Chapter 20: The Price of a Planet
The Silver Shadow Wolf King's claw slammed into the ground where Rael had just been standing.
The earth cracked. Dust exploded outward. A crater half a meter deep split the mountain rock.
He breathed hard, ears flattened, scanning left and right in disbelief.
Where—
"That was impressive."
The voice came from behind him.
Calm. Unhurried. Like a man commenting on the weather.
The wolf king slowly turned his head.
Rael stood a few steps away, hands in his pockets, looking down at the crater with mild curiosity.
"That last move," Rael continued, "was the first time I had to actually put effort into dodging. Not much effort... but still." He glanced up. "For what it's worth, that's not a small thing."
The massive hourglass above them glowed once—then vanished.
Time was up.
The invisible barrier surrounding them began to dissolve, peeling away like morning mist. The mountains returned. The cold wind came back. The real world settled around them again as the domain quietly closed.
The Silver Shadow Wolf King lowered his head. "...I lost."
"You did," Rael said simply.
A silence passed between them.
Then the wolf looked up, his voice careful. "My lord... if you were to rank my strength... where would I stand compared to you?"
Rael tilted his head slightly, as if the question genuinely needed a moment of thought.
He looked up at the sky, calculating.
"...Maybe," he said, "zero point one two percent of my power. Perhaps even less."
The wolf said nothing.
Rael continued, tone even. "You're a being capable of destroying half a galaxy at full strength. That is not a small thing. In the history of this universe, very few creatures can say the same."
He paused.
"But if I were to release my mana completely—not fight, not attack—just release it... I could erase this galaxy. Perhaps the universe, depending on the day."
The beast stared.
Rael said it the same way a man might say I could go for tea—with no weight, no pride, just fact.
The wolf swallowed slowly.
"Now," Rael said, his voice shifting to something warmer, "you didn't come here just to fight. What is it you actually need?"
The Silver Shadow Wolf King straightened slightly. "My lord... I have no objection to becoming your familiar. I accept it fully." His voice dropped. "But I ask only one thing. Help me—just once. After that, until the last breath leaves my body, I will serve you without condition. Whatever you need. Whatever you command."
He met Rael's eyes, steadier now than before. "Please, my lord. My planet—"
"Is dying," Rael said quietly.
The wolf froze.
Rael looked out at the horizon, expression unreadable. "Low mana levels across the surface. The World Tree is dead. Demon Vine is the cause—spreading through the roots, draining everything it touches."
He glanced back at the beast. "The way the vine spreads... worst case, your world has two to three years. Maybe less. The growth accelerates the further it goes."
The wolf king's eyes were wide. His mouth opened. Closed.
"Your father sent you," Rael said. Not a question.
A long pause.
"...Yes," the beast admitted.
Rael nodded once. "Then let's not waste time." He turned and began walking toward the mountain pass. "Come."
The wolf blinked. "Where are we going, my lord?"
"To meet the Goddess of Wisdom."
They walked in silence for a while, the rocky terrain giving way to a widening path. In the distance, the edge of the Desert of End came into view—a vast, pale expanse that shimmered faintly under the sky.
The wolf slowed. "My lord... this is the Desert of End. The place humans fear. They say the Hero of Light sealed powerful monsters inside its barrier."
Rael kept walking. "Are you scared?"
The beast scoffed, recovering a sliver of pride. "I'm fairly certain that even in a weakened state, there is nothing on planet Earth I cannot handle."
Rael laughed—a short, genuine sound. "That's true."
They reached the barrier's edge. Up close, it shimmered like heat on glass, ancient and layered.
Rael stopped, looking at it calmly. "The stories humans tell about this place are mostly lies." He paused. "Except one."
The wolf looked at him.
"This desert," Rael said, "does hold beings strong enough to erase this galaxy from existence. In the blink of an eye."
Silence.
The beast's fur bristled slowly. "Are they... stronger than you, my lord?"
Rael smiled.
"That's impossible."
End of Chapter 20
Author's Note — End of Session One
And that's a wrap on Session One of BREASERK: The Ruler of Nine Worlds!
Yes, yes — I can already hear you. "That's it?! That's where you stop?!"
Look, I know. It's short. I'm not proud of it either. But life decided to show up uninvited and park itself right on top of my writing schedule, so here we are.
I won't bore you with the details — just know that my ability to focus right now is roughly equal to a goldfish trying to read a law textbook. So rather than give you chapters that feel half-asleep, I'd rather take a little break and come back with the quality this story deserves.
The good news? We're just getting started. Rael is still out here farming fields and pretending to be a normal teenager while casually being the most terrifying being in the universe. The wolf king just signed up for a lifetime of "yes, master" duty. Kael is lurking around being dramatic. And whatever lives inside that Desert of End is about to become everyone's problem.
There's a LOT coming.
So sit tight, grab a snack, maybe reread from the beginning if you're feeling generous — and I promise I'll be back before the Demon Vine kills anyone's planet.
Thank you for reading this far. It genuinely means everything.
— The Author
(P.S. — If you enjoyed it, leave a comment. Even just a "🔥" will do. We authors run on those things like mana.)