It didn't take long for the path to change.
The polished obsidian floors gave way to jagged stone, lit by an eerie red glow that pulsed like a heartbeat. Every step echoed louder than it should have. Nyx stayed close, his tails twitching, ears perked at every distant whisper.
> [Entering: Chamber of Broken Gates]
[Danger Level: Tier E to C+]
[Warning: Riftfire Anomaly Detected – Elemental Instability Expected]
Ahead of me stood a cracked stone door, covered in glowing chains of runic flame. The closer I got, the hotter the air became—like I was walking into the breath of a sleeping dragon.
> [Trial Dungeon: Riftfire Baptism – Solo Entry Only]
[Would you like to begin the trial? Y/N]
My fingers trembled.
I looked down at Nyx.
"You can't come?"
He gave a low growl—something between a warning and a farewell.
> [Note: Soul Beast will remain outside dungeon. Trial must be faced alone.]
Of course. Figures.
I exhaled, steadying my nerves.
This was it. The first real fight. A step toward becoming something more than a disposable heir.
"Begin trial."
The chains shattered.
Flames burst from the gate, engulfing everything in light—
—and when it faded, I was standing in a vast circular arena, floating in a sky of fire.
No walls. No exits. Just me, heat, and something massive stirring beneath the molten floor.
> [Trial Begin: Riftfire Baptism]
• Objective: Survive and Defeat the Riftborn Warden
• Time Limit: 15 Minutes
Suddenly, the ground exploded.
A creature rose from the lava—twenty feet tall, built like a knight sculpted from obsidian and magma, with burning crimson eyes and a hammer of solid flame.
Riftborn Warden – Lv. 10
Status: Aggressive
I didn't think. I ran.
The hammer came down behind me with a thunderous BOOM, cracking the floating platform.
"Okay—okay! Plan, Sylvia, think—!"
I had no weapons, no armor. Just a demon-stitched robe and—
> [Active Skill: Shadow Shift – Lv. 1 | Cooldown Ready]
"Gotcha."
I dodged left, then Shifted behind the Warden as it lifted its weapon. It roared in frustration, turning slower than expected.
Its back was exposed—just for a second.
I focused, reaching inward.
> [You are attempting to use raw magic.]
[No Spell Cast Detected. Mana Surge Triggered Instead.]
My hands ignited—black fire, flickering unnaturally.
"YES."
I drove both palms into the Riftborn's back. The impact wasn't much—but the fire was. It hissed and clung to its core like venom. The Warden shrieked and staggered forward.
> [Mana Surge – Shadowflame Detonation (Prototype)]
Effect: Damage Over Time – 8 seconds | Vulnerability to Shadow: +15%]
I grinned like a maniac.
I was doing it.
I was fighting.
The Warden turned again, but this time slower. I saw the pattern—its wide swings, the heavy recovery. Its heat was killing, but predictable.
All I had to do was keep moving. And hit it where it hurt.
Minutes passed in a blur of dodges, Shadow Shifts, and bursts of unstable flame. My body screamed. My mana was running dry.
But I was still standing.
And the Warden?
It dropped to one knee.
> [Enemy HP: 12%]
[Final Phase Triggered – Lava Core Awakening]
The platform trembled. Cracks opened. Fire erupted from the creature's chest, and I knew—one more hit. One good strike could end this.
I focused everything I had.
> [Overload: Shadowflame Surge – 100% Mana Burn]
Warning: Risk of Collapse
"Screw it."
I leapt forward, both hands alight with unstable black fire, and screamed as I drove the energy into its core.
A shockwave tore across the arena.
The world went white.
And then—silence.
When I came to, I was lying in the center of the cooling battlefield, trembling but alive. Smoke curled from my fingertips.
> [Trial Complete: Riftfire Baptism]
• XP Gained: +750
• Skill Gained: Shadowflame Bolt – Lv. 1
• Trait Unlocked: "Mana Adrenaline" – Grants short burst of speed when mana is critically low
• Combat Rank Increased: E → D
> [Level Up – Lv. 2]
[Title Earned: "The One Who Burns Back"]
I laughed—exhausted, delirious, triumphant.
For the first time since I woke in this nightmare world, I felt like I belonged.
Like I could survive this.
No… more than that.
Like I could win.
I limped out of the Riftfire chamber, half-dead and grinning like I'd just won a lottery ticket in Hell.
Nyx was waiting near the broken gate, tails flicking anxiously. The moment he saw me, he let out a relieved huff and pounced onto my shoulder like a worried cat-dog-wolf thing.
"Hey, hey, easy," I laughed weakly, nearly tipping over. "Still recovering from almost dying, thanks."
> [Soul Beast Sync: Stabilizing. Link Strength +2.]
I collapsed against the wall, sliding to the floor. My body ached, my mana was shot, and every muscle screamed like I owed it money.
But I'd survived. No, more than survived—I'd leveled up, unlocked a new trait, and felt something ignite inside me. A spark I didn't know I had.
The system flickered again.
> [Combat Evaluation Rank: D]
[You are now eligible for Limited Authority Access.]
[Would you like to open your Authority Menu?]
"Authority, huh?" I murmured. "Guess it's time I see what being 'royal' gets me around here."
> [Opening Authority Menu...]
A new interface bloomed in front of me—elegant, crimson-lined, dripping with dangerous potential.
> [Demonic Authority – Tier I Access Granted]
• Domain Perk: Shadow Step (Lv. 1 – Teleport short distances between shadows once per day)
• Royal Edict: Mark 1 creature as 'Protected' – The system will alert you when it is in danger
• Sigil of Blood: Unlocks passive command over lesser abyssal beasts (limited to 1 at Rank D)
My breath caught.
This wasn't just power. This was influence. Control. A path to something greater.
"I want to mark Nyx," I said instinctively.
> [Confirmed: Soul Beast "Nyx" has been marked as Protected.]
He blinked up at me, tail curling tighter around my wrist.
"You're stuck with me now," I murmured, running a hand over his warm fur. "Let's survive this hell together."
> [Quest Updated: Survive the First Week – 5 Days Remaining]
[New Optional Objective: Unlock Demon King's Legacy Fragment]
I tilted my head.
"Legacy fragment?"
Before I could read more, I heard it—footsteps. Slow, deliberate, approaching from the hallway behind me.
Not a monster.
No.
This was worse.
Another heir.
And judging by the system's sudden silence, they were stronger than me.
Much stronger.
I stood slowly, shadows flickering at my feet. Nyx growled softly.
"Looks like we don't get to celebrate."
The air changed the moment they stepped into view.
She was tall—maybe seventeen—with midnight-black hair braided down her back and twin sickles strapped to her hips. Her aura bled pressure. Not mana, not killing intent… authority. Like she knew she was born to rule—and wouldn't need to lift a finger to prove it.
The system chimed softly.
> [Heir Detected: Lilith Noctara, Third Daughter of the Demon King]
• Rank: B+
• Combat Style: Crescent Blade Flow
• Status: Neutral (Uncertain Intentions)
I swallowed hard.
"Of course. I meet a sibling, and it's a boss fight waiting to happen."
Nyx bristled on my shoulder.
She stopped a few feet away, tilting her head as her violet eyes scanned me top to bottom. A smirk tugged at her lips.
"So… you're the tenth."
Not a question. A statement. Like I was already catalogued and filed under irrelevant.
"Yeah," I said. "Name's Sylvia. I killed a Riftborn Warden ten minutes ago, so I'd appreciate not dying right now."
Her smirk widened.
"You've got fire. That's rare. Most of our half-siblings cry or beg the moment they meet me."
"How many of them are still alive?"
"One," she said easily. "But he doesn't have a tongue anymore."
Great.
I tensed, shadows curling around my fingers. The new Authority I'd unlocked pulsed faintly beneath my skin, ready but still unfamiliar.
She noticed.
"Oh? You've awakened your Domain already? That's quick."
"I adapt fast."
She laughed softly. "You're cute. Weak, but cute."
> [Warning: Proximity Threat Detected – Combat Potential: Lethal]
I didn't move.
Neither did she.
The silence between us stretched, tense and uncertain—until she finally turned her back to me.
"If you want to survive this game, little sister," she said over her shoulder, "learn when to kneel… and when to bite."
And then she walked away.
No attack. No test. Just a warning and a message I wouldn't forget.
Nyx let out a low growl as she vanished into the corridor.
"I know," I whispered. "She could've killed us."
But she didn't.
Which meant one of two things: either I wasn't worth her time…
Or I was being watched.
> [New Objective Unlocked: Rise Above the Bloodline – Place Top 3 in Succession Rankings]
[Side Objective: Observe Lilith Noctara – Optional]
I stood in that hallway for a long moment, the burn of shame and resolve mixing in my chest.
Then I turned and walked deeper into the dark.
After Lilith vanished down the corridor, the silence returned—but it wasn't comforting.
It was heavy, like the dungeon itself was holding its breath, waiting to see what I would do next.
I wasn't sure either.
The burn from the Riftfire Trial still clung to my limbs like smoke. Every muscle ached. My mana core felt cracked. But I couldn't rest, not with my rank now exposed. The deeper I went, the more eyes would find me—and not all of them belonged to siblings.
Nyx nudged my arm gently, his golden eyes focused ahead.
"Yeah," I muttered. "Let's keep moving."
We turned a corner and the hallway shifted again—this time the walls were lined with mirrors. Hundreds of them. Different shapes, frames, some shattered, some pristine. Each one gave off a faint hum of magic.
> [You have entered: The Mirror Hall – Zone of Reflection]
• Caution: Memory Echoes may appear
• Instability Rating: Moderate
• Reward Potential: High
I hesitated at the threshold.
"I hate mirrors."
Nyx didn't argue.
As we stepped in, I caught glimpses of myself—but not quite me. One reflection showed me older, with wings of smoke and a crown of flame. Another… younger. Bloody. Crying. Alone.
I paused.
> [Memory Echo Triggered]
"You'll never be enough. Just another shadow. A failed experiment."
The voice—my voice—but broken, full of fear. It came from the mirror beside me. My reflection smiled.
> [System Alert: Mental Fortitude Check – Passed]
I didn't flinch.
"You were right," I told it. "I wasn't enough. Not before."
I raised my hand. Shadowflame danced across my fingertips.
"But I'm not her anymore."
I shattered the mirror with a sharp pulse of energy. Glass rained down like snow, and the echoes dissolved into ash.
> [Mirror Cleared – +150 EXP]
[Progress toward Hidden Trait: Unshaken Mind – 60%]
I smiled grimly.
"That felt good."
We moved deeper into the Mirror Hall. More illusions, more echoes—each one trying to pull me back into fear or self-doubt. But I was learning.
Pain made me sharper.
Doubt made me dangerous.
By the time we reached the center chamber, a new path opened—this one lit by purple torches, leading downward.
At the threshold stood a tall, cloaked figure.
I stopped, hand raised.
"Who are you?"
The figure's voice was calm, layered—like many voices speaking through one throat.
"I am the Keeper of Doors. And you, child of the Abyss, have passed your first real test."
> [Secret Pathway Unlocked – The Vault of the Forgotten King]
I blinked.
"What does that mean?"
The Keeper tilted his head.
"It means the game has truly begun."
And then he stepped aside, letting me pass.
I stepped past the Keeper.
No resistance. No warning. Just that strange, silent nod—as if walking into a forgotten vault was a normal part of a young demon princess's day.
> [Entering: Vault of the Forgotten King]
• Security Level: Restricted (Heir Access Override: Verified)
• Threat Level: Variable
• Exploration Bonus: +300 XP (First Discovery)
The air changed the moment I crossed the threshold.
It was cold—unnaturally so. Not the kind of chill that clings to your skin, but the kind that sinks straight into your bones. The torches lining the stone walls flickered with pale blue fire, casting long shadows that twisted when I wasn't looking directly at them.
The vault stretched downward in a spiral, deeper and deeper. Symbols carved into the walls pulsed faintly—ancient demonic script I couldn't yet read.
Nyx growled low in his throat, tail curling tight.
> [Soul Beast Warning: Unknown signature detected. Protective instinct triggered.]
"I feel it too," I murmured. "Something's watching."
As we descended, a new screen flickered to life.
> [Quest Alert: Legacy Fragment]
"Claim what was left behind. Prove you are worthy of the name you carry."
• Objective: Reach the Heart Chamber
• Optional: Do not trigger the Warden of the Vault
Oh good. Another Warden. This place really loved its ancient guards.
By the time we reached the bottom, the air felt like glass—fragile, dangerous, and humming with energy.
The final chamber was circular, far older than anything I'd seen so far. At its center was a pedestal, and resting atop it... a broken crown.
Black as void, cracked down the middle, and humming with silent power.
> [Legacy Fragment Identified: Crown of the Hollow Sovereign]
• Type: Symbolic Relic
• Function: Unlocks Inherited Memories (Limited)
• Bonus: Passive Stat Boost – Authority +5
I stepped closer.
No monster. No trap.
Just silence.
I reached out—and the moment my fingers touched it, the system screamed.
> [WARNING: Memory Overload]
[Initializing Core Sync – Legacy Thread Detected]
Flashes exploded in my mind.
Fire.
Screams.
A man—my father—his shadow stretching over cities like a storm. And a voice—his voice—whispering something ancient into the void.
> "The throne is built on ruin. Only those who bleed for it may sit upon it."
Then, darkness.
I gasped, stumbling back.
Nyx steadied me with a low, panicked growl.
But the system buzzed again.
> [Legacy Memory Acquired: "First Thronefall"]
[New Skill Unlocked: Sovereign's Glare – Instills fear in enemies one rank lower. Cooldown: 1 hour.]
[Trait Progression: Blood of the Demon King – 18% Awakened]
I stared down at the broken crown in my hands.
Light flickered in its crack—like it wasn't dead. Just sleeping.
And I… I was its new nightmare.