I’m the God and This World Is Doomed

The academy's entrance ceremony was held in a grand hall, packed with students, instructors, and academy officials. Banners of various districts hung from the high ceilings, representing the diverse backgrounds of the students who had made it through the second recruitment.

Edward and Sienna entered together, their eyes scanning the hall before sitting next to each other. The atmosphere was buzzing with excitement as students murmured among themselves, eager to see the rankings displayed on the massive crystal board at the front of the hall.

Edward stretched his arms and sighed. "Finally, we made it. Feels like forever since the exam started."

Sienna smirked. "Yeah, yeah. I just hope they don't make us sit through some long speech."

Just then, the crystal board flickered, and a list of names and rankings appeared in bold, golden letters.

Edward's eyes widened. His name was at the very top.

[1st Place: Edward Rutherford – 430/500]

Sienna blinked, then scowled.

[2nd Place: Sienna Redgrave – 420/500]

And then, Edward's eyes darted down, searching for one specific name. Surely, Serian would be near the top. He had been a monster in the second test. He had seen the insane score Serian got—how could he not be in the top three?

His gaze moved lower... and lower... until finally—

[174th Place: Serian Misfiel – 315/500]

Edward stared at the number in disbelief.

"Huh?!"

Sienna leaned in and squinted at the board. "Wait. What?"

They turned to Serian, who sat next to them, calmly watching the board with no reaction. He looked completely unbothered, as if the rankings were someone else's problem.

Edward nudged him. "Hey. Serian. Why are you all the way down there? Didn't you literally destroy the second exam?"

Serian tilted his head, blinking slowly. "Yes."

Sienna waved her hand in front of his face. "Then why are you ranked so low?!"

Serian glanced at the board and examined his scores without an ounce of concern.

1st Exam – 30/100

2nd Exam – 200/200

3rd Exam (Analysis) – 80/100

3rd Exam (Hunter Ethics) – 5/100

Sienna and Edward stared at the numbers, their brains struggling to make sense of them.

Edward pointed at the first exam score. "Okay, I get that you didn't really try in the first exam, but 30 out of 100? What happened?"

Serian blinked. "I didn't work with others. I lack enthusiasm and understanding, apparently."

Sienna smacked her forehead. "Dude. They deducted points because you were too lazy?"

Serian simply nodded.

Edward exhaled. "Okay, fine. Whatever. But the second exam—you got first place. Perfect score. So how the hell did you get 5 out of 100 in 'Hunter Ethics'?"

Serian looked at Edward as if the question itself was pointless. "Because I don't understand human ethics."

Edward and Sienna froze.

Sienna slowly raised a hand. "Come again?"

Serian shrugged. "The questions were strange. They asked things like 'What would you do if your teammate was in danger?' or 'What is the most valuable thing in battle?' I answered honestly."

Edward had a sinking feeling. "What did you write?"

Serian thought for a moment before responding. "For the first question, I wrote, 'If their death does not affect my survival or the mission, then their existence is unnecessary.'"

Silence.

Sienna's mouth fell open. "What the hell?!"

Edward pinched the bridge of his nose. "Serian. That's literally the worst possible answer."

Serian blinked. "Why? It is logical."

Sienna slapped Edward's arm. "He's a monster! A total monster!"

Edward groaned. "No wonder they gave you 5 out of 100. You basically admitted that you don't care about your teammates."

Serian nodded as if he fully agreed. "I don't. The world is vast. If one human dies, another will take their place."

Sienna clutched her head. "This guy... this guy seriously sees the world like a god or something."

Serian didn't see the problem.

Edward, after taking a deep breath, pointed at Serian again. "Wait, wait, wait. What did you write for 'What is the most valuable thing in battle'?"

Serian answered without hesitation. "The body count."

Both Edward and Sienna screamed internally.

Sienna threw her hands in the air. "Serian! You're supposed to say something like 'teamwork' or 'strategy' or 'courage'! Not how many people you can kill!"

Serian blinked, confused. "But that is the most valuable thing. If all enemies are dead, then there is no danger."

Edward gave up. He slumped back in his seat and rubbed his temples. "Serian... you need help."

Serian tilted his head. "Why? I am content."

Sienna pointed a shaky finger at him. "No, no, no. You are NOT normal. You are—" She sighed deeply. "You know what? Whatever. Forget it."

Edward crossed his arms. "You seriously don't care about your rank?"

Serian shook his head. "Ranks are irrelevant."

Edward and Sienna exchanged looks.

Edward muttered, "I think this guy is more terrifying than the mutant gorilla."

Sienna groaned. "No wonder the instructors were freaking out."

Meanwhile, Serian stood up and stretched. He looked completely satisfied with his results. He had no complaints, no regrets, and certainly no interest in arguing about ethics.

As he walked away, Edward and Sienna could only sit there in disbelief, watching their terrifying yet strangely innocent friend stroll off as if nothing had happened.

Edward sighed. "This is going to be a long academy life."

Sienna slumped forward on the table. "I give up."

*****

The grand hall was filled with students sitting in neat rows, their eyes focused on the stage where Edward stood, delivering his entrance speech. His voice was strong, confident, and filled with determination.

"We, as the new generation of hunters, stand as humanity's hope. No matter the danger, no matter the fear, we must move forward. Because if we don't… who will?"

Serian sat among the students, his violet eyes fixed on Edward. The words felt strange. Humanity's hope? A flicker of something unfamiliar stirred inside him—a slow-burning sensation in his chest.

Why did those words bother him?

To Serian, humanity was weak. No matter how much they fought, they would continue to fall. It was inevitable. So why… did Edward's words feel different?

Just as he was lost in thought, a presence settled beside him.

A cold, chilling aura, sharp like the dead of winter.

Serian didn't need to turn his head. He already knew who it was.

Vincent Rutherford.

Edward's eldest brother. The Executioner. One of the Three Cardinals.

The students near Serian stiffened, and in the next second, they quietly disappeared, leaving an empty space around them. Serian took note of it but didn't react.

Vincent finally spoke, his voice calm but edged with ice. "I thought you would be in first place."

Serian remained expressionless. "Ranks are irrelevant."

Vincent hummed, his golden eyes watching Edward on stage. The heavy silence between them stretched on, but Serian could tell the man wasn't just here for idle talk.

Still, Serian paid him no mind.

Instead, he casually said, "You have a good brother."

Vincent clicked his tongue. "No."

Serian finally glanced at him. "No?"

Vincent leaned back, looking utterly uninterested. "Edward is not a good warrior."

Serian didn't understand. Edward was strong. He was skilled. He had talent. So why—

Vincent must have noticed his confusion because, for the first time, he did something unexpected.

He ruffled Serian's silver hair.

The act was brief, almost careless, but it made Serian freeze.

Vincent spoke again, this time quieter. "People who scored below 40 in their Hunter Ethics test are the ones who will survive."

Serian blinked. "...Edward got almost 90."

Vincent smirked, though it didn't reach his eyes. "Exactly."

Serian looked at him, his mind processing the words. Slowly, he asked, "What did you get?"

Vincent closed his eyes for a second, as if recalling something distant. Then he said, "28."

Serian nodded, accepting the answer without question.

They both sat there, watching Edward speak on the stage while the students around them kept their heads down, trembling under Vincent's silent pressure.

On stage, Edward, unaware of the intense atmosphere behind him, continued his speech with conviction.

But at some point, he did start to notice something strange.

The hall felt… off.

His classmates weren't looking at him anymore.

Instead, their eyes flickered between him and a certain two people sitting in the crowd.

He had no idea what was happening.

Edward cleared his throat and tried to continue reading his speech.

"Together, we will become the shield of humanity, standing against—"

He paused.

His gaze locked onto Vincent and Serian, sitting side by side.

Vincent was sitting way too close to Serian.

Serian was way too relaxed next to Vincent.

And the students around them were way too scared.

Edward's eyes narrowed.

"What the hell is going on?!"

Edward knew one thing for certain.

His eldest brother, Vincent Rutherford, was a monster.

Not the kind with claws or fangs, but the kind that humans feared the most—a monster in human skin.

Perhaps that was why the Base made him an Executioner. Not as a reward, but as a leash. A way to keep him controlled.

Vincent wasn't like normal people. He didn't care for human connections, avoided unnecessary conversations, and absolutely despised touch.

Edward had spent his whole life being treated like a stranger by him. A passing existence.

So what the hell was he seeing right now?

From his seat at the front, Edward could clearly see Vincent sitting next to Serian.

At first, it didn't seem strange. Vincent had always been an unpredictable person. But then—

Vincent was relaxed.

His usual cold, guarded posture was gone. His shoulders weren't tense. His eyes weren't sharp.

And—was that a smirk?!

Edward froze.

Vincent never smirked.

No, that wasn't the important part.

The important part was—

Vincent was sitting comfortably next to Serian.

Vincent didn't do that. Ever.

Even among family, he kept a distance.

Yet, here he was, sitting so close to Serian, speaking in low tones as if they were sharing secrets.

Edward felt a chill run down his spine.

What the hell is happening?!

He strained his ears, but he couldn't hear a single word of their conversation.

Which only made things worse.

Because his imagination was filling in the gaps.

Edward had seen his brother interact with countless people. All of them ended the same way.

Fear. Avoidance. A sense of impending doom.

But Serian?

Serian sat there calmly, nodding, as if Vincent wasn't one of the most dangerous people in the Base.

Serian wasn't afraid.

And Vincent—Vincent was willingly talking to him.

Edward swallowed hard.

His mind raced. His heart pounded.

His instincts screamed at him that something was horribly, horribly wrong.

What could possibly make Vincent act like this?

What could possibly make Vincent willingly sit next to someone, let alone look comfortable doing it?

And then—

A terrible, horrifying thought entered his mind.

…Is my brother hitting on Serian?

Edward's hands clenched around his speech paper.

His breath hitched.

He looked at Serian.

Serian, with his long silver hair, gentle violet eyes, and calm expression. His features were softer than most, almost ethereal in a way. Unbothered. Mysterious.

Then he looked at Vincent.

Vincent, with his piercing gold eyes, sharp jawline, and deadly aura. Expression usually cold, but now slightly amused.

Edward's stomach twisted.

This… this was bad.

He forced himself to calm down.

Maybe he was overthinking it.

Maybe they were talking about something normal. Something harmless.

He took a deep breath.

Yes. He was just overreacting.

He had to be.

Then—

Serian tilted his head and asked, "How many ways can you disembody a mutant?"

Edward choked on air.

WHAT?!

Vincent hummed, as if considering the question seriously. "Depends on the type. Some have reinforced bone structures. Others have regenerative abilities, so you need to destroy the core first."

Serian nodded. "I see. But if the core is located inside the brain, wouldn't the best method be decapitation?"

Vincent smirked. "Not necessarily. Some species can survive without their heads for a few minutes. You'd need to sever the spine completely."

Serian looked thoughtful. "That makes sense."

Edward gripped the podium.

His ears were ringing.

What the hell kind of conversation was this?!

And why was Vincent actually entertaining it?!

Edward couldn't hear much, but from their relaxed postures and the way Vincent's golden eyes gleamed with amusement, it looked like they were flirting.

Edward's soul nearly left his body.

No. No. NO. No way.

There is absolutely NO way my brother is flirting with Serian while talking about MUTANT DISMEMBERMENT.

His brain refused to accept it.

His heart, however, was screaming at him to get the hell off this stage and stop whatever was happening over there.

He had to be mistaken.

He had to be.

Because if he wasn't—

Edward didn't even want to think about what that meant.