Diego D'Souza.
The only grandson of Kang Do-hwan, Founder of the Cheongrim Fortress . His name, given to him by his father, was more than just a legacy — it was a blade, sharp and unyielding.
His father, Leonel D'Souza, had been born in Lisbon, Portugal. In the underworld, he was a legend — one of the strongest fighters alive in his era, second only to the Vice Chairman, the man from the Indian tribal lands whose combat skill had remained unmatched for decades. Leonel's name was whispered in the dark, alongside tales of his impossible victories and the blood he had spilled to protect his own.
Kang Do-hwan had never approved of his daughter marrying Leonel. The Portuguese man's shadow was too dangerous, his ties to the underworld too deep. But love had defied power, and Diego was proof of it.
From Leonel, Diego inherited more than piercing eyes and a sculpted frame — he had the very body built for speed, strength, and grace, a body that could one day rival his father's god-tier abilities.
But Diego hated special treatment. Even as a child, he rejected the way people bowed to his bloodline. That was why he had only one true friend — Ryu Seong-jin, four years older, the adopted grandson of Seo Min-jae, the feared Chairman of the Underworld.
Seong-jin had not been trained like the Three Blades. He was not molded into a weapon from birth. Seo Min-jae had adopted him for another reason entirely — a promise made to an old friend, one so important that even the underworld's iron ruler would keep it without question.
---
The Cheongrim mansion was quiet that night. No grand halls filled with guests, no glittering decorations. Only Kang Do-hwan, Seo Min-jae, Diego, and Seong-jin sat together.
A small cake stood in the center of the table, seven candles flickering.
"Make a wish, boy," Seo Min-jae rumbled, his deep voice cutting through the silence.
Diego blew them out in one breath, his eyes already fixed on the old man.
"Why didn't the Vice Chairman come? He's never missed before," Diego asked. "And… when will you let me train with him? I want to be strong — the strongest man in the world."
Min-jae's lips curled into the faintest smirk. "When the time comes, you'll know. Consider that my gift to you this year."
Diego's eyes lit up, the fire of ambition burning behind them. "Thank you, Grandpa."
The celebration passed quietly, but it was the kind of happiness that didn't need noise.
---
Category Three, Jiseong District
Far from the empire's golden towers, in a modest apartment with beautifully painted walls and a scenic balcony, a boy named Jin Taek lived a life that felt smaller than the room he slept in.
His father, a high school teacher, was a man of harsh words and heavier hands. His mother, weak-minded and worn down. Misery was the air Jin Taek breathed.
He was quiet, sharp-eyed, and carried an unshakable fear of snakes — a single glimpse of their scales could freeze him in place.
His world was dim. Cramped. Forgettable.
But fate didn't care.
One day, Jin Taek's path would collide with Diego D'Souza and Ryu Seong-jin — and when it did, the quiet boy from Category Three would find himself walking into the heart of a storm that could tear the world apart.
---