The forty-third dusk descended over Kael El's domain, a violet-gold inferno fading into a blood-red haze across a 3,606-square-kilometer empire—seventeen territories fused into a relentless sprawl of forest, plains, mesa, desert, swamp, jungle, tundra, crypt, and molten wastes. The major city loomed behind the southern battlefield, its 90+ buildings a fortress of glowing Mist Cores, forges roaring as 1,688,000 subjects clashed in a symphony of steel and screams. Kael stood at the battle's heart, the Stormforged Blade dripping crimson, EX: Dragonflame Reaver a molten torch, Stormhide Armor fractured but unyielding. His flirty smirk cut through the ash, a cool dominance radiating as he flexed EX: Arctic Packmaster, frost wolves howling—Kryn's siege engines groaned under fire, Elynn's riders faltered, and he reveled in the chaos.
Day 43. Engines burn, iron bends—time to snap 'em. His dark eyes burned with unwavering confidence, pride a blazing forge beneath his chill exterior. One-point-six million souls, 3,606 sq. km, and a Champion Lord's might—Zara led at 65, but Kael's 109,034 stats and hidden EX: 10,000x Multiplier were his blade. They're crumbling—I'm rising.
A sharp ding pierced the cacophony, the system panel flaring amid the clash of war.
"Day 43: Post-Peace Period. Territory Level: 4 – Champion Lord. Territory Size: 3,606 sq. km. Population: 1,688,000 Subjects. Food Stock: 11 Days. Resource Yield: +75% (Lv. 4 Bonus). Resources: 100,000/250,000 for Lv. 4 Completion. Summon Limit: 15/Day. Territory Lv. 5 Conditions: Reach Level 90, Sprawling Kingdom (200+ buildings) [90/200], Defeat 50,000-stat Beast/Lord [Pending], 1,000,000 Resources [100,000/1M], 50,000 Gold/Month [4,000/50,000], Army of 2,000 Elite [Met]."
"Lord Nexus Leaderboard: 1. Zara (65), 2. Kryn (60), 3. Elynn (59), 4. Torva (58), 5. Rynne (57), 6. Vex (56), 7. Myra (55), 8. Kael El (51), 9. Dorn (53), 10. Lyra (52)."
Kael's smirk widened, a playful edge glinting through the blood and soot on his face. "Zara's at 65—Kryn and Elynn are bleeding out. Eighth's my spark—I'll torch the top." Nexus chatter roared: "Kael's at Lv. 4—engines are toast,""Kryn's iron's failing—Zara's still king." His talents stayed shadowed—summons whispered, but the multiplier was his ace.
The battlefield stretched three kilometers now, a hellscape of fire, steel, and wind. Kryn's 150,000 steel legion clung to life, SSS: Iron Will a fading bulwark—80,000 dead piled in ash. Elynn's 140,000 wind riders circled, SSS: Wind Dance a desperate gust—60,000 fallen stained the sky. Kael's 1.4 million roared, Drayce's glaives reaping, Tora's fists crushing, Veyna's wolves tearing, dragons scorching—five siege engines remained, three catapults hurling boulders, two trebuchets firing javelins.
Kryn bellowed, Level 60, 70,000 stats waning—his mace swung, a steel gale smashing the earth. "You're done, glitch!" Kael blurred with EX: Stormwing Prime, sidestepping—the ground split, a crater smoking. He countered with EX: Magma Fury, a molten slash howling—50,000 damage seared Kryn's side, armor melting into flesh, a guttural scream tearing free. Kryn stumbled, mace crashing—Kael rolled, dust exploding, and thrust the Stormforged Blade—steel pierced Kryn's chest, ribs cracking, blood flooding as Kryn gasped, eyes wild.
Elynn swooped, Level 59, 65,000 stats flickering—her wind spear spun a vortex, riders diving. "Kael, fall!" she shrieked, spear slashing—wind ripped the air, a sonic boom shattering stone. Kael parried with the reaver, sparks flaring, and unleashed EX: Thunder Barrage—forty storm lances blasted upward, 40,000 damage shredding her rear guard. Riders plummeted, violet feathers and blood raining—Elynn thrust, wind grazing Kael's arm—EX: Nosferatu Prime flared, wounds sealing, crimson pulsing. He lashed EX: Forest Reaper, vines surging—thorny tendrils snared her steed's wings, dragging it earthward. She cut free, wind tearing vines, but Kael roared—EX: Glacial Roar erupted, a sonic wave slamming her into a boulder, her spear snapping.
The siege engines fired—boulders smashed Drayce's line, a hundred crushed, blood pooling. Javelins rained, piercing fifty—Kael growled, raising the reaver—EX: Volcanic Tsunami surged, lava flooding—10,000 damage melted a catapult, steel warping, crews incinerated in shrieks. Veyna's wolves leapt, frost fangs ripping trebuchet crews—dragons dove, fire and ice torching another, wood splintering into ash. Elys's lightning cracked, a bolt frying a catapult's frame—gears seized, steel groaning as it collapsed.
Kryn rallied, mace trembling—Kael met him, blades clashing—EX: Vitality Reaper pulsed, stealing 10,000 health, Kryn's knees buckling. A boulder sailed—Kael dodged, earth exploding, and slashed—Kryn's arm hung limp, blood gushing. Tora charged, fists a blur—Kryn's guard shattered, ribs snapping as she roared, "Mine!" Kael grinned, spinning—EX: Tempest Maelstrom erupted, a sandstorm blinding the field—15,000 damage tore riders, sand flaying skin.
Drayce carved through steel, glaive a bloody cyclone—War Surge flared, his 400,000 surging, shields crumpling. Veyna's arrows pierced rider throats, wolves mauling—dragons torched the last trebuchet, flames roaring. Kael's girls fought as one—Lyra's violet blasts vaporized steel, Rhea and Fyra burned riders, Jace's traps snared engines, Seryn reaped, Borv and Dorn held, Zyra and Zane sliced, Ryn and Syla pierced, Ragna bled foes, Vark's beasts tore.
The last catapult fired—Kael charged, EX: Seismic Rupture splitting the earth—5,000 damage cracked its base, steel buckling. He leapt, reaver slashing—50,000 damage from EX: Magma Fury melted it, crews screaming as lava consumed. Engines gone, Kryn's 130,000 faltered, Elynn's 120,000 reeled—200,000 dead littered the wastes.
Kael stood amidst ruin, blood-slicked but towering. "Kryn, Elynn—your tide's broken. Finish it?" Kryn coughed blood, mace slipping—Elynn clutched her side, riders circling. Kael laughed, blades raised—war was his, and he'd claim it all.
Lena's voice crackled: "Lord, 95 buildings—resources at 100,000. Outer line's patched—inner wall's next."
Kael wiped blood from his smirk, voice a teasing growl. "Lena, you're my steel—push to 100 buildings, fortify. Tide's mine." He called his girls, dodging a stray spear. "Ladies, 250,000 left—Kryn's cracking, Elynn's wind's weak. Thoughts?"
Tora smirked, fists bloody. "End Kryn—I'll crush his skull."
Veyna notched. "Riders next—wolves'll ground 'em."
Elys sparked. "Lightning's ready—Elynn's done."
Kael's laugh shook the dusk. "Tora, take him. Veyna, clip 'em. Elys, fry 'em—I'm eighth, but 100's my crown. Let's bury this war."
The field trembled—Kryn rallied his last, Elynn's riders dove. Kael raised his blades, eyes blazing—victory was his forge, and he'd hammer it shut.
POV Shift: Lord Elynn
Elynn gripped her broken spear, riders halved—Level 59 fading, 120,000 clinging. "He's unstoppable—Kryn, we're done!" Her SSS: Wind Dance faltered, Kael's storms overwhelming. Zara's 65—I'm finished.
Tracker (Summarized)
Level/Rank: 51, Champion Lord (Mid Tier)
XP: 1,009,451,564/2,202,995,798
Stats: 109,034 (Str: 36,345, Spd: 36,345, Aura: 36,344)
Territory: Lv. 4, 3,606 sq. km, 100,000/250,000 resources
Population: 1,688,000
Powers: 9 EX Skills (Seismic Rupture, Magma Fury, etc.)
Bloodlines: 6 + Devourer Blood (+10,534 stats)
Talents: SSS: 100% Drop Rate, EX: 10,000x Multiplier, 15 EX Talents—secret
Harem: 28 girls
Recent Gains: +5,000 Resources, +5 Buildings