The presence of Lord Lija (Level 100) was an existential threat. The air was pressurized, suffocating under the raw, unbridled power of a God-Class entity. The multi-limbed creature, wreathed in golden fire, towered over Archelius, its immense weight cracking the stone floor of the arena.
"You destroyed my Hand, my Rival, and you hold my Core!" Lord Lija roared, the sound a physical wave that slammed Archelius's remaining health. "Your System cannot compensate for this gap! You are dust!"
[Health: 70/100 (Damaged). Core Power: 100/100 (Full).]
Archelius activated his defenses to maximum, relying on his War God's Helm (Rank D+) and Vestment (Rank D++) to mitigate the God's overwhelming aura.
"The System provides the tools for ascension," Archelius declared, channeling the full, immense power of his core into the War God's Edge (Rank D). "I am here for the Dominance Kill."
The Dominance Defense
Lord Lija attacked first, unleashing a blinding wave of golden fire Divine Wildfire aimed at vaporizing the Rank D threat instantly.
Archelius knew he couldn't dodge the area-of-effect attack. He had to absorb it.
He drove the War God's Edge into the ground and channeled all available Core Power into his War God's Vestment and Iron Skin, creating a focused defensive barrier.
K-SHATTERING IMPACT!
The Divine Wildfire consumed him. The force was unimaginable, but the fully optimized Rank D defenses performed their absolute function. The Vestment flared violently, absorbing the massive damage output.
[Health: 10/100 (Critical). Core Power Damage Mitigated: 40%. Core Power: 70/100 (Remaining).]
Archelius staggered out of the flames, smoke rising from his cracked armor, his health in the red zone, but he was alive.
"Impossible!" Lord Lija bellowed, shocked by the survival of the Level 24 mortal. "My Divine Wildfire kills armies!"
"Your attack failed," Archelius rasped, activating his Focus Lock to maintain clarity despite the pain. "Now, my turn."
The Rank D Assault
Archelius knew he had to maximize the few seconds of Lija's shock. He was one attack away from death. He had to achieve a Dominance Kill before the God recovered.
He launched himself into an immediate Sprint Burst (Rank D+), moving faster than the Level 100 entity could track. He aimed for the exposed nexus below Lija, where the Grand Exotic Core had emerged.
Lord Lija reacted, attempting to crush Archelius with two massive, clawed hands.
Archelius dodged the first hand and used the second as a springboard, vaulting onto the God's immense torso. He channeled all his Core Power into a single, devastating strike.
He found the only weakness Rakan's duel had revealed: the junction where the massive bone armor met the wild essence—the center of Lija's being.
Archelius unleashed the ultimate attack: the War God's Fist (Rank D), boosted by the full force of the War God's Edge (Rank D).
The 7x damage multiplier, combined with the pure Rank D energy, slammed into Lord Lija's chest with the force of a supernova.
CATASTROPHIC EXPLOSION!
The attack ripped through the God's armor, carving a deep, smoking hole straight into the chaotic core of the entity.
[Lord Lija (Level 100) Critically Damaged. Dominance Kill Condition Met.]
Lord Lija paused, the golden flames around it sputtering, its immense body shuddering with disbelief and agony.
"THE SYSTEM... THE POWER... IT IS AN INSULT TO DEITY!"
The God dissolved instantly into a colossal storm of brilliant, explosive energy, which was immediately channeled and absorbed by the War God System.
[Lord Lija (Level 100, Nexus Class) Defeated. Dominance Kill Achieved!]
[XP Gained: 20000. Total XP: 57910/51200.]
The Rank C Ascension
The influx of experience was staggering, instantly pushing Archelius past the Level requirement for Rank C.
[Level Up: User Level 25! Level Up: User Level 26! Level Up: User Level 27! Level Up: User Level 28! Level Up: User Level 29! Level Up: User Level 30!]
[Rank Up Complete: C]
The silver light of the System exploded outward, ten times stronger than the previous Rank D ascension, enveloping the entire mountain range. The raw power surged through Archelius, instantly restoring his health, repairing his damaged armor, and restructuring his very essence.
[User: Archelius]
[Level: 30 (XP: 6710/102400)]
[Rank: C]
[Health Restored: 100/100. Core Power Restored: 100/100.]
[New System Features Unlocked: Tier 3 Skill Synthesis, Command Authority (Rank C), Warp Function (Minor).]
Archelius stood tall in the empty arena, fully healed, now a Rank C entity. His gear, now automatically restructured and powered by the Rank C energy, gleamed.
His skills immediately advanced: War God's Strike (7x multiplier), War God's Fist (10x multiplier), and his defensive stats soared. He was now a true force of war.
[Command Authority (Rank C): Squad members gain passive XP boost (100%) and access to basic Rank E Skills via proxy connection to User's System.]
The upgrade resonated through his subordinates, who now felt the surge of Rank C energy bolstering their own Rank F to E skills. They were Rank F fighters with Rank C support.
The Last Command
Archelius collected the final loot: a massive, pulsing crystal of divine power.
[Lord Lija's God Core (Legendary Divine Grade) x 1 Acquired.]
He immediately focused on the most critical strategic tool: Warp Function (Minor).
[Warp Function (Minor): Allows short-range, instantaneous repositioning (Max 500m). Cost: 50 CP per use.]
This was the ultimate tactical maneuver, allowing him to escape imminent danger or bridge insurmountable distances instantly.
Archelius walked out of the arena, meeting his subordinates who were staring at him with a mixture of relief and absolute reverence.
"The threat is neutralized," Archelius announced, his voice carrying the new, cold authority of Rank C. "Lord Lija and the Beast Nation are broken. The Demon Race is crushed. Aethelgard is clear of the immediate God-Class threat."
He looked at his squad. "The immediate war is over. But there are still two active signals on the global map the Northern Continent and the Western Sea. There are greater powers at work."
He focused on his students. "You are now Level 5 and 6, with access to Rank E skills. You are no longer mere survivors. You are the foundation of the War God System's army."
Archelius gave his final, clear command. "We consolidate resources. We utilize the Warp Function to return to the Citadel. We train until the System deems us ready for Rank B."
He looked toward the northern horizon, where the true global conflict lay.
"The Core Zero phase is complete. The Rank D phase is complete. The war begins now."