The abyss was not silent. It began with a low, rhythmic sound—the steady drip of life
retreating into the cold pavement.
At the center of the deserted crossroads, two figures lay broken under the flickering
glow of the streetlights. One man was slumped against a vending machine, his body a
map of jagged, mortal wounds. This was Haru. Despite the steel that had pierced him,
his face bore no trace of agony. Instead, he looked like a man who had finally finished
a long, dificult race. He died with the quiet, heavy stillness of a hero who had
achieved his purpose—leaving the world without a single lingering regret.
A few inches away, the other man lay sprawled across the asphalt. His fingers were
still white-knuckled, frozen in a desperate grip around a necklace. A blade remained
buried deep in his chest, a cruel reminder of the suddenness of the end. Unlike Haru,
his face was a mask of pure, startled horror. He had been stolen from life before he
was ready, his eyes wide with the realization that his time had run out.
Two lives ended that night. One left in peace; the other left in pieces. But as their
blood mingled on the dark street, the soul of the hero was already drifting toward a
new beginning.
CHAPTER ONE : THE MUD FOUNDATION
The trek out of the jungle was long, but the man walked with a "predatory grace" that
made the local monsters give them a wide berth. As the trees thinned, the smell of
damp earth and woodsmoke filled the air.
Ahead lay a humble settlement of huts made of reinforced clay and thatch—the village
of Mud.
"Stop," the man commanded softly. He looked at Sora. "From this point on, I am not a
'Monster.' To these people, I am simply a high-ranking Monster. Don't go shouting
about my 'true form' unless you want to find your own breakfast for a month."
Sora nodded frantically, his hand resting on the hilt of his rusted blade.
As they entered the village gates, the chatter of the Goblin inhabitants died down.
They stared at the 7-foot-tall stranger in his magnificent black robes and the ethereal
woman following him.
Two female Goblins stepped forward to intercept them. They didn't look like the
scavengers in the woods; they carried themselves with the authority of leaders. One
was a woman of mature, dangerous beauty named Sofia, and beside her was her
daughter, Mizuki, whose eyes were sharp with suspicion and curiosity.
"Halt, travelers," Sofia said, her voice steady despite the overwhelming pressure she
felt from the man. "This is the village of Mud. State your name and your business."
The man looked at the two women, then at the horizon. He felt the last tether to his
past life—the life of Haru Ryūzaki—finally snap. He was ready for his 'one more try'.
"My business is a bed and a meal," he rumbled, his azure eyes locking onto Sofia's.
"And as for my name... call me Jee-shahn.
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Jee-shahn stood in the center of the muddy path, his 7-foot frame draped in his new
black-and-azure robes. He looked at Sofia and Mizuki, then let out a sigh so long it
sounded like he was deflating.
"So," he drawled, his azure eyes wandering toward a nearby pile of hay that looked
surprisingly soft. "Is there a reason we're standing in the rain, or is 'dramatic staring'
the national sport of this village?"
Sofia blinked, her authoritative stance faltering. She had expected a "High-Rank
Monster" to demand a tribute or a throne, not complain about the weather. "My Lord
Jee-shahn, we are merely cautious. Travelers of your... stature... usually bring
trouble."
"The only trouble I'm bringing is a severe case of back pain," Jee-shahn replied,
scratching his head. He looked at the tiny blue lizard on his shoulder. "Hey, you said
this place had luxury suites. All I see is mud. I want a refund on this adventure."The lizard chirped indignantly, while Sora, standing behind them, tried to look
intimidating despite being covered in jungle burrs.
Mizuki stepped forward, poking a finger toward Jee-shahn's chest—though she had to
reach quite high to do it. "If you want a bed, you have to earn it. Our village is under a
'Work-to-Live' law. No one sleeps for free."
Jee-shahn's face went completely blank. The idea of "work" seemed to physically hurt
him. He looked at Emiko, who was standing perfectly still, her white robes untouched
by a single drop of mud.
"Emiko, did you hear that? They want me to work," Jee-shahn said, his voice thick
with comedic despair. "Me. A Dragon. Working. This universe is clearly broken."
"Perhaps, my Lord," Emiko said with a small, graceful smile, "they simply haven't
realized that your 'work' usually involves finding the shortest path to a nap."
Jee-shahn turned back to the two Goblin leaders. "Look, Sofia, Mizuki... how about
this? I'll sit in your village and look 'High-Ranking.' That'll scare off the local bandits,
right? That's basically security work. Now, show me where the pillows are before I fall
asleep right here in the muck."
Sofia and Mizuki exchanged a look. They had never met a monster so
powerful-looking, yet so utterly useless in spirit.
"Fine," Sofia sighed. "We have a guest hut. But don't think this makes you our King."
"Trust me," Jee-shahn muttered, already walking toward the nearest roof. "Being a
King sounds like it has way too many early morning meetings. I'm retired from
everything that requires a 'Serious' face.
"That's just a snippet of the madness! I post these single-page previews as a 'teaser' for what's coming. For the full experience without any formatting issues, you can download the Full PDF directly from the link in my other comment.
If you have trouble accessing it there, please visit the Azure Ascendant Official YouTube channel. You'll find the official download link updated regularly in the bio. That's where the real story lives!"