that mountain lately," another doctor murmured.
A female doctor suddenly clasped her hands together, her face twisting into an exaggerated expression of fear. "Maybe the gods are angry at us humans for our sins!" she declared dramatically, earning her a few chuckles and eye rolls.
Dr. Vale rushed to the next patient, her sharp eyes immediately assessing the dire situation. A middle-aged man lay on the operating table, his breathing ragged, his abdomen punctured by a metallic object embedded deep into his flesh. Blood pooled around the wound, a clear indication that if she didn't act fast, he wouldn't make it.
"Scalpel," she ordered, her voice steady despite the chaos around her. A nurse quickly handed her the instrument. Dr. Vale exhaled, steadying her hands as she made a precise incision around the lodged metal, careful not to damage any vital organs. Her gloved fingers worked swiftly, extracting the jagged object with a delicate but firm grip. The man's body twitched as a fresh surge of blood spilled onto the surgical drape.
"Clamp," she demanded, and in an instant, she was sealing off the ruptured blood vessels. The tension in the room was palpable. Minutes felt like hours as she sutured the wound with meticulous care, ensuring no internal bleeding remained. When the patient's breathing stabilized, she pulled back, sighing in relief. Another life saved.
She glanced at the clock. Midnight was drawing near.
---
A few hours later, outside the hospital, Dr. Vale leaned against her car, exhaustion evident in her posture. She had given her all today. As she reached for the car door, a young nurse hurriedly ran out of the hospital.
"Dr. Vale, wait!" the nurse called. Her name was Lily, a kind-hearted girl who always worried about her well-being. Unlike many others who viewed Selena Vale with jealousy, Lily admired her like a big sister.
"You know it's dangerous to leave this late, especially with what's been happening near Renton Mountain," Lily said, her brows furrowed with concern. "The storms have been getting worse. So many people have been caught in them, injured or worse. Please, don't go."
Dr. Vale chuckled softly, patting Lily's head. "Don't worry about me. I promise it'll be an easy ride. My driving skills are top-notch," she said playfully before getting into her car.
Lilly frowned. "I mean it! You've been like a big sister to me. If anything happens to you, I'll never forgive myself."
Selene ruffled Lilly's hair gently. "Relax, I promise it'll be an easy ride."
Famous last word.
Minutes later, Selene gripped the steering wheel with white-knuckled hands as she swerved to avoid another deadly lightning bolt.
"I swear this is NOT an easy ride!" she screamed as thunder crashed around her.
Her heart pounded as she dodged yet another bolt. The next strike barely missed, sending a tree crashing onto the road.
Her car skidded off the path and slammed into another tree.
For a moment, all was silent.
Then, as realization set in, she lifted her trembling hands to her face. "I'm… I'm alive," she whispered in disbelief.
But before she could celebrate, movement in the distance caught her attention. A lone figure staggered deeper into the forest, his silhouette barely visible under the sporadic flashes of lightning.
"Did someone get lost?" she muttered. Against her better judgment, she unbuckled her seatbelt and stepped out into the storm-ridden night.
"Hello?" she called out as she ventured forward. "Is someone there?"
A sudden sharp pain shot through her leg, making her scream. Looking down, she spotted the culprit—a rabbit scurrying away into the underbrush. She let out a shaky laugh, placing a hand over her racing heart.
"This is ridiculous," she muttered, turning around. "There's no one—"
A chilling presence suddenly washed over her.
Her body froze.
"You," a deep voice rasped behind her.
Slowly, she turned, her breath hitching in her throat. Crimson eyes locked onto hers, glowing like embers in the night. The figure before her was a man, his body battered and barely holding together. Blood dripped from deep, unfamiliar wounds etched across his skin. His breath was ragged, and yet, despite his condition, his presence exuded an overwhelming sense of power.
A strange, unexplainable fear rooted her to the spot. This was no ordinary injury. She had seen all kinds of wounds before, but these—these were almost unnatural. Almost otherworldly.
She took a cautious step forward. "You need help. I'm a doctor. I can save you," she said firmly, though concern laced her voice.
The man let out a bitter chuckle, despite his failing strength. "Leave… while you can." he muttered.
But before she could react, his body gave out.
Instinct took over as she lunged forward, catching him. His weight bore down on her, pressing her onto the damp forest floor. His blood stained her coat, its warmth stark against the cold night air.
His lips moved.
"Foolish human…" he whispered before losing consciousness.
For a moment, she lay frozen beneath him, her mind struggling to process what had just happened. Then, as if her brain had rebooted, she shook herself out of the daze.
"I need to save him," she whispered, determination igniting in her chest. Summoning every ounce of strength she had, she struggled to lift him, dragging his battered body back toward her car.
With great effort, she managed to get him inside before slamming the door shut. Her hands clenched around the steering wheel as she turned the ignition. "Hang in there" she said .
A few minutes after Selena left, the air in the forest grew unnaturally still. The night's silence was shattered by a sudden, deafening gust of wind, and with it, a massive figure descended upon the very spot where she had stood.
The creature was nightmarish, a vision pulled straight from the most hellish depictions of demons in ancient texts. Towering at nearly ten feet, his body was a fusion of raw muscle and unearthly menace, covered in dark crimson hide that seemed to ripple with barely contained power. Two enormous black horns jutted from his skull, curving slightly backward like the crown of some forgotten god of destruction. His hands were monstrous, tipped with elongated, razor-sharp claws that gleamed like obsidian under the eerie glow of the storm. His fanged maw curled into a smirk, and behind him, whip-like tail lashed violently.
As if shedding an old skin, his form shimmered, the monstrous shape collapsing inward. In an instant, the behemoth was gone, replaced by a man—if he could even be called that. His human form was nothing short of ethereal, unnaturally perfect in its beauty. He stood tall, his pale skin marred only by the two smaller, sharper horns protruding from his forehead. His eyes burned a deep, hellish red, the only remnant of the beast he had just been. Though his sculpted physique was nothing short of divine, his expression was one of pure, simmering malice.
"Where is Raziel?" he muttered, his voice smooth yet carrying a venomous undertone. His gaze swept the area, his sharp eyes narrowing. "Was he struck by the storm and reduced to ashes? With how terribly wounded he was after our battle, he shouldn't have been able to survive..."
A slow, sinister grin spread across his face. "The Angro Crystal is embedded in him. He will die. No doubt about it. A shame, really..." He exhaled mockingly before chuckling to himself, a dark amusement flickering across his features. "Now that he's out of the way, only three remain to be taken care of."
With a flick of his wrist, he conjured a swirling black sphere, its surface shifting and writhing like a living entity. He tossed it onto the ground with a casual air. The moment it made contact, the earth beneath it cracked, and from within, a glowing red portal flared to life, pulsating with ominous energy.
"One step closer," he mused, his voice carrying an almost giddy excitement as he stepped forward. "Everything will soon belong to me."
He vanished into the portal, his form dissolving into darkness. The moment he disappeared, the sphere trembled violently before erupting in a burst of shadowy flames. The explosion consumed everything in its radius, obliterating any trace of what had transpired in the forest.
As the smoke cleared, the land where he had stood was left barren, a perfect, unnatural emptiness marking the spot. No footprints, no disturbance—just an eerie, silent void.
To be continued.