The air in the Eldoria palace was heavy, like the black clouds covering the sky. Alex stood in the middle of the vast stone great hall, gripping the hilt of his Mithril sword, his eyes flickering with determination mixed with vague fear. His level was now 41, with the Shadow Eclipse skill capable of devouring mass shadows, but the dream from the night before still haunted him: the Dark Lord calling him "son," like a whisper from hell. "Is he truly... this body's biological father? Or just a trick?" Alex mumbled, looking out the window at the gray sky, the darkness spreading from the distant abyss.
King Eldric sat on his throne, his elderly face furrowed with worry lines, flanked by the alliance leaders: Eldrin from the elves, Durin from the Dwarves (who had led his troops), and Ignis in human form from the Dragon tribe. Elara stood close to Alex, her hand lightly touching him in silent comfort. "The Dark Lord has fully awakened," Eldric said, his voice grave. "Messengers report: His Legion – tens of thousands of corrupted monsters, colossal phantoms, and Dark Lord Avatars – are marching towards Eldoria. We have the alliance, but we must strike the abyss before he grows stronger." Durin hammered his staff on the floor: "The Dwarves are ready! We will forge Mithril shields for the entire army." Ignis nodded: "Dragons will take to the sky, incinerating the enemy." Eldrin looked at Alex: "You are the key, Shadow Sovereign. Prophecy says you must confront him. But you must first understand the source of your power – perhaps in the Ancient Library in the abyss."
Alex nodded, the System chiming: [Main Quest: Explore the Abyss. Reward: Origin Secret Revealed, New Skill – Shadow Ascend, Level +15.] "I will go ahead with a small team. We can't risk the main army being ambushed." Elara firmly stated: "I'm coming with you." Pyra, Grom, and several elite elf and Dwarf warriors joined, forming the vanguard team. The large alliance would follow. They immediately set off, crossing the plains toward the Abyss – a deep, bottomless pit to the south, where darkness flowed like a black river. The air grew progressively colder; the trees withered, and the whispers echoed in Alex's mind: "Come home... My son..."
After half a day's journey, they reached the edge of the abyss. The darkness spread like a black fog, obscuring visibility. Suddenly, a roar erupted – a squad of Dark Avatars charged out: shadowy humanoid figures, three meters tall, wielding dark scythes. "Intruders! The Dark Lord awaits you!" They growled, lunging with terrifying speed. Pyra transformed into a dragon, breathing fire that incinerated two, their bodies burning black and dissolving. Grom swung his Mithril hammer, severing one's arm; foul black blood sprayed. Elara shot green arrows, piercing the head of another, exploding it from within. Alex activated Shadow Eclipse immediately: the colossal area of darkness swallowed three, draining their life force and transferring it to his allies, healing their wounds quickly. [Experience +600.]
But the Avatars were powerful; one grazed Pyra with its scythe, tearing her dragon wing; hot red blood sprayed. "Aargh!" Pyra roared, lashing her tail to crush it. Grom was surrounded; his hammer cleaved one, but the other grazed his chest; blood flowed profusely. Elara deftly dodged, but a phantom wrapped around her leg, draining her life force. "Alex!" she yelled. Alex rushed over, using Shadow Army to summon ten phantoms – now stronger thanks to the level up – which lunged and tore at the Avatars. They wrestled, claws tearing the dark flesh; the shadows swirled. "Shadow Fusion with Fire!" Alex combined with Pyra; the dark-red tentacles swept across, burning and draining life force simultaneously. The Avatars dissolved in droves; the ambush ended. [Experience +800. Level up: Level 41 → Level 43.]
They proceeded deeper into the abyss through a winding stone path; the darkness was thick, requiring light magic from Elara. The whispers grew clearer: "You are my son... The power of darkness flows in your blood." Alex paused, his head throbbing: "Is this... true?" Eldrin once spoke of prophecy, but now he was doubting. They reached the Ancient Library – a gigantic cave with ancient stone books and shimmering runes. But the library was guarded by a dark Guardian – a colossal black dragon-like monster, Level 50, with glossy black scales and blood-red eyes. "Intruder! The secret belongs to the Dark Lord!" It roared, breathing dense black darkness.
The battle erupted ferociously. The Guardian lashed its tail; rock fragments flew everywhere, aiming straight for Alex. He dodged with Shadow Cloak, vanished into the darkness, and reappeared on its back. "Shadow Strike!" The blade severed a scale; black blood sprayed. But the Guardian shook violently, throwing him off, breathing darkness that enveloped the whole team, draining life force. Pyra countered with sacred fire, the red fire colliding with the darkness, creating a resounding explosion. Grom leaped up, hammering its leg; bones cracked. Elara shot green arrows into its eye, exploding it and temporarily blinding it. Alex used Shadow Eclipse to swallow a portion of its darkness, but the backlash surged intensely: "Devour... Become the sovereign!" He nearly lost control, his eyes turning bloodshot; his phantoms turned to attack his comrades. "No! Stop!" he yelled internally. Elara touched his hand, her forest magic balancing him: "You are stronger than it!"
With newfound strength, Alex combined everything: "Shadow Army Fusion!" His phantoms merged with Pyra's fire, Elara's forest, and Grom's hammer, forming a monstrous hybrid army, lunging and tearing at the Guardian. It roared in agony, its tail lash grazing Alex, tearing his chest; blood flowed profusely. But he plunged his Mithril sword into the dark core at its heart; the darkness exploded, and the Guardian dissolved. [Experience +1500. Level up: Level 43 → Level 46.] The library opened; the stone books revealed a projection: Alex saw the past – the Dark Lord was once a god of darkness, but was sealed. Alex's reincarnated body was his descendant; the Shadow power was a blood legacy. "You were chosen to inherit... Or to destroy," an ancient voice echoed.
The secret shocked Alex: "I... am his son? But I'm from Earth!" The System explained: [Origin: This body is a Dark Lord descendant; your soul was transmigrated for balance.] Elara hugged him: "Either way, you are you – not him." But the joy was brief: an earth-shattering roar from the depths of the abyss – the Dark Lord manifested, a gigantic black figure, a hundred meters tall, his red eyes blazing. "My son... Come to me!" His legion poured out. The large alliance arrived just in time; the final battle erupted: Dragons breathed fire, Dwarves swung hammers, Elves shot arrows, Humans cast spells. Alex rushed to the center: "Shadow Ascend!" – the new skill. He transformed into a colossal shadow form, confronting the Dark Lord. The collision created an earthquake, the darkness swallowing everything...