Guardians of The Damned

Chapter 1 - The Ancient City

I stared up at the city ceiling and the towering skyscrapers that looked ready to pierce it. For a moment, I drifted off into a trance, lost in my own thoughts—

School.

Family.

Work.

The future.

And the present.

I let out a long sigh and took a swig from the bottle of soya in my right hand. Drained it. Then tossed it into a trash can.

Reaching into my bag, I fished out my vape. One long inhale. A slow exhale. The tension eased, just a bit. I felt a little better.

I opened my phone and checked the news, curious if there was any progress on the surface.

> [The Guerilla Squad has taken over the territory of the former country, Uruguay!]

> [Tarot's Team has lost 60% of its members during a raid in the region once known as Russia!]

> [Bald Eagle Scouts have discovered a new nest in the Red Sea!]

Three headlines. That's all I needed. I didn't bother scrolling for more. Just knowing how things stood was enough to reassure me—this place would hold, for now.

Honestly, I'd give it thirty years before everything collapses.

How about you?

...Tsk. Who am I even asking?

I closed the app and checked my messages. As soon as I opened them:

**Johan**: @Yummy_greasy, @Real.Hooman, @TheWorld. Where are you guys? We've got a new mission. Return ASAP.

**Yummy**: We just finished another one!

**Real**: It'll be quick. Stop whining.

**TheWorld**: On my way.

I'd just gotten tagged. Orders were in. Time to move.

I took another drag from my vape, exhaling a thick puff. Then, I stretched my hand toward the smoke. It quivered before taking shape—transforming into a hoverboard.

It floated over to me. I stepped on. It took off, picking up speed.

The wind rushed past my body, ruffling my hair and making my clothes dance. I looked down at the glowing city lights with a blank expression.

I was cruising at a decent pace. The scenery wasn't a blur—still clear.

Then, something caught my eye. I stopped, brows furrowing. Did I imagine that?

I turned around to check.

From high above, I saw two figures: a man, and a small boy—twelve, maybe.

"Please! I'll pay by the end of the month! I swear!" the boy pleaded.

"You've been saying that for a year," the man growled. "You think I won't take your kidney to pay it off?"

"No! I really got a job this time—I promise!"

"Kid, your job won't cover your father's debt. Maybe in 200 years. You think I've got that long?"

He grabbed the boy by the neck, lifting him. The boy let out a pained grunt, eyes wide with fear.

"Don't... do this..." he gasped, struggling to breathe.

"Or what?" the man sneered.

Then, a massive shadow loomed over him.

"Behind you," came a deep, echoing voice.

"Huh?" The man turned—just in time for a humanoid robot to backhand him across the street. He crashed through a building. A distant boom echoed after.

The boy fell, trembling as he stared at the four-meter-tall robot in horror. His pain was quickly replaced by raw panic.

"Please return! Please return!" he cried, pressing the mech's hand against his shadow.

The robot's hand began to sink into it—until it stopped.

His hopeful expression vanished.

He looked up. The robot was staring at the sky.

He followed its gaze.

And saw me.

Especially the mech. It locked eyes with me, and I cursed myself for not fleeing the second I noticed it.

It leapt.

I was fifty meters above the ground.

**Shit.** My pupils shrank. My heart jumped.

But even then—I stayed calm.

I veered hard to the right, the hoverboard just barely dodging the mech's deadly pounce. It passed so close, the rush of air made my clothes and hair whip wildly.

I turned to face it.

It floated mid-air, wings extended. Blue flames flared from its thrusters.

Our eyes met again. Its golden, metallic gaze was piercing—cold. It wanted me dead. I could feel it.

I don't have time for this... I remembered Johan's message and glanced at the boy.

"Can you shut that thing down?"

"I—I can't! It won't disappear until it annihilates its target!"

"Why the hell am I its target?!"

"It holds a grudge against Honors!"

...Honors. Those with superpowers.

"I've never heard of a summon holding a grudge!"

"I'm not lying!" he shouted defensively.

Useless. I turned my attention back to the mech.

It could speak. I'd heard it.

"Can you let me go?" I asked.

"No. All sinners must be punished," it said, voice deep and godlike. "Superpowers should belong to God alone. Humanity has blasphemed. All who possess them must perish."

Its golden eyes gleamed. It drew a red sword from its back—shrouded in an aura of death. The air chilled.

A powerful killing intent slammed into me like a wall. Sweat slid down my temple. I'd never felt anything like it.

I grabbed my vape and took a massive drag.

Thick white smoke poured out, forming two massive arms wielding swords. They floated behind me like phantom limbs—extensions of myself.

**Puffy.**

I scanned the mech for weak points.

None.

Think.

It's a machine.

Water.

I looked around. There—a rooftop water tank to the right.

Can't make it obvious. It'd catch on.

I took a breath. Time to sell it.

"You know," I said with a grin, "I've always wanted to fight a mech."

I charged.

Puffy flew ahead of me. When it closed the distance—three meters—it swung hard. A blur of smoke and steel.

The mech dodged, barely. It understood the danger. Puffy's strike wasn't just fast—it was vicious. The swing left a sharp arc of wind that sliced across a nearby building.

While it dodged, I slid to its side, flicked my hand. A piece of my hoverboard detached, reshaped into a needle, and launched upward.

It dodged again. Effortlessly.

**You've got to be kidding me.** That was faster than a sniper round.

I froze for half a second. Despair crept in.

Then—I snapped out of it.

Too late.

It was within range. I saw the slash coming—straight for my neck.

There was no time to dodge.

The blade sliced through me like butter. My head dropped. Blood sprayed—

—Then vanished in a puff of smoke.

Behind the mech, it heard my voice.

"Can you dodge this?"

While it attacked, I'd released another piece of the hoverboard—letting it drift close to its blind spot.

Now?

It shattered into thousands of translucent needles.

I snapped my fingers. They locked on.

"Have fun."

The storm of needles launched faster than bullets, invisible to the naked eye.

And Puffy wasn't done either—

It followed up with a relentless barrage of slashes.