Night draped over the ruined bandit camp like a shroud. Charred corpses and half-melted weapons lay in chaotic sprawl. The smell of burnt flesh lingered—thick, putrid, satisfying.
Kael stood at the edge of the devastation, the flames finally dimming in his wake.
He didn't flinch. He didn't look away.
He felt nothing.
And that scared him more than the fire ever could.
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]
Quest Complete: "Bandit Purge – East Ridge"
✔️ Objective: Eliminate 20+ enemies (Success)
✔️ Bonus: Full Annihilation
Rewards: +30 SP (Wrath), +100 gold, +1 Devil Favor Token
Nightmare Gauge: 28%
Title Progress: 9% to Fiend
New Passive Unlocked: [Ash Step] – Move through fire unharmed, leave embers in your wake.
Kael read the notifications with a grim nod. The System had no moral compass—no judgment. It didn't care if the bandits had begged or screamed or tried to run. It only measured sin, results, and growth.
And tonight, Kael had grown.
But not alone.
Inside His Mind – Devil's Domain
A pulse echoed through his skull—a heartbeat that wasn't his. The world blurred and dimmed until the scenery twisted. One blink later, Kael found himself standing in a throne room made of bone and brimstone, lit by ghostly blue torches.
On a throne forged from screaming skulls lounged Lucivar, the Archdevil of Desire and Despair.
"Ahh… Kael, my favorite sinner," Lucivar purred, swirling a chalice of blood-red flame.
"You've truly made a beautiful mess. Tell me—how does it feel to burn the world just a little?"
Kael's jaw clenched. "It was necessary."
Lucivar leaned forward. His golden eyes shimmered with cruel amusement.
"Necessary? Or satisfying?"
Kael didn't answer.
Lucivar stood, descending the steps with unnatural grace, each footfall silencing the screams beneath the floor.
"You've taken your first step into the Devil's Path," he said. "But remember our pact, little mortal—power is never free."
He raised a finger and tapped Kael's chest.
A searing pain ripped through him. Kael gasped, clutching at his heart as dark tendrils flared around it.
[SOUL REMINDER]
Time Remaining: 665 Days
Upon expiry, soul will be claimed by Lucivar, Lord of the Second Circle.
Escape Options:
✦ Devour a stronger devil and usurp their contract
✦ Rewrite your fate via Sin Ascension
✦ Or… burn out before the clock ticks down
The pain faded as quickly as it came. Kael staggered but didn't fall.
Lucivar smirked.
"Good. You don't break easy. That's why you were chosen."
Kael gritted his teeth. "You said I could change the world."
"You can," Lucivar said, turning away. "The question is—will the world survive you?"
With that, the Domain shattered—and Kael's consciousness snapped back into his body.
Back in Halros – Guild Hall, Next Morning
The Guild Hall buzzed with nervous whispers. The story had spread like wildfire—someone had wiped out an entire bandit camp alone. No survivors. No mercy.
And the name etched into the mission clerk's desk?
KAEL VIRETH.
Inside, Kael sat in the far corner, eating stale bread and drinking watered-down ale. Eyes followed him. Conversations died whenever he looked up.
He liked it that way.
From the side, a voice broke the silence.
Soft. Curious. Dangerous.
"That was you, wasn't it?"
Kael looked up slowly.
A girl—no, a young woman—stood by his table. Long black hair, mismatched eyes (one gold, one green), and a cloak lined with silver feathers. Something about her felt… off.
Like a predator pretending to be prey.
Kael said nothing.
She smiled and sat across from him without invitation.
"Name's Arin," she said. "And you just pissed off a lot of people. The Guildmaster. The merc factions. The Black Flame Church."
Kael raised an eyebrow. "Let them come."
She leaned closer, eyes glittering.
"I like that answer. Which means I probably shouldn't trust you."
"Then don't," Kael said flatly.
She laughed.
"But I will. Because I have a job. And I think you're the only monster mad enough to take it."
New Quest: "The Blood Scroll Heist"
Objective: Infiltrate the Cathedral of the Black Flame and retrieve a cursed scroll.
Danger: Extreme.
Reward: +100 SP, 1 Artifact Slot Unlock, ???
Arin will accompany you as a temporary companion.
Compatibility Rating: 41% (Potential Pact Candidate)
Do you accept?
Kael's eyes narrowed. The System offered no details about Arin—only possibilities.
He tapped "Accept."
"Where's the cathedral?"
Arin grinned. "Underground. Beneath the holy quarter."
Kael finished his drink and stood.
"Then we move at night."
Elsewhere – Capital City of Veyra
Ceres stood atop the palace balcony, gazing into the horizon. His new armor gleamed. His cloak bore the golden flame sigil. Behind him, knights trained in precise formations.
"Sir," a scout knelt beside him. "There's… news. From Halros."
Ceres turned slowly. "Go on."
"A survivor… said the bandit camp at East Ridge is gone. All of it. Burned to ash."
Ceres frowned. "And?"
The scout hesitated.
"They said a name was carved into the Guild Hall desk. 'Kael Vireth.'"
A long silence followed.
Ceres' fingers twitched.
"That's impossible."
But even as he said it, a faint ember sparked behind his eyes.
Fear.
End of Chapter 3