Hero Of Darkness

Chapter 1116  The Loyal Servant

Two weeks later…

Rumble!

Rumble!

The skies above the desolate No Man's Land roared with ominous power as the imposing, eerie grandeur of Bran Castle materialized. Its dark spires pierced the heavens like silent sentinels, emerging from the shadows of the protective barriers that had concealed it during the journey.

The entire structure emanated a blend of majesty and foreboding, an emblem of both power and mystery.

Inside the grand halls, Argos, the Vampire King, broke the silence.

"So, how are you planning to announce your reappearance in the Rakos Empire?"

His crimson eyes gleamed with curiosity and subtle amusement.

Kahn stood by a tall, arched window, his gaze fixed on the lands below.

"I have a few subordinates still embedded in this empire. They've carved out positions of power and influence.

For now, I need to operate covertly. Moving my pieces behind the scenes before anyone even suspects my presence is crucial to the plan."

Suddenly...

SHUDDER!

The mighty castle trembled slightly as alarms echoed from the watchtowers stationed at each of its four corners.

"It seems we've been noticed," Argos said, his tone calm but serious.

"As we anticipated, the Zivot Empire will send an envoy soon. The Vulcan Empire already knows of our presence... I informed the Fireborne Emperor during our journey.

That leaves the Rakos Empire. They're bound to send their Chief General and a few saints to investigate."

Argos turned toward a massive, ornate console imbued with ancient magic.

With a flick of his hand, he activated a series of runes and spoke a command.

The towering Bran Castle shimmered momentarily before vanishing into the ether as layers of legendary-ranked illusion barriers and intricate magic formations rendered it invisible.

Kahn turned to the Revenant Sovereign, who had been silently observing the exchange.

"Where to now?" the Sovereign asked, his deep voice reverberating through the room.

Kahn's expression softened, a rare flicker of nostalgia crossing his features. His lips curled into a faint smile.

"To Verlassen Fiefdom."

******************

That very evening, the Bran Castle emerged from the shadows over a remote mountainous valley.

This secluded location, teeming with low-level monsters, was nestled 35,000 kilometers away from the No Man's Land, ensuring a safe haven far from prying eyes.

Kahn stood in the castle's command room, gazing at the expanse below as he retrieved an old transmission artifact, one he hadn't used in many years.

Channeling his mana into the device, he spoke with a tone of quiet authority.

"Come meet me at the border. And lead me to where he is now."

The artifact buzzed briefly before a voice, brimming with zealous devotion, responded.

"Yes, my lord. I shall lead you to him."

Hours Later...

The Bran Castle floated silently above the borders of the valley, halting in front of an invisible barrier. The barrier exuded a palpable resistance, a clear indication of its intent to repel intruders.

This magical force seemed particularly agitated by the presence of the 12 saints aboard the castle, including Argos' royal knights.

However, there was one exception... Omega.

As a being who defied natural classification, neither wholly monster nor saint, Omega passed through without issue, his very existence challenging the rules the barrier imposed.

After several minutes of tense waiting…

SWOOSH!

A figure cloaked in flowing gray mage robes materialized beyond the barrier. The individual, a silver-haired man with piercing yellow eyes, carried a simple brown scepter that radiated faint magical energy.

Moving with unhurried grace, he approached the castle's open garden, where Kahn and his entourage waited.

In terms of appearance, his face had a lot of striking resemblance with Kahn, having both charisma and regality of a majestic ruler.

The saint knights stepped aside as the mage drew near. He halted a few meters from Kahn, then gracefully dropped to one knee, his voice steady but laced with reverence.

"Subordinate Tobias greets my master."

This was a Legendary Rank subordinate Kahn had created using Ezekiel Nabi, a semi-saint mage who had once entered the Forbidden Zone as a chosen representative from the Neutral Faction.

Back then, Ezekiel had been killed by Kahn, and before leaving the Rakos Empire, Kahn utilized his corpse to create Tobias, who was already comparable to a 2nd-stage saint upon his creation.

Since saints were unrivaled in the Verlassen Fiefdom, Kahn left Tobias to rule in his stead. During his final proclamation in the empire, Kahn introduced a democratic voting system, allowing the people to choose their new leaders.

However, the reality behind this façade was far more sinister.

Through his shadowy criminal organization known as Seven Deadly Sins, Kahn had covertly manipulated the entire political process.

This organization controlled the underworld, numerous nobles, government officials, and influential business corporations, after forcing many to sign blood-oath contracts that bound them to Kahn's will.

As a result, Tobias was 'elected' as the new Governor of Verlassen Fiefdom with overwhelming support.

To the outside world, Tobias was a semi-saint and an old ally of the late Kahn Salvatore, known for his commitment to safeguarding the fiefdom and its people.

His public persona was that of a righteous and competent leader, trusted and supported by all factions within Verlassen. However, behind the scenes, Tobias was working tirelessly to fulfill Kahn's hidden directives.

Tobias' rule was further secured by the Covenant Army, a military force Kahn had established before his departure.

This force not only protected the fiefdom but also maintained Tobias' undisputed authority over the region.

"What about the 40 Semi-Saints I left to serve under you?" asked Kahn, his tone steady yet curious.

"I apologize, master. None of them have been able to break through to Legendary or Saint Rank." responded Tobias, bowing his head slightly in deference.

"Well, that's to be expected. Did their involvement help you rule the fiefdom effectively?" Kahn followed up, probing further.

"Yes, master. I rule the capital Aesir with an iron fist. There is no one daring enough to oppose us in any way.

Furthermore, the noble factions have barely recovered their reputation since your departure. In the meantime, no one has dared to create any trouble for us," Tobias replied with confidence.

Kahn nodded approvingly.

"And what about your own progress?" he asked, this time with a glint of expectation in his eyes.

To this question, Tobias allowed a proud smile to creep onto his face.

BOOM!!

The next moment, an awe-inspiring spectacle unfolded.

A multicolored domain spread across the surrounding area, covering a 30-kilometer radius that encompassed the entire mountain range, dense forests, and all the monsters within.

The domain radiated immense power, forcing even the monstrous entities nearby into submission.

"This is…" Kahn murmured, sensing the magnitude of Tobias' display.

Without hesitation, Tobias revealed the full extent of his growth. Dozens of fortress-like constructs, warships, and hundreds of High Lord rank monsters materialized within the domain, each one exuding power and readiness.

But it didn't stop there.

Dozens of 100-meter-tall feathered warriors, clad in golden armor, appeared. Their radiant white wings gave them an angelic appearance, though their fierce presence told a different story.

Behind them stood hundreds of 20-meter-tall mages and summoners, wielding grimoires and staves and adorned in dark red robes that seemed to hum with forbidden power.

"This is my Domain of Sublimation." declared Tobias, his voice reverberating with authority and pride, his aura a tangible force of dominance.

"I created it after studying all the magic grimoires, skill books, and research materials available in the archives of the castle you once resided in." Tobias began, his tone calm and respectful, as if explaining the weather.

"After I took the position of governor, I discovered a hidden room where one of the previous sovereigns conducted his studies.

He developed magical formations, created underlings to assist with his own skills, and enhanced the power of his summoned knights during combat.

I built on that foundation and devised this domain. The best part is that I can keep adding summons using the bodies of my fallen enemies."

Tobias paused before continuing...

"The only drawback lies in the compatibility of the corpses with my rank, skills, and elemental affinities.

However, if I obtain suitable corpses that meet these criteria, the growth of my domain... and my strength as a saint... is truly tremendous."

The moment he finished speaking, the atmosphere shifted.

Not just Kahn, but everyone else in the entourage stood frozen, mouths slightly agape.

"Isn't that…?" Vildred, the Revenant Sovereign, finally broke the silence.

"Yes, it's exactly what you think." Kahn replied, his countenance a mixture of disbelief and awe.

"He's essentially created a miniature version of my Synthesis divine ability."

The surroundings were now filled with shock and also admiration.

Not only was Tobias a genius when it came to strategically govern a vast fiefdom, but as a mage class being, he had the skills that could rival even other powerful saints of the world.

The only thing stopping Tobias from becoming a terrifying existence was the lack of resources and his current rank as a 5th-stage saint.

[System, show me his stats.] commanded Kahn.

[Following are the Statistics of the subordinate Tobias.

Name : Tobias

Species : Human

Rank : Legendary Rank / 5th-stage Saint

Level : 614

Strength : 11245

Agility : 15889

Dexterity : 25667

Defense : 10540

Mana : 836718.] replied the system.

[What?! That mana stat is even higher than mine!] spoke Kahn, realizing the absurd number.

[Sytem detects that the subordinate has unlocked a Legendary Rank class all by his own.] informed the system.

[What is it?] he asked.

The system took a pause and relayed the unexpected achievement made by Tobias…

[The Ritualist.]

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