The desert winds howled across the barren wastelands as Kael, Nira, and the little orphan girl—now permanently bonded as Kin—emerged from the Sanctum. Behind them, the once-hidden temple sealed itself with a thunderous boom, vanishing beneath a dune that looked no different from the rest.
Kael's steps were heavy but determined.
With the Core's blessing now sealed into his soul, he could feel the world shift around him—subtle pulses in the mana network, whispers of power, and an ancient awareness that slumbered within the bones of the land.
He was no longer just a necromancer.He was now a Death Warden, heir to the Supreme Path.
And that meant responsibilities far beyond his desert village.
[System Alert: New Passive Skill Unlocked!]Passive: Soul Vortex – All nearby fallen enemies grant +5% extra XP and have a 10% chance to generate a Soul Fragment.Soul Fragments can be used to enhance Undead Units or to reduce summoning cooldowns.
Their journey back to the village was quiet, but tension simmered in Kael's mind. With the Trial complete and his powers enhanced, other Lords would begin to take notice—if they hadn't already.
Sure enough, the moment the village appeared on the horizon, a plume of smoke greeted them.
Kael's expression darkened. "Prepare yourself."
Nira unsheathed her dagger-staff. "Who's stupid enough to attack your land now?"
Kael closed his eyes.
[System Scan: Initiated]Detected: Encroachment by Lesser Lord – Name: Varnus the RavagerClass: Beastmancer | Troop Type: Feral Hyenas [Common] | Strength: Moderate | Motivation: Scouting RaidDefense Status: Minimal resistance – Village Guard Strength: 2/10Recommendation: Immediate Intervention Required
He opened his eyes, filled with killing intent.
"Someone who just made the worst mistake of their life."
They arrived just outside the village to find a pack of rabid hyenas clawing at the makeshift palisades. Smoke poured from a burning shack. Villagers screamed as a tall man with bone piercings and a whip barked orders from atop a mutated lizard mount.
Kael didn't wait.
He raised his hand—and from beneath the sand, skeletal arms erupted.
[System Skill: Summon Undead Battalion – Activated]You have summoned: Bone Blades ×15 | Grave Archers ×10Bonus Applied: Supreme Death Warden + Black Sun's Oath – All units summoned with +10% ATK and +15% Loyalty.Summoning Cooldown: 15 Minutes
The tide turned immediately.
Kael's undead surged forward in tight formation, intercepting the hyenas and driving them back. Arrows laced with necrotic energy rained from above, picking off riders one by one.
Varnus turned in surprise, eyes wide as Kael walked forward, dark cloak billowing in the wind.
"You—you're the Lord of this miserable pit?"
Kael raised his staff.
"I am Kael. Death Warden of the Black Sun. And you've trespassed on my domain."
[System Notification: Enemy Lord Identified – PvP Mode Engaged]Do you wish to initiate Lord Duel with Varnus the Ravager?
[YES][NO]
Kael: "Yes."
At once, the desert shimmered. A translucent dome of energy formed around the battlefield, isolating both Lords and locking them in combat range. The villagers and Nira watched from outside the barrier.
Varnus howled, releasing his feral aura as dozens more hyenas appeared beside him.
"Let's see your skeletons handle real teeth!"
Kael extended his hand calmly.
[System Skill: Domain of Eternal Reaping – Activated]Effect: Reduces enemy vitality within the domain by 15% per second. Undead units regenerate 5% HP per second.Duration: 60 Seconds | Cooldown: 30 Minutes
The battlefield turned in an instant.
The air grew cold, oppressive. Varnus' beasts whimpered as their bodies began to decay mid-charge. Bone Blades darted between them, severing tendons and throats with inhuman precision.
Kael advanced, his aura spreading like wildfire.
He locked eyes with the enemy Lord. "Your class is wrong for this battlefield."
Varnus screamed and launched a barrage of bone spikes from his mutated whip. Kael deflected them with a gesture.
Then he pointed at the earth.
A massive skeletal serpent burst from the sand, jaws wide.
[System Skill: Summon Elite – Bone Wyrm]Unit Type: Elite Undead Construct – Tier 2Abilities: Sand Burial, Skeletal Coil, Essence DrainLoyalty: 100% | Growth: StableCooldown: 1 Hour
The Bone Wyrm lunged, wrapped around Varnus' mount, and crushed it in a shower of blood and dust. The Ravager fell, shrieking, before Kael stood over him.
"Mercy!" Varnus begged. "Spare me—I'll retreat—"
Kael's gaze was emotionless.
"I already gave you your mercy. When I let you speak."
With a single strike from his staff, the Ravager's chest caved in. He disintegrated into ash.
[System Alert: Lord Varnus Defeated]+1200 XP Gained+5 Soul Fragments AcquiredYou have gained: Territory Control Token – Tier FYou have gained: Beast Enslavement Whip [Rare]New Trait Unlocked: Ash Sovereign – All enemies within your controlled lands have -5% morale.
The barrier fell.
Kael turned to the stunned villagers. He raised his staff.
"This land is under my protection. No one will fall while I still draw breath."
The villagers dropped to their knees, many crying. Children emerged from hiding and clung to Nira, who held her brother's hand proudly.
Kael saw her smile and nodded.
He knew this was just the beginning.
[System Alert: New Sub-Quest Unlocked]Sub-Quest: Build the Foundations of Your Capital
Construct Main Command Hall
Establish Graveyard Nexus
Assign Nira to Fusion Research Facility
Recruit 3 New Troop Variants
Rewards:
Capital Naming Rights
Fusion Upgrade Core
Passive Skill: Blackstone Authority
Kael turned back toward the smoldering horizon.
It was time to build not just a village—but a kingdom.
A domain born from ash, bone, and vengeance.