Path of the Calamity Monarch
Volume 1: Dragon of the Fallen Crest
Chapter 1 — The Worthless Son
Cold rain hammered the stone roads of House Greyhound.
Thunder echoed across the mountains surrounding the estate while servants hurried through the courtyard with lowered heads. Even the guards standing beneath silver banners avoided speaking tonight.
Inside the Grand Hall, hundreds of candles flickered beneath enormous dragon carvings.
The yearly Blessing Evaluation Ceremony had begun.
And at the center of everyone's attention stood a sixteen-year-old boy with black hair and dull silver eyes.
Zeal Greyhound.
The shame of House Greyhound.
"Next candidate," the elder announced.
Murmurs spread immediately.
"That useless heir?"
"I heard his crest still hasn't awakened."
"How pathetic."
Zeal ignored them.
Years of insults had made him numb.
Noble children surrounded the circular testing platform, each wearing family crests proudly stitched onto their uniforms. Flames floated above the Valens family heirs. Wind swirled around members of House Gale. Even the younger nobles carried visible authority signatures.
But Zeal?
Nothing.
No aura.
No power.
No blessing.
Only silence.
At the top of the hall sat the head of House Greyhound.
Darius Greyhound.
His cold gaze held disappointment more painful than hatred.
"Begin," Darius ordered.
An elder pressed a glowing crystal into Zeal's hand.
The room darkened.
Mana surged through the platform.
One second passed.
Nothing happened.
Then—
CRACK.
A black line spread across the crystal.
Gasps echoed across the hall.
"What…?"
"The crystal broke?"
"That's impossible."
The elder quickly stepped back.
For a moment, Zeal thought he saw something move inside the crystal.
An eye.
A giant reptilian eye.
Watching him.
Then the crystal exploded.
BOOM.
Black smoke spread across the platform.
Nobles screamed while guards rushed forward.
Zeal stumbled backward, his chest burning violently beneath his shirt.
Pain.
Unbearable pain.
It felt like boiling metal had been shoved directly into his heart.
"A corrupted blessing…" someone whispered in fear.
"No…"
"That's impossible…"
Darius Greyhound rose slowly from his throne-like chair.
His voice became colder than the storm outside.
"Remove him."
Zeal froze.
"…Father?"
"You have disgraced this house enough."
The words struck harder than the explosion.
The guards hesitated.
No one moved.
Because despite everything…
Zeal was still the heir of House Greyhound.
But Darius' killing intent filled the room.
"Did you not hear my command?"
The guards finally stepped forward.
Zeal clenched his fists.
Humiliation burned hotter than the pain in his chest.
The surrounding nobles stared at him with disgust.
Fear.
Mockery.
Pity.
He hated all of it.
As he turned to leave—
a voice suddenly echoed in his head.
Found you.
Zeal's eyes widened.
The voice was deep.
Ancient.
Monstrous.
He nearly collapsed as another wave of pain spread through his body.
For a brief second, black scales appeared along his wrist before disappearing beneath his sleeve.
No one noticed.
Except one person.
A girl standing near the northern pillar narrowed her silver eyes.
Chloe Ashfield.
The future heir of House Ashfield.
Smoke curled faintly around her fingers as she watched Zeal leave the hall.
"…Interesting."
—
The rain became heavier outside.
Zeal walked through the empty courtyard alone.
Every step felt heavier than the last.
Worthless.
Failure.
Disgrace.
He had heard those words his entire life.
But tonight felt different.
That voice…
It felt real.
Zeal stopped beneath a stone archway and grabbed his chest.
The pain was growing worse.
Something beneath his skin moved.
"What the hell is happening to me…?"
Suddenly—
memories flashed across his mind.
Fire.
Screaming.
Dragons falling from the sky.
Black wings covering the moon.
A massive creature roaring above a destroyed world.
Zeal fell to one knee.
His breathing became uneven.
Then another voice echoed nearby.
"You look terrible."
Zeal looked up.
A silver umbrella blocked the rain above a girl wearing a black academy coat trimmed with white fur.
Chloe Ashfield.
Beautiful.
Elegant.
And terrifyingly talented.
Smoke drifted lazily around her shoulders like living spirits.
Most nobles admired her.
Others feared her.
Zeal simply found her annoying.
"What do you want?" he asked coldly.
Chloe stared at him quietly.
"You broke a blessing crystal."
"And?"
"That should be impossible."
Zeal tried walking past her.
Smoke suddenly blocked his path.
His eyes narrowed.
"Move."
"Not until you answer me."
The smoke around Chloe thickened slightly.
Even the air pressure changed.
Zeal hated nobles like her.
People born talented.
People praised for existing.
"You think I know what happened?" Zeal snapped.
For a moment, silence filled the courtyard.
Rain hit the stone floor between them.
Then Chloe stepped closer.
Close enough for him to see his reflection in her silver eyes.
"There was mana corruption inside that crystal," she said softly.
Zeal's expression changed slightly.
Mana corruption?
"That shouldn't exist in noble ceremonies," Chloe continued. "Unless something reacted to your blessing."
"I don't have a blessing."
"You do now."
Zeal froze.
Chloe's gaze slowly lowered toward his chest.
"You're leaking mana."
His eyes widened.
Black energy pulsed faintly beneath his shirt.
No.
Not mana.
Something darker.
Something alive.
The same voice echoed again inside his mind.
Hungry.
Zeal staggered backward.
For one terrifying moment—
his vision changed.
The world sharpened.
He could hear the rain individually striking the stone.
He could smell Chloe's perfume.
Hear distant heartbeats.
See heat signatures.
His pupils narrowed vertically like a reptile's.
Chloe noticed instantly.
Smoke exploded around her defensively.
"What are you?"
Zeal blinked.
The strange vision vanished.
His knees nearly gave out.
"I…"
He didn't know.
And that terrified him most.
—
Far beneath House Greyhound…
something ancient opened its eyes.
Chains trembled in the darkness.
A massive black dragon slowly lifted its head.
One enormous golden eye glowed within the abyss.
And for the first time in centuries—
it smiled.
END OF CHAPTER 1
Next Chapter — Broken Crest
Zeal discovers the truth behind his failed blessing while rumors spread throughout the noble district. Meanwhile, Lucius Lockwood arrives at the academy for the first time.