Once, the eleven Gates of Hell swung open, plunging the entire world into utter chaos. Powerless and exhausted, humanity struggled to fend off the creatures emerging from the depths. These monsters called themselves "Supreme Beings" and ruthlessly slaughtered everyone in their path.
Those at the top of the world's hierarchy surrendered to their fear, learning to care only for their own survival. Among them was a group of individuals possessing the rarest classes: The Hero, the Executioner, the Saint, and the Witch. Known as the Four Pillars, they served the nobility. As chaos engulfed the world, the aristocrats chose to use the power of these four solely to protect themselves.
The reigning King and his nobles laughed as they watched the commoners suffer. The people begged the King for mercy, but with a mocking grin, he refused and barred the palace gates. Left with no recourse and nowhere to turn, the common folk began to perish from hunger and sheer despair.
The Four Pillars watched the carnage with indifference. They had no intention of helping; instead, they took pleasure in the demise of the "pathetic" commoners.
"It delights me to see these miserable humans die," one of them remarked. "They are weaklings without a single gift. Not like us—the Four Great Pillars. Unlike these peasants, we possess the rarest classes, skills that appear only once in a millennium."
Suddenly, a new wave of monsters surged toward the city. Seeing the approaching horde, the Pillars immediately erected a barrier—but only around the castle. Desperate to survive, the people grabbed whatever tools they could find in their barns and sheds to defend themselves. It was futile. The demons were far superior, and the people began to fall one by one.
Just as all hope seemed lost, a lone man appeared. The survivors screamed at him, pleading for him to run for his life, but the man stood his ground. They shouted again, and this time, he finally answered.
"Not this time," he said calmly. Then, he spoke: "Fifth Artifact: Blade of Fate."
In an instant, ten nearby monsters were obliterated. He then turned his gaze toward the heart of the monster horde.
"Third Artifact: Divine Shot."
A thousand blades of light materialized in the sky. As the man lowered his hands, the blades rained down, and in that single moment, every monster was struck dead. The people watched in stunned silence as the glowing blades remained embedded in the carcasses of their enemies.
Up in the castle, the Four Pillars were watching, frozen in shock.
"What was that? Who is that man?"
At that moment, the man looked directly toward them—and the castle barrier instantly shattered.
"How did the barrier collapse? He couldn't have destroyed it... could he?"
The Hero: "A pathetic human destroying our barrier? Don't make me laugh. The Saint must have simply run out of mana."
The Witch and The Executioner: "Perhaps you're right."
But when they looked back toward the battlefield, the man was gone.
The Witch: "I'm using my detection skill, but I can't find a trace of him... damn it!"
And suddenly...
To be continued.