**Chapter 21: A Clash in Shadows**
The world was abuzz with the unprecedented appearance of the World System. From secluded clans to vast empires, everyone had felt the shift. The revelation shattered old norms, leveling the playing field and offering pathways to unimaginable strength. Yet, as kingdoms scrambled to comprehend this new paradigm, dark forces moved unseen, exploiting the chaos.
For Erythion and his team, the unveiling of the World System was both a blessing and a curse. It offered them the means to grow stronger, but it also magnified the threats they would face. The forested expanse of the Shrouded Glade, where they now sought refuge, teemed with danger. With every step, Erythion's Sovereign System—silent to all but him—whispered warnings.
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The group halted as the air thickened unnaturally. A low hum reverberated, the trees creaking under an invisible pressure. The Sovereign System flashed a notification in Erythion's vision:
[Alert: Presence of ##### Minions Detected. Rank Range: E to D-. Threat Level: Elevated. Prepare for Combat.]
Erythion clenched his fist. His companions had gained access to the World System, but they were still untested against adversaries of this magnitude. "We're not alone," he said, his voice steady but tense.
Rynna's Seraph glowed faintly, casting a soft radiance over the group. "I feel it too. It's stronger than before," she murmured.
Kaelen unsheathed his blade, the faint hum of power radiating from his weapon as his Stormclaw Fenrir snarled beside him. "Let them come," he growled. "We've fought before; we'll fight again."
Erythion's gaze didn't waver. "This isn't a test run. Stay sharp. This will be unlike anything we've faced so far."
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The attack came without warning. From the treetops and the shadows of the undergrowth, dozens of figures emerged—Shadeborn Stalkers, their glowing red eyes like fiery coals in the gloom. They moved with unnatural speed, their claws slicing through the air with deadly precision.
Saria let loose a flurry of arrows, her movements fluid and precise. "Too many for a normal skirmish!" she called, her arrows sinking into the nearest Stalkers. They dissolved into plumes of dark mist upon impact, but more swarmed forward.
Kaelen and Fenrir charged into the fray, a tempest of lightning and steel. His blade struck true, cleaving through two Stalkers in a single motion. Fenrir followed up with a slash of electrified claws, scattering three more into the ether. "We've got this!" Kaelen shouted confidently.
But Erythion's gut told him otherwise. This wasn't their full force—it was a prelude.
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As the battle raged, Rynna's light barrier held firm, shielding the group from the worst of the Stalkers' attacks. Calia's ice magic froze the advancing shadows in place, allowing Aric to unleash torrents of wind that shattered them.
"It's too coordinated," Erythion muttered. His Sovereign System fed him critical data:
[Combat Analysis: Shadeborn Stalkers Operating Under Direct Control. Secondary Entity Likely in Command.]
Just as the thought crossed his mind, the shadows thickened once more, and the temperature plummeted. The Stalkers abruptly retreated, melting back into the darkness. In their place, a towering figure emerged, its form an ever-shifting mass of black energy. Crimson runes etched into its body pulsed ominously.
[Entity Detected: Shadow Warden of #####. Rank: D-. Power Level: High Threat.]
Kaelen's bravado faltered. "A Warden?" he spat, gripping his blade tighter. "That's not just another minion. It's a general."
The Warden's voice was low and resonant, each word dripping with menace. "Mortals, your resistance is futile. The Herald rises, and Nytheris will consume all."
---
The Warden raised a massive clawed hand, and the shadows around it coalesced into jagged spikes that shot toward the team with blinding speed.
"Scatter!" Erythion barked, diving to the side as the shadow spikes obliterated the ground where he had stood.
Obsidian roared, its Abyssal energy surging as it lunged at the Warden. Its claws glowed with a dark aura, but as they struck the Warden's chest, they passed through harmlessly. The Warden retaliated, a wave of shadow energy blasting Obsidian back into a tree.
"Direct attacks won't work!" Rynna called out, her Seraph unleashing a beam of radiant light. The energy hit the Warden, briefly dispersing its form, but it reformed almost instantly. "It's regenerating!"
Erythion activated his Sovereign System, studying the Warden's movements. The runes on its body pulsed in a pattern, and he quickly pieced it together.
[Analysis Complete: Core Exposed During Rune Pulses. Target Weak Point for Maximum Effect.]
"Focus on the runes when they glow!" he shouted, relaying the information to the team without revealing his system. "That's its weak point!"
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The team moved as one. Kaelen and Fenrir distracted the Warden, their combined strikes forcing it to shift its focus. Calia used her ice magic to slow its movements, while Saria and Elira fired arrows and spells at the glowing runes.
The Warden roared in frustration as one of its runes shattered under their combined assault, its form flickering as the damage took its toll. But it wasn't enough. The Warden retaliated with a wave of shadow tendrils, knocking Kaelen and Fenrir to the ground.
"Damn it!" Kaelen growled, struggling to rise. "It's too strong!"
"We can't let up!" Rynna countered, her Seraph forming a protective barrier around the fallen pair. "Erythion, we need a finishing blow!"
Erythion nodded, his mind racing. His Sovereign System offered a solution, but it would cost him. He activated Abyssal Rend, channeling the skill into Obsidian. The wolf howled, its form surging with dark energy as it lunged at the Warden once more.
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Obsidian struck true, its claws tearing into the Warden's chest just as the final rune pulsed. The creature let out a deafening roar as the core was exposed—a swirling mass of dark energy at the center of its form.
"Now!" Erythion shouted, charging forward with his blade glowing with Abyssal power. He plunged the weapon into the core, releasing a surge of energy that shattered the Warden from within.
The shadowy form dissolved into mist, leaving behind only a faint shimmer of dark energy.
---
The forest fell silent once more, the oppressive atmosphere lifting. The team stood amidst the wreckage, their breaths ragged, their bodies bruised.
"That was one of the weaker ones," Rynna said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Kaelen wiped the sweat from his brow. "If that was weak, what the hell are we supposed to do when the stronger ones show up?"
Erythion didn't respond immediately. His Sovereign System was already flashing another notification:
[Warning: Nytheris Herald Forces Mobilizing. Threat Level: Increasing. Prepare for Escalation.]
He turned to his team, his expression grim. "This isn't over. Not by a long shot."
---
Far away, in the heart of kingdoms and empires, the battle in the Shrouded Glade was only a ripple in a much larger wave. The World System's revelation had sent shockwaves through every corner of the world.
In the Ivory Citadel, the ruling council of the Verdant Dominion convened, their expressions grim. "The balance has shifted," one of them said. "The rise of the World System has unleashed forces we cannot control."
In the Obsidian Spire, the Shadowlord smiled, his gaze fixed on the distant horizon. "Nytheris moves. Let the world tremble."
And deep within the void, where Nytheris itself stirred, the Herald spoke. "The mortals grow stronger. But their strength will only make their fall all the sweeter."
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As Erythion and his team regrouped, they knew the path ahead would only grow more perilous. The World System had opened a door to power—but also to darkness.
For every step they took, the forces of Nytheris would take one closer. And the clash that awaited them would determine not only their fate but the fate of the entire world.
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End of Chapter 21.