Ivan's last memory of the modern world was a scream swallowed by the roar of a collapsing bridge. Then nothing—darkness, spinning voids, and a force that seemed to tear his very soul apart. He fell through the void, body disintegrating and reforming, until suddenly, he landed on cold stone, gasping, every muscle screaming in protest.
The world around him was unfamiliar—a desolate landscape of jagged cliffs and rivers of molten fire. Shadows twisted unnaturally across the sky, and in the distance, the echo of wails—human or demon, he could not tell—filled the air. The air itself seemed thick with malice.
A voice cut through the oppressive silence, deep and resonant, vibrating in Ivan's bones.
"So… you have finally arrived, mortal."
A figure materialized from the shadows, a creature both beautiful and terrifying. Horns curved gracefully from its head, skin dark as obsidian, and eyes that glimmered like molten gold. Its smile was both alluring and cruel.
"I can offer you power," the demon said, "power to survive, to dominate, to bend this world to your will. But power comes at a cost. Are you willing to pay it?"*
Ivan's chest heaved. His instincts screamed to flee, but every fiber of his being told him he could not. He nodded. Yes.
In an instant, a burning sensation coursed through his veins, as if liquid fire and shadow had fused inside him. Strength, speed, reflexes—everything sharpened beyond human limits. He felt his heartbeat synchronize with the world around him. He could hear the subtle tremor of the ground beneath his feet and the whispered thoughts of the nearest creatures.
"Good," the demon purred. "But beware… your bond will attract others. They will desire you, seek you, and fight for you. Some will love you; others will kill for you. Choose wisely, mortal."
Before Ivan could respond, a sudden shriek split the air. From the shadows emerged a creature—part humanoid, part serpent, its body coiling with unnatural speed, jaws snapping with lethal precision. Ivan barely had time to react.
Instinct took over. He extended his hand, and shadows erupted like tendrils from his body, slamming into the creature with bone-crushing force. The beast screeched, recoiling, but it was not finished. Its claws slashed toward him, rending the air with a metallic screech.
He countered with a surge of energy from within, a dark flame that licked along his arms. The monster faltered under the unexpected assault, giving Ivan a narrow opening. With a swift strike, he severed its head from its body, the force of the blow sending his own body skidding back. Blood, black and steaming, pooled on the stone.
Ivan staggered, adrenaline pounding through him. He realized something strange—his body did not ache as it should have. He looked at his hands, glowing faintly with residual energy, and felt the raw, intoxicating power coursing through him.
Then, a new presence approached. Unlike the demon from earlier, this one was human—or at least appeared so. A young woman with long silver hair and piercing blue eyes stepped from the shadows, her katana gleaming in the molten light.
"Who… are you?" she demanded, voice icy but trembling with curiosity.
"Ivan," he replied cautiously, still catching his breath. "I… I don't belong here."
Her gaze lingered on him, assessing, calculating. "Everyone belongs somewhere… and yet, no one belongs here untested."
She circled him slowly, hand never leaving her sword. Despite the danger, Ivan felt it—an undeniable attraction, a pull he could not resist. The words of the demon echoed in his mind: "They will desire you… seek you…"
The moment was brief. The ground trembled violently, and another monster—twice the size of the last—emerged from the darkness. Its eyes burned red, teeth jagged like shards of obsidian. The woman raised her sword.
"Stay back… or die!" she shouted.
Ivan's instincts flared. He could not stay back—not when he felt the surge of power, not when survival demanded action. He leapt forward, shadow tendrils coiling around the creature, while she struck with precision and deadly grace. Together, they overwhelmed it, their combined attack a perfect storm of force and finesse.
As the creature collapsed, she lowered her sword, eyes never leaving his. "You… are not like the others," she said, voice softening. "Be careful… this world will consume the unprepared."
Ivan nodded, trying to catch his breath. "I… I will survive."
And somewhere deep in his chest, a new awareness stirred—the realization that this world, this dark and dangerous place, was not just a trial. It was the beginning of something far more dangerous, far more intoxicating… and far more personal.
He glanced at the woman once more. Her gaze lingered, loaded with unspoken promises and warnings alike. Ivan knew, even now, that this was the start of his harem, his survival, and his path toward power—one bloody, passionate, and perilous step at a time.
The demon's words echoed faintly in his mind as he felt the pull of destiny and desire:
"They will fight for you… they will love you… and they will burn for you."