*99 Lives to Kill the Hero*

The world burned, and Lucien screamed.Flames licked the horizon as the Demon King's fortress crumbled. His master—his only family—lay broken at the Hero's feet, a blade of blinding light piercing the Demon King's heart. The Hero's golden hair gleamed, his smile serene, as if slaughter were a prayer.Lucien lunged, his black blade singing with forbidden magic. But the Hero was faster. Always faster. A single swing, and Lucien's world dissolved into pain, then darkness.That was the first life.Ninety-seven more followed. Farmer. Soldier. Thief. King. Each time, Lucien clawed his way toward the Hero. Each time, he died—betrayed, outwitted, or simply overpowered. The curse ensured he remembered every cut, every failure, every mocking smile.Now, the 99th life began.Lucien's eyes snapped open. A cheap wooden ceiling stared back, the air thick with the scent of stale bread and teenage sweat. He was in a bed—too small, too soft. His hands, once calloused and scarred, were smooth, unmarred. A boy's hands.He sat up, heart pounding. The mirror across the room showed a stranger: a lanky teenager with dark hair and gray eyes that burned too old for his face. Lucien touched his cheek, feeling the ghost of a thousand wounds.A voice—cold, mechanical—spoke in his mind.System Activated. Life 99 of 100. Objective: Kill the Hero. Time remaining: Unknown.Lucien's lips curled. The system had appeared in his tenth life, a cruel gift from the curse. It tracked his progress, mocked his failures, and whispered secrets of power no mortal should know. He'd ignored it at first. Now, it was his only ally.He stood, the floor creaking under bare feet. A cluttered desk held a school uniform, a phone buzzing with notifications. "Happy 16th birthday, Luce!" one read. He snorted. Birthdays meant nothing when you'd lived a millennium in fragments.Outside, the human world buzzed—cars, laughter, the clatter of a peaceful town. A world that worshipped the Hero. Statues of him lined the streets, his name etched into history as the savior who felled the Demon King. Lies, all of it.Lucien clenched his fist, and a spark of black flame danced across his knuckles. The forbidden magic was still there, coiled in his soul, stronger than ever. Ninety-eight lives had taught him its cost. This time, he'd wield it without hesitation.The Hero—Kael, the Golden Blade—was out there. Maybe a student, maybe a teacher, maybe a king in disguise. Lucien didn't care. He'd tear through this world—school, friendships, even love if he had to—until Kael's blood stained his hands.But the system's next words froze him.Warning: Life 100 is final. Failure to kill the Hero will result in eternal oblivion.Lucien's breath caught. Ninety-eight lives, and he'd never known the curse had an end. One more chance after this. One.He grinned, sharp and feral. "Then let's make this life count."The door burst open, and a girl with bright eyes and a tray of pancakes stormed in. "Luce, you're awake! Mom says breakfast, now!" She froze, tilting her head. "Why're you smiling like you're about to murder someone?"Lucien's grin didn't falter. "Just… excited for the day."The 99th life had begun. And this time, the Hero would fall.