The letter was crumpled in my grip, each line burning deeper into my mind. I could almost hear my father’s voice, weary and broken, spilling his regret.
My son… I couldn’t do it anymore. I’m sorry for bringing you into this… sorry for dragging you down this path.
The guilt of those innocent children’s lives… it devoured me, haunting me like a relentless nightmare I couldn’t escape. Yes, I supported you, I followed you… but this weight—it’s too much for these old bones.
Don’t worry. I am getting what I deserve…
I took everything from that Phoenix child’s family, leaving them with nothing. I deserve to pay for that, but please, my son… don’t follow me down this path.
The revenge, it should end with me.
Live a better life.
I shook as I read, rage tearing through my sorrow. The room around me was already brimming with the ceremonial attire of the Dragon Emperor—prepared for me.
I wasn’t ready to step into my father’s shoes, not like this.
Tears blurred my vision as I gripped the letter so hard I felt my fingers sting. “Those… lowborns! They’ll pay!” I seethed, my hands trembling. Without wasting another second, I stormed to the summit, where my father had taken that Phoenix woman.
…. And there, amidst the desolate landscape, was my father’s lifeless body.
“F-Father? FATHER!” My scream tore through the silence as I threw myself down, clutching his still-warm form. The sight shattered something inside me. “Why? I worked so hard—for us. We were supposed to live, to conquer together. WHY?!” I yelled, grief splitting me open.
But then, movement in the distance something appeared out of nowhere and landed on the ground.
Through my tears, I saw… bloody body!
The Phoenix woman lay sprawled nearby, her body still and lifeless. Realization dawned, mingling horror and satisfaction in a twisted harmony.
“haha…Hahaha” I stumbled towards her. “So… you’re dead,” I whispered, a manic grin spreading across my face, “The summit rejected you, you… worthless Phoenix trash.” And with a crazed laugh, I picked up a small knife, my fingers wrapped tightly around the handle.
“You deserve it bitch! Die!”
Chuck!
“Die!” I spat, plunging the blade into her cold flesh, over and over, each strike releasing a sliver of my rage.
“Die!”
Chuck!
“Die!”
Chuckk!
“Die!”
Chuckkk!
“Die!”
…..
…
The blade glistened crimson, the fury inside me easing only as I slashed her lifeless body again and again. Finally, when my anger receded, I looked down at the mess, her blood pooled around me like a silent offering.
With one last, twisted grin, I lit a flame and set her corpse ablaze. “See, Father? I avenged you. I killed her—the one who stole you from me. She got exactly what she deserved!” My voice echoed in the dark, hollow and wild.
But it wasn’t enough.
A thirst for vengeance simmered inside me. I’d heard rumours of her younger sister waiting for her return. The thought made me laugh—a sinister, hollow sound….. Hahahaha!
I needed to see that face—the face of utter despair when she learned her sister was gone, wiped out by my hand.
With my sights set on my mission continued…. I didn’t care for the trials for the Sovereign position… as well as I couldn’t focus on Empire’s growth….. Who cares whether they die or not… as long as I was live, I would built the Empire!!
My pursuits took me deeper into my research, pouring every ounce of energy into perfecting the golden liquid. It granted me longevity, just enough to outlive my father.
But I needed more.
I knew my time would soon end… but I didn’t want to.
Power!
Immortality!
I wanted to live, to rule eternally. To conquer beyond the Pyra Fulgur Empire.
In order to do that… I need to create something indestructible and even have the power to face the Sovereigns… I needed a vessel!
And then….. Isa. Every time she saw me, she struck with that same fire in her eyes as if she wanted to show her anger at me for her friend’s death!
“BITCH!”
I needed more power, and so I turned to new methods, ways to expand my strength, my reach.
In desperation, I devised something—an experiment beyond reason. I sought a way to create a life that could withstand the curse, one that would serve as my immortal vessel. Using the bodies of captive women, I inseminated them, extracted fertilized eggs, and embedded them in children to speed their growth.
The process was horrendous, each failure gnawing at me.
No matter what I did, it was never enough and the bodies of the women were not handling the power…
Everything had failed. Each experiment, each frantic attempt—nothing brought the results I desired.
Until, by sheer desperation, I turned to the one thing that had always yielded power: my Golden Goose’s blood.
Yes, that’s what I called her now—my Golden Goose, the woman whose life I kept suspended, wringing out golden liquid drop by drop.
And finally, when I mixed her blood with mine, something extraordinary happened.
For the first time, life emerged—a spark of possibility. Driven by this newfound hope, I doubled down, refining my approach.
No more lowborn women for this work. I selected only those with noble, high-quality bloodlines. One by one, I experimented on them, each step bringing me closer to perfection.
I created vessels, but
“Papa…” one murmured, a twisted creature with wings sprouting from its arms and legs, its voice riddled with agony.
“Papa… pain…” groaned another, sporting a grotesque horn protruding from its forehead, its face contorted in suffering.
Each was an abomination.
Repulsive creatures.
I wanted to crush each of these malformed attempts beneath my heel, but their failures only sharpened my understanding. Piece by piece, I learned what was needed, and finally, I crafted my masterpiece.
“Leon!”
The perfect vessel.
Everything proceeded as planned. I moulded Leon, groomed him, and made sure he was compliant in every way. Soon, my vessel would be ready, and I’d be reborn, rising from mortality like a Phoenix freed from death’s hold.
But then, the Ring came into my possession.
The Origin Emperor’s Ring.
When it slipped into my hands, I could hardly contain my elation. This was it—the pinnacle, the last piece of the puzzle. With the Ring and Leon, I would be unstoppable…. Or so I thought.
Then he appeared.
“My name is Victor.”
He stormed in, a whirlwind of power and fury, tearing through everything I’d worked for. The life I’d built, the power I’d seized—all of it turned to ashes in his wake.
EVERYTHING!!!
For the first time in years, I felt fear—a bone-deep, clawing dread that surged through me like ice.
This boy… no, this man reminded me of a terror I’d long forgotten.
I despised him for it.
I had to kill him. I needed to erase him, no matter the cost.
But I failed. Over and over, I failed. He was always one step ahead, each attempt foiled.
In my desperation, I revealed to him secrets I thought would be my salvation, trusting that he’d honour the contract and release me.
Instead, he grinned that wicked, mocking grin and sneered, “From now on, you’re my pet, Arkanis~.”
And darkness took me.
When I came to, my senses reeling, I found myself at a grand table, surrounded by nobles who sneered and jeered, their eyes glinting with fear and shock.
Before I could react Victor gave a twisted and wicked smile as his lips moved saying, ‘Good bye, Mother fucker!’… And then I saw the Butcher’s Sword—a gleaming, merciless blade—lowering toward me, inch by agonizing inch, If he wanted to kill he would have done it when I was charmed, a pain less death but this man… really wicked one and…
….
…..
500(600(650)…) PS=1(1(1)…)Ex/ 50(100(120)..) GT=1(2(2)…)Ex
