The alley behind the Lupus Den was too warm.
Not from sunlight—there was none in the subterranean underbelly of the city—but from something humid and alive that pulsed through the air like a hidden heartbeat.
Sai Ji's ears twitched.
Thump.
Thump.
Thump.
The sound vibrated through the cobblestones beneath his claws.
Not a heart.
Music.
His claws clicked softly against the stone as he moved, each step echoing faintly in the narrow alley. His nose was assaulted by a thousand scents layered over each other—perfume, sweat, smoke, something sweet and dangerous.
And beneath it all…
Blood.
Sai Ji swallowed.
"What is this place…?" he muttered.
Fen and Lura walked beside him like silent shadows. The two NPC warriors had insisted this route was the fastest way through the Shattered District.
They had neglected to mention it ran through a restricted zone.
Ahead of them a neon sign flickered weakly, buzzing like a dying insect.
Pink light washed across the rusted metal door beneath it.
LUPUS DEN — 18+ PLAYER ZONE
Sai Ji froze.
His tail stiffened.
His brain shut down.
"Wait—this is an adult area?" he blurted. "Why are we—"
The door creaked open before he could finish.
Warm red light spilled into the alley.
Music roared out like a physical force, shaking the air with deep bass that rattled against his ribs.
And then she stepped outside.
Long legs.
Silver hair tied in a loose high ponytail.
A black velvet collar rested against her throat, glowing faintly with system text.
NPC — Entertainer Class
Her mercury-colored eyes landed on Sai Ji.
They widened.
"…My king?"
Sai Ji's ears shot straight up.
"N–No. No no no—this is a misunderstanding—"
But she was already kneeling.
One smooth motion.
Knee touching the damp alley ground.
Head bowed.
Neck exposed in perfect submission.
Behind her the club stretched into a haze of crystal lights and dancing bodies. Players lounged in velvet booths while performers moved around glowing poles like living shadows.
A few players near the entrance noticed him.
Their whispers cut through the music.
"Is that… a mod skin?"
"No way. That's a legacy model."
"Dude… look at the size of him."
Sai Ji resisted the urge to curl into a ball.
The dancer lifted her head slowly.
Her eyes shimmered with awe.
"Your aura is overwhelming the ambiance scripts," she said softly. "Please… come inside, my king."
Sai Ji's tail wrapped tightly around his leg.
"I don't need honoring! I just—"
Behind him Fen and Lura suddenly bowed.
"Your Majesty," Fen said calmly, "this establishment is a known information nexus."
Sai Ji stared at them in betrayal.
"I DIDN'T ASK FOR THIS!"
The dancer rose gracefully and stepped closer.
Too close.
Her fingers brushed against the dark silver fur of his forearm.
The contact exploded through his senses.
Too real.
Too warm.
The simulation wasn't supposed to feel like this.
"A king's instincts should not be restrained," she whispered.
Sai Ji nearly jumped out of his skin.
"I JUST WANT INFORMATION!"
Her smile curved into something dangerous.
"Then information you shall receive."
She turned and walked back inside.
Sai Ji's instincts screamed.
So did his dignity.
Unfortunately, his body moved anyway.
Step.
Step.
Step.
The door slammed shut behind him.
A system notification flickered across his vision.
SPECIAL STATUS DETECTED
ENTITY IDENTIFIED: WEREWOLF KING
PRIORITY TREATMENT PROTOCOLS: ENABLED
The entire club froze.
Dancers.
Servers.
Players.
Every head slowly turned toward him.
Dozens of eyes locked onto his towering werewolf frame.
The silver-haired dancer appeared beside him again, her voice warm against his ear.
"Welcome to the Lupus Den… my king."
Sai Ji grabbed the nearest drink handed to him and gulped it down just to calm his nerves.
Cold starlight burned down his throat.
Then every light in the club flashed red.
The music stopped.
A mechanical voice echoed across the world.
GLOBAL ALERT
SOVEREIGN ENTITY DETECTED
IDENTITY: WEREWOLF KING — AWAKENED
WORLD EVENT INITIALIZING
Sai Ji choked on his drink.
The dancer froze.
Every player stared at him.
Then—
BOOM
The back wall exploded inward.
Six armored figures stormed through the smoke, weapons glowing with null-code energy.
The burning eye symbol of the Administration glowed across their armor.
"CONTAINMENT PROTOCOL ENGAGED."
"TARGET IDENTIFIED."
"NEUTRALIZE THE ANOMALY."
Sai Ji slowly raised his head.
The shattered glass slipped from his claws.
Deep inside his chest something ancient finally woke.
And the beast…
smiled.