Chapter 5: Crimson Throne Protagonist System

The Next Day-8:30 am 4025

The sunlight filtered through the curtains, casting soft shadows across the room. The warmth of the morning sun seeped into the bed, where I stirred slowly, waking from a deep slumber. Unlike the previous time I had awoken, this time I found myself in the comfort of my own home, not the sterile, cold atmosphere of a hospital room.

My head felt heavy, but there was no lingering pain like before. As I sat up slowly, a soft groan escaped my lips, my long black hair cascading over my shoulders in an elegant, natural wave. My beautiful black eyes blinked in the morning light, though my expression remained unreadable, as it always did when I was lost in thought.

I was decently handsome, my sharp features accentuated by the faint morning light. There was something almost otherworldly about my looks, as if they had been sculpted by the gods themselves, yet my gaze often betrayed the emptiness I carried within. My physique was lean at 5'10inches short for me considering my father is 6'2, my body didn't have any muscles but I still moved graceful, as though I had always been destined for greatness even though everyone knew the previous valerian was destined for failure. 

The surroundings were familiar: the simple, elegant furniture, the faint scent of incense wafting through the air, the quiet hum of the outside world. This place, my home, my sanctuary. But even here, I felt an emptiness that lingered inside me, a void that could never truly be filled.

As I reached for the water on the bedside table, something within me stirred—something I couldn't quite place. The strange sensation began to grow, as if my very soul was being tugged by an unseen force. It was then that a voice echoed in my mind, chilling and commanding.

"Ding. Calibrating. Syncing in 3... 2... 1."

"Hello, parasite," the voice intoned coldly. "My name is the Crimson Throne, and I am your Second Protagonist System."

The words hit me like a sudden wave, my thoughts scattering in all directions. The Crimson Throne. A system? An entity bound to me, woven into the fabric of this reality? I felt my pulse quicken as the reality of the situation began to sink in.

The voice continued, unwavering and matter-of-fact, "Valerian Nyxbane, you have been chosen to walk a path that was never meant to exist. The Crimson Throne is yours, but it will not yield its power easily. You must earn it."

I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms. "Earn it? How?"

"Through struggle. Through pain. Through sheer unyielding will," the system replied, its tone colder than any frost. "Train. Fight. Grow. The more you push yourself, the more power you will unlock. The Crimson Throne will grant you abilities beyond mortal comprehension, but only if you prove yourself worthy."

A dark smirk crept onto my face as I sat back against the pillows. There was no fear in me, only the cold, relentless hunger for power. "So, I have to work for it? Fine. I've never been one to shy away from a challenge."

"Good," the Crimson Throne acknowledged, a slight approval in its voice. "But remember this: the path of the Second Protagonist is not for the weak-willed. You will face trials that will test your very soul. You will be pushed to your limits and beyond. But if you endure, if you rise above the challenges, you will become a force to be reckoned with."

The thrill of it all surged through me, the thought of surpassing even the Umbral Monarch sending a fire igniting within my chest. This was the power I had been seeking. "Tell me more," I demanded, my voice steady, unwavering in my resolve. "What kind of power are we talking about?"

"The Crimson Throne will grant you abilities unique to your role as the Second Protagonist," the system explained. "The Alpha and Omega, and Crimson Demon. These abilities will allow you to shape the world around you, to alter the course of events. But they, too, must be earned."

I nodded, feeling the determination burn within me. "I'll do whatever it takes. I won't let this world—or anyone in it—define my fate."

With a rush of thoughts and anticipation, I suddenly became aware of my surroundings again. The beeping machines, the antiseptic smell, the sterile white walls—it was all gone. I was back at home. But everything had changed.

I could feel the Crimson Throne within me, a constant presence in the back of my mind, a force tethered to my very soul. It was real. It was mine. And it would shape my destiny.

I sat up fully now, my mind racing with possibilities. This was no longer a game to me. The rules had changed. I could feel the system's power already starting to course through me, urging me forward.

A notification appeared before my eyes, glowing with bright text:

New Quest: The Path of the Crimson Throne

Objective: Embrace your role as the Second Protagonist and begin shaping your destiny.

Reward: Unlock the first tier of Crimson Demon abilities.

A quest. Of course. This was a game, after all. And now, I was no longer just a pawn. I was one of its players. But I wasn't just any player. I was the Second Protagonist. The wildcard. The disruptor of fate.

With the lingering memory of Lila Eldergrove's betrayal and Nathaniel Brightmore's rise pressing against my mind, I knew what I had to do. The world would not control me. I would seize my destiny. And the Crimson Throne's powers would be mine.

I was going to make sure the world remembered my name. But more than anything, I wanted power and I was going to gain it no matter the consequences.