Chapter 65: Vault of 500 Echoes
The gates of carnage had opened. Kael stood at the mouth of the blackened corridor, divine lightning still crackling along his skin. The vault, once a silent crypt, had transformed into a battlefield bathed in crimson glyph-light. Monsters poured from obsidian portals—reavers, abyss hounds, armored bone fiends, winged manticores—all raging toward him like a tide.
Behind him, Evelyne and Thalaria shared a nod. "We hold this line together," Thalaria said, her palms already humming with arc-shaped sigils.
Evelyne's frosted aura wrapped her body in glowing lunar flame. "We'll cut down anything that touches his back."
Kael took a step forward, Fangblade drawn, now glowing with intense celestial runes. "Every kill matters. We're earning every tier, every drop of blood."
---
[Vault Combat Initiated]
> Enemies Remaining: 472
Average EXP Per Kill: 500,000
Sin Points: Active
Loot Chance: Divine (High)
[EXP Sharing Active — Bonded Wives Present: Evelyne, Thalaria (50% EXP Split)]
The first charge met them like a storm of claws and blades. Kael surged ahead, cleaving a reaver in two with a clean diagonal cut. The body combusted into black ash.
> [Monster Defeated: Abyss Reaver]
[EXP Gained: +500,000]
[Sin Points Gained: +100]
He felt the power fill him like a river—more stable than before, his Sunbound foundation now absorbing energy with improved efficiency. Evelyne cast a freezing field, locking down a dozen bonefiends. Thalaria danced between enemies, her lightning exploding with each step.
> [Level Up: 22 → 23 → 24]
[System Level: 24 — EXP: 18,600,000 / 44,160,000]
Kael's smile widened as his sword moved like a streak of stars. "This is what I was meant for."
---
Meanwhile — Sacred Dimension Outer Field
Selene had exited the vault briefly to breathe, her divine senses scanning the entire dimension. She watched stars swirl above the dimension's mirrored sky. Far beyond, the silhouette of another gate flickered—a forgotten vault?
Her hand drifted to the Moonshadow Daggers at her hips. She frowned. "Not yet. Kael's not ready for that one."
Behind her, Valeria's voice chimed in. "You look like you're plotting something."
Selene turned. "I'm making sure he survives what's coming. And keeping the balance."
Nysera stepped beside them. "We'll enter again… when it's time."
---
Inside the Vault — Hours Later
Sweat clung to Kael's skin. Blood—both his and his enemies'—coated the broken tiles beneath his boots. Of the original swarm, fewer than 120 monsters remained. His arms trembled with effort, but his core remained steady.
> [Level Up: 25 → 26 → 27] [Sin Points Gained: +9,600]
From the rear line, Evelyne shouted, "Reinforcements incoming from the western portal!"
Kael raised his hand. "Let them come. I'm not done yet."
He charged the portal, killing two hulking hydras in a single move. His divine weapon pulsed, burning hot. Each swing seemed lighter. His body adapted.
> [New Stat Milestone Unlocked: Dexterity 1,200+]
[Passive Ability Gained: Flicker Step — 10% chance to evade lethal strikes]
> [Divine Weapon Sync Progress: 32% → 48% → 55%]
Then a tremor rocked the farthest gate.
> [WARNING: Vault Guardian Signature Detected — Unknown Entity Approaching]
Kael looked up, eyes narrowing. "Here comes the real challenge."
---
Outside — Real World
It had only been four hours since Selene had left. Now, the other three wives sat in the town of Velcira's quiet temple garden.
Valeria sipped tea. "Do you think he's okay?"
Nysera nodded. "He is. He's surviving… but pushing himself too far."
Selene smiled faintly. "And we'll be there soon enough."
They all looked toward the heavens.
---
STATUS WINDOW: Kael Viren
System Level: 27
EXP: 18,600,000 / 44,160,000
Realm: Sunbound Realm — Tier 7/9
HP: 27,600 / 27,600
Mana: 31,800 / 31,800
Base Stats (post-advancement, buffs included):
Strength: 642 ×2.1 (+harem, bond, physique) ×2 (+divine weapon) = 2,696
Endurance: 608 ×2.1 = 1,276
Willpower: 617 ×2.1 = 1,294
Charm: 684 ×2.1 = 1,434
Intellect: 539 ×2.1 = 1,129
Dexterity: 576 ×2.1 ×2 = 2,419
---
Bonded Wives (Realms | Elements):
Evelyne — Moonglade Realm — Tier 8/9 — Ice / Lunar Flame (Present)
Selene — Skyshatter Realm — Tier 9/9 — Shadow / Moon (Outside)
Thalaria — Sunbound Realm — Tier 3/9 — Lightning (Present)
Nysera — Skyshatter Realm — Tier 1/9 — Blood / Curse (Outside)
Valeria — Skyshatter Realm — Tier 3/9 — Nature / Wind (Outside)
> EXP Share Active — 50% EXP from Partner Kills
Passive Stat Bonus — +60% total (2 present wives = +30% active boost)
---
Pet Panel:
Emberfang — Flame Tiger Cub (Tier 3) — Ash Devourer — Outside Dimension
Vira — Sky Serpent Hatchling (Tier 2) — Storm Pulse — Resting
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Cultivation Realms: (Each System Level corresponds to one Tier advancement unless blocked by events like Heaven Tribulation)
1. Initiate
2. Essence Drawn
3. Veinwoven
4. Soulroot
5. Starforged
6. Sunbound ← Current (Tier 7/9)
7. Moonglade
8. Skyshatter
9. Worldpiercer
10. Heaven's Echo
11. Celestiaflame
12. Worldbreaker
13. Eternal Crown
14. (Sealed) Primordial Ascendant → 18. Origin Flame Realm