The sky turned blood red as the sun dipped below the jagged mountains in the west. Priyanshu Yadav stood atop a barren cliff, the cold wind tugging at his robes as if trying to warn him. Behind him stood Nyra, the icy beauty from the Ice Lotus Sect, her usually indifferent eyes now tinged with hesitation.
"You're really going through with this?" she asked, her breath misting in the air.
Priyanshu nodded, his gaze fixed on the valley below—a dead land surrounded by cursed peaks and sealed by ancient runes that pulsed with blood-colored light. The place was known only in myths: The Tomb of the Loyal Monster.
In the previous owner's fragmented memories, Priyanshu had glimpsed a secret—an ancient creature, once the guardian beast of the first emperor of Pritampur, had been betrayed and sealed here. It was said the beast refused to serve any but the worthy. Many had tried to tame it. None returned.
"I need power," he said simply. "And the system told me the path of a true villain isn't just hidden—it's earned."
[DING — SYSTEM QUEST TRIGGERED]Quest: Awaken the Loyal Monster and bind it as your first soul beast.Condition: Do not use force.Alternative Reward: If convinced willingly, gain +1000 Karma (Villain), Divine Contract Skill: Beast King's Pact.Penalty for Failure: Death.
Nyra frowned. "What kind of system gives quests like this?"
"A system meant to create the strongest villain," Priyanshu said with a grin.
With that, he stepped into the valley. The air changed instantly dense, suffocating, and ancient. Even the sound of his footsteps vanished, as though the land had swallowed all noise in eternal mourning.
The tomb entrance was a gaping maw of stone; fangs carved into the rock as if warning intruders. As he entered, the torches lining the walls ignited one by one in eerie blue flame.
Deep within the tomb, he came face-to-face with it—a creature of pure majesty and horror.
It stood at least twenty meters tall, its lion-like body draped in black flames, its eyes glowing with crimson sorrow. Around its neck were shattered shackles—chains forged from divine ore.
"I know who you are," Priyanshu said softly, unafraid. "You were betrayed by the empire you served. They feared your loyalty because it couldn't be bought."
The creature growled, stepping forward. "You speak as if you understand betrayal."
Priyanshu smiled bitterly. "I was killed in one world and forgotten in this. My blood is royal, but my fate is mud. We're not so different, are we?"
The beast paused.
"I don't seek a servant," Priyanshu continued. "I seek a companion. Let's destroy this cursed fate together."
There was silence. Then…
[DING — Quest Completed.]You have gained: Divine Contract Skill – Beast King's PactSoul Beast Acquired: Bloodfire Chimera – Loyal to Death+1000 Villain Karma Points+1 Harem Affection: Nyra
Outside, Nyra watched in disbelief as the blood-colored sky turned gold for an instant.
The ground trembled. The heavens shivered.
And Priyanshu walked out… beside a monster that bowed to him.
The world wouldn't understand.
But soon, they would kneel.