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Chapter 5 - 5: The First Emperor

Over the past eight years, the wars raging across the continent had only grown more intense. At the same time, many outstanding rulers had emerged—each with vast territories under their control, locked in constant battles as they all sought to unify the continent and become its supreme ruler.

During these years, as Haruki continued to hunt down Danger Beasts, his reputation steadily spread. No matter the era, strength was always respected. And since Haruki's village was tucked away in the remote northern reaches of the continent, a region far from any military flashpoints, no one had dared provoke him for years.

Time passed quietly, and before he knew it, five more years had gone by. Haruki was now eighteen. Ever since coming of age, his appearance had remained unchanged, a testament to the immortality granted by the True Ancestor Vampire bloodline. Over all these years, Haruki had barely exchanged anything from the System, choosing instead to accumulate points through hunting and completing various tasks. He'd saved up nearly 1.5 million exchange points—and had three lottery chances in reserve.

One event, however, stood out. Three years ago, while on an expedition, Haruki encountered a rare ice-type Super-Class Danger Beast—an Ice Phoenix.

It was massive, covered in flawless snow-white feathers, with a wingspan stretching nearly a kilometer. It could control ice and unleash devastating ice-element attacks. The region it occupied was buried in snow for hundreds of miles, making it the undisputed ruler of the area. Locals had long considered the territory a forbidden zone.

The first time Haruki saw it, he was captivated by its beauty.

To him, what others feared as a forbidden existence was simply a breathtakingly beautiful creature. And under his overwhelming power, even the proud Ice Phoenix had no choice but to submit and become his mount.

This wasn't unusual. Super-Class Danger Beasts typically lived long lives, developing intelligence rivaling humans. From its brief clash with Haruki, the Ice Phoenix understood it couldn't win. In its eyes, submitting to such a powerful being wasn't shameful at all. In fact, if humanoid Super-Class Danger Beasts had ever existed before, it might have mistaken Haruki for one himself.

...

That day, Haruki returned to the village riding on the Ice Phoenix's back. From a distance, he spotted a large army encamped outside the village. His brows furrowed immediately. Ever since he had annihilated a military force that once tried to invade years ago, no army had dared come near this place again.

Sensing her master's displeasure, the Ice Phoenix let out a piercing cry upon landing. The sound sent shockwaves through the encampment.

The overwhelming pressure of a top-tier Super-Class Danger Beast was so intense that most of the soldiers couldn't even raise their heads. Some collapsed where they stood, while horses fell to the ground trembling. As animals, they were even more sensitive to the Ice Phoenix's terrifying presence.

What shocked the soldiers most wasn't just the beast—it was the man standing atop it. "Handsome" didn't begin to describe him. His looks alone were enough to make anyone envious.

Unbothered by the commotion below, Haruki spoke coldly.

"What's your purpose here?"

The tense silence was broken by a loud, steady voice.

A middle-aged man stepped forward from among the troops. Though he looked calm, the pale blue of his face betrayed his unease. Still, the fact that he could stand and move freely under Binghuang's pressure marked him as a rare powerhouse.

"Please don't be offended, sir. We mean no disrespect. My name is Andre, commander of this army. I respectfully request that you come down so we may speak," the man said.

Haruki knew he'd rattled them. After all, no human had ever tamed a Super-Class Danger Beast—especially one that even common folk could tell was no ordinary specimen.

Without overwhelming power, there was no way they'd be showing him this kind of deference. Respect, in the end, always came down to strength.

He leapt down from the Ice Phoenix's back. Though he dropped from nearly a hundred meters in the air, he landed without a sound—light as a feather.

Andre's pupils contracted sharply. As one of the few top-tier fighters of his time, he knew exactly what that meant—he, for one, couldn't replicate such a feat.

After landing, Haruki didn't spare him a glance.

With a casual wave, the Ice Phoenix soared back to her domain. Given her size, it wasn't practical for her to remain in the village anyway.

Besides, after taming the Ice Phoenix, Haruki had followed the System's advice and exchanged for a [Pet Contract]. With the contract signed, no matter how far apart they were, he could communicate with her through a single thought.

"Let's talk inside," Haruki said to the man who called himself Andre.

...

After some discussion, Haruki finally understood Andre's intent.

Andre was the king of a small northern country. Through years of warfare, he had conquered vast territory and commanded an army of hundreds of thousands. He was a capable and ambitious ruler with dreams of unifying the continent and ending the decades of bloodshed.

Upon hearing of a mighty figure in the northern wilderness, he had come personally to seek Haruki's aid. He even promised that once the continent was united, Haruki would be named Imperial Advisor—a position equal in rank to the king.

Of course, that hadn't been Andre's original plan. At first, he'd merely intended to recruit Haruki as a general. But after witnessing Haruki's strength with his own eyes, he quickly changed his mind.

As Haruki listened, his expression turned a little strange.

He'd been vaguely suspicious before, but now he was almost certain—the man standing before him, Andre, was none other than the founder of the Empire from the original story.

The First Emperor.

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