Time lost meaning.
Maybe a minute. Maybe a century.
I felt someone patting my face. Lightly. Checking if I was alive.
"Boss... Boss..."
Quinn's voice. Crying.
I opened my eyes with difficulty.
Vision blurry. Double images. Tried to breathe. Lungs felt like fire. Every breath brought sharp pain and the taste of blood.
Left shoulder felt empty. The puncture wound was bandaged simply, but still oozing blood. Every bone felt shattered. Couldn't even move a finger.
This was the backlash of [Thunder God's Wrath]. Plus heavy injuries.
"Alive... he's alive..." Seeing my eyes open, Quinn cried tears of relief. Dropping onto my face. Cool.
I turned my head. Looked around.
Quiet. No cheers. No joy of victory.
Only the suppressed, low sobbing of survivors.
The underground cavern smelled of burnt flesh and blood. The massive Crystal Broodmother was a pile of charcoal nearby.
But I didn't look at the loot.
I looked at the people.
Quinn knelt by me. Covered in blood. Left arm still hanging. Not far away, the two surviving young members—Little Zhao and Little Sun—were kneeling on the ground, kowtowing to a pile of unrecognizable body parts. Foreheads bleeding from hitting the floor.
That was Old Zhang. That was Little Liu. That was Ah Qiang...
Shadow Blade Squad. Ten people. Three survived. Everyone wounded. Gear destroyed.
A pyrrhic victory. No, a disaster.
Shadow limped over. A long gash on his back, flesh rolled back, gold fur dyed red. He lowered his head, licking the blood off my face.
His eyes were complicated. Pain, relief that "you finally grew up," and deep exhaustion.
"Alive?" I asked. Voice weak as a mosquito. Didn't sound like me.
"Yeah. Alive." Shadow whispered. "The spider is dead. You cooked it. Those two kids carried you back."
I closed my eyes. Tears ran into my hair. Hot.
"What kind of victory is this..."
I murmured. "I killed them. If I wasn't so greedy... if I listened to you..."
"This is the apocalypse."
Shadow interrupted. Tone void of his usual sarcasm. Only the heaviness of experience. "And the price of growth. Victor, remember this. Every decision you make carries lives. The title 'Lord' isn't for showing off. It's for carrying."
"Want to be King? Learn to carry corpses first. Learn to face death. Learn to accept sacrifice."
I was silent for a long time.
Then, I struggled. Pushed the ground with my good right hand. Trying to sit up.
"Boss, don't move! You're hurt bad!" Quinn tried to hold me down.
"Help me up."
I gritted my teeth. Cold sweat on my forehead. Tone firm. "I can't lie down."
Quinn froze. Wiped her tears. With Little Zhao, helped me up.
I leaned against a rock. Panting. Looking at the ruins.
"I'm sorry."
I bowed my head deeply to Quinn, to the survivors, and to the remains on the ground.
Quinn trembled.
"Boss, it's not your fault." Her voice was calm but heartbreaking. "We were too weak. Against that monster, we were ants. Without your final strike, we'd all be dead."
"No. My fault."
I looked at the bodies. My eyes grew cold and hard. Forging regret into steel. "I was arrogant. Underestimated this world. Thought gear made me invincible. Thought I was a savior. I will never make this mistake again."
"I swear."
System chime broke the heavy atmosphere.
[Congrats Host! Successfully killed C-Rank Peak Lord! Origin Ore Recovered!] [Territory Upgrade Condition Met!] [Initiating Territory Reconstruction...]
VMMMM—
A soft white light radiated from me. Covered the cavern instantly. Extended up the tunnel.
A miracle happened.
The eerie, alien nest environment began to change.
The dark red creep withered and vanished in the light, revealing the original structure. Broken walls repaired automatically. Snapped rebar reconnected. Floor leveled. Dim lights brightened.
The blue meteorite floating in the air was pulled by an invisible force. Slowly descended. Settled into a transparent energy tank rising in the center of the hall.
Blue light flowed. Powering the entire base with endless energy.
This place was becoming an impregnable underground fortress. A real home.
But I didn't look at the miraculous changes.
I bent down. Picked up Old Zhang's dropped machete. Blade curled. Covered in black blood and meat.
I wiped it clean with my sleeve. Stabbed it solemnly into the ground.
Hand on the hilt. Turned to the survivors.
The two young members looked at me. Still fear in their eyes, but mostly a life-and-death dependence. And fanatic worship.
To them, the man bathed in lightning who one-shot the monster... was a god.
"Take the brothers home. Proper burial."
My voice wasn't spirited like before. It was steady. Heavy. Commanding.
"Carve their names on the wall. Let everyone who enters know who took this shelter."
"Their families (if any), the Shelter feeds them for life."
"From today,"
I looked at the blue meteorite in the tank. Looked at this territory bought with blood.
"This place belongs to Steele."
"But not for enjoyment. For... atonement. To survive."
"We will build this into the strongest fortress. We will make every enemy tremble at our feet. We will carve a bloody path in this apocalypse!"
"For Sector C! For survival!"
Quinn finally turned. Looked at me. Tears in her eyes, but firm trust. She saw my regret. Saw my growth. She knew the man before her wasn't the rookie who made mistakes anymore. He was a leader worth following.
She wiped her tears. Ignoring the pain in her left arm, she raised her right fist. Slammed it against her chest armor.
Thud.
"Follow the Lord to death!"
The remaining two struggled up. Legs shaking, but backs straight. Saluted.
"Follow the Lord to death!"
The roar echoed in the empty hall.
I looked at them. No fickleness in my heart.
The Victor Steele who got cocky over some gear died in this battle.
Living now... was a true Apocalypse Lord. Carrying blood and sin. Revering life.
Shadow sat beside me. Watching all this. Corner of his mouth lifted.
"Finally look the part," he whispered.