Back on Astralis in the Nocturne Domain, Kaelthyr lounged in his private realm... a sun-drenched meadow, golden light pouring from a perfect blue sky onto fields of white and red flowers.
He looked nothing like the feared sword-monster the clan whispered about. Sprawled in a lounging chair eerily similar to those beach recliners from Earth it was white with a plastic frame and striped cushion, he wore dark shades, shirt unbuttoned, bowl of plump purple grapes balanced on his bare stomach.
"Ah, this is truly the good life," he muttered, popping a grape into his mouth with lazy satisfaction.
"System, you should've activated centuries ago."
Since unlocking all features of his Divine Rebate System, he had changed in ways he couldn't have imagined.
His rank remained Seventh Calamity, but as a vampire he had evolved completely. His bloodline had surged to the known peak in the Venia Galaxy—Paragon rank. That alone raised his potential to heights where the path of cultivation stretched smooth and endless before him, free of the bottlenecks that had once loomed like mountains.
He stretched, wings absent for once, shades glinting as he basked in the warmth.
Peace, real peace, for the first time in millennia.
And all because of one impossible disciple.
Aside from gaining a new bloodline—one on par with the Ancestor Vampires of Nocturne Prime—he also acquired two new items: one from Ash stepping into the First Calamity, and another from Ash's step into the Third Calamity.
[Heart of the Eternal Night (Ultimate) - A heart birthed from Primordial Darkness. The user's body will embody the 'Eternal Night' itself. Immune to all Light (except concepts), and capable of using Stellar Mana (Mana from Stars)
This Heart raises the bloodline rank of any creature of the night.
Once per year the user can force true eternal night across an entire world for one month. During this time the user prowess raises one major realm (Low Stellar Sovereign)]
[Abyssal Key – This key grants the ability to travel to the Abyss, a long-forgotten galaxy teeming with creatures lost to time. This mysterious realm was sealed away by ten Eternal Clans.]
----
[Host, the system only values disciples with extraordinary potential.]
The mechanical voice echoed in his mind, cold and precise.
"Yeah… you've said it a thousand times now," Kaelthyr muttered, popping another grape into his mouth. Juice burst sweet on his tongue. "But are you telling me in over two thousand years, that brat is the only candidate?"
[Affirmative. The Host's first disciple must be special. From now on, requirements will not be so steep.]
Kaelthyr nodded slowly, gaze drifting to the floating status window only he could see.
From his previous life on Earth, he had devoured novels by the thousands... isekai, systems, overpowered protagonists, you name it. It was why he adapted so fast to this world, why the Divine Rebate System felt less like a miracle and more like coming home.
[Ash Originat
Age - 27 Years Old
Race - Prime Primavus (???)
Rank - Third Calamity Rank (Existence Level 59M)]
--
"The fuck is a Primavus? Shouldn't this brat be a vampire now?" Kaelthyr asked in confusion, staring at the status window floating before him in the sun-drenched meadow.
He clearly remembered handing over the Divine Sanguine Monarch bloodline... it was the very reason his own had evolved so dramatically.
[Host… even I'm not sure. There are no records of such a race in my database.]
Kaelthyr fell quiet for a long moment, grapes forgotten in the bowl on his lap.
'He even reached Third Calamity… in what, two weeks?'
He stood abruptly, storing his glasses and the fruit bowl with a wave of his hand.
"Is he some kind of protagonist?" he asked the system, half-joking.
[Negative. The system is able to detect those with special destinies… However, your disciple's Destiny is nonexistent. He has no Fate, no Destiny, nor Karma. It's like he's a book that no one knows the ending to.]
Kaelthyr facepalmed so hard the sound echoed across the flower field.
"Oh brother… I don't know if this is good or bad," he muttered.
[Host, as long as you continuously increase your power, you have nothing to worry about. With him as your disciple, you will benefit as well. I would advise using the heart for yourself… and once you both reach Stellar Sovereign rank, you should enter the Abyss.]
"Fine." Kaelthyr exhaled. "Now that my bloodline is higher, forming my last two Calamity Laws will only take a year or two at most."
He sat cross-legged on the rainbow grass, sunlight warm on his skin, and closed his eyes.
The meadow quieted to the point that even the breeze seemed to hold its breath.... as the strongest vampire on Astralis began to work.
------
A day passed swiftly, and by now Ash and the others had arrived at the Secret Realm.
High above the Vyrnath Continent, a colossal gate floated in the sky. An archway of ancient black stone veined with pulsing runes, easily a kilometer wide and tall enough to swallow mountains. The structure hovered without support, surrounded by swirling vortexes of spatial distortion that hummed with mana.
Lightning crackled around its edges, and the air itself tasted of old power and forgotten wars.
Below and around the gate, millions of cultivators gathered. The weakest were First Calamity, their auras like sharp blades cutting the wind. The strongest radiated Eighth Calamity pressure that warped space around them, making the sky bend and the ground tremble even from kilometers away.
Demi-humans from three branch clans could be seen.
The Iron-fang Clan who had wolf-like features, furred ears, massive builds, wearing heavy rune-armor, the Storm-claw Clan were cat folk, with insane innate agility, striped tails, with lightning crackling along claws, and finally the Jade-horn Clan who had elegant antlers of pure crystal with skin shifting between flesh and gemstone.
Abyssal Foxes clustered in silent, shadowy groups with nine tails of liquid darkness, eyes like frozen voids, moving without a sound. Solar Foxes stood opposite them in blazing formations with nine tails radiating miniature suns, fur pure white gold, the air around them shimmering with heat.
Nocturne vampires stood with black-and-red robes.
Noctis vampires had skin like fresh snow, eyes deep abyssal red, with silver-and-crimson attire.
Ash hovered with his group, wings half-spread, bronze skin catching the light of four suns. The sheer scale of the millions of Calamity cultivators, auras pressing like invisible oceans surprised even him.
Yet something felt off.
He turned to Raven, voice low amid the hum of power.
"Are there no original inhabitants of this world?"
Hearing this, the entire group turned to him.
"Brother… do you not know anything?" Connor asked sarcastically, but also the confusion was clear in his voice.
Ash straight out ignored him.
With his eyes, he could see desires like fleeting thoughts dancing in the air. From the moment he came downstairs yesterday, he had seen Connor's hidden craving for Katherine.... his jealousy burning quiet but hot.
It confused him; before, there had been nothing but friendly neutrality. Katherine had chosen him willingly... having high affection didn't control minds, it only painted him in favorable light. Thalion's 99 % affection showed as pure respect.
Anyone who chose Ash did so of their own free will.
Raven noticed the ignore and chuckled softly, bloody eyes sparkling.
"Love, this world's inhabitants have been missing since everyone arrived."
Summer chimed in, shadows curling lazily around her fingers.
"It doesn't really make a difference though… the world had not been claimed, so people would come and go however they liked."
Ash nodded, but a quiet unease lingered... there was something missing. He set it aside as Seth spoke.
"We must be careful going inside this realm." Seth's gaze swept the crowds, tension coiling in his shoulders.
"It seems like there is no power restriction for this realm."
"Do you guys still have your life-saving artifacts?" Connor asked, looking at the three women.
Knowing the stakes, the women focused instantly and nodded.
"Obviously, Connor. We aren't rookies," Summer said, voice edged with playful bite.
Ash wasn't surprised.
From Raven's memories he knew each main-clan member carried artifacts that could save their lives (teleporting them home in dire moments).
HUMMMM!!!!!
The gates to the realm shuddered open, ancient runes flaring crimson across the massive arch.
The moment they did, millions stormed in with no hesitation, no order, just a tidal wave of power rushing forward.
Ash and the others were no different, slipping into the flow.