History is written by winners.
Lies are written by rulers.
And erased names…
Are written by monsters.
For eight hundred years, the world believed that no one sat upon the Empty Throne.
That no single person ruled the seas.
That justice was fair.
That freedom existed.
They were wrong.
Because someone did sit there.
Watching.
Judging.
Deciding who lived.
And who vanished.
His name was Imu.
And I…
Was his greatest mistake.
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Chapter 1: I Woke Up in the Worst Place Possible
Pain.
That was the first thing I felt.
Not normal pain.
Not "I slept badly" pain.
Not "I stubbed my toe" pain.
This was the kind of pain that made you question every life choice you had ever made.
It felt like my soul had been dropped into boiling water.
I tried to scream.
Nothing came out.
My mouth was dry.
My throat burned.
My body felt heavy.
Like someone had replaced my bones with rocks.
"…Am I… dead…?"
That was my first thought.
My second thought was much worse.
"…If this is heaven, it sucks."
Slowly, painfully, I forced my eyes open.
Bright white light blinded me.
I closed them again instantly.
"Ah! My eyes!"
Okay.
Pain.
Sight.
Thoughts.
Conclusion: Not dead.
Probably.
After a few seconds, I tried again.
This time, I opened my eyes slowly.
Very slowly.
Like I was afraid reality would punch me.
What I saw made my brain freeze.
A ceiling.
Not a normal ceiling.
A massive, pure white ceiling decorated with golden lines and strange symbols.
It looked expensive.
No.
It looked illegally expensive.
Like, "selling three countries wouldn't pay for this" expensive.
I turned my head.
Soft white curtains.
Tall windows.
Sunlight shining through crystal glass.
Marble pillars.
Golden furniture.
A bed bigger than my entire room back home.
"…What the hell…"
I lifted my hand.
It wasn't shaking.
It wasn't weak.
It looked…
Healthy.
Strong.
Clean.
Too clean.
My skin was smooth.
No scars.
No cuts.
No old injuries.
This wasn't my body.
I knew that instantly.
My heart started beating faster.
"Okay… okay… calm down…"
I tried to sit up.
And immediately regretted it.
Pain exploded in my chest.
"GAH!"
I fell back onto the bed.
Breathing heavily.
Sweat forming on my forehead.
"Note to self… don't move like an idiot."
That's when I noticed something.
Voices.
Outside the room.
Whispers.
Footsteps.
Lots of them.
Before I could think, the door burst open.
BAM!
At least ten people rushed inside.
Doctors in white coats.
Guards in black armor.
Servants in fancy clothes.
Old men with long beards.
One guy who looked like he hadn't slept since the Void Century.
They all froze when they saw me.
Then—
"HE'S AWAKE!!!"
Someone screamed like they saw a ghost.
Instant chaos.
"He opened his eyes!"
"Call the elders!"
"Get the medicine!"
"Protect him!"
"Don't let him faint again!"
They surrounded my bed.
I tried to speak.
"Uh… hi?"
No one listened.
A doctor grabbed my arm.
"Pulse is stable!"
Another checked my eyes.
"Pupils responding!"
A servant wiped my face.
"Thank goodness…"
I blinked.
"…Guys?"
Nothing.
They kept talking over me.
"Memory damage is possible."
"Side effects from the seal?"
"Void resonance?"
"Call Lord Imu!"
I froze.
"…Call who?"
One old man suddenly noticed my expression.
He stepped forward.
"Young Master…"
Young.
Master.
My brain stopped.
"…Who?"
The old man looked confused.
"You… don't remember?"
"Remember what?" I replied. "My Netflix password?"
Everyone froze.
Dead silence.
A guard whispered.
"…Is he brain-damaged?"
"HEY," I said. "I'm right here."
The old man swallowed.
"Do you… remember your name?"
"…Of course I do."
They all leaned closer.
I cleared my throat.
"My name is—"
I stopped.
My mind went blank.
Nothing.
No name.
No memory.
No past.
Just darkness.
My heart dropped.
"…I…"
I tried again.
Nothing came.
I stared at them.
"I… don't know."
Panic exploded in the room.
"Oh no…"
"The seal damaged him…"
"This is bad…"
"Very bad…"
My chest tightened.
"Wait wait wait! Don't panic!"
Too late.
Someone ran out.
Another started praying.
A third looked ready to faint.
Then…
The temperature dropped.
Not slowly.
Instantly.
Like someone turned off the sun.
The light faded.
The warmth disappeared.
Shadows grew longer.
The room became silent.
Terrifyingly silent.
Everyone fell to their knees.
Even the guards.
Even the doctors.
Even the old men.
Their heads touched the floor.
"Lord Imu…"
My blood turned cold.
I slowly turned my head toward the door.
It was opening.
Not pushed.
Not pulled.
It opened by itself.
Creeeeeeak.
A tall figure walked in.
Cloak covering his body.
Face hidden in shadow.
Every step felt heavy.
Like the world itself was bowing.
My instincts screamed.
Danger.
Death.
Power.
This person was not human.
He stopped in front of my bed.
I couldn't see his face.
Only darkness.
Silence stretched.
Then—
A hand reached out.
And tapped my forehead.
Tap.
"That hurts," I said automatically.
The room gasped.
Someone almost fainted.
The figure spoke.
Calm.
Cold.
Deep.
"Idiot child."
"…Excuse me?"
"You forgot everything again."
Again?
"Again?" I repeated.
He sighed.
"Yes. Again."
I stared at him.
"Wait… who are you?"
Another gasp.
The old men looked like they were about to die.
The figure was quiet for a moment.
Then he said:
"I am Imu."
My brain crashed.
Error.
System failure.
Reboot required.
"…Imu?"
THE Imu?
The ruler of the World Government?
The secret king?
The final boss?
THAT Imu?!
He continued.
"And…"
"I am your father."
…
…
…
Silence.
My soul left my body.
"…BRO WHAT?!"
Everyone panicked.
"Y-Young Master!"
"Control yourself!"
"Don't shout!"
I pointed at him.
"YOU'RE MY DAD?!"
"Yes."
"WHY DID YOU NEVER VISIT ME?!"
"…It was dangerous."
"WHY DID YOU NEVER CALL?!"
"…I erased you from history."
"THAT'S WORSE!"
He rubbed his forehead.
"I did it to protect you."
"So you deleted me like a corrupted file?!"
"…Yes."
"THIS IS BAD PARENTING!"
An old man collapsed.
Imu looked tired.
"You have inherited my power."
Something burned on my arm.
A black symbol appeared.
An eye.
Glowing.
Energy exploded.
The floor cracked.
Walls shook.
Guards flew back.
"AHHH TURN IT OFF!"
He raised his hand.
Everything stopped.
Silence.
"You are the heir of the Empty Throne," he said.
"The future ruler."
I blinked.
"…Do I get pocket money?"
He paused.
"…We will discuss later."
I laughed nervously.
So…
I was nobody.
Now I was somebody.
The son of the strongest being alive.
And my life…
Was officially ruined.
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Chapter 1 End.