Broken

Before leaving, I visited the planet's core.

Since it hadn't developed much, it couldn't visualize itself, yet it could still convey its intentions.

After all, it was a mid-level planet, not highly advanced.

"Did you watch my fight with Death?"

"No, you're embarrassing me. It was just a sweet little flirt."

"Hey, listen to me. This is definitely not blackmail. Do you see those girls? Yes, elves. No, not the queen… Yes, sher daughters. If they die, you die too, okay?"

Just as I started merging the concepts of death and destruction on my fingertip—

The planet began to tremble. I guess it's a bit sensitive about communication.

"You have a master? Oh, what a shame. Should I kill them?"

"Oh, are you promising to protect the girls?... Alright."

After a sweet, little conversation, I placed them under the planet's protection.

The jewelry I gave them contains a dimensional space, not as vast as my bag, but enough for them to store whatever they need.

I think I put most of the essentials inside.

Now, now…

Let's say hello to Aiz.

I took the circular crystal from my bag and connected to Aiz.

Lights flickered.

"You shameless ~!@#￥%…" A sharp, furious voice came from the crystal.

"Hello, darling, I missed you too."

"Why haven't you activated your crystal? Did you get into trouble because of a woman again?"

"Just a little walk? Did you miss me that much?" I said, laughing.

"You crazy bastard, listen to me. Your master is about to wake up."

Shit.

I completely forgot.

"Your tremors reached all the way here, Kylin. I hope you survive. After what you did to your master…" I could hear her giggling.

This...

"Aiz, you better shut up before I come there and smack you."

The crystal's light dimmed for a moment, then shone even brighter.

"Hahaha, Kylin. Are you going to do to me what your master is about to do to you? If you survive, my ass is yours~"

You little brat.

This daddy just became transcendent.

"Don't forget what you just said, Aiz. We're going to have so much fun."

"Heh~ Your master will wake up in three days. I still have your blood, but I don't think I can hold onto it any longer," her voice started sounding worried.

How sweet. She's warning me so I won't die...

If I weren't transcendent, this information would have bought me, what, four? Maybe five more days of life…

Still, no need to tell her that.

That would ruin all the fun.

"Hey. I don't know why you canceled the contract, but it's a good thing. You don't need protection like you did two hundred years ago."

"Don't act like you did much. You needed the contract just as much."

I won't lie, she helped me a lot back then.

But I definitely helped her more.

Absolutely…

"Kylin… No matter how shameless of a ~!@#￥% you are, just don't die, okay?"

"Yes, thank you for worrying about me, my little succubus~"

Before she could start cursing, I quickly ended the call.

Just a foul-mouthed but sweet succubus.

And to be honest…

She might have had a point.

Now, now.

Rias…

The Empress of Blood and `Lust`.

My "former" master.

A crazy succubus who has preserved her virginity for a hundred thousand years.

How insane do you have to be to remain a virgin as a succubus?

And on top of that, she's also a vampire.

I'm talking about a terrifying racial combination here.

Anyway. The point is—

That carefully guarded virginity is about to be lost.

By me.

In an absurdly unintended way…

How do I stop a vampire who has lost her mind?

Giving a mosquito a little blood…

But what if that mosquito is also a succubus?

I think I might get sucked dry to death.

Of course, before that happens, we'll have a long talk…

And if she insists too much…

This emperor might just take an empress.

**POV**

Two hundred and fifty years ago.

When Kylin fell to the ground, he felt the pain piercing his chest, but he clenched his teeth stubbornly.

Even the air filling his lungs burned.

Rias stood before him, tall and unwavering, a mocking glint in her crimson eyes.

"Is this really all you've got, little boy?" Rias' voice was both taunting and sharp. "You talked big, challenged me, and now look at you. Kissing the dirt."

Kylin narrowed his eyes, fists trembling.

His pride was shattered.

Challenging Rias had been a huge mistake—he realized that now. But he wouldn't back down.

"This isn't over," he growled, pushing himself up.

Rias tilted her head slightly, observing him. "So stubborn… But that's not enough, Kylin."

Before he could react, she moved—appearing right in front of him in the blink of an eye.

Before he could raise his guard, her foot slammed into his stomach.

He collapsed again.

This time, he managed to land on his knees, but his breath was stolen from him.

Rias leaned in, bringing her face level with his.

Her fingers gripped his chin tightly, her eyes locking onto his.

"Your little pride is breaking, isn't it?" she whispered. "I'm doing this on purpose. You're not strong. But I can make you strong."

Kylin glared at her. His rage and determination intertwined. "Don't look down on me."

Rias smiled slightly, but there was a spark in her gaze.

The fire in Kylin's eyes… It was dangerous. And Rias found herself drawn to that danger.

But she couldn't allow it. Not yet.

Kylin stood on the dusty arena, staggering. His left arm was numb, the last blow to his face still echoing through him.

Before his vision could clear, Rias' voice filled his ears.

"Are you really this weak?"

Her tone was cold, mocking—but laced with something else. A playful amusement.

Kylin clenched his teeth and straightened up.

"Do you enjoy humiliating me?"

Rias smirked.

Her long wings stretched slightly, her dark red eyes watching him like a predator.

"I don't want to be ashamed to call you my student," she said. "If you remain this weak, I'll have to kill you myself."

Kylin's fists tightened.

Anger surged inside him, but before he could act, Rias was already in front of him.

She grabbed his throat, pulling his face close to hers.

"I like your anger," she whispered, her voice smooth like silk—yet menacing. "But anger alone won't keep you alive."

Kylin didn't look away.

For the first time, he truly felt that Rias had no pity for him.

But at the same time, there was something in her gaze.

A line. A game. And he had to figure it out.

Rias saw the determination in Kylin's eyes, and an unsettling feeling rose inside her.

He was changing.

And she didn't like how that made her feel.

Before she knew it, her face was close to his neck, her breath brushing against his skin…

Nonsense.

She pulled back immediately, keeping her tone firm.

"You're not dead yet. But you're still not good enough to survive."

Kylin took a deep breath.

He hated losing. But Rias was right.

He was weak.

And if he stayed this way, he really would die.

"Then…" he said, clearing his throat. "Teach me how to win."

Rias raised an eyebrow.

That wasn't the reaction she expected.

She had expected him to get angry, to rebel, to make a foolish challenge.

But Kylin… had accepted it.

For a moment, she fell silent.

She could feel that this boy was changing.

A strange feeling stirred inside her.

At first, she wanted to push Kylin even further, but...

She didn't know why she wanted to do it.

She smiled slightly.

"Good," she said, snapping her fingers. "Then kneel."

Kylin frowned. "What?"

A meaning flickered in Rias' eyes.

This boy wasn't challenging her. But he still hadn't fully accepted it.

"Kneel," Rias repeated, her voice devoid of any force.

Yet the sharpness in her gaze was undeniable. "Show your loyalty. If you truly want to learn from me, you will let go of your ego first."

Kylin clenched his teeth.

Anger surged through his entire body, but he had no intention of surrendering so easily.

At that moment, the very idea of kneeling before Rias, losing another piece of his pride, suppressing all the rebellion within him—

The storm of fury inside Kylin raged stronger than ever.

"Don't expect me to do this," he said, his voice rough but firm. "How can you say that to someone like me?"

Rias merely stepped closer, her eyes piercing into him.

"I didn't say expect, I said do it. If you want to be trained, you will destroy your ego. It's that simple."

Kylin was losing control. His fingers trembled with rage, his voice barely contained as he shouted:

"I'm not going to do this for you! Fuck off, bitch!"

Rias smiled at his fury. A soft smile, yet terrifying.

"You have to accept it. You're not strong enough to control your ego. Now kneel!"

She took another step forward and grabbed his shoulders firmly, forcing him down.

Kylin shouted in frustration, trying to resist, but he couldn't stop her.

The moment his knees hit the ground, his heart pounded violently.

The anger in his body burned for a while longer, but in the end, the weight of helplessness crushed him.

Just before kneeling, he could feel the rage fading from his eyes.

But accepting this moment…

That was what truly broke him.

Rias looked at him.

She took a deep breath.

"There you go, Kylin. Now… we truly begin."