The alley was too warm.
Not from sunlight—there wasn't any down here—but from something humid, metallic, and pulsing in the air. Sai Ji's wolf ears twitched, catching the deep bass rumble from somewhere below the city streets.
Thump… thump… thump…
A heartbeat?
No.
Music.
His claws clicked lightly against the cobblestone as he followed the scent trail—sweet perfume, sweat, faint traces of arousal, and under it all… blood.
"What is this place…?" he muttered.
His two NPC bodyguards walked beside him, silent as shadows. They had insisted this route was the fastest way back to the guild.
They forgot to mention it led straight into a forbidden zone.
A neon sign flickered above a rusted metal door:
「LUPUS DEN — 18+ PLAYER ZONE」
Sai froze.
His tail stiffened.
His heart didn't just sink—it sprinted away entirely.
"Wait—WAIT—this is an adult area? Why are we—?"
But the door opened before he could finish.
Warm red light spilled out. Thick smoke curled into the alley. Music blasted at him so hard his fur vibrated.
And then she stepped into view.
Long legs. Bare midriff. Silver hair tied in a messy high ponytail. A black velvet collar around her neck with a tiny glowing tag: NPC — Entertainer Class.
Her eyes widened.
Her lips parted.
"…My king?"
Sai's ears shot up.
"N–No—no no, I'm not here for—this is a misunderstanding—!"
But she had already dropped to one knee, head bowed, exposing the pale line of her throat.
Behind her, dancers moved around poles made of glowing crystal. Players lounged in booths, some drunk, some flirting, some clearly here for more than drinks. A few glanced toward the entrance.
And when they saw Sai's massive werewolf frame, their whispers broke like sparks.
"Is that… a mod skin?"
"No way. That's ultra-rare…"
"Holy hell, he's huge."
The dancer lifted her gaze again, eyes shimmering.
"Your aura… it's overwhelming. Please, my king—come inside. Let us… honor you."
Sai's tail curled around his leg like it wanted to flee the scene independently.
"I—I don't need honoring! I'm not— I didn't come for— I don't even know how any of this works!"
But his bodyguards bowed deeply.
"Your Majesty," Fern said calmly, "this establishment is known to offer information, loyalty… and other services."
"I don't want other services!" Sai hissed.
Too late.
The dancer slid forward, close enough that he could feel the heat of her breath against his abdomen. Her fingers lightly brushed his fur—
And it was too real.
Too warm.
Too intimate.
"A king's instincts should not be restrained," she whispered. "If you desire, I can show—"
Sai jerked back so hard he almost hit the wall.
"N–NO. I'm just here for information!"
Her smile curled, sultry and knowing.
"Then information you shall receive… but in here."
She stood, turned, and walked back into the club with a sway so deliberate it had to be part of her programmed animation set. Or maybe she was just naturally dangerous.
Sai swallowed.
His wolf instincts whispered hunger.
Not for food.
Not for violence.
…Something else entirely.
He shook his head violently.
"Nope. No. I'm not catching feelings for AI dancers. I refuse."
But the scent of her perfume hooked into him again, dragging him forward like invisible chains. Without realizing, his claws were already scratching the floor as he stepped inside.
The door slammed shut behind him.
Instantly the club's vision system pinged him:
「SPECIAL STATUS DETECTED — WEREWOLF KING NPC」
「PRIORITY TREATMENT ENABLED」
Every dancer in the room turned toward him.
Every gaze locked on his body.
And the silver-haired one whispered behind him—
"Welcome to the Den, my king…
Let us see what you truly hunger for."
As the club swallowed him whole, heat, perfume, and sweat trickled down velvet shadows. It was all he could see, smell, and hear from every angle.
The air pulsed with bass that thumped directly into his ribs, syncing with his heartbeat until he didn't know where his pulse ended and the music began.
The silver-haired dancer led him deeper inside, her steps slow, graceful… predatory.
As if he were the prey, not the beast.
Her voice was honey-sweet when she spoke:
"Forgive the stares, my king. We have never had royalty step through our doors."
"S–Stop calling me that," Sai muttered.
He tried to look at anything except her hips, her back, her everything.
But she kept glancing over her shoulder with half-lidded eyes, knowing exactly what his instincts reacted to.
They passed a booth where two mid-level players froze mid-drink, jaws dropping.
"Bro… that's the wolf…"
"The one the guild bounties are about?"
"Wait—why is he in a strip club?!"
Sai's ears flattened.
"I. AM. NOT. HERE. FOR. THAT."
But the dancer only giggled softly.
She reached out and took his wrist gently—just two fingers brushing his fur.
And his entire body jolted.
Electric.
Real.
Dangerous.
She stopped in front of a private velvet booth lit by dim amethyst lights.
"Please sit, my king."
Her tone didn't ask. It invited. Commanded.
Like a warm hand pulling him into a dream he didn't trust.
Sai hesitated… then slowly lowered himself into the wide booth seat.
It was softer than clouds.
It swallowed his massive wolf body in plush cushions that hugged him from all sides.
He did not like how good that felt.
The dancer stepped in close, her scent a mix of jasmine and moonlit frost. She leaned down until her lips hovered near his ear.
"Your energy is shaking the room," she whispered. "Your instincts are waking. Don't be afraid of them."
"I—I'm not afraid," Sai lied.
Her fingertips traced the edge of his jaw fur, slow, testing his reaction.
He froze.
He couldn't even blink.
"Sai Ji…" she whispered.
He stiffened.
"How do you know my name?"
She smiled.
"Your aura. Your bloodline. And your status screen floats above you for NPCs."
Sai nearly choked.
She slid into the booth beside him, crossing her legs with a fluid, suggestive grace that made every neuron in his brain fire warning alarms.
"Tell me…" she said softly.
"What does the Wolf King seek?"
Sai swallowed.
"I just… need information. That's it."
"Mmm. Then I'll give you more than information."
Her hand lightly touched his thigh.
Sai nearly levitated.
Before he could object, she leaned closer, breath warm on his neck.
"You're resisting. That's adorable."
"I'm NOT— resisting— I just— this isn't— I don't—"
She giggled again. A wicked, playful sound that stirred something primal deep inside him.
"Relax," she whispered. "Let me show you how to enjoy this world you're trapped in."
He didn't trust her.
He didn't trust himself.
But her touch…
He felt the beast inside him stir, stretching, pressing against his ribs like it wanted to claim someone.
He clenched his claws into the velvet, trying to breathe through the heat rising through his chest.
"Can… can I at least get a drink first?" he managed.
Her eyes sparkled.
"As you wish… my king."
She signaled a bartender NPC with a flick of her fingers.
A shimmering cerulean drink was brought over—cold, glowing faintly with magical energy, steam curling off the surface.
Sai lifted it.
For the first time since entering the club…
He was actually starting to feel—
comfortable.
Relaxed.
Tempted.
He took a slow sip.
The liquid hit his tongue—
And at that exact moment, every light in the club flickered red.
A deafening, metallic voice boomed across the world:
"GLOBAL ALERT: SOVEREIGN ENTITY DETECTED"
"IDENTITY: WEREWOLF KING — AWAKENED"
"ALL PLAYERS: PREPARE FOR WORLD EVENT"
Sai choked on his drink.
The dancer froze.
The entire club went silent.
Then—
BOOM.
The far wall exploded inward.
A squad of armored players stormed in, weapons drawn, eyes locked on Sai.
"THERE!"
"THE SOVEREIGN!"
"GET THE KING!"
Sai's pupils shrank to razor slits.
The drink slipped from his hand.
And the beast inside him finally snapped its chains.