After the great explosion birthed the universe, balance was born from chaos. From the remnants of matter, the Eighteen Elements of Life were formed. Yet among them, only one was known as the Exalted Element—the power most coveted by all living beings: the Noble Element of Earth.
The world sought it from every corner. They were willing to burn the earth and sacrifice souls just to obtain it. But fate, with all its irony and mystery, chose me.
My name is Hiro. I was just a child who grew up in the shadows, hidden from a world thirsty for power.
With my mother, we lived deep in the forest, where time moved slowly and the whispers of trees replaced human voices.
But everything fell apart when I turned ten.
The illness that devoured my mother finally took her. She left this world—and with her, a part of my soul was buried too.
I lived, but I did not breathe.
I walked, but without direction.
I looked up to the sky, asking in silence:
"Why me? What is the purpose of this gift... if I can't even live as a free human being?"
For years I hid, drowned in silence, running from a world that longed to seize me.
But the world would not stay quiet. The moment I stepped outside, the eyes of the universe turned to me.
I wanted to run again, like I always did.
But that day was different.
Someone stood in my path—a figure with fire blazing in both palms, eyes burning with rage and pain.
"WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN DOING ALL THIS TIME?!"
he shouted, right before his fist crashed into my face.
I stayed silent. What was the point of answering?
What was the point of fighting back?
There was nothing left to fight for.
But he didn't stop. A punch to the stomach bent my body in pain.
"All you know is how to hide! Running from a world you haven't even faced yet! Pathetic!"
Blood began to drip from my lips. My eyes trembled, my stance weakened.
But he kept speaking, like an ember that refused to die.
"You were given a fate no one else has ever had! And you're wasting it! What are you going to do, huh? Cry?! Die in vain?! You weakling!"
At last, I collapsed to my knees—not out of respect, but because my body could no longer stand.
"I... always wondered... why I was even born into this world,"
I said, blood and tears spilling from my voice.
"I have no home... I have no one. I've only watched others live from a distance. I wanted to be like them... but I couldn't. I wanted to be loved. But no one ever loved me. I wanted to be free, free from this curse..."
Silence.
But not the peaceful kind—
A silence that echoed with pain.
"You don't know what it feels like! You've never understood! My life wasn't a choice—it's a curse! You think it's easy to keep standing? I... I want to die."
Suddenly, a fierce kick slammed into my body and silenced everything.
"BASTARD!" he roared, his eyes flaring like fire.
"You think this is all about you? You think you're the only one who's suffered?! Get up! If you truly want to die, then show you're worthy of it! If not—GET UP AND LIVE!"
Darkness.
My body lay broken.
But my mind was not entirely lost.
His words, his fury... pierced deep into my most hidden wounds.
And for the first time, I felt... maybe I'm not finished yet.