Far beyond the borders of my growing village, nestled within the dense silverwood forests of the northern region, sat an estate carved into the side of an obsidian mountain. The air there was colder, the land darker, and its owner colder still—Duke Vaelreth Alrinar, a highborn elf and one of the most dangerous nobles in the kingdom. A duke not only feared for his mastery of ancient dark magic—but whispered to be a contender for the throne itself.Tonight, inside his arcane sanctum, lit only by floating orbs of green fire and lined with spellbound tomes, Duke Vaelreth stood unmoving.His eyes, long and sharp like all his kin, glowed a sickly grey. In his hands, a black mirror pulsed faintly, revealing a blurred image—my land.The glow of the divine garden. The purple mana in the air. The unusual advancements of construction, commerce, and agriculture, all in record time.He sneered."The pulse has grown stronger," he muttered. "It is no longer random... it's centered. Someone is feedin

The Warden of Forgotten Oaths—a once-human knight now fused with a demonic parasite, its chest torn open revealing a pulsing black heart bound by chains. Its weapon was a blade of writhing flesh, its armour breathing in and out as though still alive.Warden of Forgotten OathsLevel: 163Status: Cursed ElitePassive Skill: Soul RendWarning: All death within this floor is permanent.My breath hitched. "Fuck! Be careful, everyone!"Permanent? No revive token. No Guardian Store salvation. I turned to the others. "We kill it fast. No mercy. Kael, shields. Karl, anti-curse barrier. Sylphy and Igor keep firing—don't stop, no matter what. Felix, you're with me." They nodded. No words. Just focus.The monster screamed. A banshee-like, bloodcurdling cry that shattered bone with sound. Blood rained from the ceiling—real blood, pouring from the corpses embedded in the walls. The fight began. Felix slammed into it first, sword igniting with his earthy magic, chipping at its shoulder. Sylphy's arr

The rain had not stopped since we began. Thick sheets of it pelted the dirt road, turning it into a river of brown mud. But our vehicles ploughed through it like titans. The five military trucks—behemoths clad in steel and mana—led the charge, their runes glowing faintly against the gloom. The HUMVEEs followed closely, kicking up mud, their enchanted wheels slicing through the terrain without hesitation.The sound of engines rumbling and boots thudding became a heartbeat for the army. Riders on mana bikes zipped ahead and flanked the sides, scouting and keeping the route clear of monsters or traps. Their visors glowed blue and red, marking each as a harbinger of death.Inside the lead truck, I sat with Felix, Kael, and Karl. Weapons rested between our feet—my sword glinting with the same faint purple as the storm outside. A subtle vibration told me the system was charging something.Felix leaned back, arms crossed. "Remember when we barely had a house to sleep in?"Kael gave a low gru

A wave of purple light erupted outward. The explosion rocked the tower walls. When the dust settled, the goblin was slumped—headless and burning. Its cursed body collapsed like a rotted tree, split at every seam. Silence fell.Meanwhile, inside the Tower Dungeon. The walls of the underground fortress were slick with dampness and blood, the air choked with the stench of rot and fear. We moved fast, boots splashing through pools of foul water. The flickering sconces cast uneven shadows along the cracked stone walls. Every few feet, another warded door blocked our path—pulsing with dark magic, desperate to keep us out.Kael pressed his hand against the next one, his palm glowing with soft blue light. “This one’s older... reinforced with blood magic.”“You can handle it,” I said quietly, my hand resting on his shoulder.He nodded, took a breath, and focused. “Break.”The barrier cracked like ice, splintering with a flash and then shattering into faint sparks. The door swung inward with a

Later that day, we crested the last hill—and there, like a dream on the horizon, stood my territory.The gates loomed high, the Divine Tree glowing faintly in the distance, its light like a beacon to the weary. Smoke from cookfires rose in neat curls. The temporary market still bustled. The bakery had already sold out twice that morning. Children ran barefoot through the fields.As the gates opened, the convoy was met by cheering villagers and warriors alike. Musicians played flutes. Dwarves banged on metal pots in celebration. The baker had made a hundred flatbreads, and Ella had already sent out trays of fresh cheese and roast meat.One young dwarf boy jumped from the carriage and landed into his father’s arms. “We’re home, Papa!”I stepped down from the truck and watched the freed families touch the grass, gaze at the Divine Tree, and take their first real breath of liberty.Karl’s mother approached me, eyes glistening. “Lord Dirk… you brought us back.”“No,” I said, “Karl brought