Twenty-one years ago...
In a small village surrounded by gentle mist and the salty scent of the sea, there lived a smiling Ogre named Agrasa. He was born into a poor family — his father, Angkasa, was a tough fisherman, while his mother, Veli, was a seamstress. They lived in poverty, yet their home was warm and full of happiness, for in that small wooden house, laughter was worth more than gold.
Agrasa grew up as an unusual Ogre. Even at the age of twelve, he managed to master the Treenic language in just one night. People called him a genius.
But long before that, Agrasa's life wasn't as smooth as his smile.
Twenty-three years ago, when Agrasa was five years old.
Poverty had already become a close companion to the small family. Their clothes were patched, the roof leaked, and the kitchen was often empty. Yet every night, their laughter echoed in that shabby home, louder than the sound of the sea breeze slipping through the cracks in the walls.
Unfortunately, the world outside was not as kind as their home.
"Hey, stupid poor kid!! Wleee." shouted a boy his age while throwing a rock at Agrasa.
Agrasa stared at the rock, enduring the sting on his forehead, then stepped forward. "What do you mean!?" he snapped before his fist landed on the boy's cheek.
Crying broke out. The boy ran home, reporting to his mother. Not long after, hurried footsteps echoed in front of the house. The old wooden door was pounded hard.
"Who dares to hit my son!" shouted the woman, her eyes full of anger.
Veli came out gently, a polite smile on her face. "What is it, Ma'am?"
"DON'T PRETEND! YOUR SON JUST HIT MY SON!" Her voice echoed, piercing the silent air.
Veli fell silent. Then she bowed her head, speaking softly, "If that's the case… I apologize for what my son has done."
But the woman only glared at her. "Apologize? Huh! If you want to apologize, don't just use words! Bow before me!"
Agrasa, who was peeking from behind the door, held his breath. He wanted to get angry, but his small body trembled.
Veli simply lowered her head. Without protest, she sank to the ground, about to bow. As she did, suddenly—thud! A small kick hit her head. The woman's child kicked her while laughing.
Yet Veli remained silent. Her eyes fixed on the ground, neither fighting back nor crying. "If this can atone for my son's mistake... then I will do it," she said softly, her voice trembling.
The woman and her child left with satisfied smiles. Agrasa, who had witnessed everything, finally came out. His face was filled with anger, his eyes trembling with rage.
"Mother... that's pathetic," he said softly but sharply.
Veli turned, looking at her son with gentle eyes. She smiled and hugged him tightly. "That's not pathetic... In fact, saying sorry and forgiving others is really cool, right? If you could do that, I'd be proud of you, wouldn't I?"
Agrasa looked into his mother's eyes. "But they're cruel…"
Veli gently stroked his hair. "I can't give you fine clothes, or a big house. But there's one thing I can give you — a message. Listen carefully, Agrasa…" Her voice was soft, yet full of meaning. "My message is that Agrasa must become a strong man who can forgive others. Even if they hurt you or those you love, you must forgive them because every being in this world deserves a second chance — they deserve a chance to become better individuals."
Agrasa stared at his mother for a long time. "Promise me, sweetheart, that you'll live by this message?" Veli asked softly. Agrasa only nodded. "That's my boy," Veli replied with a smile.
That promise was planted deep within his heart — a promise that would one day lead him to the deepest sorrow.
Years passed. When Agrasa was seven, his little sister, Sheyla, was born. She was tiny, an Ogre who looked human—like the Tsujin. She was beautiful, with white hair and eyes as clear as the morning sea. Agrasa looked at her in awe and gratitude.
"This is your sister, Agrasa," said Veli proudly. "Protect her well, okay?"
His father patted his shoulder, adding, "You're still a child, but one day, when you're strong, your responsibility toward Sheyla will be great."
Agrasa nodded firmly. From that day on, he felt a great sense of responsibility toward Sheyla.
One year later, on Sheyla's first birthday, their home was filled with joy. Angkasa prepared fish from his catch, while Veli sewed a small gift — a tiny dress for Sheyla. Agrasa was given the task of buying spices from the market.
That day, the market was unusually crowded. He waited for hours in a long line, patiently holding a few coins. But when he returned home... the world seemed to stop turning.
The door was half-open, and the smell of blood stung his nose. His steps were heavy, his eyes staring at the bloodstained floor.
Veli lay on the floor, a knife lodged in the back of her head. Angkasa sat slumped against the wall, his neck slit open, an axe still buried there. And in Veli's arms... the small body of Sheyla lay lifeless, a wound on her stomach.
Agrasa did not scream. He did not shout. He was silent. Still. Not even a tear fell.
The world seemed to strip away all feeling in an instant.
A few days later, the ashes of his family were scattered into the sea — a tradition among Ogres. As the sea wind carried them away, Agrasa simply stood still. He didn't cry. He didn't speak. He only stared at the ocean that had stolen his family forever.
The new king at the time, Garaka, watched from afar. He saw the boy — standing without tears amid a storm of loss. This child… is not an ordinary Ogre, he thought.
Having no one left, Garaka took Agrasa to the warrior academy. "You're strong," he said. "You must live."
Two years later, shocking news came. The killer of Agrasa's family had been caught — a thirty-year-old Ogre man. He was tried and sentenced to death.
Garaka gave Agrasa permission to meet the culprit before the execution. When Agrasa entered the room, the Ogre murderer immediately knelt before him. Tears fell onto the stone floor.
"I… I'm sorry… at that time I wasn't thinking straight," his voice trembled. "My daughter was sick. I needed money for her medicine. I stole, then got caught… I panicked… I… killed your family."
Agrasa was silent. Those words pierced him deeply. But somehow, the face that appeared in his mind wasn't that of the murderer — it was his mother's smile.
Veli. 'Every being deserves a second chance.'
Agrasa slowly knelt down, looking the Ogre in the eye. "Your daughter… how is she now?"
The murderer bowed his head, his shoulders trembling. "She… she's dead. The illness… took her."
Silence.
Then without a word, Agrasa hugged the man tightly. His tears finally fell — not out of hatred, but understanding.
"You don't have to apologize," he whispered. "I forgave you before you even asked. After all, we're both men who lost the ones we love." sobbed Angkasa.
The room was silent. The witnesses bowed their heads, some shedding tears. Even Garaka, the young king, was speechless.
Agrasa released the hug and looked at Garaka. "I want to forgive him. Please… reduce his sentence."
The room rumbled. Garaka looked sharply at him. "Why?"
Agrasa smiled faintly. "Because everyone deserves a second chance… to become better."
Garaka was silent for a long time, then smiled proudly. "Very well."
The death sentence was changed to twenty years in prison. From that day on, the name Agrasa became a symbol of strength… not of muscles, but of heart.
Back to the Present Time
The battle raged fiercely. Flashes of light and bursts of energy filled the air. Lucy moved as fast as a shadow, slashing demons that screamed in fury between cracks of space.
But suddenly—two dimensional rifts opened. From them, two subordinate demons emerged. One of them attacked Garaka and managed to knock him unconscious. Just as its claws were about to pierce the king's chest, Kaine leapt, blocking the strike with all his might.
Waker, with his blood wings, flew swiftly to the other side, holding off the second demon. But that left two areas unguarded.
The Tsujin army, who had been attacking moments ago, suddenly stopped. Agrasa, who had been lost in his memories, quickly came to his senses.
"Soldiers! Protect the king! Forget the right and left flanks — the Tsujin have stopped attacking!" his voice boomed loudly.
Then he shouted to Lucy, "Lucy! Corner that demon! I'm sure it has mind manipulation abilities! Don't give it time to think!"
"Kaine! Waker! Focus on protecting the king! I'll help you fight the two demons!"
Agrasa stomped his foot into the ground — shining metal enveloped his legs. His body shot forward, the earth cracking behind him. He joined Waker's side, blocking the first demon's strike, while Kaine faced the second one alone.
"Oi, oi, are you serious, Sa!" shouted Kaine amid the chaos. "You just learned Humanic last night, but you're already this fluent!"
Agrasa only smiled amid the clash of weapons. "I learned from the best," he replied briefly.
Lucy moved faster, her eyes glowing red. The main demon, Shakan, grinned. "You're strong, little human. But I am Shakan — the demon who will kill you!"
Lucy didn't reply. She simply leapt, slicing through the air with a flash of silver-blue. Their speed surpassed human sight. Only light could be seen — two shadows dancing between the shards of space.
And in one silent second, something happened. Shakan's hand slashed, hitting Lucy's body.
Time seemed to stop. Only Lucy and the demon were aware of what had just occurred. Lucy's body slowly split in two…
Yet a smile still adorned her face.
To be continued.