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Chapter 596: Chimera's Choice
Storm Ridge, Chimera’s Nest.
A piercing wind swept in from the north, only to be blocked by the endless mountain range. Here, the land was a jagged wasteland of rubble, dense with ancient trees, and haunted by the occasional sight of multi-headed monsters. Within a hundred-mile radius, this was Chimera’s Nest—a breeding ground meticulously cultivated by the Empire of Ashen. The most loyal Chimera, a dominant male, lived here alongside a dozen females, forming a sizable pack. The Emperor had bestowed upon him the title of "King of the Chimera," making him the de facto ruler of this wild domain.
Blending the traits of dragon, lion, and mountain goat, the mature male Chimera claimed a ten-mile radius as his territory, patrolling it with relentless hunger, hunting wherever he pleased. As a result, only the females and juvenile males were permitted to dwell here. Even the half-grown youths were driven out into the Wasteland, forced to scavenge and eventually join the Empire’s Dragonfly Legion.
This very territory had become the Empire’s unending recruitment ground—its veins pumping a constant stream of powerful monster subordinates into the Ember Army.
Now, deep within the cavern atop the peak, a Chimera of colossal proportions—nearly twenty meters long—lay sprawled across a stone platform. Its massive wings twitched as the three heads exhaled hot, dry breaths.
“Awooo—”
A sudden, low, gravelly voice echoed through the cavern, triggering a thunderous, threatening roar from the beast.
“How can you let those bastards walk over you like this? Don’t you see? They’ve already reduced you to a mindless beast!”
A gloomy humanoid figure stood at the edge of the platform, his lips curled into a smirk. Dressed in rich, flowing robes, he bowed slightly, his posture a picture of feigned loyalty—yet his presence was anything but humble. His short hair gleamed oily under the dim light, a jagged goat’s horn jutting from his forehead. Blood-red eyes burned with malice, and his feet split into clawed hooves. From his back, a dark, fearsome tail lashed slowly, pulsing with sinister energy.
Clearly, he made no effort to hide his nature. He was a Demon from Hell.
“Grrr—”
The dominant dragon head snarled, impatient. Yet the sheep-like head—its round eyes blinking slowly—seemed oddly intrigued.
The Devil spread his arms wide, pacing like a minstrel reciting a dark ballad.
“Great King of the Chimera… look around. The Empire’s domain stretches endlessly, yet you are confined to this barren wilderness. Is that fair? You were Emperor’s first follower—shouldn’t you be the one standing at the summit?”
“Albert, you’re crossing the line. This is Master’s will. It’s none of your concern!”
The dragon head finally spoke—its voice thunderous, shaking the very walls of the cavern. After decades of bloodline infusion, this Chimera was now as powerful as a true Red Dragon, its mind sharp as any human’s.
The Devil, however, only chuckled, his crimson gaze locking onto the beast’s fury.
“But… are you truly content to serve beneath others? To be nothing more than a breeding machine?”
“You’re asking for death!”
“Boom!”
A massive lion’s paw slammed down from the air, shattering the stone floor. The impact sent a shockwave through the cavern, tearing open a deep pit. Debris flew in every direction. The Devil dissolved into a swirling regiment of smoke, reappearing just in time, his voice trembling with mock fear.
“Oh dear… you frightened me, Your Majesty. But with such strength… how can you be satisfied with this wretched wilderness?”
He patted his chest dramatically, then reached into his robe, pulling out a scroll of aged parchment—its surface stained with blood-red script.
The dragon head growled in irritation. “This is none of your business.”
The lion head echoed instantly. “I am the King of the Chimera. I am the Empire’s Hero, not a prisoner of this wasteland.”
But the sheep head—its black eyes fixed on the parchment—tilted its head curiously.
“Wait… what’s this?”
The Devil’s grin widened. He knew that look—the flicker of greed.
“Respected King of the Chimera… do you know why the Emperor doesn’t value you?”
“Why?”
This time, even the lion and dragon heads stirred, their curiosity piqued.
Under the weight of their combined gaze, the Devil remained calm. He pointed to his temple with a long, pale finger.
“Wisdom, Your Majesty. You lack wisdom. You know why that ogre—despite joining later—now stands above you? Because he has wisdom.”
The dragon head narrowed its eyes. The lion head lowered its mane. The sheep head leaned forward.
Then, Albert stepped forward, bowing deeply, offering the scroll.
“Respected King of the Chimera… this is a pact from Hell. It grants you the wisdom of a mage. All you must do in return is offer a single, small favor. My master—Avernus’ true ruler, Bair—is cunning, ruthless, and always one step ahead. He thrives on betrayal, ambush, and treachery.”
“Enough,” the dragon head roared, spewing a geyser of sulfur-white smoke, ember sparks scattering like fireflies. “What are you implying?”
The lion head snarled, its mane bristling with fury.
Albert swiftly pulled his black cloak over himself, shielding from the blast, yet his voice remained smooth, unwavering.
“I mean no rebellion, Your Majesty. Only ask yourself—do you truly wish to remain beneath those who came after you?”
He smiled—warm, inviting, like a friend offering counsel. Then, with a fluid motion, he vanished into thin air, leaving behind only a lingering cloud of purgatorial black mist—and a whisper that hung in the air like a curse:
“Great King of the Chimera… when you’re ready… I’ll return.”
The Chimera exhaled, its three heads shifting in silence. The dragon head, in the center, let out a long, slow breath of white smoke.
“No one speaks of this Devil’s visit. The Emperor is our eternal Master.”
The lion head shook its mane, snarling. “Filth from Hell.”
But the sheep head—its eyes still fixed on the empty space where the Devil had stood—whispered, “But he said… it doesn’t require betrayal. Just one small act. In return, we gain status—equal to that ogre. He’s the Emperor’s most trusted… the Prime Minister. And yet… we were the first.”
The words stirred doubt in the other two heads. They were one being—mind, soul, and will intertwined. And Chimera, by nature, craved power, status, and dominion.
Yet, almost instantly, the dragon head’s mind flashed with the towering, godlike form of His Majesty—the Emperor. The image was so overwhelming, so terrifying, that the beast shuddered. All thoughts of rebellion dissolved. Only submission remained.
“No… we cannot risk it.”
The sheep head protested again. “But the pact doesn’t demand betrayal!”
The dragon head seized full control, ignoring the protest. It turned, walking deeper into the nest.
“Enough. That Devil is not to be trusted.”
And in the golden vertical pupil of the dragon head—just for a moment—something cold, sharp, and merciless flickered.
Outside, a chorus of roars rose from the valley. Dozens of Chimera circled in midair, wings flapping, bodies gleaming in the dim light, their long, mournful cries echoing across the ridge.
The King of the Chimera extended a claw, pointing to the youngest of the females. She was dragged into the cavern’s depths, where the beast unleashed its primal instincts—fulfilling its role as sovereign of the brood.
Moments later, urgent, passionate beast cries erupted from the dark caverns, spreading across the land. Every creature within miles knew: the King had once again asserted his supreme authority.
Night fell. The wind howled through the valley like a beast’s lament.
Deep within the cavern, the giant beast—three heads of dragon, lion, and goat—lay curled upon the stone platform, breathing in deep, rumbling snores. Even the females dared not approach. This was the sanctity of royalty, the power of the crown.
Then—suddenly—the goat head snapped open its eyes. In the darkness, its black pupils gleamed like embers.
A moment later, a six-pointed flame sigil flared on the cavern wall. A faint glow of ember sparks spiraled upward, coalescing into the tall, gaunt form of Albert—the Devil.
He bowed slightly, his voice barely a whisper.
“Honored King of the Chimera… have you decided?”
The goat head nodded frantically. After days of mental struggle, it had finally wrested partial control from its slumbering consciousness.
The pact was not merely about granting wisdom—it was about replacement. While the dragon’s head had grown too dominant, the goat’s nature was subtle, cunning, and deeply greedy. With the Devil’s wisdom, the goat’s will could finally take root.
Albert stepped forward, holding the scroll—its surface pulsing with a hellish flame-light.
“Excellent,” he said, smiling. “This pact grants you Demon’s Wisdom… in exchange for one small favor. Sign here—your claw mark. Do so, and you shall possess infinite wisdom. You shall claim what is rightfully yours.”
The sheep head strained, mustering every ounce of strength. With a groan, it lifted its claw—slow, trembling—and pressed it onto the parchment.
“Boom!”
The cavern erupted in a deafening explosion. From the River of the Dead came the ancient, guttural chant of the damned. The runes on the scroll flared, black mist swirling upward, while ember sparks burst like fireflies into the air.
“What are you doing?!”
The dragon head snapped awake—ripping control from the others, its golden eyes blazing with fury.
“You traitor!”
“Hahahaha! Perfect! Wonderful!” Albert threw his arms wide, laughing as hellfire danced around his body. His eyes—black as void—burned with triumph. Even his grin stretched to his ear roots.
He pointed a finger at the goat head.
“King of the Chimera… I never break my word. The pact is sealed. You now possess… Demon’s Wisdom!”
The goat head roared in ecstasy, its mouth gaping.
“I am the true master of this body!”
“Cursed traitor!”
The dragon head lunged, jaws snapping at the goat’s skull—but they were one being. Minds entwined. No harm could be done.
Then—without warning—the Devil dissolved into a regiment of black mist, surging into the open mouth of the goat head.
The body froze.
In the next instant, the goat’s eyes turned pitch black. Smoke curled from its nostrils. Its face twisted into something monstrous—inhuman.
“Hahahaha! This is the wisdom I promised you, Chimera! But… it comes at a price!”
The truth was revealed: Demon’s Wisdom wasn’t granted—it was taken. The Devil had seized the Chimera’s soul, not through force, but through the pact’s loophole. And it was perfectly legal.
The Chimera was strong, yes—but its spirit, its soul, was no match for a demon that had fed on countless souls for centuries.
“Such a powerful body… come, let me go deeper,” the goat head murmured, licking its lips. The hellfire within it spread, clashing violently with the dragon’s will.
The dragon’s mind was stubborn—but the Devil was a master of spiritual manipulation. He twisted, probed, and invaded.
Then—unexpectedly—the dragon head smiled.
Not in rage. Not in defiance.
In trickery.
It surrendered control—let the Devil into the realm of dragon blood, the heart of the Chimera’s soul.
“Hmph. Just a beast,” the Devil’s spirit mused, drifting through the sea of consciousness.
“But… not bad. Such power. It should be used for something greater.”
Then—a flicker.
His gaze snapped upward.
In the depths of the Chimera’s mind—there, rising like a mountain, stood a Red Dragon thousands of meters tall. Its wings blotted out the sky. Its spine rose like a range of mountains.
And worse—its golden vertical pupils turned downward. They saw him.
A faint, mocking glint sparked in its eyes.
The dragon opened its maw.
“Roar—”
A wave of pure, soul-crushing force slammed into Albert’s consciousness. It felt like his mind was being torn apart. He screamed, desperately fleeing back into the goat head—only to find the door locked.
“No! This is a trap!”
A terrifying aura descended—stronger than any demon of Hell. Albert twisted, writhed, clawing at the goat head’s skull, but it was too late.
The dragon head—still kneeling—closed its wings. The air warped. Cracks of fire split the space, and a colossal red claw emerged, gripping the cavern wall.
A voice, low and ancient, echoed through the stone.
“Tsk tsk… Bair’s subordinate, so rude? You barged into my domain without permission, even tried to seize my follower. Very well. You shall stay here. Become the true wisdom of the Chimera, Devil.”
(End of Chapter)
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