Chapter 94: Level Up
Deep within a fortress, King Kain lounged on a throne carved from petrified bone, smoke curling around him like lazy serpents. Scantily clad figures draped themselves over the armrests, attending to his whims, their eyes vacant. The air hung thick with the cloying scent of exotic incense and spilled wine.
A warrior, clad in battered steel, stumbled into the chamber, panting, dropping to one knee. "My King! Forgive the intrusion, but Commander Dan—he has initiated the domain raid! Without awaiting your final command!"
Kain waved a dismissive hand, taking a slow drag from a jewel-encrusted pipe. A woman giggled softly beside him.
"Oh? Is that all?" His voice was a bored drawl, muffled by smoke. "Let him have his fun. Dan is invincible. He has never known defeat." A cruel smile touched his lips. "Save by my hand, of course. The raid will succeed precisely because he leads it. Now, leave us."
The warrior hesitated, then bowed low and scrambled from the room, leaving the King to his pleasures, utterly confident in his First Blade’s inevitable victory.
---
Fin slammed into yet another tree, the impact rattling his teeth. He coughed, spitting out a mouthful of blood and wood splinters, sliding down the rough bark to land heavily on the mossy ground.
Damn.
This guy was strong. Seriously strong. Like, maybe even Guildmaster Jolly strong, if she ever cut loose. The golden armor wasn’t just for show; it radiated power, and Dan knew how to use it.
He pushed himself up, ribs screaming in protest. His brief stint absorbing the shadow energy felt like a distant memory. This raw, concussive force Dan now wielded was something else entirely.
He’d tried weaving, dodging, countering with bursts of dark energy – nothing worked. Dan just plowed through it, his movements surprisingly fast for someone built like a walking vault, that massive greatsword still strapped to his back, unused.