The Tower welcomed him again.
The moment Kael stepped through the dimensional gate, the familiar pressure of the Tower wrapped around his body. But this time the feeling was different.
He wasn't walking into a monster den he was walking into a battlefield.
The portal closed behind him the environment around him stabilized and wind blew across an open landscape.
Kael stood on a massive stone plateau overlooking a valley that stretched for miles.
There were banners, smoke, fortifications, war camps. The entire region below looked like an active war zone.
Shen Yao floated beside him silently, arms folded behind his back.
Kael narrowed his eyes.
"So this is the twenty-first floor."
Shen Yao nodded slowly.
"Yes."
His voice carried none of the usual laziness.
Instead, there was seriousness.
"The floors from twenty-one to thirty are fundamentally different from what you've experienced so far."
Kael looked down the valley.
Thousands of soldiers moved in organized formations. Armoured cavalry patrolled the outer perimeter. Archers guarded wooden watchtowers. Large siege weapons sat near the center camps.
This was not a dungeon. This was a kingdom's army.
Shen Yao continued.
"The Tower calls this zone the Battlefields of Fallen Kingdoms."
Kael listened quietly.
"Each floor contains fragments of ancient wars that once destroyed entire civilizations."
The wind shifted. Kael could hear distant horns echoing through the valley.
"They are not illusions" Shen Yao said.
"They are reconstructed armies. Warriors who once lived. Generals who commanded real battles."
Kael rolled his shoulders slightly.
"So, the enemies are humans."
Shen Yao nodded.
"Yes."
A faint smile appeared on his face "And humans are far more dangerous than monsters."
Shen Yao looked directly at him.
"Remember the rule."
Kael nodded.
"Skills, techniques, system abilities."
Shen Yao raised a finger.
"Sealed."
Another finger.
"Magic."
"Sealed."
A third finger.
"Combat techniques learned through the system."
"Sealed."
Kael exhaled slowly.
Only four things remained.
Shen Yao listed them calmly.
"Aura, raw physical power, authority and your weapon skills."
The air between them grew heavy.
"This floor will not test how strong your system abilities are."
Shen Yao's eyes sharpened.
"It will test whether you can fight like a king."
The moment Kael stepped forward.
"Can you open your talent interface tab in your system and look for the newly evolved Line drawer talent"
[Line Drawer (F-) → SSS Rank]
New Talent: Absolute Boundary Definition (Authority)
[Description:
You may define where existence is permitted to continue.
Once acknowledged, all entities, material, energy, conceptual must obey.
Status: Talent can grow to the upper ranks.]
"Along with that see your Delimited edge skill.
Kael opened that too, Kael didn't know what his master was trying to say he was just obeying what master says.
[Delimited Edge → SSS Rank]
[Description Updated:
A manifestation of Final Authority.
Cuts not only flesh.
Cuts not only matter.
Cuts continuation itself.
Status: Talent can grow to the upper ranks.]
Kael looked at his talents and skill and just noticed it's been long time seeing this talent and skill, he hadn't used this skill in the floor of 11th to 20th. And all his skills and talents had evolved in 6th floor
He didn't react this time he was extremely calm even at this situation.
Instead, he slowly drew the line from his finger. The line reflected the pale sunlight of the battlefield.
Shen Yao watched silently.
"Remember," he said.
"Those abilities are not meant to carry you. It's meant to be used when it's absolutely needed or based on the situation"
Kael nodded.
"You mean Trump cards right."
Shen Yao smiled "Exactly."
Kael began walking down the slope toward the valley.
The grass beneath his boots moved softly. His aura remained suppressed.
The army below had not noticed him yet. But the closer he got, the clearer everything became.
There were wooden barricades, defensive trenches, spear-men training in formations, knights wearing heavy iron armour, war drums beat slowly across the camp.
Then a horn sounded.
One of the watchtowers had spotted him.
"INTRUDER!"
The shout echoed across the camp.
Within seconds, soldiers began mobilizing.
Shen Yao floated behind Kael.
"Good." Kael looked forward calmly.
"Let's begin."
System windows appeared.
[Enemy Detected]
[Kingdom of Valtheris – First Infantry Regiment
Level: 95–110
Description:
A disciplined infantry force trained to hold battle formations against overwhelming enemies.
Primary Weapon: Long Spear
Secondary Weapon: Short Sword
Special Traits:
Formation Combat, Shield Wall, Coordinated Spear Assault]
Another window appeared.
[Valtheris Heavy Knights
Level: 120–130
Description:
Elite cavalry unit specialized in crushing enemy lines.
Primary Weapon: War Lance]
And another.
[Valtheris Archers
Level: 90–100
Description:
Long-range battlefield support units trained for volley attacks.]
[Mission: Defeat the army and carry the army to the victory or survive the onslaught of the army]
Kael heard and read it in forums there is no need to win the battle just surviving is enough and the first-generation players too couldn't win any battle only the top ranked player has won only battle till date.
But he was different if he must be a king and later an emperor, he must win all the battles and even if he loses the battle, he will make sure he will win the battle the next time
Kael stopped walking.
Hundreds of soldiers rushed toward him.
Spears lowered. Shields raised.
The front line locked together forming a tight defensive formation.
A commander stepped forward.
He wore a Steel armour a red cape and war hammer in his hand.
[Captain Roderic – Valtheris Army
Level: 135]
The captain stared at Kael. One lone man. Standing calmly before an entire regiment.
"Identify yourself!"
Kael didn't answer.
He simply raised his line sword which looked like a actual sword.
The captain narrowed his eyes. Then he shouted.
"FORMATION!"
The soldiers moved instantly. Shield wall locked. Spears aligned. Archers positioned behind them. This was a real army which was disciplined, Organized and efficient.
Shen Yao watched with interest.
"This is way too good."
Kael asked quietly "What?"
"Now you learn how kings fight wars."
The captain gave the command.
"ADVANCE!"
The shield wall moved forward like a moving fortress. Spears extended between the shields.
Step. Step. Step.
A perfect formation.
Kael moved just motion.
His body moved forward with explosive speed.
The soldiers reacted instantly.
"SPEARS!"
Twenty spears shot forward simultaneously.
Kael twisted his body sideways.
The spear tips passed inches from his ribs.
He stepped inside the formation. His sword moved.
With one slash which was clean three spears broke instantly.
Another slash two shields split open.
The soldiers stumbled.
Kael moved like flowing water between them.
But something was different. He wasn't relying on overwhelming power.
He was studying them their movements, their rhythm, their breathing, their formation.
A spear stabbed toward his neck Kael tilted his head slightly.
The blade of his sword moved upward.
The spear snapped in half and Kael used his elbow to strike the soldier's chest.
The man collapsed instantly the formation shook.
The captain shouted again.
"HOLD THE LINE!"
More soldiers surrounded Kael.
There were Ten, twenty, thirty.
Shields closed around him. Spears thrust from every direction.
Kael's aura began leaking slightly the aura released was just enough to not crush them but enough so they could suffocate from breathing.
His sword moved faster now.
Clang.
Clang.
Clang.
Blade collided with steel.
A soldier attacked from behind. Kael stepped sideways.
His blade flicked backward.
The soldier's weapon shattered. The fight intensified.
But something unexpected began happening.
The soldiers felt it the pressure coming from Kael.
An invisible force surrounding the young man.
His presence alone made the air heavy.
Shen Yao smiled faintly.
"Your aura is making them feel fear and pressurized but don't leak it more."
Kael didn't respond. His focus remained on the battlefield.
Five minutes passed.
Dozens of soldiers lay unconscious on the ground of the battlefield and of course they were not dead they were just defeated.
Kael deliberately avoided killing blows.
He was learning. Every clash taught him something new. The Weapon angles, formation gaps and the timing.
The captain finally realized something.
"This man..." his eyes widened.
"He's studying us."
The captain raised his hammer.
"ALL UNIT'S ATTACK!"
The entire regiment charged.
Hundreds of soldiers using spears, swords, arrows.
The sky darkened as archers fired.
Kael finally exhaled slowly.
"Alright it's time to use it and show my ultimate power to you all."
He planted his foot on the ground. His aura expanded slightly which was not overwhelming but just enough.
The arrows entering his aura zone slowed their trajectories shifted, some dropped, some missed.
Kael moved forward his blade became a blur it was just pure instinct.
One soldier attacked Kael deflected.
Another attacked he stepped around the shield.
A third attacked he countered with a precise strike.
The battlefield turned chaotic. The soldiers began losing their formation.
The captain roared but it was too late.
Kael had already broken their rhythm.
More soldiers rushed toward him which was too many and the way he fights right now it will take a long time to end the battle and he don't want to wait for such time, he wanted to end it quickly.
Kael finally stopped his sword pointed downward.
He whispered softly "Delimited Edge"
The air around him shifted.
A thin invisible line appeared across the battlefield.
Only Kael could see it.
The soldiers charged forward. The moment they crossed the line
Kael spoke one word "Stop."
The line activated.
"Absolute Boundary Definition"
The soldiers froze not physically but also their momentum and their continuation.
The action itself stopped.
For one brief moment everything halted.
Shen Yao's eyes widened slightly.
"So, you already figured it out."
Kael moved.
His blade flashed once. Ten weapons shattered.
The authority faded instantly. The battlefield resumed.
The soldiers stumbled forward in confusion. None of them understood what just happened.
But the captain realized something terrifying.
"This man..."
His voice trembled slightly.
"Is not human."
Kael raised his blade again.
The real battle of the twenty-first floor had only just begun.