Location: Heroa Camp Dormitory – Baghdad, Iraq
Time: 11:30 PM
Date: January 25, 2023
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Darkness engulfed everything...
Everyone was asleep in the designated dorms inside Heroa Camp...
But Ryan was sitting in his room, thinking deeply about how to become stronger.
His room was simple, yet heavy with the burden he carried alone.
A small military bed hugged the wall, covered with a rough, worn-out gray blanket that had seen too much use.
In the corner stood a rusty metal locker, with a half-dry towel dangling from it.
Opposite the wall was a small window with slightly cracked glass, through which moonlight crept in, painting the room in a pale silvery hue.
The air was thick with the scent of iron and dust, as if the room itself whispered stories of soldiers who had once passed through.
Ryan (gazing at the window): "I have to push myself... if I want to become the strongest!!"
The Next Day...
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Time: 9:27 AM
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Twelve soldiers were training diligently...
Each one engaged in exercises tailored to their skills. But Ryan?
He was running around the field three times… then trained on the leg extension machine…
After four hours of continuous training...
While everyone was busy at the camp's private training hall,
suddenly… someone stormed into the training area…
It was General Kern.
All twelve soldiers gathered around him.
One of the soldiers:
"What's our next training, sir?"
Kern (in a cold tone): "Yesterday's training was merely a test to measure each of your endurance levels..."
Lucas (raising his hand, curiously): "But… aren't we supposed to be training to develop our powers?"
Kern: "You're right… but I've discovered something..."
Everyone was puzzled — what was it that he had discovered?
Kern (continues in a mysterious tone): "During the training, I identified four of you… who were able to use their abilities properly."
The soldiers exchanged glances. Some looked shocked, while others whispered to each other, trying to guess who the four might be.
Ryan (thinking to himself): "Four out of twelve were able to use their powers?"
Kern: "And… one of you, while not having any innate power in his blood… is highly skilled."
Ryan (thinking again): "Is he talking about Shiro?"
[Note: Shiro has no magical powers, but he is an exceptionally skilled swordsman!]
Kern (staring with stern eyes): "Those of you who possess abilities... if you do not develop them, they will remain locked within your blood — like venom in veins, completely useless."
He stepped forward, his voice growing sharper:
"Developing blood abilities doesn't rely solely on physical strength... but rather on two fundamental elements:"
A complete silence swept through the hall...
Kern: "First: Meditation... you must dive deep into your blood and understand the essence of your power."
"Second: Precise steps... calculated movements that activate the flow of magical blood and stimulate your abilities."
Suddenly…
The training hall doors creaked open slowly, and a massive man walked in, wearing a dull gray uniform with a large wooden box strapped to his back.
He stopped at the center of the hall, then carefully placed the box down.
Kern: "Twelve books have been prepared… each of you will receive one tailored to your blood's ability."
He opened the box… and their eyes widened at the sight inside…
The soldiers began collecting their books one by one.
Shiro approached, and was handed a massive book bound in black leather with a carved emblem of a broken sword.
Title: "The Last Sword Bearer"
He flipped through the pages, finding illustrations of complex combat stances…
He muttered in awe: "What are these techniques...? I've never seen anything like this before!"
Then came Lucas's turn. He received a crimson-covered book, adorned with a blood-red gem.
Title: "The Dagger of the Vampire Queen"
The moment he read the title, he stepped back and exclaimed: "This… this book is legendary! It was believed lost for centuries!"
He opened it and discovered detailed accounts of every blood pattern used by vampires—
even secrets pertaining to the queen herself!
Finally… it was Ryan's turn.
He pulled his book from the box — a volume wrapped in dark blue leather, radiating a chilling aura.
The title, carved in worn lettering:
"Chronicles of the Curse King's Lineage – The Only Copy"
Ryan raised an eyebrow in surprise, but before he could speak, General Kern approached quietly, leaned in, and whispered:
"This book… must remain a secret. Master its curses… and never reveal its contents to anyone."
Ryan swallowed hard, the weight of the book already pressing on his soul…
It felt more like a curse than a gift.
But suddenly, one of the soldiers raised his hand, objecting with a frustrated voice:
Soldier: "Sir! Why do we have to learn all this on our own? Why won't you teach us?!"
A tense silence fell over the hall.
Kern turned toward him, eyes sharp, his voice deep and cold:
Kern: "Because the world won't teach you how to survive…
If you can't rely on yourself—
You'll die."
Everyone froze.
Their gazes shifted slowly back to the books laid before them.
A new chapter was beginning…
Yet no one knew the truth:
This training wasn't just meant to make them stronger—
But to reveal who was worthy of survival…
And who would fall before they even began.
45 minutes later...
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Location: Herwa Camp Cafeteria – Baghdad, Iraq
Time: 2:12 PM
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It was lunchtime.
Ryan sat at the long wooden table in the center of the modest cafeteria, joined by Lucas and Shiro.
The walls were dull concrete, the paint slightly chipped, and the clinking of spoons against metal dishes mixed with the quiet murmurs of weary soldiers.
A cafeteria worker placed three trays in front of them—
Brown rice, beside it lightly fried meat pieces seasoned with a bold Iraqi flavor, a steaming bowl of thick lentil soup, and a slightly stiff but warmly welcomed flatbread.
Lucas (chuckling): "Some things never change… even the food! Remember our moms' old lentil soups?"
Ryan (with a soft smile): "I remember… it was better than nothing, especially on cold winter nights."
Shiro (closing his eyes): "Those were days to remember… Do you guys recall when I used to sneak out of class just to steal candy from the other kids?"
Lucas (teasing): "You weren't just a kid—
You were a certified candy thief."
They all laughed, their voices blending with the noise of the cafeteria…
Then a gentle silence settled in, like memories pulling them inward.
Ryan (quietly): "Remember when Lucas got beaten up for hiding chocolate bread for that girl in second grade?"
Lucas (sighing): "Yeah… I thought I was doing the right thing.
But they said I should've obeyed her openly, not in secret…"
Shiro (staring at his plate): "Still, I think that moment made you who you are… someone who stands up against injustice."
Lucas (smirking): "That's got nothing to do with it, honestly."
Ryan (looking at them): "You guys…
You're not just friends.
You're the last piece of my past I haven't lost."
They continued their meal in silence, each drifting deeper into thought.
And with the final bite, Shiro stood up and stretched:
Shiro: "I'm off to train on Move #3 of my style…
If I don't come back, that means I broke my spine!"
Lucas (following): "And I'm off to study the Royal Bloodline technique…
If you find me asleep, do not wake me."
Rain remained alone at the table, eyes locked onto his mysterious book.
He stood up and walked toward the rear dirt yard of the camp—a place so silent and deserted, no one dared train there alone. The winds played with the dust like they played with secrets.
Rain sat down and placed the book atop a large rock, then opened it...
First Page:
"To the bearer of this book...
If you are not of cursed black blood,
If you are not the final heir...
Close this book before you open the gate of damnation.
This record is not for learning… but for surviving.
The bloodline demands a soul ready… and a body unafraid of death.
And beware... never turn the next page unless you are ready to lose everything."
Rain's eyes widened.
The air around him began to chill unnaturally, as a dark blue glow with black veins shimmered from the book's edges, soon engulfing the entire cover.
His hand trembled—
The energy… it felt like it was trying to pull something from within him.
Slowly… he turned to the second page.
Second Page: (Basics of Curse Usage):
1. Possessing black blood of the lineage.
"No curse can be activated without the black blood running in your veins—rare blood found only in a select few born into the lineage, especially in Azarius.
This blood allows you to bridge the world of reality and curses. Without it, your body will die instantly upon first use."
2. Being the final heir, with none before you.
"The lineage accepts only one bearer. If the previous king is still alive, the curses remain dormant.
But if he dies… the book seeks a successor. Usually, the book appears near its rightful heir.
Its presence means the throne is empty… and the curse seeks a new master."
3. Balance of body and soul.
"Curses are not merely power—they are entities that merge with you.
If you are unstable within, you will either explode from within or slowly go mad.
You must be clear-headed… and brave of heart."
4. The ultimate punishment.
"If someone without black blood attempts to use curses,
Or if one with evil intent uses them for harm and murder,
They are afflicted with the twisted curse disease…
A deadly illness that rots the body from the inside,
Gradually erasing the soul…
Until they become nothing but a shadow that kills everything in its path without awareness."
Rain gasped under his breath as he read these terrifying words…
But something within him didn't flinch—it burned.
He whispered to himself, his eyes sharp like blades:
"I am Rain… born of cursed blood…
And I am ready to become the master of this cursed legacy.
The future… won't just be training."