The night sky over Shadowveil was alight with the glow of torches as warriors prepared for battle. The air was thick with tension, the metallic scent of sharpened blades and the pulsing energy of Qi ready to be unleashed.
Xel'Varyn stood at the high walls of her domain, her three arms folded across her chest as she watched the approaching warband. Three hundred men. Mounted raiders, berserkers wielding cleavers, and Qi cultivators wrapped in bone-like armor—Kael'Vorr's infamous Dread Marauders.
Her golden gaze flickered with amusement.
"They came to break my home?" she murmured. "Fools. They've delivered me an army."
The System flashed an update.
[System Update: Pre-Battle Calculations]Enemy Forces: 300 (Dread Marauders)Shadowveil Defenders: 142 warriors, 38 elitesProjected Casualties: 35% (without strategy)Current Qi Reserves: 88% (Battle-ready)Weapon Prototype: Soulbound Blade (Awaiting Activation)Phase One: Sabotage and Assassination
Veyron, leader of The Veiled Blades, had already slipped into the enemy camp with five assassins cloaked in shadow.
Their mission? Kill the commanders before the battle began.
In the dead of night, silent blades met flesh.
General Arak, the Beast-Binder? Throat slit in his sleep.Captain Zyn, the Iron Claw? Strangled with his own chain whip.Commander Valgrith, the Bone Shaman? Found impaled on his own staff, left as a warning.
By the time Kael'Vorr's warband realized what was happening, their chain of command was in disarray.
The System flashed again.
[System Alert: Enemy Morale Weakened]
"Like a serpent striking in the night, you have taken their fangs before battle has begun."
Enemy Morale: -35% (Widespread panic among troops)Enemy Organization: Chaotic (Warlord Kael'Vorr struggles to regain control)Victory Projection: +20% increased chance of successPhase Two: The Bloodstorm Begins
Dawn broke.
From the walls of Shadowveil, Xel'Varyn raised a single hand—and the gates opened.
Her warriors, cloaked in black armor, stormed forward like a tide of death.
Edric led the charge, his twin swords dancing like streaks of lightning. Elya, the War Priestess, called down blackened flames, incinerating enemies with forbidden Qi techniques.
And then—Xel'Varyn entered the battlefield.
Her three arms moved in perfect synchronicity, wielding two swords and a chain dagger that danced like a serpent.
One arm parried.Another arm slashed.The third arm threw a dagger that curved midair, slitting a raider's throat.
Every movement was death given form.
She moved like a phantom, twisting through enemy lines, cutting down Kael'Vorr's forces one by one.
With every kill, her Qi surged.
[System Update: Absorbing Traits from the Fallen]
"Through death, you evolve."
New Trait Acquired: Berserker's Endurance (Increases stamina and resistance to pain by 15% when in battle.)New Trait Acquired: Bone Shaman's Essence (Allows limited necrotic Qi manipulation. Can temporarily reanimate corpses for battle.)Qi Reserves: 94% (Enhanced regeneration from absorbed Qi.)
Kael'Vorr himself charged toward her.
A towering brute, seven feet tall, his body wrapped in cursed iron chains. His axe radiated a dark aura, enhanced with sacrificial blood magic.
"You think your petty army can stop me, girl?!" he roared.
Xel'Varyn smiled.
"I think," she said, "you've already lost."
With a flick of her wrist, she activated her newest weapon—
The Soulbound Blade.
Dark energy coiled around her sword, and the moment it clashed against Kael'Vorr's axe, the weapon shattered.
Kael'Vorr's eyes widened in horror.
He didn't even have time to scream before Xel'Varyn's blade plunged into his chest, siphoning his Qi—his very essence—into her own body.
The warlord was dead.
The remaining marauders, seeing their leader fall, dropped their weapons and fell to their knees.
Some begged for their lives.
Others swore loyalty.
Xel'Varyn wiped blood from her cheek, her golden eyes gleaming.
Shadowveil had won.
And now, she had an army.
[System Update: Conquest Achieved]
"The battlefield bows before you. The fallen either serve or perish."
Enemy Forces Subjugated: 173 (Willing to serve Shadowveil)Shadowveil Army Strength: Now 353 strongNew Territory Acquired: Kael'Vorr's outposts and supply routesReputation: Rising Warlord (+40 influence in surrounding regions)
As she stood upon the battlefield, surveying her new soldiers, the System flashed a final message.
[New Title Acquired: The Blood Matron]
"You are no longer just a leader—you are a conqueror. Your name will be whispered in awe, fear, and reverence."