A banner was raised high, its bold letters spelling "Vordia!" for all to see. The name belonged to one of the clan leaders Flonda had warned him about. Although Voldrak couldn't yet see the man, he had no doubt Vordia was behind the beasts attacking his men.
The creatures from the forests were tearing through his defenses, their savagery unmatched. Voldrak stood on the walls, his gaze dark, and without hesitation, raised his hands, summoning the full force of his dark energy. Black strands flowed from his fingertips, creeping into the strongest beasts below.
They fought against his control, roaring and thrashing, but he held firm, bending them to his will. Slowly, their rampage slowed as the dark energy seeped into them, dulling their fury. But the effort was immense. His chest tightened, and he could feel his power draining fast.
Gritting his teeth, Voldrak stopped before he pushed himself too far. He couldn't risk running out of energy, not with Vordia waiting in the wings. And Adrani… she was likely with him, planning her next move.
Frustration boiled inside him as he lowered his hands. His reserves were dwindling, and though the dead men he'd stationed along the walls fought, it was barely enough. Their stiff, unnatural movements gave the illusion of unrelenting strength, but Voldrak knew better. His control over them was fragile.
"Must I do everything myself?" he muttered, eyes narrowing at the battlefield below. The family heads he'd recruited were struggling, barely holding their ground. They should have been taking down multiple beasts, but instead, they were floundering.
Their water-based attacks hammered against the creatures but doing little to stop the onslaught. He had no doubt Adrani's influence was behind this and it showed in their fighting style.
The only ones making a real difference were Rumena and Hema. The two old men stood strong, sending wave after wave of energy to crush the beasts without hesitation. Despite his frustration, Voldrak couldn't help but feel a flicker of respect.
But it wasn't enough.
Raising his hands again, he sent out more strands of dark energy, weaving them into a thick, impenetrable wall to hold back the beasts. It wasn't a victory—it was a delay. But it would give him time to recover.
'If I can't defeat them, I can hold them back for now,' he thought, satisfied as the beasts slammed into the wall of darkness, their claws scraping against its surface without making a dent.
"My lord!" A familiar voice called out behind him. He didn't need to turn to know it was Flonda. She came to stand beside him, her presence strong and confident despite the chaos around them.
Gone was the gown she'd worn earlier. Now, she was dressed for battle, a dark sash wrapped around her chest and a short skirt that allowed for freedom of movement. A steel blade hung across her back, glinting faintly in the dim light.
"Should I go down to fight?" she asked, her hands twitching with readiness. Her eyes were locked on his, waiting for his command.
Voldrak glanced at her, then back to the battlefield. Beasts and men were attacking, and already, his defenses were barely holding. He knew the worst was yet to come. Vordia hadn't even shown himself.
He shook his head. "Not yet," he said firmly.
Flonda blinked in surprise but didn't question him. She trusted his judgment, though she was clearly eager for battle.
Voldrak's mind raced. The beasts were held back for now, but it wouldn't last. Vordia had only sent beasts and a few men, and his defenses were already stretched thin. What would happen when Vordia himself attacked? And Adrani… what was she plotting?
'I can drain them,' Voldrak thought, his eyes narrowing. 'Spread my energy into every one of them and sap their strength. But the second I start, the realm will fight back. If I'm interrupted…'
His fists clenched as frustration surged through him. The risks were too high. If his energy backfired, it would kill him instantly.
'I'm still too WEAK!' The thought burned in his mind. His power was immense, but it wasn't enough. Not yet.
Voldrak drew in a deep breath, his chest rising and falling as the dark energy continued to wane within him. The lifeless figures of Vordia's men stood before him—twisted shells of their former selves, animated by the same dark force that left him weak. Despite the temporary reprieve from Vordia's relentless assaults, Voldrak could feel the strain in his limbs, the growing heaviness in his head. His knees trembled slightly, and for the first time in a long while, he felt the edge of his limits.
He was just about to consider his next move when a sudden notification flashed in his vision:
"Dual-cultivation system is online!"
Voldrak froze, his eyes narrowing.
"Low-energy levels detected."
A second message followed immediately:
**"Tier one: Requirements—
There's nothing like a quick blow job on the field where corpses are being slain.It can be a man, a woman, a tree??? The more perverse, the better the results!
Rewards: Energy refilled 100%. Failure if chosen: Permanent loss of dark energy 5%."**
For a moment, Voldrak's fatigue faded, replaced by a stunned disbelief. His eyes flicked over the words again, making sure he had read them right. When the absurdity fully sunk in, he let out a growl of frustration.
"What is this?!" he muttered, his voice carrying the sharp edge of anger.
He glanced around, realizing the nearest soldiers were beginning to notice his outburst. One of them, a young man dressed in barely more than a cloth tied around his waist, looked nervously in his direction. The soldier's grip tightened on his spear as Voldrak's dark gaze fell on him, and he slowly backed away, clearly fearing for his life. Voldrak turned his attention back to the system.
{It is my job to help you! Right now, there's nothing in this realm stronger than me—including the powers of the realm itself!}
The system's voice echoed in his mind, its tone irritatingly calm.
Voldrak's fists clenched. "You think I'm some idiot who'll let you take over my body, don't you?"
{I exist solely to assist you. I will only take control of your body if you fall unconscious, to protect both your body and soul. I am incapable of harming you.}
"...and you'll give me back my body once the danger is averted??" Voldrak's lips curled into a sneer, his voice thick with sarcasm.
{Once all and every bit of danger is removed, I am bound to return your body and soul to you. That is my purpose.}
The reassurance felt hollow, and Voldrak's irritation spiked. "Do I look like a fool to you?"
His voice rose louder than intended, and those nearby flinched at the sound. Yet, no one dared to question him. Flonda, however, stood silently by his side, her expression unreadable. She reached into a pouch tied around her skirt and held it up for Voldrak to see, catching his eye. Her calm, deliberate gesture sent a message clear enough: I'm prepared, if it comes to that.
Voldrak's chest rose and fell again as he calmed, grounding himself in the face of this unsettling new development. He glanced at the system's message again, exasperation coloring his thoughts.
"is there no other way?" he growled, more to himself than to the system.
Almost on cue, another notification appeared:
**"Tier two: Find Adrani, the female clan leader. Take her as a slave and drain her essence in front of your people using your body.[Show them the power of both rods}
Reward: Dark energy increased by 100%. Mind control ability unlocked at 5% efficiency."
Failure if chosen: 10% Permanent removal of dark energy from host's body.
Voldrak's hands twitched, his knuckles white. This system seemed to revel in pushing his patience to the edge, tempting him with promises of power but demanding something darker than even he had anticipated. His mind raced as he weighed the options, his energy still dangerously low.