After Betrayal, I Awoke as the Game's Final Boss

Fwoosh—!

Ghorlam materialized from nothingness, his misty form coalescing like a shadow behind Lloyd.

"My young master... it seems the teleportation was faster than I anticipated," he said, his voice a whisper meant only for Lloyd's ears.

Lloyd didn't turn, his steady pace continuing deeper into the forest. His eyes were fixed ahead as if studying something far on the horizon. Then, in a quiet but questioning tone, he asked, "What's the story with this planet? And why an indirect invasion?"

"While I can see where this is leading, I would have preferred to establish a foothold on Aurora first rather than being thrown to another planet. A clone? One that will drain my already limited resources? This whole 'indirect' approach… it's costly and seems pointless right now."

Ghorlam paused for a moment as if considering the answer. Then, with a quiet caution, he explained, "Eirasia… a fledgling-class planet, with no planetary ruler. However, there are small sects and isolated entities here. Any direct intervention, no matter how small, would provoke the Ascension Council that governs the fledgling and middle planetary belts."

"Your connection to the Legacy of Amora could be suspected, leading to dire consequences. Therefore, the Legacy decided it would be best for you to begin by preying upon a suitable identity and assimilating into it."

Lloyd shot Ghorlam a focused look, his reply sharp. "So, it's a long-term plan? I don't recall signing up for that. If you're so aware of the consequences, why can't I be more direct? Isn't it better to crush everything from the start instead of this slow infiltration?"

A faint smile flickered across Ghorlam's indistinct features.

"The direct approach, my lord, can be more damaging than it appears. We don't know how the Council will react, and all our efforts could be lost if we are exposed too early. In this game, patience is power. But, should you decide on a swift resolution, I will be ready, as I always am."

Lloyd seemed to mull this over before his tone grew clipped.

"So, who am I preying on?"

Ghorlam opened a strange, three-dimensional map, pointing to a distant spot on the eastern highlands. The map pulsed with life, as if it held details invisible to the naked eye.

"We've found an entity named Neithan. He is the leader of a martial arts sect deep in a forest. Its members vanished one by one until only he remained, following the execution of the previous sect master on charges of harassment. The sect is known as the 'Breath of the Seal,' but it has been inactive for months. Neithan rarely leaves his headquarters and appears to be severely depressed."

Lloyd studied the map in silence, then a razor-sharp smile touched his lips. "And I have to consume all of his blood?"

Ghorlam shifted slightly, then bowed with a deference that seemed out of place for one like him. "And his memories, my lord," he said in a low voice. "Through your Chaos Clone ability. Once the process is complete, a dark version of him will be born, through which you can activate the control network without anyone noticing."

At that moment, the very air seemed to tremble, and the ambient sound shifted.

[Approval granted. Blood skill tree has been modified, allowing you to unlock the required skills.]

Lloyd glanced at the system messages that had appeared before him, his lips thinning in reservation before he turned back to Ghorlam. "Then let's begin."

The journey commenced in a profound silence, as if the forest itself had chosen to hold its breath for what was to come. The brittle shrubs and time-worn earth groaned underfoot, while the decaying trees looked as if they had surrendered to death long ago.

No birds flew in the sky, no insects buzzed around the deadwood. Everything was arid and devoid of movement, as if time itself had frozen in this forgotten place.

The silence was suffocating, like a burial shroud. The sun was lost behind a thick blanket of clouds, casting the world in a dim light. The only warmth seemed to emanate from Lloyd himself as he slipped between the shadows with light, careful steps.

The entrance to the sect was marked by stone rings engraved with ancient talismans speaking of "Seals," "Blood," and "Martial Arts."

Using his high physical stats, Lloyd completely concealed his presence. He approached slowly until he spotted a figure sitting in the middle of a ritual circle. It was a gaunt man, little more than a skeleton draped in a long, black robe.

Neithan Dortmund.

The first victim of [Chaos Clone]!

Lloyd paused for a moment, an unsettling feeling taking root. There was something about this place—something dangerous, yet extremely faint. Neithan was weak, drunk, and grieving, having lost much of his power, but he held something unseen, something behind the veil.

As he contemplated this, the Legacy System's voice rang in his mind, confirming his suspicions.

[Warning! Target entity contains the remnants of an ancient seal!]

[Warning! Traces of the Stellar Seal bloodline have been detected (1.2%)]

[As the current Vampire Progenitor and Lord of All Blood, this bloodline can be easily preyed upon. Nevertheless, please proceed with caution.]

[Probability of psychological collapse during predation: 1%]

A dark grin spread across Lloyd's face. Such a minuscule risk posed no threat to him. Nothing could stop him.

With a sharp glint in his eyes, he plunged his dagger into Neithan's body. With the swift motion, blood erupted as if a spring had been violently uncorked.

The [Blood Predation] ability activated instantly, and Lloyd's essence poured into the heart of the creature before him. In that moment, he felt his own body contract and expand simultaneously, as if something deep inside was being torn apart.

Memories flooded his mind, some bizarrely alien, others unnaturally deep. They didn't belong to Neithan alone, but stretched back through the ancient bloodline to times and places he had never known. Unfamiliar voices, hazy images, a strange sense of emptiness, as if a piece of reality itself was collapsing.

Lloyd's mind struggled to parse the scattered memories, facing an unexpected challenge.

"A bloodline of a powerful race?" another voice whispered in his ear, a voice from the depths of that dark memory, as if something far stronger than him was trying to seize control of his mind.

[You are now consuming the origin records of "Neithan Dortmund".]

A scream from another world.

A burning corpse. A child laughing atop a throne of skeletons.

A serpent writhing beneath his skin, watching him with wide, unblinking eyes.

The images materialized in Lloyd's mind like a waking nightmare. As he collapsed to the ground, blood clotting on his skin, he felt as if life itself had been siphoned from his body. What horrified him more was the discovery that the lineage flowing into him was no ordinary ancient bloodline, but one belonging to an incredibly powerful race.

A few minutes passed before the powerful voice echoed in his mind again, but this time it held a trace of fear. "A Royal Vampire? Very well… I'll allow it this time, boy… but I will be watching." The powerful voice thundered in Lloyd's mind for a moment, then vanished as quickly as it had appeared.

[Bloodline predation finalizing...]

Then… silence.

Slowly, his body began to change. His features shifted, and new details took form. Before him, another Neithan materialized, an identical copy of the man he had just consumed.

But something was different.

This new Neithan had a sinister glint in his eyes—crimson embers that burned in the dark before quickly fading back to their natural color.

It was a person, but it was not him.

Lloyd turned and looked at the new version of Neithan, whose gray eyes met his own.

"Alright, me..." Lloyd said to the clone. "Let's start the chaos."

[Chaos Clone Activated - Clone: "Neithan Dortmund"]

[Control: Full]

[Character "Neithan Dortmund" has obtained a "Sub-Legacy".]

[Sub-System successfully delivered.]

[Activating Sub-System...]

[Naming System...]

[Name Confirmed: Strongest Sect System]

[You have received a Main Mission.]

[Main Mission (1): Revitalize the Breath of the Seal sect and make it the #1 sect on the planet. Activation pending...]

Ghorlam materialized suddenly, a smile on his face.

"It is done. And now... the real plan begins, my Lord Heir."

Lloyd, or rather, the new Neithan, let out a low, chilling laugh.

~~~~~~~~~

✅ That's a wrap!

This marks the end of Volume 1: Birth of Chaos — a journey spanning 25 chapters.

🎉 Volume 2: Pawns on a Chessboard is coming soon.

Stay tuned, and thanks for reading!