Long before Max became a seven-star hunter and walked through smoke like a shadow of legend, the universe itself had written laws no one could defy.
Three realms. One pattern.
Heaven, where purity and divine law governed every breath.
Earth, where mortals lived and perished, each realm slightly different across universes.
And Hell, the singular constant—unchanged across dimensions. One origin. One engine of darkness.
Each realm had its own god.
God of Heaven.
God of Earth.
God of Hell.
Only Hell remained anchored—where souls lost in fury and vengeance gathered.
And Max now stood at its edge.
Watching.
Thinking.
On the rooftop, his hair whipped in the wind.
"If I become the God of Hell… I can protect them," he murmured. "No force could threaten my family again."
He closed his eyes.
And saw her.
---
Inside the apartment, Mariya sat chatting happily with Max's mother and sister as if she'd belonged there for years. Her laugh rang through the living room as she showed off a pair of diamond earrings she'd claimed were perfect for "mother-in-law vibes."
Max entered, freezing at the doorway.
His sister turned to him, eyes wide. "Brother! You're fast. Why didn't you tell us about your girlfriend?"
Max's eye twitched.
Before anyone could respond, he grabbed Mariya's wrist and dragged her into his room. The door slammed shut.
"What are you doing here?" Max asked sharply.
Outside, Yelena leaned closer to the door. "What are they doing in there?"
His mom chuckled. "Give them privacy. Don't disturb."
---
Inside, Mariya pressed her hands together dramatically. "Ooo, you couldn't wait for it, huh? Okay, I'm ready. Let's start."
Max groaned, exasperated. "I'll kill you."
She lunged forward to kiss him.
He put a hand over her mouth.
"I said, leave the house."
Mariya blinked. "What? Don't you want your mother happy? She just wants you to marry a nice girl. Like me."
Max: "Good girl? You?" Nice joke
Mariya: "Better than your face."
Max: "What did you just say?"
She smiled sweetly. "Nobody's going to marry a guy with a below-average face. But you're strong—a seven-star hunter. Most girls can't even survive two rounds with you. I can handle eight. Wanna test it?"
Max slapped her across the cheek.
Mariya fell to the floor… and blushed. "Ooo, give me more. I love you."
Outside, Yelena's eyes widened. "Mom… did you hear that? Did he just say 'give me more'?"
His mother blinked. "Maybe he's giving her massage. Probably neck stiffness…"
---
Back in the room, Max sighed and opened the door. "I have work. You guys enjoy."
Mariya followed him. "Let's make a deal."
Max didn't stop walking.
"You love your mom. I love you. Just make me your fiancée—for her sake. If she likes me and you do too, we marry. If you find someone better, I'll leave."
Max turned, cold. "What do you want out of it?"
Mariya grinned.
"Your baby seed."
Max stopped. "What?"
"I'm not wasting it," he replied.
"If you find another girl?"
"I already told you—then you leave."
She smiled, but inside her mind: I'll kill every girl you like, or who likes you. You're mine.
---
Later that night, Max stood again on the roof. Rain falling lightly. His family laughed downstairs, Mariya joining them like she belonged. He smiled faintly.
How could he disappoint his mother now?
That happiness… it felt fragile.
Then it shattered.
A portal ripped open in front of his mother.
She screamed.
Max blurred forward.
A shadow stepped out of the portal—cloaked, distorted, eyes like swirling ink. He raised a glowing hand aimed straight at her heart.
Then—
Mariya jumped in and delivered a flying kick to the attacker, sending him skidding across the pavement.
Max arrived.
"So… you used Illusion Radius," Max said, watching the sky warp.
In this spell, the caster creates a false radius. Anyone outside sees everything inside as peaceful and normal—no combat, no panic. A perfect veil for ambushes.
---
The mysterious man stood and removed his hood. A tattoo of runes glowed across his face.
"You have no right to change Hell's order," he hissed.
Max narrowed his eyes. "You're from Hell's Dominion…"
Without warning, they clashed.
Mariya summoned her twin daggers, spinning like a cyclone. Max's fists tore through pressure fields as the man warped through shadows. Fire met frost, explosions of red and blue lit the night sky. Power surged across the illusion field, but to neighbors watching from balconies, it looked like Max and Mariya were enjoying a calm rooftop dinner.
---
Then, the man twisted his wrist.
A spell circle formed under Max and Mariya.
"Dimensional Shift."
Before they could react—they vanished.
---
Outside the illusion radius, the shadowy man turned toward Max's mother and Yelena.
They stared.
Frozen.