Chapter 1 – The Boy Named Joy
Joy.
A name that promised happiness.
But for the boy who carried it, life was nothing but misery.
Born into a poor family, Joy was bullied not only by classmates but also by his own sister.
His sister mocked him for being weak, for being useless, for being nothing more than a burden.
"Joy, you should have been named Misery instead," she would sneer, her words sharper than knives.
At school, things weren't any better. Other hunters-in-training laughed whenever he failed to lift even the weakest practice weapons.
In a world where strength determined survival, Joy was at the very bottom.
But deep inside, Joy had a dream.
He didn't crave glory or fame.
He only wanted a peaceful life—to live quietly, marry a beautiful girl someday, and never worry about monsters or dungeons.
Yet… in this cruel world, to even survive, one had to be strong.
---
One night, after another day of humiliation, Joy lay on his bed staring at the cracked ceiling of his small room.
"I wish I could escape this… I just want to live simply…" he whispered.
Suddenly, a blue screen appeared before his eyes.
> [System Synchronization Detected]
Do you wish to accept?
Joy froze. His heart raced.
"What the hell is this? A… system? For me?"
He hesitated, his hand trembling. But curiosity—and the tiny spark of hope—pushed him forward.
"…Accept."
> [Beast Emperor System Synchronizing… 99% → 100% Complete.]
[Congratulations, Host. You have awakened the Beast Emperor System.]
A flood of text filled the screen.
> [With this system, you can tame beasts.]
[You may evolve both beasts and humans.]
[Beasts under your command can surpass human strength.]
[System Points can be earned by training, hunting, and taming.]
[System Store allows purchase of beasts, skills, and genetic upgrades from various worlds.]
Joy's jaw dropped.
"W-what…? I can evolve beasts? Even… buy them? From other worlds? This… this is insane."
For the first time in his life, Joy felt a spark of excitement.
---
The next day, Joy wandered near the riverbank to clear his head.
That's when he noticed movement in the water.
A sleek water snake glided across the surface.
The system screen lit up.
> [Target: Water Snake]
Type: Non-Poisonous
Rank: Low-tier
Habitat: Freshwater
Taming Difficulty: Easy
Joy gulped.
"A… beast. The system says I can tame it… Should I try?"
He clenched his fists. If he failed, nothing would change. If he succeeded… maybe his destiny would shift.
"Alright… let's do this."
He extended his hand.
A faint blue aura surged from his body, connecting to the snake.
> [Initiating Beast Taming…]
[Success! Water Snake has been tamed.]
The snake slithered closer, curling around Joy's arm as if acknowledging him as its master.
Joy's eyes widened, his lips trembling.
"I… I did it… I really tamed a beast…"
For the first time in years, a genuine smile appeared on his face.
Perhaps his life wouldn't just be suffering anymore.
Perhaps… this was the start of something far greater.
The rise… of the Beast Emperor.