Becoming the Dark Lord

Luke and Angie were alone in the room. She sat on the bed beside him, close enough that he could feel her presence even when she didn’t move. It struck him how much of Angelica’s mannerisms lingered in her, the boldness, the edge of defiance that sometimes crossed into stubbornness. Angelica had always carried weight on her own shoulders rather than burden anyone else. She’d chosen to die rather than kill him for a level up.

Now those traits were fused with the nature of the angel she used to be. Luke barely knew that former self; he hadn’t even known her name. Whoever she had been in her past life remained a mystery. And yet, here she was, an amalgam of the angel he once wore as a mask and the human woman he’d failed to save.

The system screen hovered in the air between them, waiting.

[Servant of the Dark Lord System]: Every tyrant needs servants worthy of their greatness. A Dark Lord tolerates no weakness; only the strongest survive. Through the servant bond, your soldiers evolve, transcend, and march toward legend.

Name: Angie

Level: 0

Race: Stone Angel

Rank: F

Class: —

Titles: [Servant of the Dark Lord]

**Full information will be processed once the Servant’s Class is selected.**

The prompt glowed faintly, suspended in the dim room. Angie watched him with unwavering patience, though her stone like eyes carried a silent plea. She wanted him to continue.

Below the notification, five class options unfolded. One detail caught Luke’s attention.

She already has access to the new attributes? Maybe her body is special enough to handle them.

[Lancer]: A frontline combatant who excels in reach and precision. Wielding a spear, the Lancer keeps enemies at bay while delivering direct thrusts and rapid strikes. Their fighting style blends spatial control, calculated charges, and piercing attacks that disrupt enemy lines. This class thrives on positioning, punishing opponents who get too close, and capitalizing on openings to deliver steady, reliable damage. A strategic choice for those who prefer maintaining reach advantage.

Attributes per level: (+4 Lethality, +3 Strength, +3 Agility, +3 Endurance, +3 Perception, +2 Vitality, +2 Free Points).

[Archer]: A long range specialist focused on rapid, precise attacks. Using a bow, the Archer stays behind the group or seeks elevated ground to maximize range and visibility. Their attacks emphasize accuracy, crit potential, and mobility. Archers can unleash quick volleys, target weak points, and reposition before enemies close the gap. A class dependent on distance, awareness, and timing to reach full effectiveness.

Attributes per level: (+5 Agility, +3 Dexterity, +3 Endurance, +3 Perception, +2 Vitality, +2 Wisdom, +2 Free Points).

[Valkyrie]: A Valkyrie is one who heard the call of death and returned from it. Marked by the cold of the beyond, she carries the echo of the end within herself and turns it into strength to protect the one who gave her a new purpose. Her weapon pulses like a living heart, guided not by glory or ambition but by devotion. Reborn between life and death, she swore to guard her master with her very existence, and every strike she delivers is a silent prayer to those who have already passed on. In battle, the sound of steel and the beat of her heart echo like invisible wings rising amid the chaos. A Valkyrie does not fight for herself. She fights for the one who reminded her that life, fragile as it is, can still be sacred.

Attributes per level: (+5 Strength, +4 Endurance, +3 Vitality, +3 Toughness, +2 Wisdom, +2 Free Points)

[Knight]: The Knight is built for endurance and close combat. Trained to hold the front line, he wields a longsword as his primary weapon and usually wears heavy armor to absorb most incoming damage. His role is to protect the group, draw the monsters’ attention and keep control of the battlefield. He possesses abilities that heighten his defense, steady his footing and allow precise counterattacks when pressured. The Knight is far from the fastest, but he makes up for it with durability and consistency.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

Attributes per level: (+4 Strength, +4 Endurance, +4 Toughness, +3 Vitality, +2 Perception, +1 Lethality, +2 Free Points)

[Mercenary]: The Mercenary is an agile, offensive fighter who specializes in twin blades. His strength lies in mobility, attack speed and the ability to unleash multiple hits in rapid succession before the enemy can respond. Blending technique with aggression, the Mercenary has skills that enhance dodges, increase his speed and amplify quick combo chains. It is a class for someone who wants to stay in constant motion, striking weak points and dismantling foes with consecutive attacks.

Attributes per level: (+5 Agility, +3 Strength, +3 Endurance, +3 Perception, +2 Lethality, +2 Vitality, +2 Free Points)

Luke read through each option slowly. He actually took a moment to study them, weighing every detail. He couldn’t pretend he wasn’t excited. Of course he was. The system could be brutal at times, but there was still a kind of magic in it. Not the literal kind. More like the feeling of playing a game, when clearing a stage triggers that little spark of reward in your brain. Maybe that was the point. Maybe the system was built exactly like a game to push people forward, to make progress feel addictive.

But after a long breath, Luke closed Angie’s interface.

For a moment she just stared at him, puzzled.

“My lord, what’s wrong?” she asked.

She watched him with open expectation.

Luke had never intended for Angie to become his servant. He’d wanted Angelica to move on, not be tied to him.

“In the past, when I offered you the chance to be my servant, it wasn’t out of some noble impulse to free you,” he admitted. “I wanted you fighting at my side.”

“I know,” Angie replied softly. “And I don’t care. You still offered me your hand, and I accepted it.”

He rubbed the back of his neck, trying to form a coherent thought. Angie was stubbornly resolute, countering every concern without hesitation. Either she wasn’t listening at all… or she was thinking several steps ahead of him. Knowing how sharp she was, the second option felt a lot more likely.

“Angie, I did want you fighting beside me, that’s true,” he tried to clarify. “But that was so you could help me escape the tutorial. Now that I’m out, there’s no reason for us to continue this. So you’re free.”

Her expression shifted. Even though her skin was gray stone, he could see the subtle micro movements of her face. The bond between them carried the rest. First came confusion at what he’d said… then a painful spike of disappointment. Not disappointment in him, but in herself.

“You didn’t like any of the class options, did you?” she whispered, her voice wobbling. “I’m sorry, my lord. I promise I’ll find a way to prove my worth. I’ll fight harder.”

Great. He had made everything worse. She’d misread him entirely, and now he looked like some callous jerk.

Luke, what a horrible man you are, Artemis muttered in the back of his mind.

“It’s not that, Angie,” he said quickly. “You spent your whole existence chained to something. I don’t want to be another chain for you.”

She opened her mouth, but he cut her off before she could twist his words again.

“And Angelica was special. She was a friend. Part of me feels like I’m stealing her freedom, too. So, let’s slow down. I need to figure out the Angelica problem first. What does that mean for you now?”

Angie stood abruptly, the blanket falling from her shoulders to the floor.

“I don’t want a different path,” she said. “I want to go wherever you go.”

He looked away again, refusing to meet the sight of her bare skin. “I know, I know.”

Angie picked the blanket from the floor and wrapped it around herself. “But I’m not naive, or foolish, or dependent. I understand your situation, my lord. Out there, people would be shocked to see Angelica from Haven alive again. A thousand questions would follow. And of course you want to keep the existence of a Stone Angel hidden. I draw attention just by existing.”

She gathered the fabric tighter around her shoulders. “Unfortunately, I no longer have the memories I once had when I was the angel. During the fusion with Angelica’s soul fragment, I chose to preserve more of her memories than my own, out of respect for this body, and for your feelings toward her.”

Silence settled for a moment before she lifted her gaze to his.

“But from the little I remember, and from Angelica’s knowledge of the system, the multiverse, and everything I learned while living inside your soul these past months, I realized my race comes from an ancient lineage. A race that no longer exists. And even in a multiverse filled with countless lifeforms, species older than galaxies and species born yesterday, even then, a Stone Angel returning to existence would draw attention.”