The sun barely rose over Ardentium, yet the city already trembled beneath Kael's presence. From the ruins of the Citadel to the shattered streets, the empire's army had become little more than scattered prey. Kael moved like a storm incarnate, threads of crimson, black, and gold energy snapping from his body in controlled chaos.
[Host Status: Strength 800/100 | Potential: 400% | Bloodline Absorption: 40%]
[Curse Activity: Maximum | Host Corruption Risk: Extreme | Stabilization Recommended]
[Nearby Threats: Empire Remnants – Various Commanders and Elite Units | Strength Range 80–180 | Alert Level: Maximum]
The Forbidden Immortal System clicked and whirred in his mind like an army of precise automatons. Every target, every weak point, every strategic option was highlighted with glowing threads. Kael had become less human, more predator, and every step he took left the empire quaking.
He descended into the streets, intercepting a unit of elite guards. Threads of energy lashed outward, disarming and draining them in seconds. The system clicked relentlessly, calculating optimal absorption paths.
[Target Neutralized: Elite Guard Squad | Combat Essence +20% | Host Strength 820/100]
[Target Neutralized: Cavalry Regiment | Combat Essence +25% | Host Strength 850/100]
Even as he advanced, the curse tugged at him like molten chains. The whispers were relentless: absolute power, total annihilation, the heavens kneeling at his feet. Kael ignored them, letting the system guide him, letting the bloodline energy flow into his veins.
"Every empire has a breaking point," Kael murmured, voice low and deadly. "And this one… is mine."
A commander appeared atop a collapsed balcony, sword blazing with ancestral fire. He was strong, a bloodline-enhanced human at the peak of mortal power—but Kael's system calculated his every motion before it even began.
[High-Level Target Detected: Commander Valric | Strength 180/100 | Bloodline Fragment Present | Threat Level: Severe]
Kael smiled and moved with precision, every strike guided by glowing threads. Energy wrapped around Valric's joints, siphoning strength, unraveling centuries of noble-enhanced power. The system pulsed mechanically:
[Combat Essence +50% | Host Strength 900/100 | Curse Pull: Critical | Host Stability: 55%]
Valric fell, the light of his bloodline fragment now absorbed into Kael's body. The system clicked again, calculating the next threats and highlighting optimal paths to eliminate remaining forces.
Across the city, the empire's morale shattered completely. Soldiers abandoned posts, nobles cowered in fear, and magical wards flickered and failed against the tide of Kael's cursed power. The city's heart no longer belonged to them—it belonged to the Cursed Heir.
Kael's system highlighted a magical cannon tower—one of the empire's last significant defenses. Threads of energy shot from his hands, latching onto the mechanisms, draining its power, and feeding it into his body.
[Target Neutralized: Arcane Cannon Tower | Combat Essence +30% | Host Strength 950/100 | Potential 420% | Curse Pull: Extreme]
As he moved toward the northern gates, Kael sensed something different. Threads of divine energy brushed against his senses—subtle, yet unmistakable. The gods were watching, intrigued by the mortal who had consumed divine essence, defied death, and now ruled a crumbling empire with absolute force.
"So… the heavens are awake," Kael murmured, eyes glowing red. "Good. Let them see what defiance looks like."
A squad of elite imperial mages intercepted him, their spells crackling with ancient energy. Kael moved through them with supernatural precision, threads lashing to drain energy before it could strike. Each absorbed fragment increased his potential, feeding both the system and the curse.
[Target Neutralized: Elite Mage Squad | Combat Essence +60% | Host Strength 1000/100 | Bloodline Absorption 45% | Curse Pull: MAXIMUM]
The city trembled under Kael's presence. Buildings cracked. Streets shattered. Fires ignited in his wake, yet he walked calmly through the chaos, every movement deliberate, every strike precise.
At the gates, the last remaining commander of Ardentium appeared, a veteran known for unbroken resilience. Kael paused, letting the system scan thoroughly:
[High-Level Target Detected: Commander Orlan | Strength 200/100 | Bloodline Fragment Present | Threat Level: Extreme | Engagement Recommended]
Threads of crimson energy shot forward, wrapping around Orlan's arms, legs, and torso. Even as the commander struggled, Kael absorbed his essence, the bloodline fragment feeding directly into the system.
[Target Neutralized: Commander Orlan | Combat Essence +80% | Host Strength 1100/100 | Potential 450% | Curse Activity: MAXIMUM]
Kael looked over the ruined city, his system clicking mechanically, highlighting remaining power pockets, and scanning for any residual threats. The empire's remnants were scattered, demoralized, and powerless. Ardentium, the jewel of the empire, had fallen completely into his hands.
[Empire Control Status: 95% | Remaining Threats: Minor | Host Strength 1150/100 | Potential 500% | Curse Pull: TOTAL]
He let the threads of energy swirl around him, crimson light bathing the streets. His grin was cold and unholy, teeth gleaming. "The empire… belongs to me. And now…"
Kael felt the pulse of divine observation stronger than ever. Somewhere in the heavens, entities far beyond mortal comprehension had taken notice. The system clicked furiously, mechanical threads tracing energy flows that stretched beyond the world itself.
[Warning: Divine-Level Threat Detected | High Probability of Engagement | Host Stability at Risk]
Kael's red eyes glimmered with excitement. "Let them come. Gods, kings, mortals—none will survive what is coming. I am Kael. I am the storm. I am eternal."
From the shadows of ruined towers, the last surviving mages, generals, and nobles fled. The empire that had killed him, betrayed him, and executed him was no more. Kael's presence alone had reduced it to ash.
But even as he stood victorious, threads of the curse pulsed violently in his mind, whispering, clawing, demanding more. Kael knew the next battles would not be against mortals—they would be against the gods themselves. And the system, mechanical and precise, confirmed it:
[Host Potential: 500% | Bloodline Absorption: 45% | Curse Pull: TOTAL | Divine Threat Imminent]
Kael smiled, crimson energy crackling across his veins. "Then let the heavens tremble. Let the empire burn. And let the world know the name… Kael."