Chapter: Chapter 637The tunnel was as black as the bottom of the ocean. The only light came from Commander Oliver’s face.He walked at the front of the group. His left eye was human, colored a pale, cold gray. But his right eye was a burning, glowing red circle of fire. Half of his face was covered in smooth, pitch-black metal. The dark metal crawled down his neck, over his shoulder, and completely covered his right arm. Glowing purple veins pulsed inside the alien steel.Thump. Thump. Thump. The magical veins beat in perfect time with his human heart.Behind him, the survivors walked in silence. There were twenty-two terrified miners, including Foreman Cole and his young son, Sam. There were rebel soldiers, led by General Vega and the giant mutant, Rax. There was Billy the hacker, holding his cracked computer tablet. And there were the few remaining soldiers of the Ghost Squad, led by Sergeant Miller.Nobody spoke. They were too afraid to make a sound. But they were also afraid of their Commander.The
Last Updated: 2026-06-14
Chapter: Chapter 636"We did not win," Oliver whispered coldly."What do you mean?" Vega asked, stepping forward. "There are thirty dead monsters on the floor. We wiped them out.""You are looking at the bodies. You are not looking at the data," Oliver explained.He raised his black metal hand and pointed at the ash."I have fought the Wraithborn for years," Oliver said smoothly. "I know their formation behavior. Elite Phantoms rely on stealth. If they see two heavy turrets blocking a hallway, their primary protocol is to retreat and find a flanking route.""But they didn't retreat," Rax grunted. "They charged us.""Exactly," Oliver said. His voice grew very dark and heavy. "They charged us. They threw themselves directly into the line of fire. They wanted to die."The cheering soldiers slowly stopped celebrating. The tunnel grew very quiet."Why would they want to die?" Billy asked, shivering in the cold air."Because they were not an attack force," Oliver calculated. The horrible truth locked into place
Last Updated: 2026-06-13
Chapter: Chapter 635Rax slammed the heavy turrets into the stone floor. But the turrets were dead. They had no batteries.Oliver walked over to the heavy guns. He reached out with his black metal right arm. The purple veins pulsed brightly. He grabbed the thick power cables of the turrets.He pushed his own dark magic into the dead human machines.VMMMMMMM. The two heavy turrets roared to life. They did not glow blue. They glowed with bright, terrifying purple light. They were Phased Turrets now. They would shoot pure Rift energy."Turrets are online," Oliver stated. He felt a sharp pain in his head as the magic drained his energy, but he ignored it."Step Three," Oliver said, turning to face his squad. "Predictive fire patterns."The twenty rebel soldiers raised their plasma rifles. They aimed into the dark tunnel."Do not aim straight ahead," Oliver ordered sharply. "The Wraithborn squad infiltrating this tunnel are advanced units. They are not mindless spiders. They are Elite Phantoms. They run on the
Last Updated: 2026-06-12
Chapter: Chapter 634The severed head of Captain Iris bobbed slowly in the dark, hot water. Her beautiful face was pale. Her blue eyes were empty and dead.Commander Oliver stood at the front of the rusted metal boat. He stared down at her face in the water. For one single second, the entire universe stopped moving.Behind Oliver, the human rebels and the terrified miners screamed. Billy the hacker fell to his knees on the wet deck of the boat. He covered his face with his hands and sobbed loudly. "Iris! No! Not Iris!"On the high stone balcony, Prime Councilor Vane laughed. The ancient, evil voice of the Overlord boomed out of the old man’s mouth."You see, Commander?" the Overlord mocked. "You cannot save everyone. You cannot calculate a way out of grief. Your human heart is breaking."Oliver did not scream. He did not cry. He slowly lifted his eyes from the dark water. He looked up at the balcony. His left eye was human, cold and gray. His right eye was Wraithborn, burning with a bright red fire. His r
Last Updated: 2026-06-11
Chapter: Chapter 633The water was changing. It was turning thick and red. The rusted metal walls of the subway tunnel around them began to crack and bleed.The Overlord’s magic was spreading faster than they were moving. The living tunnel was swallowing them."The anomaly is not a door," Oliver calculated aloud. His voice was completely flat, even as the world turned into a nightmare. "The anomaly is a mouth. And we are driving down the throat."The walls of the tunnel suddenly flexed. They squeezed inward.SQUELCH. CRUNCH.The tunnel was trying to crush the boats. The thick, fleshy walls pushed against the metal sides of the boats."The walls are closing in!" Rax roared. He swung his bone sword at the fleshy wall. The sword cut the meat, but dark, burning acid sprayed out of the wound. The acid hit a mutant soldier, melting his armor instantly. The soldier screamed and fell into the thick red water."Do not attack the walls!" Oliver commanded. "The walls bleed acid! General Vega, focus all fire straight
Last Updated: 2026-06-10
Chapter: Chapter 632"Leave the roof open?!" Billy panicked. "Boss, you just said they drop from the ceiling!""They will drop from the ceiling," Oliver agreed. "And when they drop, we will kill them before they hit the deck. I am building a funnel. I am making them attack from the top because it is the only path I am leaving open for them. I am controlling their choices."Lira the ghost floated next to Oliver’s ear. "You are turning the boats into a trap. You are inviting the monsters inside.""Yes," Oliver whispered in his mind. "If you control the door, you control the guest.""Start the engines," Oliver commanded aloud. "Speed: Four miles per hour. Do not deviate."The heavy boat engines hummed to life. Rrrrrrm.The two armored boats slowly moved forward. They left the dim gray light of the ruined city behind. They entered the pitch-black subway tunnel.It was incredibly dark. The air inside the tunnel was thick and smelled of rotting iron and old magic. The hot water splashed gently against the metal
Last Updated: 2026-06-09
Chapter: Chapter 128The broken earth still smoked from the last clash, and the cries of the wounded hung faint in the air. Yet no one moved. No one breathed. Every soldier, every priest, every king, all stared at the figure of black fire that had stepped from the east.It was not whole. It was not finished. Yet it stood tall, crowned in flame, its body shifting like smoke made flesh.And when it spoke, the world shivered. “You cannot kill what is not finished.”The words slid into every ear like knives. Men cried out, clutching their heads. Some dropped their swords, stumbling back. Others turned and ran, their screams tearing across the field.The kings shouted, their voices desperate. “Hold the line!” “Stand, you fools!” But their words carried no weight. Fear moved faster than command.Priests fell to their knees, chanting broken prayers. Some wept, some tore at their robes, others stared at the shadow with glassy eyes, whispering, “It is the end. It is the end.”The line buckled. The army was breaki
Last Updated: 2025-12-02
Chapter: Chapter 127The drums did not stop. All through the night, they beat. Slow, heavy, endless. Each sound rolled across the valley like thunder, rattling armor, shaking bones.When dawn broke, the horizon burned black. The sky glowed as if it had been cut open, spilling fire darker than coal. From that fire, shapes began to march.The shadow host.Soldiers rose from their blankets, their eyes hollow with no sleep. They gripped spears and swords with trembling hands. Some prayed aloud, whispering the names of gods. Others kissed small tokens, rings, cloth, bits of home, before fastening armor with pale fingers.The kings argued even now.King Alaric shouted hoarse. “We cannot face this! Pull the banners back! Save the men while we can!”Queen Seraya snarled at him. “If we run, we are already dead. Do you not see? The shadow will chase us to the ends of the world!”Lord Brennar struck the table with his scarred fist. “Enough! The men need leaders, not cowards. If you flee, then flee. But I will stand.
Last Updated: 2025-12-02
Chapter: Chapter 126The march east did not grow easier. Each day the air grew heavier, darker, as if the very sky bent low with dread. The land was sick beneath their feet. Ash drifted over fields where no fire had been. The rivers they crossed ran black, thick as oil, and the priests whispered that the water carried curses.Soldiers grew silent. At first, they marched with songs and cheers. Now they moved with bowed heads, their boots dragging, their voices hushed. Every sound felt swallowed by the land itself.On the seventh day, they found a village burned to nothing. But unlike the others, this one held no corpses on the ground. Instead, the air carried whispers. Faint, chilling voices rose from the ashes, as if the dead still begged for water, for mercy, for life.The soldiers froze. Some clutched their ears, others fell to their knees. A priest cried out, “The shadow binds their souls! This is Vazquez’s work!”Mason stood in the center of the ruin, silent, his silver eyes scanning the ash. His s
Last Updated: 2025-09-28
Chapter: Chapter 125The messenger’s words still hung in the tent like smoke. “The east burns. Vazquez’s remnants gather. The shadow is not dead.”No one moved. The kings sat frozen, their crowns heavy on their heads, their eyes wide and pale. The generals stared at the messenger as though the words themselves were poison.It was Queen Seraya who spoke first. Her voice was low, sharp as a knife. “Then all our arguments mean nothing. If the shadow marches, none of us can stand alone.”King Alaric snarled, his hand clenching the table. “And you would put us all under him?” He jerked his chin toward the camp outside. “That… creature who walks in fire?”“Creature or not,” said Lord Brennar, his scarred hands steady, “he is the only one the men will follow now. You know it. I know it. Deny it if you wish, but the fire has already crowned him.”The tent erupted again. Voices clashed, curses flew, pride and fear filled the air like smoke, then the flap opened, and Mason entered.He did not storm in. He did not s
Last Updated: 2025-09-28
Chapter: Chapter 124The fire shuddered. The great column of flame, tall as a tower, trembled as though it would tear itself apart. Sparks burst in every direction. The heartbeat thundered, faster, stronger, rattling armor and splitting stone.Men screamed. Women wept. Some fell to their knees, pressing their foreheads into the ash. Others stumbled back, hands over their faces, crying that the fire would consume them all.The priests raised their arms higher, their voices shrill. “The Saint is here!” they shouted. “The Flame Eternal rises!”But even their cries cracked with fear, for the fire shook like a living beast ready to break free.The column of fire began to fold inward.At first it sank slowly, as if collapsing under its own weight. Sparks spiraled down, drifting like burning snow. The glow dimmed to gold, then to red, the edges shrinking smaller and smaller.A whisper spread through the crowd. “It’s fading. It’s over. He’s gone again.”Some soldiers sobbed in despair. Others sagged in relief, b
Last Updated: 2025-09-27
Chapter: Chapter 123The altar was gone. In its place stood fire. A column of flame towered from the earth, white at its heart, gold at its edges, sparks falling like embers of a forge. The light blinded the valley, brighter than sun, searing the eyes of all who looked upon it. Heat washed over the battlefield, heavy and suffocating.The heartbeat shook the ground again. Once. Twice. Steady, louder, stronger. Men fell to their knees, some in awe, others in terror. Priests shrieked and wept. Kings shielded their faces with their cloaks. Soldiers cried out to gods old and new. The flame pulsed. Shadows leapt and twisted across the broken stones. For an instant, shapes seemed to move inside the fire. One priest cried out, his eyes wide and wet. “I see him! The Saint walks with wings of fire!” He tore at his robe, beating his chest with bloody fists. “Bow! Bow before the Flame Eternal!”Another priest laughed, wild and broken. “No! Look! A crown of light rests upon his brow. He is the king of fire, ruler o
Last Updated: 2025-09-26
Chapter: Chapter 221The university admissions agents started arguing loudly.Draken stood there watching them fight over which of them would win him over to attend their school but deep inside, he was not interested.Draken had other ambitions. He didn’t want to take the normal journey anymore, as he had been through things none of them could bear.The homeroom teacher noticed and hurried over. "Draken, hurry and choose which school you want to attend!"The admissions agents quieted down and turned to Draken.Draken replied calmly, "Thank you for your offers, but I want to try to create my own academy into the top-ranked space for talents."Everyone fell silent.Draken had thought about this for a while and knew it was his goal. With his talent and strength, he felt he should aim for the best school in the country.The other admissions agents quickly tried to change his mind."Are you sure you don’t want to reconsider?""Berserk College didn’t even send anyone to invite you. They don’t seem serious.""Th
Last Updated: 2024-08-16
Chapter: Chapter 220When Gaffa announced Draken as first place, the entire room fell silent.Everyone thought they misheard, but recalling Draken’s performance, they realized it made sense.Class Two students cheered collectively.“Draken is amazing!”“He’s the pride of F-level talent!”“Number one in the entire state! Draken made a miracle happen!”The students in other classes had mixed emotions. They didn’t feel great knowing the top student was from another class.“Prepare for the second stage of the exam, now we will have a halftime break,” Gaffa said.The mages began to rest as they stopped their formations. The students returned to their classrooms to rest.Draken also went back to his class to rest. Many people approached him, curious about his strength improvement.“Draken, how did you get so strong?”“Yeah, how can an F-level talent improve so quickly? Any tips for us?”“I understand Draken comes from a low-income family and can’t afford good equipment and potions. He’s extraordinary to have im
Last Updated: 2024-08-09
Chapter: Chapter 219Draken turned to Lord Luke and said, “The exam rules require me to accept the first two matches. If I win, I can choose whether to accept the next match.”“I also have the right to pick my opponent.”Lord Luke frowned and asked, “Are you saying you’re rejecting my challenge? Are you a coward?”Draken glanced at the black horse behind Luke. Using his Eye of Truth, he saw the horse’s stats.Night Spirit HorseAttack: 40Speed: 700Health: 930Mana: 100Defense: 200 The horse’s speed and health were impressive. Draken thought having this horse would make his travels easier. Although cars existed in this world, rare mounts like this were more valuable.Draken decided it would be great to have this horse. “Lord Luke, if you want to fight me, you must place a bet.”“If I win, I get your horse!”Luke clenched his teeth. The horse was his prized possession. How did it quit just like that? But he thought beating an F-level talent would be easy, so he agreed.“No problem, but what if you lose?
Last Updated: 2024-08-07
Chapter: Chapter 218Draken activated his Split Claw skill, and in an instant, he destroyed all the vampire bats flying towards him!Everyone watching was shocked.“What just happened? Did he really kill all those bats in a split second?”“This doesn’t seem like F-level strength.”“These bats are Lord Nazzy’s strongest attack, and Draken just blew right through them!”Even Lord Nazzy himself was stunned. He knew how powerful his vampire bats were, and normal attacks wouldn’t usually harm them much.Lord Nazzy glanced at Draken and started to rethink Draken’s power. Seeing Draken’s sharp claws made him nervous. He realized he might not be able to beat Draken.Draken, not wanting to waste time, charged at Lord Nazzy. Seeing Draken rush at him, Lord Nazzy tried to run away, but Draken was too fast. In the blink of an eye, Draken was right in front of him.“Damn it. He’s too quick!” Lord Nazzy shouted in shock.“Didn’t you say you found me a grave?” Draken asked coldly. “You’re the one who’s dead!”Draken sa
Last Updated: 2024-08-06
Chapter: Chapter 217Akpi was shocked by Draken’s words.He quickly backed away, trying to put some distance between them.“Why aren’t my attacks working?” Akpi wondered aloud.After thinking for a moment, he reassured himself, “You must have focused all your training on defense. That has to be it. Your attack, speed, and health must be much weaker than mine.”Confident once again, Akpi decided he could break through Draken’s defenses with his speed over time.Just then, Draken’s figure flickered and vanished!In a flash, Draken reappeared right in front of Akpi.Akpi’s eyes widened in disbelief. Draken’s speed was faster than his!Draken raised his right hand, which transformed into a powerful dragon claw. His muscles expanded, scales emerged, and five sharp claws gleamed menacingly.Akpi was stunned. How could such a fierce-looking dragon claw be considered the weakest F-level talent?Swallowing hard, Akpi stammered, “Bro, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said those things…”Draken remained calm. “I told you
Last Updated: 2024-08-05
Chapter: Chapter 216Gaffa stood in the center of the formation and shouted, “Start now! Find your opponents! You have one minute!”Immediately, more than half of the male students in Class Two locked their eyes on Draken and moved toward him.One student rushed forward and yelled, “Draken! Let me be your opponent!”This made the others panic. They all wanted to face Draken and didn't expect someone to cut in line.“Draken, come and fight me. I’ll be gentle!”“Draken, we used to be friends. Let me have this opportunity!”“Grant me this opportunity, and I’ll make it up to you!”The scene was chaotic as everyone rushed toward Draken. He gave a faint smile, finding it ironic how they had just comforted him in class. Their hypocrisy was now clear.A quick-footed student reached Draken first. “I’m the first here. I’m Draken’s opponent. The rest of you are too late!” he announced proudly, thinking his ranking would improve easily.The others stopped, filled with regret.“This guy sure runs fast!”“I missed it.
Last Updated: 2024-08-02
