The battlefield had gone silent. Hundreds of soldiers stood frozen in confusion after the momentary interruption of reality itself.
They didn't understand what had happened. But they all felt it. Something unnatural had just occurred.
Kael lowered his blade slowly. His breathing remained calm.
Around him the broken formation of the Valtheris infantry struggled to reorganize.
Shields lifted again. Spears re-aligned.
Yet the rhythm of the army had already been shattered.
Far behind the formation Captain Roderic stared at Kael with disbelief.
His instincts as a battlefield commander screamed danger.
This opponent was not simply strong he was controlling the battlefield itself.
"Reform the lines!" the captain roared "Archers! Second volley!"
The soldiers reacted instantly.
Even after suffering heavy losses their discipline remained impressive.
Archers pulled back their bowstrings hundreds of arrows pointed toward Kael.
Shen Yao hovered above the battlefield watching with quiet interest.
"Remember" he reminded calmly "don't rely on authority too much."
Kael nodded faintly.
Then the arrows came the sky darkened, a rain of steel descended toward him.
But Kael did not move. Instead, he watched.
Every arrow had a trajectory, every archer had a breathing pattern, every soldier had a rhythm.
For the first time since entering the Tower Kael began to fight purely as a swordsman.
The arrows entered his aura range.
And Kael moved, his body blurred across the ground.
His sword flashed.
Clang.
Clang.
Clang.
Dozens of arrows were deflected mid-flight.
Others missed as he shifted his position with precise footwork. The ground beneath him cracked slightly from the force of his steps.
Then he charged forward.
The shield wall advanced again.
But this time, Kael did not rush blindly into it.
Instead, he circled them he was watching, analysing, studying.
The soldiers tried to track his movement, but Kael's speed made it difficult. He moved like a hunting wolf circling prey.
Captain Roderic understood what Kael was doing.
"He's searching for the gap."
Every formation had one.
Even the most disciplined army could not maintain perfect alignment forever. A small shift. A mistimed step. A shield lifted a fraction too late and Kael found it.
One soldier adjusted his stance half a second slower than the others.
That was enough Kael dashed forward.
His body slipped through the opening before the soldiers could react.
Now he was inside the formation.
The worst possible place for the infantry.
"CLOSE THE RING!" Roderic shouted.
Too late, Kael's blade began moving.
His blade looks like it moved widely and recklessly but every strike had purpose.
Every motion flowed naturally into the next.
A spear thrust toward his chest. Kael rotated his wrist.
The blade slid along the spear shaft and cut it in half.
He stepped forward. His elbow struck the soldier's armour. The man collapsed instantly.
Another soldier swung his sword. Kael ducked under the strike and slashed the man's shield apart.
Three soldiers attacked simultaneously. Kael stepped between them.
His sword spun once three weapons shattered.
The soldiers around him began to panic. They had trained for monsters, for beasts, for brute force. But they had never faced someone who moved like pure combat instinct.
Shen Yao watched with clear satisfaction.
"Good even his moves it's still not refined but he's improving."
Kael wasn't overpowering them.
He was outfighting them.
Captain Roderic finally stepped forward 'Enough was enough'.
If the formation continued collapsing the entire regiment would fall apart.
The captain raised his war hammer, the weapon was massive.
A single swing could crush armour and bone alike.
He pointed it toward Kael.
"Soldiers! Fall back!" The infantry hesitated.
But they obeyed. The battlefield cleared slightly as the soldiers retreated.
Now only two figures stood in the center.
Kael and Captain Roderic.
The captain walked forward slowly.
Heavy footsteps echoed across the battlefield.
"You do not look like a ordinary warrior" Roderic said.
Kael remained silent.
The captain studied him carefully.
"You move like someone who has fought hundreds of battles."
Kael finally spoke.
"I mean I have but this is my first time."
The captain nodded.
"Then you understand" he lifted his hammer.
"This is a battlefield."
Kael raised his sword.
"Yes."
"And battles are decided by the strongest warrior."
Roderic smiled grimly.
"Good."
Then he attacked.
The war hammer came down like a falling mountain. The ground exploded when it struck.
Kael had already moved. He appeared behind the captain instantly.
His sword swung. CLANG.
The blade struck the captain's armour but failed to penetrate.
The armour was extremely thick.
Roderic turned quickly. His hammer swept horizontally.
Kael jumped backward. The weapon barely missed his legs.
The force of the swing alone created a powerful gust of wind.
Kael narrowed his eyes.
"This armour…"
Roderic grinned.
"This armour was especially forged for war."
He attacked again. This time his strikes became faster and more precise.
The captain was not simply a brute he was an experienced battlefield warrior. His attacks forced Kael to retreat several steps. The hammer smashed into the ground repeatedly. Each impact cracked the battlefield.
Kael analyzed the pattern quickly the war hammer was a heavy weapon, high power but slow recovery.
He waited.
One more swing the hammer slammed downward again.
Kael moved instantly. He stepped inside the captain's range. His sword flashed toward the small gap beneath the shoulder armour.
CLANG.
The captain blocked with the hammer handle. Roderic's eyes widened.
"You are fast!"
Kael spun.
His blade struck the back of the captain's knee joint.
CRACK.
The armour dented. Roderic staggered.
That was the opening. Kael raised his blade for the finishing strike.
But suddenly three arrows flew toward him from behind.
The archers had fired again. Kael twisted his body mid-strike and deflected them.
That moment of distraction saved the captain.
Roderic stepped back breathing heavily.
"Archers!" he glared at them.
"Hold your fire!" The soldiers lowered their bows.
The captain turned back to Kael.
"This fight is between us."
Kael nodded slightly then the two warriors charged again.
The clash intensified. Sword against hammer. Speed against power. Kael's movements became sharper and more precise.
Every step carried lethal intent. Roderic attacked relentlessly. But the gap in skill slowly became obvious.
Kael was adapting faster and learning faster, predicting every move.
Finally, the captain overextended during a heavy swing and the hammer struck the ground.
For half a second, the captain's defense opened. That was enough.
Kael whispered softly.
"End."
His blade moved once.
A single precise strike.
CRACK.
The captain's hammer split in half.
The blade continued moving.
It stopped exactly at the captain's throat.
Silence fell across the battlefield. Roderic stared at the broken weapon in disbelief.
Kael lowered his sword.
"You lost."
The captain slowly dropped to one knee.
"Yes."
The soldiers watched in shock. Their commander had been defeated.
Kael turned away, Kael would have lost if his level was not high enough because he level 161 and the captain's level was 135 but in terms of swordsman battle experience captain Roderic had an upper hand.
But suddenly the battlefield began shaking.
A deep horn echoed across the valley.
Not from the Valtheris army.
From somewhere else.
Shen Yao looked toward the distant horizon.
"Ah."
Kael frowned.
"What is it?"
Shen Yao smiled faintly.
"You didn't think the twenty-first floor would end that easily, did you?"
The ground trembled again far across the battlefield, another army appeared.
Black banners, Dark armour, Monstrous cavalry.
System windows appeared.
[Enemy Army Detected]
Kingdom of Drahkhal – Conquest Legion
Level: 120 – 150
Commander: General Mordrath
Level: 160]
Kael exhaled slowly. The commander's level was almost close to his, this will be tough.
"So, this floor is a war between two kingdoms."
Shen Yao nodded.
"And you just defeated one side."
Kael looked at the approaching black army.
"So now the other side wants to kill me too."
"Exactly."
The Conquest Legion charged across the valley like a dark wave. Thousands of soldiers. Heavy cavalry leading the charge. General Mordrath rode at the front.
A giant of a man wearing black armour.
His sword was enormous. He pointed it toward Kael.
"INTRUDER!"
His voice echoed across the battlefield.
"You dare interfere in our war?"
Kael lifted his blade again.
Actually Kael could leave this floor and move to the next floor anytime he wanted but he stayed because he wanted to prove something.
The exhaustion from earlier battles lingered in his muscles.
But his eyes remained calm.
"Looks like the floor boss arrived."
Shen Yao chuckled.
"Yes Indeed."
The Conquest Legion crashed into the battlefield and chaos erupted.
Even the surviving Valtheris soldiers began fighting again. The entire valley turned into a massive war zone. Thousands of warriors clashed. Steel screamed. Horses roared. War cries filled the air.
Kael ran forward directly toward General Mordrath.
The cavalry tried to intercept him.
Kael leapt and His blade flashed.
Two riders were thrown from their horses instantly.
He landed and kept running.
Mordrath charged toward him as well.
The two warriors met in the center of the battlefield.
Their weapons collided.
BOOM.
The shock-wave blasted nearby soldiers away.
Mordrath laughed.
"Good!"
He swung his massive sword again.
Kael blocked.
The force pushed him back several meters.
This opponent was far stronger than Captain Roderic.
The duel became brutal. Every clash shook the ground. Every strike carried lethal power.
Kael's arms trembled slightly.
Mordrath grinned.
"You are strong warrior."
His sword came down again.
"But not strong enough!"
Kael stepped back.
For this time he had to use the trump card once again".
His voice whispered quietly.
"Absolute Boundary Definition."
An invisible line appeared across the battlefield.
Mordrath charged forward.
The moment he crossed the line
Kael spoke "Stop."
Reality obeyed For one single second.
The world paused In that frozen moment.
Kael raised his sword.
"Delimited Edge."
The blade descended.
Reality resumed.
Mordrath's sword shattered instantly. A clean line appeared across his armour. Then his body collapsed. The general had been defeated.
The battlefield slowly faded. The armies vanished like smoke.
System notifications appeared.
[21st Floor Cleared]
[Battlefield of Fallen Kingdoms – Completed
Rewards:
• Massive Experience
• Weapon Mastery Growth
• Authority Control Improved]
This floor was cleared by the first-generation players by just surviving the battle but he cleared the floor, he was beyond excitement.
Kael stood alone on the empty battlefield.
He exhaled slowly. His muscles finally relaxed.
Shen Yao floated down beside him.
"Well done my disciple"
Kael looked toward the distant tower stairs appearing ahead.
"The twenty-second floor."
Shen Yao smiled.
"And things will only get harder."
Kael sheathed his sword.
A calm smile appeared on his face.
Then he began walking toward the next floor.