❝ The day I died… was the first time I truly lived. ❞
— Zaiyan
Boom!The sky split open. A gate of pure darkness tore through the clouds as monstrous shadows poured into the streets of Kyrod City.
People screamed. Soldiers cast spells. Crystals shattered.
And in the middle of it all…A boy with torn clothes and no magic stood holding a broken pipe.
"Yuzu, run!" Zaiyan shouted, standing in front of the girl. His body trembled — not from fear, but from the weight of knowing... he was worthless here.
He had no Myth Code, no system, no grimoire.In a world where everyone awakened magical "Codes" at age 10, Zaiyan awakened nothing.Just a red mark on his back and whispers in his dreams.
[ERROR: YOU DO NOT QUALIFY FOR A PATHWAY.][FATE: REJECTED]
That's all his awakening stone said.
Ever since then, he lived as a cleaner in the city barracks, laughed at by knights, spat on by nobles.
But now… when a level 4 Rift opened, and monsters poured in — none of them were here. Only him.
And a dying girl in his arms.
The beast approached. A twisted, horned Shadow Wolf — drooling corruption.
Zaiyan's grip tightened. His arm was broken, ribs shattered.
But he smiled.
"If I die protecting you… I won't regret it."
CRUNCH!The beast's jaw slammed down.
Darkness swallowed him.
...
...
Silence.
Then…
[System Rebooting…][Analyzing soul fragments...][Shadow Core Detected.][Initiating Forbidden Path: Drak Monarch.]
Zaiyan opened his eyes.
The sky above was black and red, like blood swirling in ink.
He lay on a floating rock in a sea of shadows, surrounded by massive thrones, all cracked and abandoned.
"You should not exist."
A voice echoed. Neither male nor female. Neither kind nor cruel.
"You were born without fate. Yet you defied death."
Suddenly, one throne lit up — a jagged seat made of bone and dragon scales.Dark flames rose behind it.
[You are qualified.][Do you accept the Curse of the Drak Monarch?]
Zaiyan's eyes widened.This wasn't magic.This wasn't a Myth Code.
This was something deeper. Something beyond.A voice that made gods tremble.
He laughed softly, blood dripping from his lips.
"I had nothing. No system. No fate. No future.""Give me everything."
[Curse Accepted.][Crown Installed.][Name: Zaiyan][Class: Shadowblood Monarch][Level: ???][Condition: Resurrection Imminent]
Suddenly, the broken world twisted.
Chains wrapped around Zaiyan's body.
His veins turned black.
His shadow stretched across the sky like wings.
[Rise, My King.]
✦ END OF CHAPTER 1 ✦