In the world of Zion, there were two fundamental paths to accessing the power of chi. The first, and most common, was called magic hearts. The second, far rarer and far more dangerous, was known as Concepts. Magic hearts were special organs that every warrior was born with; they were not the same as the heart that pumped blood in the body. Instead, they resided on the right side of the chest, pulsing with energy and potential.
A warrior could cultivate their heart level, strengthening both the quality and quantity of power it could store. Each heart also granted its wielder unique skills and abilities. Almost everyone across the lands possessed one, and the variety of hearts was staggering. Some were flames burning bright, others water flowing endlessly, and others air, earth, shadows, and even the mysteries of gravity itself. Each warrior's path began with the nature of their heart.
Concepts, however, were another matter. To wield a concept was to grasp the very essence of an element or principle of the world, to comprehend it so deeply that the fabric of reality itself could be bent in one's hands.
The strength a concept granted far exceeded that of a magic heart, but so did the difficulty of learning it. Few ever managed to do so. It required not only talent but also a master's guidance. There was just no way to learn the art without a master's help. If someone understood any concept, the things they could do would be incredible.
If someone understood the concept of lighting, for example. They would be able to summon thunderclouds and ride on the lightning itself, traveling great distances. Blasting whatever stood on their path.
That depended on how well they could use the concept though. Chi fueled countless other professions. Beast tamers bound creatures to their will, potion makers brewed elixirs of extraordinary effect, and array masters wove symbols into powerful formations.
Raw chi itself, unrefined and untamed, was the foundation of all such arts, the energy that gave life to every technique.
Yet Kyle possessed none of it. His body carried no magic heart, not a drop of raw chi. Nor did he have a mentor to guide him through the mysteries of concepts. For him, the path of cultivation was closed.
It was this lost and broken state that made him resigned to dying. As he strolled in the depths of the Evernight forest,
A three-headed snake beast slithered into view, its eyes fixing on him with a predator's hunger.
The creature was massive, its body made of pure compact muscle; there was no point in discussing who was more powerful. Kyle froze where he stood, his breath slowed. Was this how it would end? Had his plan to die finally reached its conclusion? He shifted slightly, and in the corner of his eye he caught another horror: A six-foot spider lurking in the undergrowth, its many eyes glinting in the dark.
Both creatures radiated an oppressive aura, each easily at the peak of the initiate tier. Just their presence was enough to make Kyle's knees weaken, as though invisible weights pressed down on his shoulders. When they moved, the ground itself seemed to shudder beneath their massive forms. He could not tell if they were lunging for him or at each other, but it hardly mattered. Even if he escaped their fangs and claws, the aftermath of their battle would surely finish him off.
Closing his eyes, Kyle braced himself for death. But... death did not come.
Instead, the world froze. The beasts halted mid-motion, the rustling leaves stilled, and the air itself seemed locked in ice. A silence so deep it was suffocating fell upon the forest. Then, slowly, a cold far more terrifying than death swept through the air, biting and merciless. This kind of cold could make even the creatures with the thickest furs or carapaces tremble.
Assuming they weren't already frozen in time like living statues.
The ground shivered. Smoke rose from the earth, coiling upward and twisting into the form of a man. His very presence spread decay, as though he carried disease within his veins. Grass blackened. Flowers shriveled. Bark peeled away from trees. Even the soil darkened beneath his feet. He was not of this world. Like a plague made human.
Kyle opened his eyes and saw him standing there. The aura was so overwhelming that he felt an urge to bow, his body trembling on the edge of submission. The only reason he had not already suffocated under the sheer weight of power was because the man, whoever he was, seemed to be suppressing his aura. The stranger spoke, his voice cold and sharp, and though he stood fifteen feet away, it felt as if he whispered directly into Kyle's ears. "Kyle Bancroft."
Just his name, yet it made Kyle's eyes widen. His expressionless face faltered in surprise. How could someone like this, someone so impossibly powerful, know his name?
The man tilted his head, his tone dripping with cruel amusement. "What are you doing here, all alone, in the Ever-Night Forest?"
Kyle took a long moment before answering. His voice, when it came, was flat and lifeless, carrying the same hollow chill as the figure before him.
"Could it be that a man as powerful as you, who somehow knows my name, truly doesn't know why I'm here? I highly doubt it."
Lucifer chuckled, a low sound that carried no warmth.
"Kyle," he said, his words deliberate, "I have a proposal for you." He paused, then corrected himself. "No. I'll put it plainly. Do you want power? The kind of power that forces your enemies to kneel and beg for forgiveness? Think about it. No one will ever bully you again. Instead of being forced to forgive, you'll be the one who punishes. And if you play your cards right, perhaps you might even rise to the top—become someone like me."
Kyle's eyes narrowed.
He had always been too kindhearted, but he was no fool. Nothing in this world was free. What could such a being possibly want from him?
Lucifer seemed to read his suspicion and smirked. Folding his hands behind his back, he began pacing slowly in a circle, like a teacher lecturing an attentive student.
"I know what you're thinking. So let me make it simple. The price is this: if you can keep your mind intact while the power of destruction flows through your veins, then that alone is enough for me. Think of it as an experiment of mine."
Kyle frowned slightly.
Keep myself sane? That's only to my benefit, isn't it?
It was obvious Lucifer was not telling him everything, but did that really matter? Only moments ago he had been ready to die. If this so-called power became unbearable, he could always return to that plan.
As he considered it, Kyle glanced down at his hands. His skin had begun to darken, withering as if infected by the same corruption that followed Lucifer.
The power was leaking into him just by proximity, even though Lucifer was holding most of it back. The weight of such strength was crushing.
He wondered what tier this man stood at. It was certainly higher than his father's, Kabal, patriarch of their clan. Perhaps higher than anything he had ever imagined. He hadn't even noticed that the snake and spider had already crumbled into dust under the corrosive aura.
Lucifer's voice cut through his thoughts. "Time's moving, Kyle. If you don't decide now, you'll be dust before you do."
Time? Was this some kind of joke? This guy could freeze time, and yet he was talking about time running out.
Kyle exhaled heavily. "Fine. Give me this power you speak of."
Lucifer's laugh rang out, echoing through the still forest. It was sharp and maniacal, and it made Kyle's chest tighten with the certainty that he had just been deceived.
"Good. This is my little project, the 10,000 revenge system. Goooood luuuuck."
With a sudden motion, Lucifer thrust out his palm. A seal shot forward and slammed onto Kyle's shoulder, burning into his skin as an intricate, round tattoo. Agony consumed him. His vision blurred, the world dissolved into blackness, and he collapsed to the ground just like he had in the chamber yesterday. What was this power, and how would it change Kyle's life?
Talk about making a deal with the devil.