The twenty-ninth dawn blazed over Kael El's domain, a fierce violet-gold sky igniting the citadel and its twelve territories with a relentless glow. Korran's desert stronghold shimmered west, its glassed dunes now a fortified bastion under Mara's iron hand, while 230,000 subjects churned—warriors hammering sand-forged steel, mages weaving storm runes, and dragons dominating the skies under EX: Dragon Sovereign. Kael stood atop the citadel's storm-wreathed spire, the Stormforged Blade in one hand, EX: Dragonflame Reaver blazing, Stormhide Armor humming with power. His flirty smirk gleamed, a cool dominance radiating as he unleashed EX: Tempest Maelstrom, a swirling sandstorm tearing across the plains, shredding a training dummy into dust.
Day 29. Lv. 4's cap's close—time to grind for 5. His dark eyes burned with unwavering confidence, a quiet pride simmering beneath his chill exterior. Two hundred thirty thousand souls, twelve territories, and a Mighty Lord's might—his peers languished at Level 35 with a fraction of his 7,500 stats; Kael was a titan at Level 39, skills warping the world. They're worms—I'm the tempest. Territory Lv. 5's next.
A sharp ding pierced the morning roar, the system panel flaring up.
"Day 29: Post-Peace Period. Territory Level: 4. Population: 230,027 Subjects. Food Stock: 1 Day Remaining. Resource Yield: +25% (Lv. 4 Bonus). Summon Limit: 15/Day. Territory Lv. 5 Conditions: Conquer 15 nearby territories [12/15], 100,000 resources [23,750/100,000], Reach Mighty Lord rank [Met]."
Kael's smirk widened, a playful edge cutting through the tension. "One day of food? I'll hunt a feast." His calm under pressure was unshakable—Lv. 4's cap at 50 loomed, and Lv. 5 demanded a grind: three more territories, 76,250 resources. Close to the cap, huh? Let's stack it.
Gavrin hustled over, ledger stuffed. "Lord Kael, desert loot's in—fifty sandstones, twenty hides, dune claws. Resources at 25,000."
Kael clapped his shoulder, winking. "Gavrin, you're my vault. Forge the hides—armor up." Gavrin nodded, scribbling, and Kael turned to the Summoning Altar, its Mana Crystal pulsing with Lv. 4 fury. Twelve summons left. Let's add muscle.
He pressed a hand to the crystal, voice smooth and teasing. "Alright, gorgeous, give me a berserker."
The altar flared, and a twenty-eighth figure emerged—a hulking woman with a double-headed axe, scars crisscrossing her arms. She knelt, voice a growl. "Lord Kael, I am Ragna. Perk: Frenzy Strike – +50% attack speed, bleed damage."
Kael's grin turned protective yet playful. "Ragna, huh? A beast's gold. Rage with Gorv—tear 'em apart." She rose with a nod, axe gleaming, and the system blared.
"SSS Talent Triggered: 100% Drop Rate. Additional Summon: 1 Subject. EX Talent: 10,000x Multiplier Applied. Quantity Enhanced: 10,000 Subjects."
The spire quaked as 10,000 more figures materialized—berserkers, warriors, scouts—swelling his ranks to 240,000. A man with "Blood Fury" roared, a woman with "Sand Cleaver" swung wildly, and thousands roared allegiance. Kael laughed, a deep, carefree rumble. Two-forty? I'm a damn avalanche.
"Berserkers, with Ragna!" he barked, his cool dominance slicing through the chaos. "Warriors, with Tora. Scouts, with Veyna. Move!"
By midday, Veyna returned with hunters, dragging three dune boars. "Lord, food's at three days. South's got a Level 36 lord—Klyve, swamp fort, five hundred troops, SS-tier talent."
Kael twirled his reaver, grinning. "Veyna, you're my hawk. Swamps? I'll dry 'em out." He triggered EX: Volcanic Tsunami, lava surging—sand fused into glass beneath him. Erynn's trick's a beast.
He rallied the crew—Lira, Sylvi, Veyna, Mara, Elys, Nyra, Tora, Lysa, Seryn, Borv, Vira, Rhea, Korr, Thryn, Elyra, Mira, Gorv, Zyra, Ryn, Lyra, Dorn, Fyra, Zane, Ragna—by the spire. "Lv. 5's grind's on—Klyve's swamp is next, Level 36, five hundred grunts, SS-tier. Elys and Lyra blast, Rhea and Fyra burn, Tora and Gorv smash, Jace traps, Seryn ambushes, Borv and Dorn tank, Zyra and Zane flank, Ryn snipes, Ragna rages, dragons dive. I'm on Klyve. Clear?"
Ragna hefted her axe. "Blood's my fuel—I'll rip 'em."
Kael winked. "Ragna, you're my fury. Shred 'em." Eighty thousand marched south, Kael at the fore, dragons overhead. The swamp loomed—muddy waters, vine walls, Klyve atop in slick armor, his SS-tier SS: Mire Sovereign (+75% swamp control) thickening the mire.
Kael smirked, raising his reaver. "Elys, Lyra—hit it!"
Elys's lightning scorched vines, steam rising. Lyra's violet blasts shattered defenses, purple cutting through green. Rhea and Fyra burned the mire, flames evaporating water. Tora and Gorv smashed walls, Jace's traps snared, Seryn reaped, Borv and Dorn held, Zyra and Zane sliced, Ryn's arrows pierced, and Ragna's axe bled foes dry. Dragons torched the swamp, ash falling. Kael unleashed EX: Tempest Maelstrom, a sandstorm ripping through—mud hardened, troops choked.
Kael charged Klyve, who summoned a mire wave. "Sink, fool!" Klyve roared. Kael countered with EX: Seismic Rupture, splitting the swamp—mud drained. He slashed—the reaver melted armor—and stabbed, blood pooling.
"Ding! Lord Defeated – Klyve, Level 36. XP: 16,014,674 × 0.1 = 1,601,467 (81,675,817 with EX: EXP Nova). SSS Talent: 100% Drop Rate. Loot: SS: Mire Sovereign (+75% swamp control), Skill: Mire Grasp (Summon binding mud, 150 base damage). EX Talent: 10,000x Multiplier Applied. Quality Enhanced: SS: Mire Sovereign to EX: Bog Emperor (+7,500% swamp control), Mire Grasp to EX: Abyssal Quagmire (15,000 base damage)."
Mud bent to Kael's will, the swamp his domain. He smirked. Swamp's mine now.
The fort fell—four hundred dead, hundred surrendered. Kael stood amidst the ash, relaxed yet commanding. "Mara, fortify. Gavrin, loot."
A final ding rang out.
"Territory Conquered: 13/15 for Lv. 5. XP Gained: 81,675,817. Level Up! Level 39 to Level 43. Stats Increased: +6,000."
Kael grinned, the violet sky rumbling. Klyve's mud's mine. Two more.
POV Shift: Ragna
She swung her axe, her Frenzy Strike a blur, blood painting the swamp. Her lord stood there, smirking, the earth his toy. Two hundred forty thousand, and he's a juggernaut? She'd raged for petty warlords, but Kael's cool confidence, that protective steel, hooked her. I'll bleed for him. He's worth it.
Tracker
Stats
Name: Kael El Level: 42 (XP: 5,294,062/21,504,079 to Level 43) Rank: Mighty Lord (Peak Tier) – 13,500 Total Stats Territory Level: 4 (Requirements for Lv. 5: Conquer 15 territories [13/15], 100,000 resources [25,000/100,000], Mighty Lord [Met]) Strength: 4,500 Speed: 4,500 Aura/Magic: 4,500 Total Combat Stats: 13,500
Powers
EX: Seismic Rupture (Tremor splits earth, 5,000 base damage, acquired Day 26) EX: Volcanic Tsunami (Launch molten wave, 10,000 base damage, acquired Day 27) EX: Tempest Maelstrom (Summon swirling sandstorm, 15,000 base damage, acquired Day 28) EX: Abyssal Quagmire (Summon binding mud, 15,000 base damage, acquired Day 29)
Bloodlines
Human (No effects)
Lord Talents
SSS: 100% Drop Rate EX: 10,000x Drop Multiplier (Triggers on summons, skills) EX: EXP Nova (+5,000% XP gain, acquired Day 12) EX: Mana Ocean (+5,000% mana regen, acquired Day 15) EX: Dragon Sovereign (+5,000% beast control, acquired Day 19) EX: Dragonscale Bastion (+1,500% durability, acquired Day 20) EX: Nature's Dominion (+1,500% terrain defense, acquired Day 23) EX: Stormrider's Reign (+2,500% mounted speed, acquired Day 25) EX: Earthshaper's Will (+5,000% earth control, acquired Day 26) EX: Inferno Core (+5,000% fire resistance, acquired Day 27) EX: Sandstorm Tyrant (+7,500% desert control, acquired Day 28) EX: Bog Emperor (+7,500% swamp control, acquired Day 29)
Harem
Lira, Sylvi, Veyna, Mara, Elys, Nyra, Tora, Lysa, Seryn, Borv, Vira, Rhea, Korr, Thryn, Elyra, Mira, Gorv, Zyra, Ryn, Lyra, Dorn, Fyra, Zane, Ragna
Recent Gains
+10,000 Subjects, +81,675,817 XP, +3 Levels, +6,000 Stats, +EX: Bog Emperor, +EX: Abyssal Quagmire, 1 Territory Conquered, +3 Days Food
Loot Drops
EX: Bog Emperor (Quality Enhanced), EX: Abyssal Quagmire (Quality Enhanced), 10,000 Subjects (Quantity Enhanced)