"Yes, my son—your Nectar is brilliant!"

  The man clapped proudly, eyes gleaming. "You shall master this green flame. I know you can do it."

  The fourteen-year-old Zil Yung beamed at his father’s praise, his young face alight with joy.

  "Don’t worry, Dad! I’ll master this Nectar—I promise!"

  "That’s my gifted son," his father said with a smile, patting his head. "One day, you’ll take my throne and become a great leader."

  Zil’s smile widened. "I’ll be an amazing leader, Dad! I’ll be kind to everyone!"

  That dream shattered years later.

  Now, Zil stood in the shadows, staring down at the lifeless body of a Necfar student—his rival.

  His knife dripped crimson, the metallic scent of blood heavy in the air.

  He whispered to himself, almost calmly,

  "It’s fine. I’m not crazy. I had to do it. He was top rank… I needed to be first. I needed more praises."

  Dragging the corpse into the forest, Zil ignited his green flames. The body burned to ash within seconds.

  "These flames… perfect for erasing mistakes," he muttered, walking away, guilt nowhere to be found.

  The next day, a search team scoured the academy grounds. No body. No clue. No crime. The case was quietly closed.

  A year later, Zil manipulated another talented student—tricking him into murdering a teacher who had dared give Zil a low Nectar control score.

  The student was caught, imprisoned, and executed.

  Zil, the true culprit, watched silently from the crowd, a faint smile on his lips.

  Another year passed. Zil killed a man at a teacher’s request, earning a higher ranking in return.

  He murdered for approval. For attention. For his own selfish gain.

  This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

  And when that teacher gained a bounty on his head, Zil killed him too—this time for profit.

  By his teenage years, Zil’s hands were drenched in blood, his heart long since hollowed by greed and vanity.

  When he became a full-fledged Necfar, he met Hira—a fragile girl blessed with the Nectar of Foresight.

  He befriended her, comforted her, helped her… until she trusted him completely.

  To her, Zil was a loyal friend.

  To Zil, she was a tool.

  He played the fool so she would guide him, protect him, serve him.

  Every kindness she offered, he turned into another weapon for himself.

  One night, his father—once the proud king—lay bleeding on the marble floor.

  Zil stood over him, knife trembling in his hand, eyes cold.

  "Son… why?" the king gasped, blood spilling from his mouth.

  "I wanted to be king sooner," Zil said plainly.

  "Is that reason enough… to kill your father?" the king coughed, his voice fading.

  "Yes," Zil replied, his tone devoid of guilt. "Eliminating you means I get the throne faster."

  "You—weren’t raised—"

  But the king never finished. His final breath left him as Zil ignited his green flames, burning the corpse to nothing.

  The next morning, chaos erupted across the kingdom. The beloved king had vanished without a trace.

  After six fruitless months of searching, the council handed full power to Zil.

  The young prince was crowned King of Dusk.

  And he felt nothing but triumph.

  Three Years Later

  The armies of Dusk stood ready. Necfars were battle-trained. Weapons forged. The war machine was complete.

  Zil waited in an underground chamber, anxiety crawling up his spine.

  He felt it again—the same suffocating dread from three years ago.

  The door creaked open.

  The creature appeared—tall, faceless, its glowing eyes slicing through the smoke.

  "I—I’ve done everything you ordered," Zil stammered. "Please, spare me. Just tell me what to do next!"

  The creature chuckled—a deep, distorted sound that twisted the air.

  "After you begin the war… take the youngest child of Zekra, the A-rank Necfar from Kingdom Nexus," it said.

  "Raise him as your own. Tell your daughter she has a new sibling. Tell your wife he is adopted.

  Raise him like your own blood… or you know what happens."

  Zil trembled but nodded. "All will be done," he said, though confusion swirled behind his eyes.

  The creature’s laugh echoed one last time before it vanished into smoke.

  Zil rose from his chair, breathing heavily. He called for the war general.

  "Launch a full assault on Kingdom Nexus," he ordered.

  The general bowed and left. The ground shook moments later as thousands of Necfars charged toward Nexus.

  The war had begun.

  High above the palace, a tall figure stood—its eyes burning like dying stars.

  Helv looked at her sister. "That’s our cue," she said, before teleporting away.

  The creature’s gaze shifted toward the horizon.

  "Get ready now, Wanderer."