The Mythical Age — Two Thousand Years Ago
In the era when gods still walked among mortals and the world knew no peace, one being towered above monsters, defied the gods, scorched the Spiritwood, and waged war against humanity for a singular cause—unity.
His name was...
"Arceus Velgriath."
The name echoed like ancient thunder in the throne hall of Elarion, the great nation of monsters.
Before the obsidian throne where Arceus sat, a lone figure stood, cloaked in black and wreathed in subtle demonic power—Anos Voldigoad, the Demon King of Tyranny.
Arceus opened his eyes slowly, their pale gleam piercing through the dim moonlight that bathed the chamber.
"Anos. What reason draws you to me now?"
His voice was cold, ancient, and measured—like stone grinding against stone.
Anos bowed slightly, not in subservience, but in mutual respect. "I come to request something only you can grant, Arceus."
The Monster King's eyes narrowed.
"In a matter of days, Hero Kanon will arrive at my castle to end me," Anos said. "But I shall use my life force not in defiance... but as a sacrifice. I will erect barriers across the realms—human, demon, spirit, god—sealing them apart. It will end the endless war."
A quiet stillness blanketed the room. The moonlight from the shattered dome above reflected in Arceus's silver hair as he rose from his throne.
"You intend to extinguish war with your own death," Arceus said slowly. "And believe that isolation will nurture peace?"
"I do," Anos replied. "And only you can ensure the barriers remain sacred. You, who once dreamed of unity."
Arceus turned his gaze to the vast mural carved into the far wall—the history of monsterkind, carved by his own hand. His fingers brushed a depiction of monsters, humans, and spirits at war, and another panel—unfinished—showing them unified beneath a single banner.
"It has been centuries since anyone spoke to me of unity," he said, almost wistfully. "Very well. I accept."
Anos offered a rare smile. "Thank you, old friend."
And with that, the Demon King vanished into the shadows, returning to his fate.
---
Time passed.
As foretold, the Hero Kanon arrived. The two legends clashed not as enemies, but as actors in a ritual of sacrifice. Anos allowed Kanon to strike the final blow—his life force feeding into a vast web of arcane seals.
Barriers rose, dividing gods from mortals, mortals from monsters, severing divine influence from the realms below.
But the gods were not so easily denied.
"This defies the divine order!"
A voice from the heavens roared.
A thunderous crack split the skies as the gods descended to tear the barriers apart.
And standing alone at the threshold between heaven and earth—
"I will not allow it."
Arceus Velgriath.
He rose like a pillar between worlds, claw and blade in hand, striking down gods as they descended.
Alone, he held back the fury of the heavens.
Until at last, the God of Demise, Dilfred, emerged—wielding the Withering Death Sword, Gzelami. With the backing of all divine forces, he drove the blade through Arceus's chest.
The Monster King looked down at the weapon buried in his heart—its curse unraveling his existence.
And then, he crumbled.
Into pale white sand.
---
Elsewhere. A Distant World. A Forgotten Cave.
"...Hah!"
A ragged gasp tore from Arceus's lips as he jolted upright, his body rising from a pool of shimmering water.
Darkness surrounded him, thick and cold. No sky. No kingdom. No throne.
"Where... am I?"
He placed a hand on the rocky surface beside him. Nothing felt familiar—no sense of his vast domain, no whisper of his people.
"Jia."
A small orb of radiant light formed above his palm, illuminating the cavern in pale gold. The walls shimmered faintly with crystalline veins, dense with magic, glowing in hues of blue and violet.
Arceus walked forward, his expression calm but vigilant.
A sudden voice echoed.
"Little human... can you hear me?"
He turned sharply.
Embedded in the cave wall was a large bubble-like barrier. Behind it—a slumbering black dragon with glowing golden eyes.
Arceus approached, placing his hand on the barrier. It felt like a mixture of glass and membrane—resilient, but warm.
"Who are you?" he asked coolly.
The dragon growled. "To think a human dares approach me without kneeling..."
It roared, the cave rumbling from its fury.
"Be silent."
Arceus's eyes gleamed a deep, ominous violet. The cave stilled. The roar died.
The dragon blinked in confusion. "Y-you suppressed my power...?"
"I am not human. I am Arceus Velgriath, the Monster King of Unity."
The name echoed, and the dragon froze.
"I've never heard of you," it admitted, quieter now. "But your magic... it is monstrous indeed."
"Name yourself, dragon."
"I am Veldora, the Storm Dragon. I was sealed here three centuries ago."
"Sealed? By whom?"
Veldora growled, then muttered with embarrassment. "A mistake... I destroyed a city in a rampage. A hero came to stop me."
Arceus narrowed his eyes. "A hero strong enough to defeat the highest dragon?"
"She was unlike any I'd seen. A human girl, bearing divine gifts. She called herself a 'Summon.'"
Arceus fell silent. Canon was a male. This isn't my world.
"She possessed a unique skill—Absolute Severance. She sealed me with something called Unlimited Imprisonment."
"Unique skills?" Arceus echoed.
"You don't know? They are abilities tied solely to the soul of their user. Incomparable to normal magic."
"Sounds like Origin Magic," Arceus muttered.
"Yes. The barrier around me is the imprisonment."
Arceus examined the glowing sphere. "Then... you were defeated by a summoned hero."
Veldora nodded. "Summons are beings from other worlds. Brought through long rituals by human mages. They are treated as weapons—cursed, bound, and forced to serve."
"How vile..." Arceus muttered. "I, too, was cast into this world... It seems we share that fate."
He turned to Veldora, hand still pressed against the seal.
"Do you wish to remain in this prison, or be freed?"
"If I could have escaped, I would have centuries ago," Veldora sighed. "This seal is unbreakable."
"Unbreakable?" Arceus said, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "Then watch."
With a single push of monstrous energy, his fingertips dug into the surface. Tiny cracks spread like spiderwebs.
Veldora's eyes widened. "W-what are you—"
The barrier exploded in a burst of howling wind.
Veldora reared back in disbelief. "You broke... the Unlimited Imprisonment?!"
Arceus stood, his cloak fluttering in the wind that burst from the shattered seal.
"Veldora. Become my subordinate. My guide to this world."
His eyes gleamed with violet flame.
Veldora stared at the being before him—no longer merely a man, nor just a monster.
But a king reborn.
"Very well... my King."