Chapter 81: Chapter 81 - The Hero of First Light
Chapter 81 — The Hero of First Light
Morning sunlight slowly spread across First Light.
Golden rays passed through the mountain valley while the massive city beneath Sanctuary Zero awakened peacefully for another day. The synchronization rivers glowing through the streets reflected the light beautifully while people filled the markets below with laughter and conversation.
For once—
there were no alarms.
No Collapse warnings.
No emergency evacuations.
Just life.
Real life.
Kaiser stood alone on the highest balcony of Sanctuary Zero quietly watching the city below.
The cold morning wind moved through his black combat coat while blue synchronization marks glowed faintly around his arms. His expression remained calm, but his eyes slowly followed the people beneath him carefully.
Children running through the streets.
Families eating breakfast together.
Musicians performing near the memorial gardens.
Three years ago...
none of this would have existed.
Humanity had survived.
No—
humanity had finally started living again.
"Kaiser."
He turned slightly.
Elena walked toward him carrying two cups of tea. Her silver hair moved gently in the wind while sunlight reflected around her like soft glowing light.
Honestly...
she looked unfairly beautiful this early in the morning.
Kaiser stared for one second too long.
Elena immediately noticed.
"...Why are you looking at me like that?"
Kaiser calmly accepted the tea.
"I was thinking."
"You definitely were not."
Fair.
A small smile appeared on Kaiser’s face.
Elena paused slightly after seeing it.
He really had changed.
Back during the Collapse Wars, Kaiser rarely smiled unless he forced himself to for others. He carried the weight of entire civilizations on his shoulders constantly.
But now...
the pressure around him felt lighter.
Not gone.
Never gone.
But lighter.
Elena stepped beside him near the balcony railing while they looked over First Light together.
"The reconstruction teams finished district nine yesterday," she said softly.
Kaiser nodded.
"Good."
"The children from Halen’s Reach planted new synchronization flowers there."
A small silence followed.
Peaceful silence.
Kaiser slowly drank his tea while the morning breeze passed through the valley again.
Honestly?
Moments like this felt strange to him now.
No fighting.
No panic.
No desperate struggle to survive another day.
Just standing quietly beside someone important.
Elena glanced toward him from the corner of her eyes.
"...You’ve been quieter lately."
Kaiser looked forward calmly.
"I’m thinking about the future."
That surprised her slightly.
The old Kaiser only focused on surviving the present.
"The future, huh..."
A small smile appeared on Elena’s face.
"That sounds nice."
Kaiser looked toward the horizon where synchronization pathways crossed the distant mountains like glowing stars.
"For the first time..."
His voice became quieter.
"...people actually have one."
Elena’s expression softened immediately.
Before she could answer—
BOOOOOOM!
A massive explosion echoed across the valley.
Synchronization alarms instantly appeared throughout First Light.
Red warning symbols spread through the sky.
People below immediately looked up nervously.
Kaiser’s peaceful expression disappeared instantly.
The air around him changed.
Sharp.
Focused.
Dangerous.
Astra’s voice spread through the synchronization pathways.
"Emergency request detected in lower mountain district seven."
A holographic map appeared above the balcony.
Several transport convoys from Halen’s Reach were under attack near the outer mountain roads. Giant synchronization-corrupted beasts surrounded the refugees while explosions spread through the area.
Elena sighed softly.
"...And the peaceful morning is dead."
Kaiser already placed his tea down.
"I’m going."
Elena immediately grabbed his sleeve before he moved.
"I’m coming too."
Kaiser looked toward her.
"You were healing refugees all night."
"And you were training until sunrise."
Fair again.
Kaiser sighed quietly.
"Fine."
Elena smiled slightly.
Victory.
The next second—
BOOOOOOM!
Blue synchronization lightning exploded around Kaiser’s body.
The balcony cracked beneath his feet as he launched into the sky like a meteor.
Elena followed immediately behind him surrounded by silver light.
Below them—
people throughout First Light instantly started cheering.
"It’s Kaiser!"
"The Hero of First Light!"
"Saintess Elena too!"
Children waved excitedly from rooftops while soldiers throughout the city immediately relaxed slightly.
Honestly—
just seeing Kaiser arrive made people feel safer now.
He had become humanity’s symbol of hope without even realizing it.
High above the valley, Elena glanced toward him while they flew side by side.
"You know people practically worship you now."
Kaiser looked forward calmly.
"That sounds exhausting."
Elena laughed softly.
"You say that, but you still help everyone."
Kaiser stayed silent for a moment.
Then answered quietly.
"If I have power..."
Blue synchronization lightning moved around his body again.
"...I should use it protecting people."
Elena’s chest tightened slightly hearing that.
Honestly—
that side of him was unfair too.
A few minutes later—
the battlefield appeared below.
The mountain road was completely destroyed.
Burning transport vehicles blocked the path while terrified refugees hid behind damaged barriers. Several soldiers desperately fought giant synchronization beasts larger than trucks.
The creatures looked horrifying.
Black armored skin.
Glowing red eyes.
Massive claws capable of tearing vehicles apart easily.
One soldier was thrown through a transport truck violently.
Another monster suddenly roared and charged toward a group of trapped children.
Too fast.
The soldiers couldn’t stop it.
The children froze in fear.
Then—
BOOOOOOOOM!
The entire mountain road exploded.
Dust and debris spread everywhere.
A massive pressure wave crushed the monster directly into the ground hard enough to shatter the road apart.
Silence filled the battlefield instantly.
Kaiser stood between the children and the monster calmly with one hand extended forward.
Blue lightning moved around his body like dragons made from synchronization energy.
His eyes glowed brightly.
The giant beast tried standing again—
Kaiser punched once.
BOOOOM!
The monster disappeared completely.
Not defeated.
Not injured.
Gone.
The refugees stared blankly.
One little girl slowly blinked.
"...Cool."
Honestly?
Valid reaction.
Several more beasts roared and rushed toward Kaiser immediately.
The soldiers panicked.
"Watch out!"
"There are too many!"
Kaiser calmly cracked his neck slightly.
"Finally."
BOOOOOM!
He vanished.
The next few seconds looked completely one-sided.
One beast jumped toward him.
Kaiser grabbed its face midair and slammed it into the mountain hard enough to create a massive crater.
Another attacked from behind.
Without even turning around, Kaiser kicked backward.
BOOOOM!
The monster flew across the valley like a missile before exploding against the cliffside.
Three more rushed him together.
Blue synchronization energy erupted outward from Kaiser’s body.
SYNC BREAKER.
BOOOOOOOOOOM!
The shockwave erased every monster instantly.
The clouds above the mountain split apart from the pressure.
Silence returned again.
The soldiers stared at Kaiser like they were looking at something unreal.
"...How is he this strong?"
"He keeps getting stronger every single month..."
"Wasn’t that a disaster-class beast?"
"He punched it once..."
Meanwhile—
Elena landed beside the damaged convoy and immediately began healing injured civilians.
Silver light spread through the battlefield beautifully while wounded soldiers slowly recovered.
A small boy stared at her nervously.
"Are... are you really Saintess Elena?"
Elena smiled softly while healing his injured arm.
"Yes."
The boy looked toward Kaiser in the distance where another explosion destroyed half a mountain.
"...Is he always like that?"
Elena glanced toward Kaiser.
Blue lightning exploded across the battlefield again while giant monsters literally flew through the sky.
"...Unfortunately yes."
Honestly she stopped being surprised months ago.
The boy suddenly leaned closer.
"Are you two dating?"
Elena froze completely.
Nearby soldiers immediately pretended not listening.
Very badly.
"...W-What?"
The boy looked innocent.
"You look like heroes from romance stories."
One injured soldier nodded seriously.
"They absolutely do."
Another soldier whispered loudly.
"Kaiser only acts soft around her."
Elena’s face instantly turned red.
"That’s not—"
Before she could finish—
Kaiser suddenly landed beside them holding an unconscious giant beast by the tail casually.
"What are we talking about?"
The soldiers immediately looked away.
Elena looked ready to die.
The little boy betrayed everyone instantly.
"I asked if you two are dating."
Complete silence.
Kaiser blinked once.
Then slowly looked toward Elena.
Elena immediately avoided eye contact.
Honestly adorable.
Kaiser coughed lightly.
"...The battlefield isn’t the place for this conversation."
Coward.
The soldiers looked disappointed immediately.
One muttered quietly.
"He dodged the question..."
Another nodded sadly.
"Tragic."
Elena glared at Kaiser.
He pretended not noticing.
Suddenly—
Astra’s voice spread through the pathways again.
"Warning."
Everyone’s expressions changed instantly.
A new holographic map appeared above the battlefield.
This time—
the signal came from beyond the Quiet Sea.
Far beyond explored Human Network territory.
Several synchronization pathways were collapsing rapidly while unknown energy storms spread through the region.
And inside the signal—
one desperate message repeated continuously.
"Please help us..."
The battlefield became quiet.
The voice sounded terrified.
Not military.
Civilian.
Kaiser’s expression sharpened immediately.
Elena looked toward him softly.
"You’re already planning to go."
Kaiser answered immediately.
"People are in danger."
Honestly—
that was enough for him.
Blue synchronization energy slowly appeared around his body again.
The atmosphere changed instantly.
Every soldier nearby straightened automatically.
Every refugee looked toward him with hope.
That pressure around Kaiser whenever he became serious...
it felt overwhelming sometimes.
Like nothing impossible existed for him anymore.
Astra spoke again.
"Destination unknown. Threat level uncertain."
Kaiser calmly looked toward the distant stars beyond the mountains.
"Prepare a long-range gate."
"Recommendation: wait for additional scouting."
Kaiser shook his head once.
"If they sent a distress signal..."
Blue lightning exploded softly around him.
"...then they waited long enough already."
Honestly?
That sounded ridiculously cool.
The soldiers immediately looked inspired again.
One whispered quietly.
"He really is humanity’s hero..."
Another nodded.
"If Kaiser is going, those people are safe."
Elena watched him silently.
There it was again.
That side of Kaiser.
The one that made people believe impossible things could still happen.
Honestly...
she loved that side of him.
Wait.
No.
Dangerous thought.
Very dangerous thought.
Kaiser suddenly looked toward her.
"Elena."
She blinked once.
"...What?"
"Come with me."
Her heart skipped slightly.
Honestly unfair.
Kaiser continued calmly.
"I’ll probably need healing support."
Right.
Healing support.
Not because he wanted her there personally.
Definitely not.
Elena looked away slightly.
"...Fine."
A small smile appeared on Kaiser’s face again.
Victory.
Several hours later—
the massive synchronization gate opened above First Light.
Blue energy filled the sky while soldiers, civilians, and refugees gathered throughout the city below to watch.
Kaiser stood at the edge of the gate platform wearing his combat coat while synchronization lightning moved around his body powerfully.
Elena stood beside him surrounded by silver light.
The crowd below erupted loudly.
"Kaiser!"
"Bring them home safely!"
"Hero of First Light!"
Children waved excitedly from the streets.
One little girl shouted loudly.
"Saintess Elena! Marry him already!"
Elena almost died instantly.
The crowd immediately started laughing.
Kaiser coughed lightly while pretending not hearing it.
Coward again.
Elena glared at him.
"Say something."
Kaiser calmly looked away.
"...The gate is opening."
Unbelievable.
Astra’s voice echoed across the platform.
"Long-range synchronization jump ready."
The massive gate began glowing brighter.
Unknown stars appeared inside the portal.
Unknown worlds.
Unknown danger.
Kaiser stepped forward calmly.
Then paused for a moment.
He looked down toward the people of First Light below.
At the children.
The soldiers.
The refugees.
The civilization humanity fought so hard to protect.
A small smile appeared on his face.
No matter what happened next—
he would protect this future.
Even if he had to cross the entire universe for it.
Blue synchronization lightning exploded around him.
Kaiser stepped into the portal.
Elena followed immediately beside him.
And somewhere far beyond explored space—
a new adventure waited for humanity’s strongest hero.
