That woman had long been a mystery to Kaiser. She was neither fully human nor entirely beast—but something in between the two. Not even Garba, his sly yet knowledgeable mentor, could identify her kind despite his centuries of wisdom and life spent wandering Greenland’s landscapes. Zara was an anomaly, a so-called hybrid possessing the feral grace of a beast contained within the vessel of a human. The scarcity of information about her kind only deepened the enigma.

  And now, here he was, holding what might just be the key to unraveling her mystery—her personal information, laid bare.

  'Feels like I’m stalking someone’s profile.'

  Kaiser can't help but smile at the thought, though he couldn’t exactly deny it. He was, in essence, poring over a girl’s personal details without her knowledge or permission—all for the sake of satisfying his curiosity. Not that this was unfamiliar territory for him. Back on Earth, he had done this countless times on social media, scrolling through profiles of anyone who caught his interest, male or female, friend or stranger. Anyone, really.

  Who hadn’t done it?

  Still, the sheer absurdity of doing the same thing in a shattered, magic-infused realm where the closest thing to a "profile" was enchanted information embedded in a mystical ring of a deadly servant bound to him by blood ritual?

  'Yeah, that was a new one.'

  Shifting slightly, Kaiser let out a soft sigh. The humor of the situation could only distract him for so long. With a deliberate effort, he pushed all jokes aside and straightened his posture,

  directed his focus to the ring’s shimmering display and began to read.

  ---

  Name: Zara

  Status: High Royal Blooded Descendant

  ---

  Kaiser blinked. Once. Twice.

  'Royal blood?'

  The words echoed in his mind like a bell tolling far too loud in the silence of the cave. Not just royal—but *high* royal blood. The emphasis was impossible to ignore, and it hammered home the significance of her lineage.

  'That bitch is a princess?'

  His scowl deepened as the idea planted itself firmly in his brain. He refused to believe it, even as the evidence stared back at him. Royals were synonymous with the highest echelons of society—families that ruled lands, commanded armies, and inspired both reverence and fear. The ring wouldn’t throw around a term like "royal" lightly, let alone add the qualifier "high."

  Surely, this wasn’t just some vague claim of noble heritage. It was a proclamation of purity, of a lineage so untainted and distinguished that Zara stood apart from lesser bloodlines. A fact that, unfortunately, aligned far too well with her own cryptic claim of belonging to a clan—the Beast Clan.

  As for how the ring knew? Well, the answer was likely embedded in its design. Kaiser figured the ring must contain data meticulously stored by its inventor—memories or knowledge etched into the enchantments themselves, enabling it to analyze and identify information based on the wearer’s own experiences.

  From what Kaiser remembered, Zara was a black-haired woman with an otherwise striking figure—if you could look past the fact that she was drenched in blood from head to toe, reeking of death, and radiating an almost tangible murderous intent. Beneath the grime, though, her most memorable traits stood out: her raven-black hair and piercing crimson eyes.

  Maybe that’s how the ring identified her as possessing royal blood, differ to mundane Beast-kins? After all, in many cases, genetic purity was said to reflect in physical features, and Zara’s striking appearance certainly fit that bill if hybrid royalties are known to possess crimson eyes and jet-black hair.

  The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

  Still, the thought of *her*—a blood-soaked, relentless force of chaos—being linked to anything remotely formal felt impossible to grasp and picturing her as a princess felt… impossible.

  'I can’t imagine that woman wearing a dress, much less sitting in a palace.'

  The mental image made him shudder. He shook it off and refocused on the next detail.

  ---

  Level: 75 (Centra) — *Inaccurate*

  ---

  A grin crept across his face, faint but unmistakable.

  'Finally, a rating!'

  After so long fumbling in the dark about his strength—or more accurately, their shared strength—he finally had a number to latch onto instead of a misunderstood grading.

  His lips curled into a faint smile, satisfaction bubbling within him as he finally got a glimpse of his current level of power—or at least, an estimation of it. Not that it was truly *his,* of course. It's the strength Zara had painstakingly worked hard to obtain and was simply shared with him, courtesy of their Bond.

  But that didn’t stop the sly thought from crossing his mind.

  'It’s mine nevertheless.'

  Shameless, through and through.

  The ring’s calculation wasn’t entirely accurate, of course. It merely provided an estimate based on the power he shared through their bond. But for Kaiser, it felt like seeing the results of a long-awaited exam—even if he had cheated by copying someone else’s answers, Kai still celebrated the grade as though it were his own.

  And what followed next sent a surge of excitement through him, wiping away any lingering doubts. At long last, the mysterious, beast-like force he had been unknowingly wielding since forming the Bond with Zara was finally explained.

  ---

  Shared Aspect: [Beastial Lineage]

  Ability Description:

  The essence of the Beast flows within you, heightening your perception of the world to levels far beyond that of any normal human. Every sense is enhanced to an inhuman degree, passively granting you an unparalleled edge. However, a Beast’s true strength does not lie in mere senses but in their wild, unpredictable nature. When the intensity of your emotions exceeds natural limits, *Primal Fury* is activated—an ability that reflects the raw power of your rage, empowering you far beyond reason.

  ---

  “Holy… it just keeps getting better!"

  Kaiser had often wondered about the mysterious power Zara had unknowingly—or perhaps intentionally—bestowed upon him. It was a force he had come to heavily rely on, especially in the grueling trials and dangers he faced. Whether it was fending off hostile enemies, navigating treacherous terrain, or surviving battles that should have ended in his defeat, this power had been his constant ally.

  Over time, Kaiser had adapted to the feral force coursing through him, wielding it with increasing ease. It wasn’t particularly complicated to use, and in many ways, it felt as if his body instinctively understood what to do as he ran about. Still, much of his mastery came from trial and error, pushing boundaries without truly understanding the force he was toying with.

  Now, seeing it laid out so clearly—the passive sensory enhancements, the potential for *Primal Fury*—felt like discovering a hidden roadmap to a familiar terrain. Though the description didn’t drastically change what he already knew, it refined his understanding. The knowledge hinted at nuances he hadn’t considered before, subtle ways to push the limits of his newfound strength.

  At the very least, Kaiser now had a clearer picture of the shared power aiding him, power that marked him with the essence of a Beast-kin descendant. That revelation alone was invaluable. It opened doors to further mastery, shedding light on techniques he might explore to wield it better.

  'It’s both a passive and active ability,' he mused, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "Nice."

  The passive enhancements alone made him more formidable than most. His senses—sight, hearing, smell, touch, and even instinct—operated on an inhuman level, giving him an edge in almost any situation, allowing him to react faster and perceive further and clearer. But it was the active ability, *Primal Fury*, that intrigued him the most. Although, his not keen to use it, It still has its own undeniable allure.

  Kaiser had long recognized the correlation between his emotions and bursts of heightened power during moments of desperation or rage. That wasn’t to say he would recklessly lose himself to rage every time he needed the boost. On the contrary, he saw potential for control. If he could train himself to trigger *Primal Fury* deliberately, to harness its benefits without succumbing to its wild, unthinking nature, he would unlock a new level of combat effectiveness. After all, Strength alone wasn’t enough to win battles—strategy and clarity were equally vital. The thought of merging raw might with sharp calculation sent a thrill of anticipation through him.

  The possibilities were endless, and Kaiser couldn’t help but feel a surge of excitement at the thought of testing those limits.

  But amidst the satisfaction of discovery, a twinge of disappointment lingered. While he had unraveled the mystery of his shared power, he had learned far less about Zara and the enigmatic Beast-kins than he had hoped. For someone as rare and dangerous as her, there was precious little information available.

  The more he thought about it, the clearer it became: knowledge was power. It was far easier to defeat an enemy you understood than to fight a stranger cloaked in uncertainty. And Zara, with her violent nature and lethal prowess, remained the biggest unknown in his life, always behind his back, cold and deadly.

  Their uneasy bond had always teetered on the edge of enmity, leaning more toward hostility than companionship. Knowing her character, Kaiser knew better than to believe Zara had accepted her place as his “servant.” If anything, she would likely resent the Sacred Bond that bound them together. Her pride, her fury, and her sheer disdain for the concept of servitude made her a walking threat.

  She killed him master before. What’s to stop her from doing so again?

  The mere fact that he was still alive was likely more of an inconvenience to Zara than anything else. He had no illusions about their dynamic. If their paths crossed again— by some cursed luck in these broken, lawless realms—there was no guarantee that she wouldn’t try to end him, or worse... Who knew what she'll do?

  It was ironic, really. For all the power he had gained from their connection, it came with the constant weight of uncertainty and danger. Zara was both his greatest supporter and his most imminent threat.

  'Guess I’ll have to rely on myself for that part.'

  Perhaps one day, he would seek out the Beast-kins’ homeland, immerse himself in their culture, and uncover their secrets firsthand. But that was a distant goal, one that could wait. Right now, the present demanded his focus. The depths of this foreboding cave awaited exploration, and the rocky mountains around them offered no clear path to safety.

  With a final glance at the silver ring, Kaiser sighed.

  “No rush. Let’s deal with the now first.”

  The faint sound of movement drew his attention. He turned to see Hazie stirring, her breathing shifting from the deep rhythm of sleep to something lighter, more conscious. Her eyelids fluttered briefly before settling halfway open.

  Kaiser braced himself mentally to resume their venture... This time, to the lightless hollows.