The Silk Serpent brothel stood like a fortress in the night. The three-story building had a bright red front decorated with golden snake statues that seemed to move in the moonlight. Normally it was packed with customers. Tonight, it was ready for war.
Kael watched from a rooftop across the street. His Void Sense painted a clear picture in his mind—forty people inside spread across three floors, twenty more outside. The Iron Jackals mercenaries had set up guard positions all around the building. Vorcen had turned the place into a stronghold.
But as Kael waited, he saw exactly what he'd hoped for. Three blocks away, huge orange flames shot up into the sky. Lyra's distraction fire, right on schedule. The flames spread fast, clearly helped along by something that made them burn hotter and faster.
Bells started ringing—the city's fire alarm. The Iron Jackals commander had a problem now. His men were paid by the city to help with fires, but Vorcen was also paying them to guard the Serpent.
The commander made his choice. He split his forces—ten mercenaries ran toward the fire, ten stayed behind.
Perfect. Kael could work with ten guards instead of twenty.
He created twin Void daggers, the dark blades seeming to swallow the moonlight. He'd take out the outside guards first, then move inside. Ten professional soldiers were still dangerous, but much better than twenty.
Kael used Void Step to jump from his hiding spot to the Serpent's roof. The teleport made no sound at all. A lookout stood near the roof door, watching the streets below. He never thought to look up.
Kael dropped behind him silently. One hand over the guard's mouth, the other activating Void Siphon. The man struggled for just a moment, then his eyes rolled back and he went limp.
[1/60 neutralized]
The roof access door had both a physical lock and a magic ward. Kael put his hand on the door and used his Sovereign's Authority. He carefully shaped the Void energy to trick the ward into thinking he was supposed to be there. The magic accepted his energy as friendly, and the door clicked open.
Stairs led down to the third floor—Vorcen's personal area. Kael moved down silently. His Void Sense showed four guards in the hallway below, all alert and professional. These weren't regular thugs. They wore quality armor and moved like trained soldiers. Vorcen's personal bodyguards.
Kael activated Shadowmeld as he reached the landing, blending into the shadows. He studied their movements. They patrolled in a rotating pattern that kept at least two of them watching any approach at all times. Smart tactics.
He couldn't sneak past them. So he'd have to be fast.
Kael appeared behind the first guard with Void Step. His Void dagger touched the man's neck and released a pulse of energy. The guard's nervous system overloaded and he dropped, unconscious but alive.
[2/60 neutralized]
The second guard turned at the sound of his friend falling. Kael was already there. One Void-enhanced punch to the temple, carefully measured to knock out without killing.
[3/60 neutralized]
The third and fourth guards reacted faster. One drew his sword and yelled "Intruder on third floor!" The other lunged for an alarm horn hanging on the wall.
Kael threw one of his Void daggers. It flew across the hallway and hit the guard's hand just as he grabbed the horn. The blade's aging effect made the man's fingers go numb and he dropped it.
Before the horn could hit the ground and make noise, Kael used Void Grasp. Dark energy caught the horn in mid-air, holding it suspended and silent.
[Void Energy: 165/200]
The sword-wielder charged with a battle cry. His blade moved in complex patterns—years of training showing. Kael created a Void sword to meet him. Their blades clashed. Where they touched, the steel sword started to rust and weaken. Three exchanges, and the metal shattered like old pottery.
Kael grabbed the man's arm and used Void Siphon. The guard went limp.
[4/60 neutralized]
The last guard was backing toward Vorcen's door, clearly planning to warn his captain. Kael crossed the distance in a blur and hit him with Merciful Strike. The man crumpled.
[5/60 neutralized]
But that first shout had been heard. Footsteps pounded from below—reinforcements coming fast. Kael's window for stealth was over.
Vorcen's door burst open. The captain himself stepped out—a man around fifty years old with iron-gray hair, a face marked by scars, and eyes like cold steel. His hands glowed with magic power. Kael could feel the strength coming off him in waves. Level 18 at least, maybe higher.
"So," Vorcen said, his voice rough like gravel. "The dead man walks. I should have taken your head when I killed you, Draven. Should have burned your corpse to make sure you stayed dead."
"Yes," Kael agreed, his Void blades humming with power. "You should have. That mistake is going to destroy you."
Vorcen's hands erupted with red fire—blood magic mixed with normal flames, a forbidden technique that burned life force for extra power. "Let me fix that mistake right now."
A massive column of blood-red flame blasted toward Kael. The heat was intense enough to melt stone. Kael activated Void Armor and dove sideways. The flames scorched the wall where he'd been standing, leaving the wood glowing and smoking.
[Fire damage reduced by 45%][Health: 295/310]
Kael rolled to his feet and hurled both Void daggers like spears. They flew straight at Vorcen. The captain threw up a shield of shimmering magic. The daggers hit hard enough to shatter the shield, but they lost their power and dissolved into dark mist.
"Good," Vorcen admitted, starting to circle. "Three days ago you were nothing. Just a disposable thug asking questions you shouldn't ask. Now you're using Void energy like a master. What happened in that alley after I put my blade in your heart?"
"I died. Then something ancient decided I deserved another chance." Kael created a Void spear, the weapon forming from dark energy. "And I've spent every moment since getting stronger. Strong enough to end you."
Vorcen laughed—bitter and harsh. "Void corruption. I've heard the old stories. Ancient power that drives men insane, turns them into monsters. You think it's a gift? It's a curse that will eat you alive from the inside. The Void doesn't give anything for free. It takes and takes until there's nothing human left."
"Maybe you're right," Kael said. "But I'll drag you into the darkness with me first."
He charged forward, moving so fast he became a blur. The Void spear struck in quick patterns, combining different techniques he'd learned. Vorcen was forced to defend, creating shields and barriers to block the attacks.
But Vorcen had decades of fighting experience. He read Kael's attack patterns, saw the openings, and struck back with a lightning bolt at close range.
The electricity hit Kael's Void Armor. Most of it scattered harmlessly, but enough got through to make his muscles spasm and lock up for a crucial second.
[Lightning damage reduced by 35%][Health: 270/310]
Vorcen pressed his advantage, following up with a storm of magic attacks—ice shards, force bolts, acid spheres. Each spell was different, making them impossible to defend against with one technique.
Kael activated Void Pulse. The shockwave exploded outward, destroying all the incoming spells before they could hit. Then he pushed through the pain from the lightning burns and activated Void Siphon. Dark tendrils erupted from his spear, reaching for Vorcen.
The captain tried to dodge, but Kael's enhanced speed was too much. The tendrils latched on, and Vorcen's eyes went wide with shock as he felt his magic being drained away.
"What—no! This is impossible!" Vorcen shouted, his confidence cracking. "You can't drain a third-tier mage! The power difference is too great!"
[Draining: 50 energy per second][+25 Void Energy restored][Temporary Intelligence boost: +5]
Kael felt Vorcen's knowledge flowing into him—decades of magic theory, spell-casting methods, combat experience. The System processed it all, adapting it to work with Void energy.
[SKILL ACQUISITION TRIGGERED][Skill learned: Magical Theory Basics (Rank E)][Skill learned: Blood Magic Resistance (Rank F)]
But Vorcen wasn't beaten yet. With a roar of rage and desperation, he released a burst of pure magic force. It shattered Kael's drain and sent him flying backward. Kael hit the wall hard enough to crack the plaster.
[Health: 235/310]
Kael hit the ground and rolled back to his feet. Both of them were breathing hard now. Vorcen's magic reserves were much lower after the drain, but the captain was far from finished.
"You're strong," Vorcen admitted. "Stronger than I expected. But strength isn't everything. You're new to this power. I've had decades to perfect my skills."
He snapped his fingers. Six more life signatures appeared in Kael's Void Sense—rushing up the stairs. The lieutenants, Vorcen's elite officers. The seven most dangerous members of the Crimson Hand besides Vorcen himself.
[WARNING: Multiple high-level enemies approaching][Recommended: Fall back and regroup]
Kael dismissed the System's warning. He wasn't running. Not now. Not ever again.
The six lieutenants burst into the hallway—a coordinated team that had fought together for years. Three heavily armored warriors with different weapons. Two mages with glowing staffs, one radiating fire and one crackling with lightning. And one rogue who immediately vanished from sight using advanced stealth.
"Kill him," Vorcen ordered coldly. "I want his head on a spike by sunrise."
The six attacked as one perfectly coordinated unit. The three warriors charged from different angles. The two mages started building powerful spells. The rogue disappeared completely, waiting for the perfect moment to strike from the shadows.
Kael activated his Sovereign's Authority, letting his perfect Void control handle multiple tasks at once:
Void Armor reinforced and layered for extra protection. Void Pulse released in a precise wave to stagger the charging warriors. Void Step ready to dodge the mages' spells. Void Sense pushed to maximum, tracking the invisible rogue by the ripples she made in the ambient energy.
Seven enemies plus Vorcen waiting for an opening. Eight total. Terrible odds.
But Kael had one advantage—he got stronger with every fight.
He created a Void whip that extended twenty feet. It lashed out and wrapped around one of the mages before his spell finished. Void Siphon activated through the whip, draining the mage's power from a distance.
[Draining: Fire Mage][+30 Void Energy]
The invisible rogue appeared behind Kael with twin daggers aimed at his kidneys. But Void Sense had tracked her the whole time. Kael spun, caught her wrist, and drained her too.
[Draining: Shadow Assassin][+25 Void Energy][SKILL LEARNED: Advanced Stealth (Rank E)]
The three warriors reached him. Sword, axe, and hammer struck together in perfect coordination. Kael's Void Armor absorbed the hits, but the force drove him to one knee.
The second mage completed his spell. A huge lightning bolt shot toward Kael's kneeling form.
No time to dodge. Kael created a Void shield and angled it to reflect instead of block. The lightning hit the shield and bounced back, striking the mage who cast it. The man fell, knocked out by his own spell.
[2 lieutenants down]
Kael released his drains—the fire mage and rogue were both unconscious now. He rolled away from the warriors and came up with twin Void swords in his hands.
He engaged the three warriors in close combat. Block the sword, parry the axe, duck under the hammer. His enhanced speed let him match their teamwork with raw power.
Void energy flowed through his blades. Where they cut, armor rusted like it was a hundred years old. Where they touched skin, flesh withered. The warriors realized they were fighting something beyond normal.
Kael used Void Pulse at point-blank range. All three warriors stumbled back, their formation breaking. He struck fast—three quick applications of Void Siphon. The warriors dropped one by one.
[All 6 lieutenants neutralized][Bonus Complete: Defeat all seven lieutenants][+500 EXP]
[LEVEL UP! You are now Level 11]
Vorcen stood alone now, his elite guard beaten in under two minutes. The captain's face showed real fear—probably an emotion he hadn't felt in years.
"Impossible," Vorcen whispered. "They were the best. Trained for years. You shouldn't have been able to—"
"They were good," Kael interrupted, walking slowly toward him. "But I'm better. And I keep getting better with every fight. That's the difference between us. You reached your peak years ago. I'm still climbing."
Vorcen's face twisted with rage and fear. "You want to see my peak? Fine. Let's finish this in my meeting room. On the ley line, where real power lives. One final fight. Winner takes everything."
He was offering exactly what Kael wanted—a fight at the power convergence where decades of death had built up energy. Vorcen planned to use that power himself, to refill his drained magic and crush Kael with overwhelming force.
But Kael had something Vorcen didn't—a System designed to absorb and use any kind of power.
"Lead the way," Kael said.
Vorcen opened the door to his meeting room. The chamber beyond was round, with strange symbols carved into the floor. All the symbols pointed toward one spot in the center—the ley line convergence point.
Kael could feel the power concentrated there. Decades of death, torture, and dark rituals had fed this spot. The air itself felt thick with accumulated energy.
"Step into the circle," Vorcen said, his confidence returning. "Let's end this like warriors."
Kael walked forward into the meeting room. The moment both of them stood within the circle of symbols, the energy activated. Power flooded into both fighters—raw, wild force that enhanced every ability.
[Ley Line Convergence Active][All abilities increased by 50%][Damage increased by 50%][Energy costs reduced by 25%]
Vorcen struck first, unleashing everything he had—fireballs, lightning bolts, ice spears, all moving faster and hitting harder. Kael dodged and blocked, his enhanced reflexes barely keeping up.
But with each spell, Kael learned. His Sovereign's Authority processed the patterns, adapted to them. By the tenth spell, he was predicting Vorcen's attacks. By the twentieth, he was countering them.
Kael created a storm of Void weapons—dozens of blades, spears, and arrows filling the air. They rained down on Vorcen. The captain made shields to block them, but each Void weapon that hit drained energy from his defenses.
The battle grew more intense. Vorcen called down pillars of flame. Kael answered with waves of entropy that aged the flames to nothing. They were evenly matched now—the ley line energy bridging the level gap between them.
But Kael had one advantage Vorcen didn't. He was still learning, still growing.
[Combat EXP gained: +100][Combat EXP gained: +100]
With each exchange, Kael's skills sharpened. He combined Void Step with Void Pulse, teleporting into close range and releasing a shockwave from inside Vorcen's guard. The captain's shield shattered.
Kael pressed forward, unleashing Void Siphon at full power. The tendrils grabbed Vorcen and started draining everything—life, magic, even memories.
Vorcen screamed. But he wasn't finished. With a final desperate move, he activated a suicide technique—turning his own life into a massive explosion of magic.
[WARNING: LETHAL ATTACK][Survival chance: 12%]
Kael had one choice. He poured everything into Void Armor, layering it multiple times. Then he activated a technique born from pure instinct—Void Singularity.
His Void energy compressed into a single point, creating a tiny black hole that swallowed Vorcen's explosion. The energies collided—Void versus Magic, entropy versus creation.
For a moment, reality seemed to tear.
Then the Void won.
The singularity collapsed, taking Vorcen with it. The captain's scream cut off as the Void consumed him completely.
[ENEMY DEFEATED: Captain Vorcen][+1000 EXP][SPECIAL: Ley Line Convergence Kill][Absorbing power...]
Energy flooded into Kael like a tidal wave. Not just Vorcen's power, but the ley line's stored energy from years of death. His body couldn't contain it all—his Void markings blazed so bright they lit up the entire room.
[LEVEL UP! You are now Level 12][LEVEL UP! You are now Level 13][LEVEL UP! You are now Level 14][+10 to all stats]
[QUEST COMPLETE: CRIMSON RECKONING][All bonuses achieved][Rewards: 2000 EXP, Legendary Item, +10 to all stats]
[UNIQUE SKILL UNLOCKED: Void Domain (Rank S)][Create an area where you control all Void energy completely. Within your Domain, you make the rules.]
Kael fell to his knees, overwhelmed by the power surge. His body was changing again, rebuilding to handle the massive energy. When it finally stopped, he felt beyond human.
He was Level 14 now. In just four days, he'd gone from a murdered thug to something truly powerful.
The building shook. The ley line, broken by the fight, was falling apart. Kael needed to leave before everything collapsed.
He stood on shaky legs and headed for the exit. Behind him, the meeting room started to cave in, the ley line's energy going wild.
The Crimson Hand was finished. Vorcen was dead. The organization would fall apart without its leader.
Kael had his revenge.
So why did he feel empty inside?