Kai stood amidst the stillness of his pocket dimension, his breath steady, his crimson eyes glowing with resolve. The blade in his hand pulsed gently—alive, in a way no weapon ever should be. He moved through the forms of the Blade of Dominance, each slash faster, more precise, the void humming around him with silent approval.
Form One. Slash. Form Two. Step. Form Three. Tear.
Each form etched deeper into his bones. The stronger his cultivation, the more overwhelming the technique became. His spiritual energy swirled, thick and aggressive, mixing with his Royal Asura Bloodline and flowing through the channels carved by the Void Dragon Divine Physique.
Hours passed.
Despite his monstrous stamina—comparable to a rank 6 cultivator—Kai finally dropped to one knee, panting lightly. His muscles trembled slightly from exertion. Still not enough… I need more.
He stumbled toward the nearby river—clear, silent, brimming with spiritual energy. He cupped his hands, drank deeply.
Boom!
An explosion echoed in his core.
His cultivation skyrocketed to late rank 2—the Foundation Realm. The surge was wild, powerful, but his body withstood it easily. Then he tore into meat from the spirit beast chickens and fruits from ancient trees around him. Every bite filled him with untold energy. His realm surged again—peak rank 2.
Kai wiped his mouth and sat cross-legged.
"I can't rush it," he whispered. "Foundation must be stable."
He calmed his breath, focusing on refining his core. The red mist of his spiritual energy compressed and spun faster. A pulse of power echoed through the pocket dimension.
Then…
Wobble… wobble…
His ears twitched. A strange sound echoed from a nearby chamber within the dimension.
Kai stood. Silent. Careful.
He walked toward the noise, blade resting against his back.
Crack… crack…
On a stone pedestal at the center of the chamber sat a massive beast egg—its shell jet black like the void, speckled with silver stars that shimmered as if the night sky had been trapped inside.
Suddenly—
Snap!
The egg burst open.
A blur of shadow shot forward. Before Kai could react, it bit into his finger. His blood spilled, glowing crimson, and the creature drank it hungrily.
Then—
BOOM!
A pulse of energy rocked the room.
Memory. Ancient. Alien.
It surged into Kai's mind: a glimpse of what the beast was.
Primordial Shapeshifter.
A beast capable of transforming into three sacred forms—wolf, crow, and dragon.
In time, it would be able to hunt divine beasts, devour their bloodlines, and inherit their powers.
The form before him now… was a wolf cub. No—his wolf cub.
Midnight fur shimmered like oil under moonlight. Crimson eyes. Sharp, predatory, yet intelligent. The pup… resembled him.
Kai blinked, then laughed.
"Hey, little guy… calm down."
The pup blinked back, tilted its head, then darted back to its shattered shell. With two mighty bites, it devoured the remnants, absorbing the residual energy.
Its body grew instantly—from a puppy to a massive two-foot wolf in seconds. The air thickened as its cultivation erupted.
Rank 1: Low… Mid… Late.
Rank 2: Foundation Realm.
Rank 3: Core Realm.
Rank 4: Spirit Realm… Peak.
The pressure it emitted shook the dimension.
Kai stepped back, eyes wide.
"Peak rank 4 already?! And… it feels like a rank 5 just entered the room…"
The beast stepped forward, calmly, almost proudly.
Then it spoke.
"Master, give me a name."
Kai froze. "You… you can talk?"
"Yes, Master," the wolf said with a voice deep, wise, and yet young. "I possess a primordial bloodline. My intelligence is far superior to ordinary beasts. The moment I awakened my strength… I could speak."
"…Hmph." Kai chuckled. "Then I guess you need a name worthy of your arrogance."
He stepped forward, knelt, and looked into the wolf's crimson eyes.
"Your name is… Crimson."
The wolf bowed its head slightly. "Crimson… I accept."
A bond sealed in blood, fate, and power had been formed.
And thus, Kaiser Valerion, heir to the void, found his first companion.
And the world… felt a shift.
P