The Darkness System: Rise of the Broken Sovereign

With the mana density in Vael-Khazul, breaking through to Mana Heart Rank 3 would come faster than expected. Kael estimated a few weeks, maybe less. His Transcendent Core drank the ambient mana passively, and the Breath of the Deep Green technique seemed to accelerate mana absorption when practiced alongside soul circulation.

His Soul Awakening progression was almost at the mid stage.

Each realm in the soul path was divided into four stages — Early, Mid, Late, and Peak. Kael had reached the edge of Mid in just over a week. At this rate, he would cross into the mid stage in a few days.

What surprised him most was the disparity. He was advancing faster in the soul path than he ever had in the mana path or the body path. Something about his broken and rebuilt soul structure made it receptive to soul force in a way that intact souls simply weren’t. The gaps in his integrity created channels that soul power flowed through more easily — another flaw turned advantage.

Three days went by.

Kael decided to attend the Blood Pit duels.

The Blood Pit was a natural arena carved into the base of an enormous tree — a circular depression in the root system, roughly thirty meters across, with steep earthen walls lined with bone spikes. Gra-Khazul from multiple clans gathered along the edges, sitting on root platforms or standing in the moss.

Most times, clan heads didn’t bother with these duels. They were considered juvenile affairs — disputes between younger generations that didn’t warrant the attention of leadership. Goran had remained in his home.

The first fight was between two warriors — Teshin of the Nesh Clan and Gornak of the Kal Clan. Both were at Mana Heart Rank 7.

Other clan members filled the Blood Pit, murmuring among themselves. On a throne of interlocking bone spikes at the far end sat a figure that made half the arena go quiet.

The Patriarch’s daughter.

Seraya.

She was breathtaking in a way that transcended species. Pale green skin like polished jade, smooth and flawless. Scales traced the edges of her cheekbones and the bridge of her nose like delicate jewelry, catching the bioluminescent glow and shimmering with an almost iridescent quality. Her hair was long, flowing past her shoulders in waves of deep emerald green. Her eyes were gold — not yellow-green like most Gra-Khazul, but pure molten gold, with slitted pupils that gave her gaze a predatory elegance. Her figure was lean and athletic, draped in a simple black garment that clung to her curves without trying to. A single bone ornament hung from her left ear.

She watched the arena with an expression of mild boredom, one leg crossed over the other, her chin resting on her knuckles.

Kael filed her presence away and turned his attention to the fight.

Teshin and Gornak faced each other in the center of the pit.

Teshin was built for speed — slim, wiry, with wind already swirling around his fists. His stance was low and loose, weight on the balls of his feet, ready to move in any direction.

Gornak was the opposite. Stocky, thick-limbed, feet planted wide. The ground beneath him had already hardened into something resembling stone — earth manipulation active before the fight even began. A heavy bone axe rested on his shoulder.

A shaman called the start.

Gornak attacked first. He stomped the ground, and a pillar of earth erupted beneath Teshin’s feet. Teshin launched himself sideways, wind carrying him clear of the spike. He landed and immediately countered — a gust of razor-sharp wind blades screaming toward Gornak’s chest.

Gornak raised his forearm. A slab of earth peeled from the ground and formed a shield. The wind blades struck it and shattered into harmless currents.

THUD. THUD. THUD.

Gornak advanced methodically, each step causing the ground to harden further, spreading a zone of reinforced earth around him. Teshin danced around the perimeter, launching hit-and-run attacks — wind slashes, compressed air bullets, speed-enhanced strikes that landed and retreated before Gornak could respond.

But Gornak didn’t need to catch him.

Each time Teshin got close, the earth itself became a weapon. Spikes erupted from the ground. Walls rose to block escape routes. Gornak’s axe swung in wide arcs that sent shockwaves through the soil, destabilizing Teshin’s footing.

Teshin is faster, Kael observed. But Gornak doesn’t need to be fast. He controls the battlefield itself.

Teshin landed a clean hit — a wind-enhanced palm strike to Gornak’s ribs that cracked the earth shield and made the big man grunt. But Gornak absorbed it, grabbed Teshin’s wrist, and headbutted him.

CRACK.

Teshin stumbled backward, dazed. Gornak’s axe came down in a brutal overhead strike. Teshin barely dodged, the axe burying itself in the ground where he’d been standing. Before he could counter, Gornak’s other fist slammed into his stomach.

BOOM.

A wall of earth erupted behind Teshin, trapping him against it. Gornak wrenched his axe free and swung.

Teshin raised his arms to block.

CRACK.

The impact shattered his guard and sent him crashing through the earth wall. He hit the ground hard, coughing blood, his arms trembling.

Gornak walked toward him, raising his axe.

Teshin tried to stand. His legs buckled.

”I yield,” he rasped.

The shaman called the match. Gornak lowered his axe and walked away without a word.

The Nesh section of the Blood Pit fell silent. For the next month, the Kal Clan would have the eastern forest. The Nesh warriors wore their despair openly — they had barely managed to win the territory last month, and now it was gone again.

Kael watched the reactions with detached interest. The territory loss meant nothing to him. He had come here for one reason only.

The soul wells.

A few minutes later, a Kal warrior walked to the edge of the arena and looked across at the Nesh section with a sneer. He was tall for a Gra-Khazul, with dark green scales and brown hair tied back in a warrior’s knot. A soul-crafted war axe hung from his hip, its blade faintly glowing with condensed soul power.

”Come on, Nesh,” he called out, his voice dripping with condescension. ”Quickly bring someone. I don’t have all day.”

Silence from the Nesh side. The warriors exchanged uneasy glances. After Teshin’s loss, no one was eager to step up.

Kael pushed off the root platform he’d been leaning against and walked down into the pit.

”I will be your opponent.”

The Kal warrior looked down at him. He was half a head taller than Finesh’s frame. His mana signature pressed against Kael’s senses. Mana Heart Rank 6.

”Well, well, well.” Dravak smirked. ”If it isn’t Finesh. Last time I remember, I defeated you.”

Kael stopped in the center of the arena and looked up at him with a slow, lazy smile.

”Well, what can I say except things are different now.” He tilted his head. ”Though I suppose for someone like you, different doesn’t mean much. You look like the type who peaks early and stays there.”

Dravak’s smirk vanished. ”What did you say?”

Kael yawned. ”I said you’re boring. Predictable. A big axe, a hard head, and nothing behind either one. The Kal Clan really scraped the bottom of the barrel sending you.”

The shaman called the start before Dravak could respond.

Dravak roared and charged, his soul-crafted axe already swinging. The blade hummed with soul power — each strike carried a disruptive effect that could interfere with mana circulation on contact.

Kael drew Finesh’s bone blade and dagger from his waist. The bone blade met the axe.

CLANG.

The impact sent Kael skidding backward. Dravak was strong — stronger than a normal Rank 6, the soul-crafted weapon amplifying his strikes significantly. But Kael’s Void Body held firm. His feet dug into the earth and stopped.

Dravak pressed the attack, swinging his axe in wide, powerful arcs. Each strike made the ground tremble. Kael deflected with the bone blade and darted in with the dagger — quick, precise strikes aimed at joints and tendons.

CLANG. SWISH. CLANG. SWISH.

Dravak’s earth manipulation activated. The ground beneath Kael’s feet hardened and rose, trying to lock him in place. Kael pushed wind through his legs using his body cultivation explosive speed— and broke free, sliding sideways as the axe carved a trench where he’d been standing.

BOOM.

”Stand still!” Dravak snarled, slamming his fist into the ground. A row of earth spikes erupted toward Kael in a line.

Kael vaulted over them, darkness gathering around his bone blade. He landed and slashed — a wave of dark energy racing toward Dravak’s chest.

Dravak raised his axe and the darkness splashed against the soul-crafted blade like water against stone. The soul power in the weapon disrupted the dark energy, scattering it harmlessly.

Soul-crafted weapons, Kael noted. That’s quite annoying.

They clashed again — close quarters, weapons flashing. Dravak’s axe was devastating but slow between swings. Kael’s blades were faster but lacked the raw power to break through the soul-crafted defense. Every time Kael landed a hit on Dravak’s body, the man’s toughened skin and earth-reinforced muscles absorbed the damage. Every time Dravak’s axe came close, Kael barely deflected it, the soul power rattling his arms.

PAM. CLANG. BOOM. SWISH.

Dravak was better equipped and had more raw power. Kael was faster and more skilled. Neither could gain a decisive advantage.

They separated, both breathing hard. Dravak’s earth manipulation had turned the arena into a cratered, uneven mess. Kael’s darkness had left scorch marks on several of the earth barriers.

Kael rolled his shoulders, assessing the stalemate.

This is getting nowhere. If I could use lightning, this fight would already be over. But anyway...

His lips curved into a slow smile.

I’ve got something even better. I better test it out now.