Abyssborn: The Rise of the Cursed Monarch

In the majestic hall of the Draven manor, where an imposing and solemn atmosphere usually prevailed, a deathly silence fell after Kael's declaration.

"I will go to the Empire with my fiancée."

A fork slipped from a trembling hand. A servant fainted. A knight nearly choked on his own breath.

The matriarch stared at her son as if she had just seen a pig fly.

"Since when are you this responsible?!"

His sister, on the other hand, eyed him suspiciously.

"Who are you, and what have you done with my idiot brother?"

The knights and servants exchanged bewildered glances. They murmured among themselves, some sneaking glances at Kael as if expecting him to burst out laughing and admit it was a joke.

"Young Master Kael… involving himself in imperial affairs?"

"He'll surely change his mind by tomorrow."

"No, within the hour."

"I bet he'll trip on his way out."

Kael coughed lightly to hide his discomfort. He knew his past reputation was working against him. But this time, he had a clear goal.

He was going to humiliate that damned imperial family for forcing his fiancée to hide her divine beauty!

"It is my duty as her fiancé!" he declared nobly, placing a hand on his chest like an opera hero.

But inside, he was laughing gleefully:

"Fools, do you really think I suddenly developed a sense of responsibility? Haha! I'm only going there to teach them a lesson!"

His mother let out a deep sigh and massaged her temples.

"This is worse than being irresponsible… He's gone mad."

Meanwhile, the sixth princess, still unaccustomed to Kael's eccentricities, looked at him with a strange mix of admiration and wariness.

Kael, however, simply smiled.

The Empire had no idea what was coming…

Kael had expected a simple, discreet journey to the Empire. But clearly, his mother had other plans.

In front of Draven Manor, an army.

Golden-armored knights mounted on towering warhorses sharpened their weapons as if preparing to exterminate a horde of demons. Servants loaded chests filled with provisions, weapons, and even a portable throne—"just in case the young master gets tired along the way."

Kael blinked.

"Mom, what the hell is this?!"

The matriarch, unfazed, adjusted her fur cloak.

"Your safety comes first."

Kael gestured wildly at the fifty elite knights surrounding him.

"This looks like I'm marching to war!"

"Good idea." She nodded. "If the Empire dares insult you, raze it to the ground."

A shiver ran down Kael's spine.

"I'm just visiting my fiancée!" he protested.

"And what if an assassin targets you? What if a dragon attacks the road? What if an earthquake splits the ground beneath your feet?"

"It's a journey, not the apocalypse!"

But reasoning with her was impossible. His mother had decided that her son would have an escort fit for a crown prince—whether he liked it or not.

Kael tried to negotiate.

"Alright, alright… Maybe fifty knights is a bit… excessive? We could cut it down to, say… three?"

"No."

"Ten?"

"No."

"Twenty?"

"No."

"For God's sake, is this a royal procession or a military invasion?!"

His sister, arms crossed, watched him with a mocking smile.

"Already trying to run from your responsibilities, Kael?"

Kael sighed and accepted his fate.

Meanwhile, the sixth princess observed him in silence.

She still remembered the old Kael: a coward, a useless fool, an idiot with no ambition.

But now, he stood his ground, took initiative, and even argued with the formidable Matriarch Draven without trembling.

A glimmer of interest flickered in her eyes.

"Maybe this marriage won't be so bad after all…" she murmured.

Kael, however, was too busy lamenting his fate to notice that his fiancée was starting to see him in a whole new light.

The big day had arrived.

Kael stood before a majestic black horse, dressed in an elegant outfit bearing the colors of the Draven family. Around him, knights in gleaming armor and servants loaded with luggage formed what looked like a royal caravan.

He sighed inwardly. Why did his departure have to look like a conqueror setting out to crush a kingdom?

"Can I still change my mind?" he murmured into the princess's ear.

She gave him a faint smile.

"Too late."

Kael grimaced before mounting his horse with an elegant movement.

At that moment, his sister approached.

Normally, she showed no affection. But today…

She spread her arms wide and pulled him into a hug.

Kael blinked. His sister? Hugging him?!

"Don't do anything reckless in the Empire…" she murmured.

Kael, a confident smirk on his lips, replied in a lighthearted tone:

"Me? Get into trouble? Never!"

His sister slowly stepped back, arms crossed, and gave him a skeptical look.

"That's exactly what worries me."

His mother approached next.

She fixed him with a piercing gaze. Kael felt a bead of sweat roll down his forehead.

"Why do I have the feeling you're about to cause a disaster?"

Kael let out a nervous laugh.

"Mom, come on, I'm a responsible man now!"

She didn't respond immediately… then sighed.

"That's even more concerning."

Finally, the moment of departure arrived.

The knights took their positions, the servants began their march, and the Draven family banners fluttered in the wind.

Kael took a deep breath.

This was the beginning of a new chapter in his life.

Destination: the Empire…

… and perhaps absolute chaos.

The journey toward the Empire was progressing peacefully, but the path never remained as calm as Kael would have wished. As the convoy snaked through the dense forest, the atmosphere suddenly darkened.

In a corner of the forest, two knights and a saint were hunting demons. Their shining armor pierced the darkness of the underbrush, but their mission was far from tranquil. These knights and the Saint had been sent on a purification and demon hunting mission. Their objective: to eradicate the demonic threat that lingered in the area.

However, what they didn't know was that the true threat didn't come from the demons but from Kael himself. As they moved silently, a saint sensed an immense amount of demonic energy heading straight toward them.

"This... this is coming from over there!" the Saint murmured, her eyes gleaming with a red alert. She focused on the demonic aura coming from Kael's group.

The knights looked at her in confusion.

"That's impossible! There shouldn't be any demonic energy in this area." A knight exclaimed, still in disbelief.

The Saint, however, grimaced in worry.

"We need to act quickly." Her voice was calm and determined, but her hands trembled slightly. She had already heard of the immense demonic power lurking in the darkness. But she never imagined it could come from someone so... close.

She focused on Kael's group. Only a saint could discern the demonic aura of a human. She closed her eyes for a moment, concentrating her sacred energy, then, with a breath, she handled the situation.

"I will prepare a purification smoke, it will put them all to sleep." She announced confidently, her hands already preparing the sacred smoke that would put the group to sleep.

The knights nodded and positioned themselves. The smoke spread toward Kael's group, enveloping the area around them.

The effect was immediate. Kael, plunged into a deep and mysterious sleep, was unconscious. This was the moment. The knights and the Saint made their way through the mist to reach the demon they thought was asleep.

The Saint guided the knights through the smoke, sensing the growing demonic aura they sought. They approached Kael, apparently unconscious on the ground.

One of the knights raised his great sword above Kael's head, ready to strike.

[Survival Skill Activated]

A shiver ran through Kael, and without the slightest effort, he suddenly rolled out of the way of the sword, skillfully dodging it. The knight's sword was driven deep into the ground.

Kael didn't have time to think, as a new energy awakened within him. His golden eyes glowed, suddenly tinting a bloody red.

[Cursed Demon Ability Activated]

A dark and deep scream tore through the air, and in a flash, the demon "Argon" appeared. A terrifying mid-tier being, flooding the surroundings with his brutal demonic energy.

Kael felt his body transforming under the influence of the demon, his power multiplying instantly. He stood up, feeling the rise of power within him. But that wasn't all. The demon had something to say.

Without understanding what was happening, one of the knights, without a chance, was decapitated in a brutal strike by demon Argon. His sword broke against the ground as his head flew through the air.

The other knight had no better luck. The demon lunged at him with inhuman speed, killing him with a precise and brutal blow. The knight didn't even understand what had just happened to him.

The Saint, watching in horror, tried to retreat through the mist, but panic took hold of her. She felt as if she were trapped in a nightmare. The demonic aura was palpable, heavy, inevitable.

[Terror Aura Ability Activated]

The demonic aura enveloped the Saint, causing her to fall to her knees, paralyzed by indescribable terror. Her eyes glazed over under the weight of Kael's cursed energy. She felt as though her soul were being sucked into the darkness.

[Summon Ended]

Then, the mist suddenly cleared. Kael appeared in front of the Saint, a rose in his hand and a charming smile on his face. The demonic energy had disappeared as suddenly as it had appeared. An eerie silence reigned, and the terror aura vanished instantly. He slowly approached the Saint.

"May the goddess of light be with you, are you alright?" Kael whispered as he extended the rose to the Saint, as if nothing had happened.

The Saint looked up, completely shocked by what had just transpired. The knights were dead, but Kael seemed as calm as a noble on a walk.

The system suddenly manifested:

[Romantic Manipulation Skill Activated]

[Congratulations, you killed two holy knights]

[You have gained two skills]

[Skill: Purification Effect: Purify curses and demonic spells.]

[Skill: Devourer Effect: Absorb 50% of the energy from the target killed.]

[Devourer Skill Activated]

[Your sacred energy is now rank E]

[Your demonic energy is now rank SS]

Kael suddenly felt much more powerful, a mischievous smile on his lips as he stared at the Saint still kneeling before him. He had just gained considerable power, far beyond what he had imagined.

He straightened up and extended his hand toward the Saint, who, still in shock, stared at him, unable to react.

"So, my Holiness…" he said in a nearly teasing tone, "How about we talk?"

The elements had shifted. And Kael now knew he would never be the same.