The world collapsed into ash and silence.
Klaus stumbled forward—and landed on the cracked tile of the guild hall. Rain still poured outside, as if no time had passed. His wings folded back into shadow, fading to whispers under his skin. The wolf and crow dissolved, lingering only as shadows behind his eyes.
But the Seal remained.
A black-and-silver coin burned in his palm, pulsing with fire that wasn't fire.
[DREAM-SEAL: B-Tier Acquired.]Eligible for Transfer: One item/skill of B-Tier or lower.
Klaus clenched his fist. He had killed the impossible—and returned richer in years than when he entered. His wristband showed it clearly:
[Lifespan Remaining: 53 Years, 2 Months.]
He laughed softly, shaking his head. "I went in older, came back younger. This is no system—it's theft from the gods."
[Lucifer]: "Exactly, Crown-Bearer. And theft is the purest form of profit."
The Fox Appears
The guild doors creaked. She entered.
Every conversation died instantly.
A woman stepped through the rain, nine tails flowing behind her like rivers of flame and moonlight. Her eyes shimmered like silver fire, her beauty so sharp it seemed unreal. She wore a ragged cloak, but nothing could disguise what she was.
[SIMP SYSTEM ALERT]Target Detected: ??? (Nine-Tail Fox).Beauty Index: 9.8/10.Charm Resonance: 0% → 12%.
Klaus's breath caught for half a second. Not out of desire—out of recognition. The kind of recognition that comes when destiny grabs you by the throat.
She turned her gaze on him. The room held its breath. "You," she said, her voice like velvet knives. "You're the one with the Crown."
[Lucifer]: "Oh, delightful. The fox of illusions herself. Careful, Crown-Bearer—she eats kings for breakfast. But with the Simp System? You could eat her instead."
Klaus smirked faintly. "And if I don't?"
[Lucifer]: "Then she'll peel your soul and wear it like silk."
The Test of Silk
The fox's tails flicked. "Prove yourself."
Minutes later, they walked together into Belmora's high district—a place Klaus hadn't seen since before his fall. Neon signs, crystal chandeliers, enchanted shop windows. The luxury cloth store of the city's elite.
She wandered between racks of silk and shadowweave. Shopkeepers bowed so low they nearly kissed the floor. Her fingers brushed gowns that gleamed with moonlight threads and dragon scales.
[SIMP SYSTEM: Target Resonance Rising… 12% → 47%.]
Klaus's wristband flashed red as the clerks rang up prices that could feed a family for years. The fox smiled faintly at him. "Will you pay?"
He checked the cost.
[DIMENSIONAL TRADE] Luxury Cloth (Earth Value: 1,200 Credits) → Elven Realm Value: 9,500 Gold. Profit Margin: +780%.
Klaus laughed under his breath. "Oh, I'll pay."
He handed over credits, each one cutting deeper into his debt—only to see the Simp System react.
[SIMP SYSTEM: Charm Resonance +8%.][CASHBACK Triggered: 10%. 120 Credits refunded.][BONUS] Skill Resonance Approaching Threshold.
The fox's eyes glimmered. She stepped closer, tails brushing his arm. "Not many men would spend like this. Fewer still would smile while doing it."
[SIMP SYSTEM: Target Resonance 95%.][BONUS UNLOCKED] Cashback 10% + Skill Resonance.[RES0NANCE SYNC] Skill Acquired: Moonflame Illusion (B-Rank).
Light burst across Klaus's interface. His veins sang with new power. Moonfire coiled in his palm, illusions flickering like broken stars.
He exhaled slowly, turning his hand. "So this is your power."
The fox leaned closer, her lips a whisper from his ear. "It's only the beginning, Crown-Bearer. Spend more, and you may own me."
[Lucifer]: "Hah! She's poison wrapped in silk. Perfect match for you."
A Dangerous Alliance
Klaus walked out of the shop beside her, the streets shimmering with rain and neon. His wristband ticked down with debt but up with profit, Dimensional Trade burning with new opportunities. His lifespan sat secure, bought and stolen.
The fox walked beside him, tails swaying hypnotically. "My name," she said, "is Selene. I'll follow you… for now. Until you prove whether you're a Crown-Bearer worth serving."
Klaus looked at her, then ahead into the storm. "Then watch closely. The world sold me for scraps. I'll buy it back with blood and gold."
The rain parted around his wings as shadowfire burned faintly across the skyline.