Clover Kingdom / Diamond Border (Black Die Underground City (Black mansion): January 11th, 1016.
It was a ugly day for the world. The streets above still full of church bells, white stone and enough false peace to make weak people think order had actually won, yet if you were to look closely beneath outlaw city. To be more specific, far below the ruined lower market, under the cracked wells, sealed routes and old grave tunnels that the church had thought buried and forgotten. You would find something that had no business existing at all.
A city.
Not a real city by noble standards.
Not one with sunlight, clean roads, pretty fountains or laws written by old men pretending they were chosen by heaven.
No.
This city was carved out of greed, hidden coin, blood soaked routes and the sheer refusal of gutter trash to die when stronger people told them to.
The black die underground city.
A sprawling nest of widened quarry chambers, linked smuggler routes, stolen storage halls, hidden markets, gambling dens, butcher corners, underground baths, patched up clinics, tunnel taverns, armories, sleeping dens and guarded vault rooms all stitched together by black dice marks painted onto the walls like a second language. It breathed under the border city like a second body. One made not from stone and prayer, but from vice, profit, hunger and violence.
There were people everywhere.
Smugglers dragging crates of food, powder and stolen wine through narrow lanes lit by ugly mana lamps.
Mercenaries in partial armor gambling away half a week's survival at crooked card tables while healers stitched shut knife wounds three rooms over.
Ex knights, runaway heirs, desperate commoners, failed adventurers, tunnel born brats and market women with poisoned smiles all moving through the lower streets with the same quiet understanding.
This place belonged to the black die syndicate.
And because of that.
It belonged to fear.
At every major crossing there were watchers. At every supply hall there were guards. At every route entrance there were coded markers, hidden blades and enough people willing to kill for coin, food or protection to keep the whole thing standing one more day. Some halls were loud with drinking, shouting and the sound of fists meeting flesh. Some were quiet enough that all you could hear was the rattle of dice, the scratch of quills over ledgers and the distant opening of silver doors where benjamin pennyworth's routes connected one hidden section to another.
The deeper one went, the less it felt like a criminal nest and more like a kingdom that had learned better than to call itself one.
A ugly kingdom.
A practical kingdom.
A kingdom that survived because it knew exactly what it was.
Above ground, the church owned the towers, banners and bells.
Below ground, the black die syndicate owned movement.
Food.
Coin.
Powder.
Shelter.
Information.
And loyalty purchased the only way the desperate ever truly respected.
Reliably.
For five years the underground had grown wider, richer, meaner and harder to suffocate. Routes had been expanded. Old wells had been reopened. Safehouses had multiplied. Black markets had been reorganized. New recruits had been sorted into useful, useless and dead with the kind of ruthless efficiency that only came from leadership too intelligent to waste resources and too cruel to care about comforting lies.
And at the center of all of it.
At the heart of the hidden city where orders became profit and irritation became murder.
There stood the devil who had built it.
A darkly handsome young man standing at 6'6 in height with a ripped muscular with a broad muscular well built physique, smooth deep brown skin color, a long sharply handsome face, bright pink slitted eyes, thick light blond eyebrows, a straight refined nose and a calm wide smile on his face. His hair was thick wild and styled upward in a dramatic swept shape with a pale blond color and bright pink tips, along with two long pink front strands hanging down on each side of his face. His neck was thick, his shoulders broad, his upper chest well defined and hanging from both of his ears were large eerie dice earrings with grotesque clown faces on them in dark black, crimson and pink colors. He wore a black tight fitting kimono and two toothed geta shoes with a black high neck layer around his throat.
The atmosphere extremely awkward. With the crying faces of chained naked figures hurdled together.
(David's POV)
[STATUS]
[Name: David Swallow]
[Race: Human]
[Gender: Male]
[Age: 16]
[Titles: [Useless Shit], [Devil of Clover Kingdom Border], [Master of Black Die Syndicate], [Mate of Nyx Nocturne], [Church Ruin Survivor], [Loaded Fate Bearer], [Luck Twister], [Mana Heart Bearer], [King of Black Die City], [Cheating Bastard]
[Strength: 1,589.5]
[Agility: 999.9]
[Vitality: 666.1]
[Mana: 2,988.8]
[Magic: Dice]
[Mana Heart: 11th Mana Ring (Advanced)]
[Perk: Perfect Health]
[Skills: [Etiquette: Master], [Spearmanship: Advance], [Pickaxemanship: Master], [Dancing: Master], [Archery: Grandmaster], [Adaptability: Grandmaster], [Swordsmanship: Grandmaster], [Mana Skin: Grandmaster], [Mana Meditation: Grandmaster], [Acting: Master], [Mana Zone: Grandmaster], [Observation Haki: Master], [Stealth: Master], [Body Conditioning: Grandmaster], [Pain Tolerance: Master], [Tactical Thinking: Master], [Internal Mana Structuring: Master], [Management: Master], [Negotiation: Master], [Horsemanship: Master], [Multilingual: Master], [Sex: Grandmaster], [Leadership: Grandmaster], [Pianist: Master]
[Spells: [Dice Magic: Dice Shot: Grandmaster], [Dice Magic: Gambler's Fallacy: Grandmaster], [Dice Magic: Fate Reading: Grandmaster], [Dice Magic: Loaded Fate: Master], [Dice Magic: Critical Roll: Master], [Dice Magic: Weighted Roll: Grandmaster], [Dice Magic: Lucky Break: Master], [Dice Creation Magic: Carriage of Probabilities: Master], [Dice Creation Magic: Swords of Possibilities: Grandmaster], [Dice Creation Magic: Board of Fate & Luck: Grandmaster], [Dice Creation Magic: World of Fortune: Master], [Dice Creation Magic: Fortune Step: Master], [Dice Creation Magic: The Joker: Grandmaster]
[Storage: [Mana Crystal: 1,222], [Money: 555,731,433], [Mana Slime: 243], [Dead Body: 11,888], [Route Ledger: 1], [Bounty Tokens: 255], [Locked First Dice: 1], [Black Dragon Sword]
"I maxed myself out as best as I could but I'm still behind the big league and I didn't learn any new type of spells" I thought while looking over my status screen very carefully.
"Helloooo…are you even listening to me you cheating bastard. You damned manwhore." Said a low and sultry woman's voice from out of nowhere.
I looked to my left and seen absolutely.
"Down here." Said the woman's voice again.
I glanced down and seen a woman with long long wavy white hair that made her very long and bushy blonde eyelashes stand out along with her red slitted scarlet red eyes and heart shaped face, she was 4'0 in height and had a light skinned tone in a pantyhose bodysuit outfit with an overskirt and bell accessories. It being nyx who didn't look any different with only three exceptions.
1. Shrunk to 3'11.
2. Hair and fur color changed from becoming stronger.
3. Her breasts are huge.
"You finally found me. Do you want a cookie for your achievement." Said nyx while rolling her eyes.
I had a closed eyes smiled on my face and said calmly "What do you want, I have slaves to attend too."
The chained slaves trembled. Their eyes wide in horror.
"Where you at the brothel again." Asked nyx with a serious look on her face.
I brought my arm up to my nose and smelled perfume on it and said calmly "Yeah. I was fucking the madame in the ass until someone conveniently interrupted my holy moment."
Nyx was absolutely silent.
"I see, well Congratulations but next time don't see whores anymore because of the mate mark, if you wanna fuck just ask me." Said nyx with a grin forming on her face as she twirled slowly as if she is presenting her figure.
I stared down at at her for a moment with a closed eyed smile and said calmly while turning my attention back to the slaves "Nope, I'm good."
Nyx was absolutely silent.
The chained slaves trembled in fear.
"Bruh be serious. I don't want to feel your lust everytime you go to a brothel, did you forget that everytime your going full blown back shot with whores that I taste, smell and feel every little of your debauched life with the mare mark, it's awful…Ugh." Said nyx with a very disgusted look on her face .
"And who's fault is that" I thought with the close eyed smile on my face not changing in the slightest.
I looked back down at nyx and said calmly with my eyes opening slightly "Your entire personality is a turn off, we already tried fucking during your heat cycle…don't you remember."
Nyx was absolutely silent, her eyes drifting away."
(Nyx's POV / FLASHBACK: 1 month ago)
It was a ugly night for the world. The black die underground city loud with drinking, gambling, moaning and the type of shamelessness only gutter trash, criminals and people with no dignity at all could create, yet if you were to look closely inside of a very specific room deep in black mansion. To be more specific, inside of a large dark bedroom lit by one ugly mana lamp with black bed sheets, heavy curtains and the smell of sweat, expensive soap, cloth and one very annoying bastard. You could see a very beautiful cat beastkin woman standing stiffly near the edge of a large bed with her arms crossed under her chest, her scarlet red eyes narrowed and her tail lashing behind her like it wanted to strangle somebody on it's own.
The atmosphere unbearable.
Steam drifted slowly from behind a bathing screen.
Nyx clicked her teeth loudly and thought with a very ugly look on her face "This is all his fault. Every single bit of it. The mate mark. The heat. This room. His smell. His attitude. His whole damn existence"
The sound of water shifting was heard from behind the screen.
Nyx's ears twitched.
Then twitched again.
Then flattened for a second before she forced them back up and muttered under her breath "Come out already you cheating bastard."
A shadow moved.
David stepped out from behind the screen while drying his thick wild pale blond hair with bright pink tips using a black cloth.
Nyx froze.
Her face immediately became extremely ugly.
That bastard looked way too calm.
His skin still had tiny beads of water on it, his broad shoulders looked relaxed, his expression flat and composed in a way that made her want to bite him because how was he looking like that while she was over here fighting for her life against her own body and pride.
David looked at her once and asked calmly "Why are you still in my room."
Nyx's tail puffed up slightly.
"Bruh what do you mean why am I still in your room. You know damn well what's going on with me right now." Said nyx loudly with offense in her voice.
David walked over to his wardrobe and opened it and asked without even looking at her "Do I."
Nyx stared at him in complete disbelief.
"The mate mark you stupid ass. It makes everything worse. I can feel your mood, your body heat, your lust, your smells, your everything and it's fucking awful." Said nyx loudly while pointing at him.
David pulled out a black kimono and started putting it on while saying calmly "That sounds unfortunate. A very you problem if I might add."
Nyx was absolutely silent. Her right eye twitched.
That bastard really said it like that.
"That's all you have to say." Asked nyx with a ugly look on her face.
David looked at her over his shoulder and said "What would you like me to say."
Nyx opened her mouth. Closed it and said with gritted teeth "Something less irritating."
David stared at her for a second and said "You're the one who came into my room."
Nyx's face heated up instantly.
"That is not the point." Said Nyx while averting her eyes and crossing her arms tighter.
"It seems like the exact point." Said david.
Nyx clicked her teeth so loudly it echoed through the room.
The room went completely silent.
David calmly adjusted the black kimono over his broad shoulders while nyx glared at him from the corner of her eye and thought with a deep scowl "Why does he still smell like himself after bathing. Why is that even possible. God I hate him"
Her tail lashed again.
David looked down at it and said "Your body is doing a lot of talking for someone trying to act composed."
Nyx's ears twitched violently and she snapped "I am composed."
David's expression did not change in the slightest.
That made it worse. Much worse.
Nyx marched right up to him with a dangerous look in her scarlet eyes and stopped directly in front of him and instantly regretted it.
Too close.
Way too close.
Now she could smell the soap on him even more clearly over his natural scent and it made her want to claw down a wall from embarrassment and irritation at the same time.
David looked down at her calmly.
Nyx looked up at him stubbornly.
The room became silent again.
"What exactly are you trying to do." Asked david flatly.
Nyx's lip twitched.
She had already committed too much to back down now.
Nyx lifted her chin and said with a sultry look in her eyes that was mostly bluff and rage "What does it look like I'm trying to do, stinky feet."
David stared down at her and said calmly "It looks like you're about to embarrass yourself."
Nyx's whole face immediately turned red with offense.
"I AM NOT BLUFFING." Said Nyx loudly with her cheek's reddening.
"You are." Said david calmly.
"I'M NOT." Said nyx loudly.
"You are." Said david calmly.
"I SAID I'M NOT." Said nyx loudly.
David sighed.
Actually sighed.
Like this was paperwork.
Nyx had a insane look in her scarlet eyes and shoved him backwards onto the bed and straddled on top of him with her tail lashing wildly behind her and said "Shut up."
*THUNK*
David looked up at her from the mattress with a flat expression and said calmly "Very convincing."
Nyx grabbed the front of his kimono and leaned down closer with a dangerous look in her eyes and said "You talk to much for a man that is on the receiving end."
"And you're still bluffing." Said david with his lip curling up slightly. His hands grabbed her ass.
Nyx's ears flattened. Her eye twitched.
*FFFFFRRAARRPT*
A loud sound sounded.
The room froze.
A smell startled to linger. The room became pungent.
Nyx went completely still.
David went completely still.
The mana lamp crackled once.
Nyx's eyes widened so much it physically hurt and she immediately said loudly "THAT WAS NOT ME."
David stared at her. He removed his hands from her ass.
Nyx pointed down at the bed with a trembling finger and stutter "I…it was the bed, the bed is defying the laws of life."
David kept staring.
Nyx's face burned even hotter and she said louder "IT'A OLD."
David's shoulders moved once.
Nyx saw it.
"You piece of shit. Do not laugh." Said nyx with a horrified look on her face.
"I didn't." Said david calmly.
"YOU ARE RIGHT NOW. I CAN LITERALLY FEEL IT THROUGH THE MATE MARK." Said nyx loudly with raw offense in her voice.
"That sounds unfortunate." Said david with a closed eyed sigh. His tone very dry.
Nyx looked like she was about to actually kill him.
The room went completely silent again.
*BRRRRFFFFT*
A loud sound sounded throughout the room again.
A horrid pungent smell started to take form.
The silence afterward was so foul it felt like heaven itself had paused just to witness her humiliation.
Nyx's ears flattened all the way down and she immediately snapped at the top of her lungs "I SAID THE BED IS OLD."
David looked away for a second.
That made it worse.
Much worse.
Because now he was definitely laughing inside.
Nyx's tail puffed up and she hissed "This room is cursed."
David calmly reached up, grabbed both her wrists, moved her off of him and sat up from the bed in one smooth motion.
Nyx had a completely flabbergasted look on her face.
"Bruh. That's it." Said nyx in disbelief.
David stood up from the bed and started adjusting the front of his black kimono with the same irritating calm face.
Nyx stared at him and asked with wide eyes "Are you serious right now."
"Yes…shitty booty." Said david very dryly.
Nyx's ears twitched violently and she said loudly "YOU CAN'T JUST LEAVE."
David went over to the side of the room, picked up his two toothed getas and slipped them on one by one.
*Clack* Clack*
Nyx stared at him like he had personally stabbed her pride with a fork.
He adjusted the high black neck layer around his throat and looked back at her once over his shoulder and said calmly "You should sleep this off. It'll be better though if you just took a dump."
Nyx's jaw dropped.
"You cheating bastard." Said nyx with raw offense in her voice.
David opened the door.
Nyx pointed at him and shouted "YOU STINK, YOU'RE RUDE, YOUR FEET ARE UGKY AND I HARE YOU."
David gave her one last calm look and said with a middle finger "Good night, Nyx."
Then he left.
*Boom*
The door shut behind him.
*Boom*
The room went completely silent.
Nyx stood there on the bed staring at the closed door with one eye twitching, her tail puffed up and her face burning with enough humiliation to kill weaker people on the spot.
Then she slowly sat down.
Covered her face with both hands.
And screamed into the nearest pillow.
Somewhere outside in the hallway she was almost certain she heard the faint sound of geta footsteps fading away and one quiet chuckle.
That made it worse. Much, Much worse.
Which was why, back in the present, Nyx's eyes drifted away.
Because yes.
She remembered.
And no.
She would never forgive that bastard for it.
…
THE END…