The Throne of Shadows
Deep within the Abyss, where the very fabric of reality twisted and howled in agony, a colossal throne of blackened bone and writhing souls loomed over an endless void. Atop it sat Zar'akh, the Abyssal Emperor, his form barely distinguishable from the darkness itself.
Before him, the Abyssal Lords stood in silence. Each was a being of immense power, rulers of their own domains within the Abyss, yet all of them bowed before the Emperor.
The air throbbed with malice, and the remnants of the Abyssal Specter's defeat were displayed before them in a swirling pool of void energy.
"The First King resisted the curse," Zar'akh murmured, his voice like a thousand whispers layered atop one another. "And now, the Administrator has interfered directly."
A figure cloaked in shadows, Lord Mordrax, stepped forward. "Then we must strike harder. The specter was merely an experiment, yet it still rattled their defenses. If we send a legion—"
"—They will be ready," Zar'akh interrupted. His burning gaze fell upon another lord, Lady Nyzara, whose body was composed of shifting black mist, her eyes glowing with eerie crimson light.
"You have studied the System, have you not?" Zar'akh asked.
Nyzara bowed slightly, her voice a sinuous whisper. "Yes, my Emperor. The Administrator is more than a mere overseer. He can alter reality itself, strengthening his chosen champions. But even he has limits."
Zar'akh's grin widened, revealing jagged fangs. "Then we shall push him to those limits."
He lifted one clawed hand, and the void trembled.
A vast army began to materialize in the darkness.
Thousands of twisted, abyssal creatures knelt before their emperor, their soulless eyes gleaming.
"This time," Zar'akh declared, "we march with an army of destruction."
And with that, the Abyssal War had truly begun.
Leon's Countermeasure
Meanwhile, back in Astralis, Leon's interface continued to flash warnings.
─── [System Alert] ───
Abyssal Lords are preparing for a large-scale assault.
Abyssal Troops Estimated: 50,000+
Time Until Invasion: 72 Hours.
Leon's expression darkened.
"They're coming in force."
The First King, still recovering from the previous battle, clenched his fist. "Then we must prepare. If war is inevitable, we will meet them on the battlefield."
Leon's mind raced. A direct confrontation was too risky.
Even with the Administrator's powers, he couldn't simply spawn an army overnight.
But what he could do… was change the battlefield itself.
Leon's fingers moved swiftly, accessing his Administrator Authority.
[System Modification: Fortify Astralis with Divine Barriers and Abyssal Resistance.]
[System Enhancement: Increase Soldier Proficiency by 200%.]
[System Expansion: Unlock Tier-2 System Blessings for Chosen Champions.]
A sudden golden shockwave spread through the city.
Across Astralis, knights and warriors felt their strength increase, their weapons glowing with divine energy.
The city walls thickened, imbued with anti-Abyssal runes.
And deep within the capital, a mysterious altar began to pulse with energy.
Leon wasn't just defending Astralis.
He was turning it into a fortress.
The Gathering Storm
The First King stood before his army. Thousands of elite knights, battle-hardened warriors, and mystic sorcerers gathered in the city square.
"We do not fight for survival alone," the king declared, his voice echoing across the city. "We fight to prove that the Abyss does not control our fate!"
The soldiers roared in response, their morale bolstered by Leon's divine intervention.
And in the depths of the Abyss, Zar'akh smiled.
"The game has begun, Administrator."
And with a single, whispered command—
The Abyssal Army began their march.
War was upon them.
The March of the Abyss
The Abyssal Invasion Begins
The sky over Astralis darkened unnaturally as the first signs of the Abyssal invasion began to manifest. The very air hummed with malice, and a deep, resonant rumble echoed from the horizon.
Leon's interface pulsed with urgent warnings.
─── [System Alert] ───
Abyssal Forces Detected: 75,000+
Abyssal Generals: 3 Confirmed
Time Until Contact: 12 Hours
Leon's gaze hardened. They had less time than expected.
The First King stood at his side, gripping his divine sword. "Then we must strike first before they reach the city walls."
Leon nodded, issuing new system modifications at once.
[System Command: Activate Preemptive Assault Strategy]
[System Command: Deploy Advanced Scouting Units]
Throughout Astralis, messenger birds and magical scouts took flight.
The first sightings of the Abyssal Army were reported an hour later.
A vast, shadowy legion marched across the desolate plains leading to Astralis. Towering Abyssal Beasts with jagged, obsidian-like armor stomped alongside demonic soldiers, their eyes glowing with endless hunger.
Above them, black-winged horrors patrolled the skies, their screeches causing plague-like decay wherever they passed.
And at the front of the army, three figures stood tall.
The Abyssal Generals.
The Abyssal Generals Arrive
The first was Lord Vhaelor, the Warlord of Ruin.
A massive, seven-foot-tall warrior, clad in armor forged from the bones of fallen gods. His massive war axe pulsed with abyssal energy, capable of shattering mountains with a single swing.
The second was Duchess Sylvaine, the Mistress of Shadows.
A sorceress whose very form flickered between existence and nothingness. Cloaked in shifting darkness, she controlled the power of void magic, able to erase anything she touched.
The third was General Skarnoth, the Plaguebringer.
A grotesque, half-decayed abomination, his body crawling with abyssal parasites. Every step he took poisoned the land, and his breath alone was enough to kill lesser beings.
From his throne in the Abyss, Zar'akh observed through the void, his twisted grin widening.
"Let them witness true despair," he whispered.
With a simple command—
The Abyssal Army charged toward Astralis.
Leon's Counterattack
Leon immediately issued new system commands, pushing his abilities to the limit.
[System Reinforcement: Deploy Anti-Abyssal Spell Cannons]
[System Command: Activate Divine Artillery]
[System Expansion: Unlock Tier-3 Combat Enhancements for Chosen Defenders]
Atop Astralis' walls, massive, golden cannons materialized, powered by divine energy. Elite archers, infused with Leon's divine blessing, took position, their arrows glowing with radiant power.
And at the gates, the First King and his royal guard stood ready.
The battle for Astralis was about to begin.
The First Clash
The Abyssal Army reached the battlefield, their monstrous roars shaking the ground.
Leon gave the order.
"FIRE!"
The divine artillery unleashed a devastating volley, golden energy raining down like meteors. Entire squads of abyssal demons were obliterated in an instant, their forms turning to ash.
The Abyssal Beasts shrieked, some falling as holy lances pierced their bodies.
But even as thousands of abyssal creatures perished, more surged forward, their blood fueling the ever-growing Abyssal Corruption.
Lord Vhaelor laughed, his war axe absorbing the divine energy as if it were nothing.
"Pathetic," he growled, lunging toward the gates.
The First King met him head-on, their weapons clashing in a blinding explosion of power.
High above, Duchess Sylvaine vanished into the darkness, bypassing the battlefield entirely.
Her destination?
The palace—where Leon himself resided.
Leon's First True Battle
A pulse of danger erupted in Leon's system.
─── [System Alert: Hostile Intruder Detected!] ───
Duchess Sylvaine has infiltrated the inner sanctum!
Engagement is unavoidable.
Leon clenched his fists.
For the first time since arriving in this world…
He would have to fight for his own survival.
The battle for Astralis had truly begun.