Chapter 123:The Dragon Beneath The Zodiac

I. The Torture Chamber

Pain.

That was the first thing Lucifer felt.

Not the familiar exhaustion of a long battle. Not the lingering discomfort of a damaged vessel.

This was different.

Every part of his body seemed to be protesting against the simple act of existing.

His head throbbed. His shoulders felt unbearably heavy, and even breathing sent waves of discomfort through his chest.

Slowly, Lucifer opened his eyes.

A red light flickered above him.

He blinked.

Once.

Twice.

Then he examined his surroundings.

He was sitting on a wooden chair, his wrists and ankles secured with thick restraints. A metal table stood beside him, covered with an assortment of unfamiliar instruments. Some resembled surgical tools. Others looked specifically designed to inflict pain.

The walls were stained a dark reddish-brown.

Several containers stood in the corners. Behind a glass partition, he could make out shapes that vaguely resembled human remains, alongside specimens belonging to species he couldn't identify.

The room smelled of iron, chemicals, and something unpleasantly old.

Lucifer stared at it for several seconds.

Then he spoke.

"...A torture chamber?"

He lowered his gaze toward his body.

His clothes were torn. His skin was covered in old injuries, and his arms carried marks that suggested this body had endured considerably more than a few unpleasant examinations.

He attempted to move his fingers.

They responded sluggishly.

His body was practically at its limit.

Lucifer leaned back against the chair.

"Well, this is disappointing."

He had fought a being capable of challenging the laws of existence. He had witnessed an entire universe disappear. He had even encountered something beyond the boundaries of time and space.

And now?

He had awakened tied to a chair in a basement.

Lucifer.

A familiar voice sounded from somewhere nearby.

Lucifer's eyes shifted toward the shadows.

"Chirin?"

You're awake.

"An excellent observation."

You seem remarkably calm.

Lucifer glanced at the restraints.

"Would you prefer I scream?"

Considering the condition of your body, that wouldn't be unreasonable.

"Then I'll disappoint you."

He tried to gather his energy.

Nothing.

His body barely responded.

Lucifer frowned.

That was strange.

Even after reincarnation, he should have retained at least a portion of his power. Yet the vessel seemed incapable of supporting even a fraction of what he once possessed.

He lowered his head.

"Who brought me here?"

No answer.

"Where am I?"

Still nothing.

"And why does my body feel like it's been used as a laboratory experiment?"

Perhaps because it has.

Lucifer looked toward the shadows.

"Very helpful."

He closed his eyes and began examining his new vessel.

Something was fundamentally wrong.

The soul occupying this body was not naturally connected to it.

In fact, the body had already died.

The moment he realized that, a familiar sensation stirred within his consciousness.

A system notification.

II. The Memories of a Dead Dragon

[New vessel detected.]

[Previous host: Deceased.]

[Cause of death: Excessive physical trauma.]

[Soul replacement confirmed.]

[Beginning memory integration...]

Lucifer opened his eyes.

"Oh?"

The system had begun integrating the memories of the previous owner.

He had experienced this process before.

It was rarely pleasant.

Memories were not simply information. They carried emotions, sensations, and fragments of the previous owner's identity.

And this body had endured a considerable amount of suffering.

Lucifer frowned.

"Wait. Don't tell me—"

[Memory integration: 12%]

The room disappeared.

A different world unfolded inside his consciousness.

A world where twelve beings stood above all other life.

The Twelve Zodiac Gods.

For countless ages, they had ruled as supreme deities, their authority extending across the world. Each represented one of the twelve zodiac signs, and their names were engraved into the history of civilization.

Humanity had once been weak.

Its cities were primitive, its armies helpless against the creatures that emerged from mysterious dimensional portals.

The first portal appeared without warning.

Then came another.

And another.

From those portals poured monsters.

Some resembled enormous beasts. Others possessed bodies that defied the laws of nature. Some could manipulate elements, while others possessed strange abilities that ordinary weapons could not overcome.

Humanity was unprepared.

Cities fell.

Kingdoms collapsed.

Civilizations that had existed for thousands of years disappeared beneath the endless waves of monsters.

Humanity stood on the brink of extinction.

Then the Twelve Zodiac Gods appeared.

They descended before mankind and offered their blessings.

Each god granted a portion of their authority to chosen humans, allowing them to fight the monsters and survive the invasion.

The first warriors emerged.

The first heroes were born.

Humanity slowly reclaimed its territory.

Over time, the blessings became hereditary in certain bloodlines, while others awakened them through special rituals or encounters with divine power.

The portals never disappeared.

The monsters never stopped coming.

But humanity had adapted.

Thousands of years passed.

Cities became kingdoms, kingdoms became nations, and eventually civilization entered an age of advanced technology.

Yet the worship of the Zodiac Gods never faded.

Even in the modern age, enormous temples stood in the centers of major cities. Statues of the twelve gods decorated public squares, schools taught their legends, and religious festivals celebrated their supposed salvation of humanity.

The twelve remained the undisputed rulers of the world.

Or at least, that was what everyone believed.

The memories shifted.

The system continued integrating.

[Memory integration: 39%]

This time, the scene was different.

A vast mountain range stretched beneath a crimson sky.

Enormous dragons soared through the clouds.

They were the oldest species in the world.

Older than humanity.

Older than the kingdoms.

Older, perhaps, than even the temples that now worshipped the Zodiac Gods.

The dragons possessed extraordinary intelligence and an instinctive understanding of the world's energy. They had witnessed the rise of the portals and the appearance of the twelve deities.

But unlike humanity, they had questioned the gods.

They had investigated the portals.

They had studied the energy signatures surrounding them.

And eventually, they discovered something that changed everything.

The portals were not natural disasters.

They had been opened deliberately.

By the very beings humanity worshipped.

The monsters were not an invasion that the gods had saved humanity from.

They were part of a carefully orchestrated design.

The gods had opened the portals, allowed monsters to threaten civilization, and then appeared as humanity's saviors.

Their blessings were real.

Their power was real.

But so was their deception.

Humanity's gratitude, prayers, and faith had become a source of nourishment for the twelve gods.

The more people worshipped them, the greater their authority became.

And the more powerful they became, the easier it was to maintain their control.

The dragons were furious.

They gathered the other intelligent species and revealed what they had discovered.

They demanded that the gods be confronted.

But humanity refused to believe them.

How could the beings who had saved the world be responsible for its suffering?

The temples called the dragons heretics.

The priests declared them enemies of civilization.

The kings who depended on divine blessings condemned them.

And the other species, fearing the gods' wrath, chose to stand with humanity.

The dragons were branded as traitors.

A war began.

A war between the oldest species in existence and the twelve beings worshipped as supreme gods.

The dragons fought fiercely.

Their strength was extraordinary, and their understanding of the world's laws allowed them to resist powers that had overwhelmed entire armies.

But the world had already chosen its side.

Humanity, the other species, and the divine forces united against them.

One by one, the dragons fell.

Their ancient territories were destroyed.

Their names were erased from history.

Their descendants were hunted, captured, and imprisoned.

Those who survived were treated as dangerous specimens.

Some were condemned to underground facilities.

Others became subjects of experiments designed to uncover the secrets of their blood.

Their existence became a crime.

The memories shifted again.

A small child sat alone in a cold room.

He had never seen the outside world.

He had never felt sunlight on his face.

He had never played with another child.

Since birth, he had been confined to a research facility where people examined his body, tested his abilities, and searched for the secrets hidden within his blood.

He did not know what freedom meant.

He did not know what a family was.

He only knew the people who entered the room and the pain that followed their arrival.

As he grew older, the experiments became more severe.

His body was pushed beyond its limits.

His blood was repeatedly collected.

His abilities were tested, measured, and recorded.

And when his body finally failed, they did not even consider it a tragedy.

He was simply another failed specimen.

Another discarded experiment.

The memories ended.

[Memory integration: 100%]

[Integration complete.]

Lucifer remained silent.

For several moments, he simply stared at the floor.

Then he sighed.

"...I'm never getting used to that."

He had inherited the memories of countless lives before.

Some were filled with ambition.

Some with hatred.

Some with ordinary happiness.

But this one?

This child had never been given the opportunity to live.

Lucifer slowly lifted his head.

His expression was calm, but the atmosphere around him had changed.

"So, the twelve gods are frauds."

He glanced at the restraints around his wrists.

"And the dragons were nearly exterminated because they discovered the truth."

A faint smile appeared.

"Interesting world."

III. Two Lives, Two Choices

A familiar notification appeared before his eyes.

[System Interface Activated.]

[Previous life records detected.]

[Two status windows are available.]**Status Window — First Life**

**Status Window — Last Life**

[Only one status window may be activated.]

Lucifer stared at the two options.

From somewhere in the shadows, Chirin spoke.

Make your decision wisely.

Lucifer turned his eyes toward the corner.

"I was wondering where you went."

I was here.

"Seems like you were hiding in a corner while the pain was killing me."

You are still joking?

Lucifer glanced at his battered body.

"Do I look like I'm joking?"

Chirin went silent.

Then she continued.

Your last life's status window is considerably stronger than your first. You reached the realm of Sin Lord and accumulated an absurd amount of power. Meanwhile, your first life's status window is practically trash compared to it.

Lucifer raised an eyebrow.

Since this is a new world and we know almost nothing about it, you should choose the stronger option. Having as much power as possible would be the sensible decision.

Lucifer nodded slowly.

"Yeah. About that..."

He looked at the two windows.

"If I choose the last status window, I'm pretty sure I'll die."

...What?

Chirin's voice sounded genuinely confused.

Explain.

Lucifer leaned back.

"Think about it. In my last life, I became a Sin Lord. I fought the Ghost King, and the power we unleashed was enough to destroy an entire universe."

I am aware.

"Then look at this body."

He lifted his restrained arm slightly.

"This vessel can barely withstand its own existence. It doesn't possess the strength of a god, let alone anything close to my previous level."

He looked at the second status window.

"If I activate that one, all the power stored in it will try to flow through this body. I doubt the vessel would survive the process."

Chirin fell silent.

Lucifer continued.

"Having power is useless if the body carrying it explodes before I can use it."

Then you're suggesting...

"First life."

The second status window flickered.

[Selection confirmed.]

[First Life Status Window activated.]

[Last Life Status Window locked.]

[Access unavailable until the next reincarnation.]

Chirin sighed.

You really chose the weaker option.

Lucifer smiled.

"Not weaker. Appropriate."

IV. The First Life — The Devil's Foundation

The first status window opened.

Unlike the second, it contained a simpler structure.

But Lucifer immediately noticed something unusual.

His race.

**Name**

Lucifer Morningstar

**Race**

Dragon

**Title**

God of Destruction

**Attributes**

| Attribute | Status |

|---|---:|

| Strength | Enhanced |

| Agility | Enhanced |

| Endurance | Enhanced |

| Vitality | Enhanced |

| Intelligence | Enhanced |

| Soul | Enhanced |

**Skills**

- Sixth Sense

- Telekinesis

- Composure

- Regeneration

- Cleave

- Dismantle

- Raging Tempest

- Severance

- Haste

**Special Records**

- Dragon Bloodline

- God of Destruction

- Karma Points: Extraordinary

Lucifer examined the information.

"Dragon, huh?"

He glanced at his hands.

"So that's why the previous owner was being treated like a laboratory specimen."

The title caught his attention next.

God of Destruction.

He opened its description.

[Title: God of Destruction]

[A title granted to an existence responsible for the destruction of an entire universe.]

[Effects:]

• Increased destructive potential.

• Enhanced resistance to dimensional instability.

• Increased compatibility with destructive abilities.

• Additional status reinforcement based on accumulated destruction karma.

Lucifer stared at the description.

Then he smiled.

Chirin spoke.

Well done. You are truly living up to your prestige as the Devil.

Lucifer's smile widened.

"I know. I'm the best."

You don't even have to pretend to be humble, do you?

"Why should I?"

He examined his skill list once more.

Most of his abilities had survived the transition.

His Sin Lord powers were locked behind the second status window, but his original techniques remained accessible.

That was good.

He would have to rebuild his foundation, but he wasn't starting from nothing.

Then another thought occurred to him.

"System."

The interface flickered.

"How did I get here?"

He paused.

"Actually, never mind. I doubt you'll answer."

A notification appeared.

[Response available.]

Lucifer blinked.

"...Oh?"

V. The Price of Immortality

[Explanation: Reincarnation Mechanism]

[During the First Life, the host consumed the Fountain of Youth.]

[During the Second Life, the host consumed the Demonic Fruit.]

[Both items possessed properties capable of granting immortality.]

[However, the host shared portions of their effects with the soul-bound entity Chirin.]

[Consequently, the host did not obtain complete immortality.]

[Instead, the host's existence gained the ability to reincarnate after death.]

Lucifer's expression changed.

"Wait."

He read the information again.

"So, instead of becoming immortal, I became someone who can reincarnate?"

[Affirmative.]

Lucifer rubbed his chin.

"Doesn't that mean I can never truly die? I just keep reincarnating?"

[Incorrect.]

A new notification appeared.

[Reincarnation requires a recovery period.]

[The duration of this period increases after every reincarnation.]

Lucifer's eyebrows rose.

"Interesting. So the longer I survive, the longer the interval before I can reincarnate again?"

[Affirmative.]

He thought about it for a moment.

"Then what happens if I die before the recovery period resets?"

The system paused.

Then the answer appeared.

[The host's existence will be erased from reality.]

Lucifer stopped smiling.

For once, even Chirin remained silent.

The system continued.

[The host's soul is not an ordinary soul.]

[The Fountain of Youth and the Demonic Fruit altered the fundamental structure of the host's existence.]

[If the host's existence is destroyed before reincarnation becomes available, no conventional method of resurrection or reincarnation will restore it.]

Lucifer stared at the notification.

"...So that's the catch."

He had spent countless lives believing that death was merely an inconvenience.

Now he had discovered that even his reincarnation had limitations.

He looked toward the ceiling.

"Well, that's rather inconvenient."

You could try not dying.

Lucifer glanced toward the shadows.

"An excellent suggestion. I'll consider it."

Chirin sighed.

The system interface began to fade.

Lucifer quickly spoke.

"Wait. I have more questions."

No response.

"Who created you?"

Nothing.

"Why do I have two status windows?"

Silence.

"What's the connection between the Zodiac Gods and the portals?"

The interface flickered once.

Then disappeared.

Lucifer stared at the empty space.

"...As expected."

He had learned enough to understand one thing.

The system would not hand him every answer.

If he wanted to understand the secrets of this world, he would have to uncover them himself.

And if he wanted to survive long enough to do so, he needed power.

A considerable amount of it.

VI. The God of Destruction Rebuilds

Lucifer reopened his status window.

His eyes moved toward the enormous number of karma points accumulated through his previous lives.

The destruction of an entire universe had apparently rewarded him rather generously.

He had no intention of wasting that opportunity.

"Let's see..."

He examined his attributes.

In his previous lives, he had often relied heavily on his skills. His techniques had been extraordinary, and his understanding of combat had allowed him to overcome enemies whose raw strength exceeded his own.

But that approach had a weakness.

If his skills were sealed, restricted, or countered, his physical foundation became the deciding factor.

This time, he would correct that weakness.

"I need a body capable of supporting my abilities."

He began distributing his karma points.

Strength.

Agility.

Endurance.

Vitality.

Stamina.

Intelligence.

Soul capacity.

He increased them systematically.

He did not pour everything into one attribute.

Nor did he blindly maximize his offensive power.

He wanted a balanced foundation that could grow alongside his dragon bloodline.

The system displayed a series of notifications.

[Attribute increased.]

[Attribute increased.]

[Attribute increased.]

[Attribute increased.]

The numbers continued climbing.

His body began responding.

The pain did not disappear, but his regeneration accelerated. His breathing became steadier. His muscles gradually regained their strength, and the damaged structure of his vessel began repairing itself.

A faint golden shimmer appeared beneath his skin.

Then it vanished.

Lucifer examined the results.

"Better."

He continued.

More karma points flowed into his attributes.

His strength increased.

His endurance improved.

His senses sharpened.

His soul capacity expanded.

He could feel the difference.

This body was still far from the vessel he had possessed in his previous life, but it was no longer an ordinary human body.

It was becoming something else.

Something worthy of carrying the blood of an ancient dragon.

Chirin watched silently.

After a while, she spoke.

You're spending a ridiculous amount of karma points on your attributes.

Lucifer didn't look away from the interface.

"Yes."

Wouldn't it be better to save some for new skills?

"Skills can be learned. Techniques can be developed. But a weak foundation will always limit how much power I can use."

He closed the interface.

"I've spent enough lives relying on abilities. This time, I want a body that can stand on its own."

Chirin considered his words.

So you're planning to become a monster even without your skills?

Lucifer smiled.

"Now you're understanding."

VII. The First Lesson

A metallic sound interrupted the silence.

The door opened.

Light from the corridor spilled into the red chamber.

A man stepped inside.

He wore a white laboratory coat, dark gloves, and a small identification badge. A tablet rested in his left hand.

His eyes immediately moved toward Lucifer.

For a moment, he simply stared.

Then his expression changed.

"What are you doing?"

Lucifer tilted his head.

The man approached the chair, examining the restraints and the instruments on the nearby table.

"You were supposed to be unconscious."

Lucifer looked at him.

The man frowned.

"Did you manage to break the restraints? How is that possible? Your condition was—"

He stopped.

Something about Lucifer's expression made him hesitate.

The boy sitting in the chair was smiling.

Not nervously.

Not desperately.

It was a calm, almost pleasant smile.

The kind of expression one might wear after discovering an unexpected gift.

The man stepped closer.

"Why are you smiling?"

Lucifer lowered his eyes toward the restraints.

Then he looked at the instruments on the table.

Finally, his gaze returned to the man.

"Oh, nothing."

His voice was gentle.

"I was just wondering when you'd come back."

The man narrowed his eyes.

"What?"

Lucifer's smile widened.

"After all..."

The restraints around his wrists began to tremble.

"...I've been waiting to return the favor."

Crack.

One of the restraints broke.

The man froze.

Lucifer slowly lifted his head.

His crimson eyes met the man's.

"Let's begin with a question."

He leaned forward.

"Do you remember everything you did to this body?"

The man's face drained of color.

Lucifer's smile disappeared.

"Because I remember."

Another restraint snapped.

"And now..."

His fingers flexed.

"...it's my turn."