She walked in.
A beautiful young woman, dressed in a royal gown of deep blue and gold. Her black hair flowed down her back like silk, and a golden necklace rested gently at her neck. Her eyes were a striking violet—filled with both love and concern.
She stepped toward the crib without hesitation.
With a soft, emotional voice, she asked, "Why is my baby crying…?"
Rex looked up at her, stunned.
He had seen noblewomen before—cold, kind, proud. But none like her. Her beauty was undeniable, yes… but it was something more.
There was warmth in her presence. A natural grace. A kindness he hadn't felt in years. Maybe in lifetimes.
And then her voice—soft, gentle, full of care. It cracked something inside him.
The pain. The bitterness. The loneliness from his past life…
It all quieted.
In her voice, he felt something he thought he'd lost forever:
Comfort.
A memory flickered through his mind—his real mother. A warm smile. A soft lullaby. The way she used to hold him when nightmares came.
"Mother…"
His tiny lips curved into a soft, peaceful smile.
And for the first time in a long, long time…
Rex felt safe.
The night passed quietly.
Moonlight spilled into the elegant room where baby Rex now slept, curled up in a soft white cradle.
But peace was brief.
His brow twitched. His tiny fists clenched. His breath turned sharp.
A memory pulled him back.
He stood tall beneath blinding spotlights.
Applause thundered across the stadium. Cameras flashed from every direction. The crowd screamed his name:
"Rex, SSS-Rank Hunter!"
He had reached the peak. The world's strongest. Humanity's new hope.
But then— Darkness.
The cheers faded. The lights died. The world turned cold.
Now he stood alone in a grey courtroom.
Silence.
Eyes surrounded him—not with admiration, but judgment.
His head hung low. Not from guilt… …but from betrayal.
People whispered. Some smirked. Some looked away. None stood with him.
A voice thundered from the judge's seat—sharp, official, merciless:
"You are hereby stripped of your rank… until truth is revealed."
He didn't lift his head.
Not because he was ashamed. But because no one had listened when he tried to speak.
The scene shifted.
Now he walked alone through a city once filled with love.
His hood shadowed his face. He kept his head down.
Posters littered every wall—torn, defaced, crossed with thick black ink:
"DISGRACE" "FALLEN HERO" "STAY AWAY"
He passed the crowds in silence. No cheers. No respect. Only venom.
A bottle flew.
Someone cursed.
A child pointed and laughed.
But he didn't stop walking.
Not once.
No goodbye from his comrades. No hand reaching back for him.
Only silence.
Back in the cradle…
A single tear slid down baby Rex's cheek.
Inside his chest, the same voice whispered:
"I only tried to protect them…" "…and they destroyed me for it."
Rex jolted awake from his sleep.
In a low, broken voice, he muttered, "I… I've lost everything…"
Then, his tone shifted—fierce, burning with resolve. He clenched his tiny fists.
"Fine. This time… I'll live life on my own terms." "I'll do everything I never dared to before." "I'll become the kind of villain everyone will hate."