I WAS The Rank–1 Hero-Chapter 171: Act 1: Uncover the Death

"Death Domain."

The moment I activated it, an indescribable and terrifying aura emitted from my body.

A black ring spread beneath my feet.

All the sounds died.

For the first time, I wasn't thinking about what to do next. I didn't need to… I was certain that everything would turn out in my favor.

Cristine? No—it's Nyth Valeshade…

So that girl was her.

All it took was my Domain to barely glaze her body for me to identify who she really was.

I slowly stepped forward toward them.

They both didn't seem able to move.

Both Ruby and Nyth froze in their places.

As I walked just behind Nyth, to help Ruby out, the sword in Nyth's hand slightly trembled.

Her back was facing me. She didn't know yet it was me. She never got the chance to turn her head.

Only Ruby saw me walk. And as she did, her entire being froze. Eyes widened in disbelief, lips parted in awe, and that look on her face, with the finest hint of aghastness.

I walked past Nyth's figure and squatted down slightly. Extending my bloody hand to Ruby, where the pieces of my once shattered skull still stuck, I asked,

"My bad, this version was a little weak. That's why I died."

"..."

Ruby neither said anything, nor did she take my hand. Her teeth chattered as her gaze flickered from mine, as if she had just seen something terrifying.

I didn't understand why she did that.

As I was asking myself this, my Fate's Interface reacted, and a screen popped up in front of me.

— — —「Death Domain」— — —

→Those caught inside the domain were overwhelmed with a deep, primal fear of death, lowering their will to fight.

— — — — — — — — — — — — —

Oh, that's why.

No wonder she was terrified.

The reason was simple—no matter who they were, whether enemy or friend, all would experience fear.

Ruby trembled, her fingers twitching slightly as I kept my hand extended toward her. Her breathing was shallow, but her eyes… they were still locked on mine. Despite the fear pressing down on her, she didn't look away.

She blinked, her lips parting slowly.

"H-How… how are you not dead?"

A small smile tugged at my lips.

"Didn't I tell you? I won't die that easily."

Her eyes quivered, but she nodded faintly.

Even in this mess, even under this Domain, she still trusted me.

Behind her, Nyth stepped back quickly.

Her body jolted, as if finally breaking free from the paralysis.

Her gaze bounced between me and Ruby, and for the first time… she looked shaken.

"No… no way…" she muttered. "You're— You're an immortal…"

I stood up, pulling Ruby up with me, and then meeting Nyth's gaze directly.

"Yes," I said, calm and clear. "I'm immortal."

Her throat tightened.

"And…" I stepped forward, the Domain still rippling around me, "Nyth Valeshade..."

She flinched.

Inside the Death Domain, none of her death-related skills would work. And she wouldn't be able to heal, either.

She would need a skill to oppose mine, and for now, it didn't look like she had one.

My eyes locked onto Nyth's soul.

Two flickers of light caught his attention. One burned bright, alive with power, while the other dimmed, so faint it seemed like it would vanish any second.

"You don't need to do anything, now," I said calmly, my voice steady, as if the outcome was already decided.

Nyth didn't speak. Her body stiffened again, frozen under my gaze.

Agroth said she was lost, and to treat her well. But, I wouldn't do that.

Why would I?

She killed Elise. And that's something I would never forgive.

She will pay.

…

Nyth's eyes darted between Zane's eyes and the ground.

'What is he?!'

Her breathing became uneven, but still, she mustered enough strength moved.

She stepped back once, then clenched her fist.

Dark mist began to swirl around her hand, gathering toward her fingertips.

She pointed it towards Zane.

"Die... quietly," she muttered, as her Essence flared.

「Soul Leech」

A death skill meant to bypass physical form and attack directly at one's life force.

The mist lunged toward Zane like a swarm of shadowed tentacles, it was aimed to pierce through his body.

Zane didn't do anything, he stood, as if he knew those tentacles would do anything.

And he was right, they never reached him.

The moment the misty tentacles brushed the edge of his skin, it disintegrated. Like inside the Domain refused to acknowledge its existence.

"What?!"

Nyth's eyes widened.

Zane didn't flinch.

His face partially shadowed under the dim light of the moon above.

His silver eyes twisted to inhuman form. They didn't reflect surprise or anger… it was something else.

It was a face so cold, so still, it looked carved from death itself.

And Nyth felt it—No—Not felt it, she saw it.

Death.

Standing right in front of her.

And seeing him, it reminded her of someone.

'A-Agroth!'

Her knees almost gave out.

Zane took a step forward, his tone was cold.

"You're wasting energy."

The way he looked at her, there was no rage, no wild power, just a still, cold stare that stripped her bare.

Zane stood silent for a moment, and then stepped forward.

The Domain rippled with him, not violently, just enough to remind her that her world was no longer hers.

"You think I don't see it?"

His voice was quiet.

"The way you're holding yourself together, like your bones haven't already started to give in."

He took a step closer.

Nyth backed away half a step before freezing again. She wasn't sure if it was fear, but she knew one thing, that her life was in his hands now.

"I saw your past, you know." Zane scratched his neck, before giving it a light snap.

Nyth's breath caught.

"And despite all that... he told me to treat you well."

There was a pause, as if he was actually considering her to sapre, until his tone dropped.

"But you killed Elise."

His hand twitched slightly, the blood was still coating his fingers.

"I can't do that."

He lowered his gaze, just for a moment.

"Fuck him and his reasoning."

Rolling up his sleeves, she clenched his fingers a few times.

"A soul for a soul."

Zane dropped his sword.

He wouldn't use any weapon against her. He wished to do it by his own hands.

His hand shot forward, grabbing Nyth by the hair.

"Gaah!"

She gasped, but before she could react, he slammed her face down into the stone.

Crash—!

The floor cracked under the impact, blood splattering outward from her broken nose.

"Ughh!"

He lifted her by the hair again and slammed her face down once more.

Crash—!

This time her skin tore, cheekbone split, and her jaw twisted.

"Aa..gh.."

He lifted her head one more time.

"Gross." He said looking at her.

Her face was unrecognisable.

The Domain wouldn't let her heal. Wouldn't let her pass out. Wouldn't let her escape the pain either.

He grabbed her hair, and once again slammed it.

Crash—!

Again.

And again.

And again.

Her body twitched in protest, but she was still alive.

That was the curse of being trapped inside the Death Domain.

Zane leaned over her, his voice cold, and he spoke barely for her to hear.

"Look at me."

She blinked, one eye barely open, the other swollen shut.

He lifted her again, not because she could fight back, but because he hadn't decided to stop.

In here, death didn't come on its own. It needed Zane's permission.

Inside this Domain, life and death moved only when he allowed it.

There was one thing Zane wished to do, and that was to bring justice to his sister.

His blood starts boiling whenever he sees Nyth's face.

With a murmur he asked.

"Tell me, what did my sister ever do to you? Why did you kill her?"

He wanted to know, there must be a reason right? Maybe Elise found something she shouldn't have. Or maybe she tried to fight her.

Nyth didn't answer, she with her swollen face quivered.

"Why are you quiet? Say something." He asked again.

But, due to Nyth's swollen face, and broken jaw she can't talk, even if she wanted to.

She never thought in her life she would ever face someone like him.

She even caged God of Death, but in front of this human. She was crawling like a pathetic little mouse.

Rubbing his temples, Zane sighed.

"Sigh, so you choose to shut your mouth."

He grabbed her by the collar and dragged her across the cracked stone like trash.

"Aa..gh..h!" Her scream was barely audible.

No matter how hard she flap her limbs, Zane just wouldn't care.

He threw her down, face-first.

"Aagh.." She gasped.

"This is justice."

SLAM!!

He stepped on the back of her head.

Applying his full force, he kept pressing.

Crack— Crack—

Cracking sound came from beneath, and a pool of blood accumulated beneath her head.

"Aaahhhhhhhgggggggg—"

She screamed at the top of her lungs, until a smashing sound echoed.

"Oh," Zane lifted her boot, it had been dug through her skull.

He lightly poked her split head with her boots, but she didn't show any pulse of life.

"Dead… already." That's what he said.

But something was wrong, despite him killing her, he doesn't seem pleased.

Zane's face twisted to disgust. He was disgusted by his actions.

"NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO!"

He scratched his face like a maniac.

"WHY DID YOU DIE?!"

He doesn't want her to die.

"WHY?!"

He was screaming at the top of his lungs.

"THAT WAS SUCH AN EASY DEATH!"

"FUCK!!"

Indeed, for Zane, granting death to Nyth was an easy way out to escape from what she did.

"WH—"

But before he did anything, a screen flashed before his eyes.

— 「Bonus Objective: Uncover the Death」—

Progress: 100%

Reward: [Skill: <Resurrection—S Rank>]

— — — — — — — — — — — — —

— 「Main Objective: Find the True Self」—

Progress: 65%

Reward: [Skill: <???—???>]

— — — — — — — — — — — — —

— — — 「Skill: Resurrection」— — —

Rank: S

Effect: Can revive the target within 12 hours of their death.

Warning: Causes faint recall of the past trauma before the target's death.

— — — — — — — — — — — — —