Transmigrated into a cannon fodder character destined to die miserably in a game world, I was relieved to discover that the game mechanics still worked.

As long as I “captured” a target, I could share their talents and abilities.

“Perfect! I’ll freeload off their power, one after another, until I become the world’s strongest and ascend to godhood!”

And so, I extended a hand to a shunned, despised “dragon-blooded half-breed”, telling the broken princess that I was willing to share a life with her.

I guided the blood-hungry beast struggling under the shadow of her lineage, telling the wolf-eared knight that I was willing to face destiny’s challenges together.

I embraced the sin-stained Lord of Extinction, the calamity of the future, telling the lonely demon that I was willing to bear endless sin by her side.

...

Yet on the eve of my ascension, I was dragged back down, hard.

“You promised we’d be together forever...”

“Was our contract... a lie?”

“Liar. Were you just deceiving me all along?”

They beat me to my knees.

Were they going to make me their slave?

Facing an unimaginable dead-end, my iron-blooded, power-hungry heart sank into despair.

“All I ever wanted was their power... that’s all!”