Exiled Heir: God-Tier Forge System in the Eternal Night

9: The Iron Watcher’s Toll

... "UNAUTHORIZED LIFEFORMS DETECTED. SECTOR FOUR LOCKDOWN ENGAGED. PREPARE FOR DISMANTLING."

 

"Dismantling? You gotta be kiddin' me," Kael spat, his silver eyes narrowing as he adjusted his grip on the Root-Breaker Spear. "We just clawed our way out of a god-forsaken furnace, and the welcome mat is a talking trash compactor?"

 

"Kael, look up! The whole damn shaft is turning red!" Silas shouted, pointing a trembling finger at the emergency lights that had begun to strobe with a violent, rhythmic intensity. "That’s not just an automated voice, kid. That’s the Council’s security grid. They’ve locked the magnets! We’re sitting ducks!"

 

"I ain't no duck, Silas. And I sure as hell ain't sitting," Kael growled. He slammed the butt of his spear into the elevator floor, sending a ripple of violet energy through the metal plates. "System, give me a scan on that loudmouth. What am I looking at?"

 

[Ding!]

 

[Target Identified: Iron Watcher - Unit 01.]

 

[Class: High-Altitude Guardian (Bio-Mechanical Hybrid).]

 

[Level: 52.]

 

[Status: Hostile. Engaging 'Gravity-Crush' Protocol.]

 

"Level fifty-two? Holy mother of slag," Silas wheezed, his knees buckling as the gravity inside the lift suddenly tripled. "Kael... I can't... my lungs... they feel like they’re filled with lead!"

 

"Hang on, Silas! Just breathe through your teeth!" Kael barked. He stood perfectly upright, his new Sovereign body barely acknowledging the crushing pressure. "Is that all you got, you oversized toaster? I’ve had harder massages from a mining drill!"

 

"DEFYING THE COUNCIL IS A CAPITAL OFFENSE," the voice boomed again, closer this time. A massive, circular hatch fifty feet above them slid open, and a hulking shape descended. It looked like a giant, mechanical spider fused with a human torso, its skin a dull, matte black that seemed to drink the strobe lights. "KAEL DRAVEN. SUBJECT IS MARKED FOR TERMINATION. THE RING MUST BE RECLAIMED."

 

"The ring? Man, everyone’s obsessed with this piece of jewelry today," Kael chuckled, though there was zero humor in his eyes. "Tell me, tin-man, does the Council know you’re about to be turned into paperclips? Because I’m having a real shitty day, and I’m looking for a place to vent."

 

"ARROGANCE IS THE PRELUDE TO EXTINCTION," the Iron Watcher responded. Its right arm, a massive multi-barreled rotary cannon, began to spin with a high-pitched whine. "TARGET ACQUIRED."

 

"Kael, move! He’s gonna shred us!" Silas screamed, scrambling toward the corner of the lift.

 

"Stay behind me, Silas! And don't blink!"

 

BRRRRRRRRRRT!

 

A literal wall of lead erupted from the Watcher's arm, the heavy-caliber shells chewing through the elevator’s safety cage like it was wet cardboard. But the bullets never touched Kael. Three feet in front of him, a shimmering hexagonal shield of silver light flickered into existence, each impact sounding like a hammer hitting an anvil.

 

[Ding!]

 

[Kinetic Shield Integrity: 94%.]

 

[Notice: Absorbing projectile mass for 'Material Conversion'...]

 

"Thanks for the scrap metal, you bucket of bolts!" Kael yelled over the roar of the gunfire. He thrust his spear forward, and the silver shield didn't just hold—it exploded outward. The absorbed kinetic energy was fired back at the Watcher in a jagged wave of purple force.

 

BOOM!

 

The Watcher was blown backward, its mag-boots sparking as they scraped against the walls of the shaft. "SHIELD CAPACITY EXCEEDS LOGICAL PARAMETERS. ANALYZING..."

 

"Don't bother analyzing, pal. You're out of your league," Kael said, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "You’re Tier 4 tech. I’m a Tier 5 Sovereign. Do the math before I do it for you."

 

"Level fifty? You're actually taking that thing head-on?!" Silas gasped, peering out from behind Kael’s longcoat. "Kael, look at its chest! That glowing blue orb... that’s a High-Density Core! If that blows, it’ll take the whole shaft with it!"

 

"Then I'll just have to make sure it doesn't blow, won't I?" Kael winked at the old man, though his expression remained hard as flint. "System, mark the joint-seals. I want this thing in pieces, but I want that core intact. I need a new battery for the city trip."

 

[Ding!]

 

[Weak points highlighted.]

 

[Recommendation: 'Static-Sever' Strike.]

 

"Acknowledged." Kael vanished.

 

One second he was standing in front of Silas, and the next, he was a streak of silver lightning climbing the walls of the shaft. He moved with a fluidity that shouldn't have been possible for a human, his boots leaving glowing footprints in the cold stone.

 

"WHERE DID HE—" The Watcher’s head-sensor whirled frantically, its internal gears grinding. "TARGET LOST. RE-ACQUIRING..."

 

"Up here, scrap-heap!" Kael’s voice came from directly above the machine.

 

He dropped like a meteor, the Root-Breaker Spear pointed downward. The tip of the spear glowed with a terrifying, white-hot intensity.

 

SKREEEEE!

 

The blade sliced through the Watcher’s shoulder joint like a hot wire through butter. One of the massive mechanical arms fell away, tumbling into the darkness below and crashing onto the elevator floor with a deafening thud.

 

"CRITICAL DAMAGE. HYDRAULIC LEAK DETECTED," the Watcher droned, its voice starting to glitch. "ENGAGING EMERGENCY... PROTOCOL... Z-Z-ZAKT..."

 

"Emergency's already here, buddy," Kael said, landing lightly on the Watcher’s back. He gripped a handful of cables and yanked, his metallic strength ripping them out by the roots. "And it’s got my face on it."

 

"Kael! Watch out! It's venting steam!" Silas yelled from below.

 

A cloud of superheated vapor erupted from the Watcher’s back, meant to scald any intruder. Kael didn't even flinch. His shadow-coat absorbed the heat, turning the steam into a faint, purple mist that danced around his shoulders.

 

"Nice try. Is that all the Council taught you? To blow hot air?" Kael mocked. He raised his spear and drove it into the base of the Watcher’s mechanical neck. "Tell me one thing before I shut you off. Who sent you? Was it my old man, or the Council directly?"

 

"THE COUNCIL... IS... ALL. DRAVEN IS... A... PAWN," the Watcher sputtered, blue sparks flying from its mouth-grille. "YOU CANNOT... STOP... THE... HARVEST..."

 

"The Harvest? What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Kael’s eyes narrowed.

 

"THE NIGHT... IS... NOT... A... STORM. IT IS... A... FIELD. AND... WE... ARE... THE... SCYTHE..."

 

"Cryptic bullshit. I hate cryptic bullshit," Kael spat. He twisted the spear, and the Watcher’s eyes went dark. The massive machine slumped against the wall, its systems finally sighing into silence.

 

[Ding!]

 

[Target Neutralized.]

 

[Experience Gained. Forge Points: +1500.]

 

[Material Acquired: 'Iron Watcher Core' (Tier 4).]

 

"Good. Now we’re getting somewhere," Kael muttered, reaching into the machine's chest and ripping out the glowing blue orb. It hummed in his hand, a warm, steady vibration. "Hey, Silas! You still in one piece?"

 

"I think my heart stopped three times, but yeah, I’m still here!" Silas called back, his voice shaky. "Kael, we gotta move! If there’s one of those things, there’s bound to be a dozen more waiting at the top!"

 

"Let 'em come," Kael said, jumping back down to the elevator platform. He slammed the blue core into the lift’s manual override slot. "System, bypass the lockdown. Use this core to overclock the magnets. I want us at the surface in ten seconds."

 

[Ding!]

 

[Overclocking magnets... 300%... 500%...]

 

[Warning: Structural integrity of the lift is compromised.]

 

"Just do it!"

 

The elevator didn't just start moving; it launched. Silas was pinned to the floor by the sudden acceleration, his cheeks flapping in the wind. Kael stood at the edge, his spear held out like a lightning rod, watching the stone walls blur past them.

 

"So, Silas," Kael said, his voice perfectly steady despite the g-force. "What do you know about 'The Harvest'?"

 

"The what? Never heard of it, kid! Probably just some cultist talk the Council uses to keep the Enforcers in line!" Silas yelled over the roar of the wind. "Why? Did that pile of junk say something?"

 

"It said the Night is a field, and they’re the scythe," Kael said, his eyes fixed on the growing circle of light above them. "Sounds like someone’s been treating the whole city like a farm. And I think I’m the weed they missed."

 

"Well, you’re a pretty big weed, Kael! A level-fifteen Sovereign weed with a god-tier toothpick!" Silas managed a weak laugh. "Once we hit the top, what’s the plan? We go straight for the Draven estate?"

 

"Nah," Kael said, a cold smile forming on his face. "The estate is too easy. I want to see the look on the Council’s faces when their 'Harvest' hits a snag. We’re going to the Grand Market first."

 

"The Market? Why the hell are we going there? It’s the middle of the Night-Cycle!"

 

"Exactly," Kael said. "Everyone who’s anyone is there. Traders, nobles, Council spies. I want to show them that the exiled heir didn't just survive. I want to show them that I’m open for business."

 

"Business? What kind of business?"

 

"The kind where I take their 'curse' and turn it into weapons they can't afford," Kael said. "I’m gonna build an army, Silas. And I’m gonna use the Council's own materials to do it."

 

THUD.

 

The elevator slammed into the surface-level docking bay with enough force to crack the concrete. The safety doors groaned and fell off their hinges, revealing the cold, ash-choked air of the Upper District.

 

The sky above was a swirling vortex of black clouds, lit only by the flickering orange glow of the city’s heat-lamps. It was bleak, it was suffocating, and it was exactly how Kael remembered it.

 

"Home sweet home," Silas whispered, stepping out and coughing as the ash hit his lungs. "Smells like burnt oil and disappointment. Haven't missed it one bit."

 

"Stay close, Silas. And keep your head down," Kael warned, his 'Item Appraisal' already pinging with hundreds of signals. "The security bots are gonna be crawling all over this sector in about two minutes."

 

"Where are we going? The main thoroughfare is blocked by the checkpoint!"

 

"We're taking the rooftops," Kael said, grabbing Silas by the collar. "And try not to throw up. It’s a long drop."

 

Before Silas could protest, Kael leaped. They soared sixty feet into the air, landing silently on the corrugated metal roof of a nearby warehouse. Kael didn't stop, his legs moving with a rhythmic, mechanical precision as he blurred across the skyline.

 

Below them, the city was a maze of flickering lights and dark alleys. Enforcer patrols moved through the streets like ants, their red searchlights cutting through the gloom.

 

"Look at them," Kael muttered, pausing at the edge of a clock tower. "Living like rats in a cellar, waiting for the Council to give 'em a scrap of warmth. It’s pathetic."

 

"It’s all they know, Kael," Silas said softly. "Not everyone has a system in their head and a magic ring on their finger."

 

"They will soon," Kael said. "System, scan the Grand Market. What’s the crowd like?"

 

[Ding!]

 

[Scanning Grand Market District...]

 

[Population: 4,200. High-Net-Worth individuals detected: 142.]

 

[Notice: A Public Execution is scheduled in 15 minutes.]

 

Kael froze. "An execution? Who?"

 

[Identity: Liora Vance. Charge: Sabotage of the Sector 7 Furnaces.]

 

"Liora?" Kael’s voice went deathly quiet. "The girl from the forge? The one who used to hide blueprints for my mother?"

 

"Liora?! Oh gods, Kael, she’s just a kid! She couldn't sabotage a toaster, let alone a furnace!" Silas grabbed Kael’s arm, his eyes wide with horror. "They're using her to send a message! They're trying to smoke you out!"

 

"Then the message is received," Kael said, his silver eyes flashing with a predatory light. "System, give me a waypoint to the execution plaza. And calculate the fastest route."

 

[Ding!]

 

[Route calculated. Estimated time: 4 minutes.]

 

[Warning: Level 45 Enforcer Captains detected at the site.]

 

"I don't care if the whole Council is there," Kael growled. He looked at Silas. "Find a safe spot, old man. This is about to get messy."

 

"Kael, wait! You can't just barge in there! There’s hundreds of them!"

 

"Watch me," Kael said.

 

He didn't run this time. He stepped off the ledge and let himself fall, his cloak billowing out behind him like a shadow. Halfway down, he kicked off a balcony, his spear spinning in his hand as it began to glow with a violent, white-hot energy.

 

The plaza was packed. Thousands of people stood in the freezing rain, watching as a small, terrified girl was led onto a raised platform. A massive, hooded man stood beside a glowing thermal-guillotine, his hand resting on the lever.

 

"BY ORDER OF THE COUNCIL," a voice announced over the loudspeakers, "LIORA VANCE IS SENTENCED TO PERMANENT EXILE INTO THE COLD FOR TREASON AGAINST THE ETERNAL NIGHT."

 

"Please! I didn't do anything!" Liora cried, her voice cracking as she looked out at the silent crowd. "I was just trying to find the blueprints! Kael’s mother... she said they were important!"

 

"SILENCE," the announcer barked. "EXECUTIONER, PROCEED."

 

The crowd gasped as the executioner raised his hand. The thermal blade hummed, its edge turning a bright, lethal orange.

 

"I'm sorry, Master Kael..." Liora whispered, closing her eyes.

 

"Don't be sorry, Liora," a voice boomed from the sky, cutting through the rain like a thunderclap. "Be ready to run."

 

K-BOOM!

 

A streak of silver light slammed into the center of the platform, sending the executioner flying and shattering the thermal-guillotine into a thousand pieces of molten scrap.

 

The smoke cleared, and Kael stood there, his spear buried deep in the wood of the stage, his silver eyes scanning the terrified guards.

 

"Who... who are you?!" the Enforcer Captain yelled, drawing his pulse-pistol. "Identify yourself!"

 

Kael looked at the Captain, then at the camera-drones buzzing overhead. He grabbed Liora by the arm and pulled her behind him, his voice echoing through every speaker in the plaza.

 

"My name is Kael Draven," he said, his voice flat and terrifying. "And I’ve come to collect a few ..."

 

Dia tidak menyelesaikan kalimatnya karena tepat saat itu, tiga sosok berjubah perak turun dari langit-langit menara jam, mendarat dengan dentuman yang menggetarkan seluruh lapangan, sementara System miliknya berteriak ...

 

=== TUGAS SELESAI ===