The fifty-sixth dawn broke cold over Kael El's Ashen Empire, a sharp wind slicing through the 10,906 square kilometers of his dominion. The major city stood at 160 buildings, bone steel and golden turrets gleaming as 2,688,000 subjects fueled the empire's pulse. Kael strode the eastern border, 800 kilometers from his capital, Stormforged Blade in hand, EX: Dragonflame Reaver glowing, Stormhide Armor etched with fresh gold. His flirty smirk flickered, a cool dominance radiating as he scanned the horizon. Rynne's shadows struck, 100,000 strong emerging 500 kilometers east, and Kael burned to crush her ambush.
Day 56. Rynne's shadows nip, I'll snap back. His dark eyes blazed with unwavering confidence, pride a molten core beneath his chill exterior. Two-point-seven million souls, 10,906 square kilometers, Rynne's 63 thinks stealth's her edge. It's her grave. The Nexus roared: "Kael's 63, gold meets shadow!" "Rynne's 63, darkness strikes!" He winked at the dawn. Strike hard, I hit harder.
The system panel flared, crisp and urgent.
"Day 56: Post-Peace Period. Territory Level: 4 – Champion Lord. Territory Size: 10,906 sq. km. Population: 2,688,000 Subjects. Food Stock: 24 Days. Resource Yield: +75% (Lv. 4 Bonus) + 100% (SSS: Resource Lord) + 0.5x (R18 Boost, 6 Days Left). Resources: 340,000/250,000 for Lv. 4 Completion – Excess Banked: 90,000. Summon Limit: 15/Day. Territory Lv. 5 Conditions: Reach Level 90, Sprawling Kingdom (200+ buildings) [160/200], Defeat 50,000-stat Beast/Lord [Met], 1,000,000 Resources [340,000/1M], 50,000 Gold/Month [90,000/50,000 – Met], Army of 2,000 Elite [Met]."
"Lord Nexus Leaderboard: 1. Rynne (63), 2. Vex (61), 3. Myra (59), 4. Lyra (58), 5. Kael El (63), 6. Gavrin (55), 7. Sylth (54), 8. Elynn (53), 9. Torva (Deceased), 10. Zara (Deceased)."
Kael's grin sharpened, a teasing glint sparking. "Rynne's 63 holds first, I'm fifth. Shadows don't scare me." His talents stayed cloaked, EX: 10,000x Multiplier humming, Total Stats at 11,437 a quiet titan.
Veyna raced up, bow taut, wolves snarling. "Lord, Rynne's vanguard, 100,000 strong, 500 kilometers east. Level 25 shadows, 2,000 Stats each, SSS: Shadow Lord cloaking them 'til now. No elites yet."
Kael winked, spinning the reaver. "Veyna, my fang, 100,000's a warmup. Shadows fade in my light." He raised a fist, EX: Dragon Sovereign roaring as dragons circled. Fifteen summons erupted, bone golems and frost wolves surging. "Drayce, frontline. Thora, hold the gold. We crush 'em."
Drayce spurred forward, glaive gleaming as 500,000 warriors marched, 400 gold-clad elite at the tip. "Aye, Lord, shadows break by noon." Thora stayed back, hammer raised, golden turrets bristling along the border.
By mid-morning, Rynne's shadows hit, 100,000 cloaked figures bursting from the haze, Level 25, 2,000 Total Stats each, blades wreathed in darkness. Kael smirked, EX: Gold Reaper pulsing gold, his 11,437 Total Stats towering. The clash erupted, Drayce's elite slashing through, War Surge roaring, 8,000 shadows falling, blades shattering. Bone golems stomped, claws crushing 6,000, dust swirling. Veyna's wolves darted, frost fangs tearing 7,000, arrows piercing shadow cloaks.
Kael charged, EX: Stormwing Prime blurring him to a shadow captain. The captain struck, dark blade flashing, Kael dodged, earth cracking. EX: Volcanic Tsunami surged, 10,000 damage melting 4,000, shadows sizzling into ash. Another swung, Kael parried with the Stormforged Blade, steel screaming, then triggered EX: Vitality Reaper, stealing 10,000 health, 20,000 damage shredding the foe. He laughed, gold dust mixing with shadow.
Dragons dove, fire and ice raining, 10,000 vaporized, ash pooling. Elys's lightning cracked, 9,000 fried, Lyra's violet blasts tore 8,000, Rhea and Fyra torched 7,000. The harem carved, 59,000 dead in an hour, shadows reeling. Rynne's force rallied, 41,000 locking shields, dark tendrils lashing. Kael smirked, EX: Seismic Rupture splitting the ground, 5,000 damage cracking ranks, bone golems smashing 5,000. EX: Ash Reaper spun, 50,000 damage vaporizing 6,000, dust choking.
Golden turrets fired, bolts shredding 5,000, Thora's hammer reinforcing the line. Drayce's glaives reaped 7,000, Veyna's wolves tore 6,000, dragons roared, 83,000 dead by noon, 17,000 scattering. A shadow horn blared, 17,000 regrouping, tendrils coiling. Kael laughed, EX: Thunder Barrage erupting, forty lances blasting 40,000 damage, 10,000 melting. EX: Bone Reaper slashed, 50,000 damage wiping the rest, 100,000 down, shadows gone.
"Ding! XP Gained: 100,000 enemies (Lv. 25, 1,767,922 XP each) × 0.1 × 50 = 883,961,000 XP."
Start: 2,998,033,163 XP at Level 63. Total: 2,998,033,163 + 883,961,000 = 3,881,994,163 XP. To Level 64: 10,822,133,966 - 3,881,994,163 = 6,940,139,803 XP short—stays Level 63.
Kael stood, blades dripping, EX: Gold Dominion raising golden spikes from the ash. "Rynne's nibble's dust, her shadows bend." His 500,000 roared, dragons circling, Rynne's core 1,000 kilometers off. The Nexus pinged: "Kael's 63, shadows break!" "Rynne's 63, strike falters!"
POV Shift: Lord Rynne
Rynne's shadowed lair pulsed, Level 63, 10,997 Total Stats gleaming. SSS: Shadow Lord cloaked her 500,000 remaining, 1,000 kilometers east. "Kael's 63, 100,000 gone, 2.7 million strong. He's bold, I'm sharper." Shadows coiled, her grin icy.
Tracker (Summarized)
Level/Rank: 63, Champion Lord (Mid Tier)
XP: 3,881,994,163 / 7,214,755,977
Base Stats: 9,970 (Str: 2,492, Def: 2,492, Spd: 2,492, Aura: 2,494)
Devoured Stats: 1,467 (Str: 367, Def: 367, Spd: 367, Aura: 366)
Total Stats: 11,437 (Str: 2,859, Def: 2,859, Spd: 2,859, Aura: 2,860)
Actual Combat Strength: Commanding Lord High-Tier (~50,001–75,000 equivalent)
Territory: Lv. 4, 10,906 sq. km, 340,000 / 250,000 resources (90,000 banked)
Population: 2,688,000
Powers: 12 EX Skills + EX: Gold Reaper
Bloodlines: 10 + Devourer Blood (+1,467 stats)
Talents: SSS: 100% Drop Rate, EX: 10,000x Multiplier, 19 EX Talents—secret
Harem: 28 girls
Recent Gains: +20,000 Resources (Loot), +883,961,000 XP