The monster realm reeked of blood and sulfur.
A faceless horror stood in the crimson fog, its body a writhing mass of shadows, clutching a jagged blade that pulsed like a living vein. No eyes. No mouth. Just endless void where a face should be.
From the mist slithered a grotesque red monster, its uneven limbs twitching with savage glee. Saliva dripped from its jagged maw as it grinned.
"Oi, faceless bastard," it snarled, voice like grinding bones. "Wanna hunt some humans? Fresh screams, warm blood. Easy pickings."
The faceless monster tilted its blank head. A cold, hollow voice echoed from the air itself.
"Why not?"
They raised their claws and chanted in a tongue that made the ground bleed. Dark energy tore open a jagged portal, edges flickering like torn flesh. Without hesitation, the two monsters stepped through.
---
They arrived on a quiet human street.
Screams ripped through the air the moment they appeared. People scattered like frightened prey. The faceless monster moved in eerie silence, raising its sword toward a frozen girl who could only stare in terror, tears streaming down her face.
The sword began to descend.
*Shing—!*
A streak of deep black slashed through the air from behind. The faceless monster's head flew off in a clean arc. Its body stood motionless for one heartbeat before collapsing in a heap.
A young man stepped forward, dressed entirely in black. Raven hair framed a strikingly handsome yet emotionless face. In his grip was a legendary sword known as the **7th Form**. Its current blade glowed with deep, hungry black as it eagerly drank the monster's spilling blood.
The girl he had just saved stumbled back, eyes wide with shock and relief.
The red monster spun around, staring at its dead companion. It threw its head back and laughed mockingly.
"Hah! Killed by a mere human? Pathetic weakling! What a joke!"
Draven Blackthorn turned slowly. His dark eyes locked onto the red monster with a cold, terrifying gaze that made the air itself feel heavier. No words. Just pure, suffocating pressure.
The red monster's laughter died instantly. Fear flashed across its ugly face.
"W-wait—!"
It frantically began chanting, claws slashing the air to open an escape portal. A swirling gateway tore open behind it.
As the red monster lunged toward safety, another black slash tore through the space. *Shrrrk!*
The blade sliced its body cleanly in half. The upper torso flew through the closing portal and landed with a wet thud in the monster world, blood spraying everywhere.
Draven lowered the 7th Form. The black blade pulsed with satisfaction, absorbing the fresh blood and growing just a fraction sharper.
In this world, every sword user's slash carried a unique color that could change depending on their weapon's current state. Draven's slashes were usually black — deep, consuming, and absolute — because the 7th Form was currently in its black stage. The 7th Form was an ancient and unique weapon said to possess exactly **99 colors**, each representing a successive evolutionary stage. It grew stronger by drinking the blood of monsters, shifting through these colors as it absorbed greater power. Its current black form was merely one of the earlier stages. The final color — the 99th — had never been seen by anyone, for it could only be unlocked by the blood of the Monster King itself.
Deep within the monster realm lay a mysterious cave. It was said the cave would only awaken when a sword that had slain the Monster King was placed inside it. What it unlocked remained unknown. Seven elite sword users had once entered the monster world to uncover its secrets… and none ever returned.
---
**Present Day**
The afternoon sun bathed the city streets in warm gold as **Draven Blackthorn** walked alone, the 7th Form sheathed at his hip. He had spent the morning quietly erasing any traces of yesterday's battle. No officials. No reports. Sword users like him worked best in the shadows.
He turned a quiet corner near a small park when—
"Draven!"
A bright voice cut through the air. A cute girl with sparkling eyes and a sunny smile — **Lira** — came running toward him. Without hesitation, she threw her arms around him in a tight, warm hug, pressing her cheek against his chest.
"Finally! I've been waiting for you~" she said happily, her voice bubbly and full of energy.
Draven stiffened for a split second, his usual calm mask cracking just a little. He gently placed one hand on her back, but his face showed genuine confusion.
Lira pulled back slightly, still beaming up at him.
"Can we go on our date now?"
Draven blinked slowly. One eyebrow twitched.
"…What date?"
Lira's smile faltered. She stared at him with an awkward, slightly hurt expression, cheeks turning a soft pink.
"You… forgot?" She puffed her cheeks in mild annoyance, looking even cuter. "We planned this yesterday! You promised we'd go out after your mission…"
A faint flicker of realization crossed Draven's eyes. He remained silent.
**One day earlier – Flashback**
In a cozy little café, the evening news played on a small television.
"Breaking news: Two bizarre monsters appeared in the downtown area this afternoon. Eyewitnesses describe one faceless humanoid and one grotesque red creature attacking civilians without warning…"
Lira, sitting across from Draven, watched the screen with wide eyes. She turned to him, worry clear on her face.
"Oh no… that sounds really scary."
Draven, dressed in his signature all-black outfit with the 7th Form resting beside the table, simply sipped his drink in silence. His expression barely changed.
Lira tried to sound optimistic.
"But don't worry! I heard some sword user already took care of them. They're probably gone by now."
Draven set his cup down quietly. Without a word, he stood up, left some money on the table, and walked out of the café, heading straight toward the scene of the attack. Lira was left mid-sentence, blinking in surprise.
**Back to the present**
Lira tilted her head, still lightly hugging him.
"So… you really forgot? After you rushed off yesterday to 'take care of something'…"
Draven looked away for a moment. His cool, unreadable face showed the faintest trace of guilt.
"…Sorry."
Lira giggled despite herself and poked his chest playfully with a finger.
"You're hopeless, you know that? But fine — I'll forgive you this time if you come with me right now. No monsters, no swords, just us. Deal?"
Draven let out a soft sigh. The corner of his mouth lifted ever so slightly — almost a smile.
"…Deal."
He offered his arm to her. Lira's face lit up with pure delight as she linked her arm with his, happily pulling him toward the peaceful park pathway.
As they walked side by side, the 7th Form at Draven's side pulsed once, quietly, as if the ancient weapon itself was amused by its master's rare moment of ordinary, human life.
---
**To be continued**