The sun hung lazily over the ruined town of Mirewood, a village forgotten by time and war. Most of its residents had moved long ago after the war with the Alvarez Empire. All that remained were scattered stone walls, overgrown streets, and a lonely child who sat atop a broken fountain, tinkering with a small brass watch.
His name was Julius.
Ten years old. No parents. No home. No friends. But he had magic.
And not just any magic—Time God Slayer Magic.
"Come on… tick… tick…" Julius whispered to the brass watch, eyes glowing faintly silver. The timepiece's broken hands trembled. Then—click—it began to tick. A grin broke across the boy's face. "Yes! Another second reclaimed."
Julius had a fascination with broken things—time, people, places. He wasn't born in a grand guild or raised by legendary mages. He was taught by an ancient dragon of time, Chronon, who vanished one day without explanation. All he left behind was a single sentence:
Rebuild the world's heartbeat, and you will master your own.
Julius didn't understand what it meant… not yet. But he believed in fixing what others gave up on. And that belief gave birth to an idea—an impossible dream for a small boy alone in the world:
He would build his guild. From scratch.
He stood up, brushing dust off his worn blue jacket. "Name… I need a name." He stared at the darkening sky, streaked with purple as twilight approached. A zone between day and night… where time was soft…
"Twilight Zone."
That would be the name of his guild.
Two Months Later – Twilight Zone Guild Hall (More like a broken cottage)
The "hall" was a shack made from scavenged wood and stone. No doors. No roof. Just a sign Julius carved with his magic: Twilight Zone Guild – Iron Rank (aspiring).
No one took it seriously.
Large guilds laughed.
Even wandering mages scoffed.
But Julius didn't care. He posted his first quest on the wall—a simple herb-gathering mission.
F Rank Quest Completed: 1
He needed 1000 to rise from Iron Rank to Bronze. That was fine.
He had time.
Chapter 2 Preview: First Recruit
As Julius completed quests and fixed the old house, a stranger arrived—an abandoned girl with frostbite scars and Ice-Make Magic. She was cold… silent… broken.
Perfect for Julius.
He offered her food. A blanket. And a question:
"Wanna help me fix time?"