Chapter 94: The Sovereign's Scourge
The hum intensified, no longer a faint tremor but a deep, resonant thrum that vibrated through Kael's very bones. The bruised sky above the Desolate Maw roiled, the arcane symbols swirling into a massive, eye-like vortex. From its ominous depths, the first bolt descended.
It wasn't lightning. It was a pure, emerald beam of solidified judgment, crackling with an energy that felt alien and ancient. It struck the ground where Kael stood with impossible speed, kicking up a plume of obsidian dust and shattered rock.
Kael met it head-on, his Nullfire Core flaring. The Phoenix Mantle shimmered into existence around him, a cloak of crimson flame that pulsed with defiant life. The emerald energy crashed into the mantle, a deafening clash of opposing forces. Kael gritted his teeth, feeling the immense pressure, a force that sought to not just destroy him, but to unravel his very essence.
From the perimeter, his wives watched with bated breath. Selene's knuckles were white as she clutched her hands, Evelyne's face was etched with concern, while Thalaria's eyes blazed with a fierce protectiveness. Valeria channeled more energy into their perimeter arrays, strengthening their defenses, and Nysera's gaze remained fixed on Kael, a silent prayer of strength passing between them through their bond.
The first bolt receded, leaving a smoking crater and Kael standing firm, though his HP had dipped slightly, and the Phoenix Mantle flickered.
"That wasn't just energy," Kael muttered, spitting out dust. "It felt like… condemnation. Like it was judging my very nature."
As if in response, a second bolt formed in the vortex, thicker, darker, and infused with a chilling, silver light. This one targeted not just his body, but his spirit.
"It's a karmic judgment!" Selene's voice echoed across the distance. "It's reacting to your Sin Points! To the very essence of your Sovereign of Sin path!"
Kael understood. This wasn't a standard elemental tribulation. This was bespoke, tailored to him, the Throne of Ascendancy drawing a response from the fundamental laws of the cosmos. His unique path, his dual nature, was being tested.
He didn't flinch. If it was a judgment, he would defy it. He drew upon his Carnal Sovereign Core, unleashing a Sovereign Flame Crush directly at the descending silver bolt. Fire met light, and the impact sent shockwaves across the desolate basin, causing even the massive obsidian formations to shudder.
The clash was prolonged, a struggle of wills as much as power. Kael felt his mana drain rapidly, but the Phoenix Mantle held firm, absorbing some of the spiritual backlash. When the silver bolt finally dissipated, Kael remained, though heavily fatigued.
A third, fourth, and fifth bolt followed in rapid succession, each one a different hue and carrying a distinct form of judgment: one of crushing physical weight, another of disorienting mental assault, and a final one that felt like pure, unadulterated entropy, seeking to unravel his very existence. Kael met each with his Active Sin Skills, his body becoming a conduit of raw power and unyielding will. He unleashed Wrathflare Lances that tore through the air, Flamebind Chains that sought to shackle the very judgment, and expanded his Infernal Domain to create a protective barrier of pure sin-fire.
His HP and Mana fluctuated wildly, his stats pushed to their absolute limit. The Shared Ascension from the Sovereign Union helped, a faint stream of vitality and spiritual energy flowing from his wives, bolstering him when he teetered on the brink.
Finally, a terrifying silence descended. The roiling vortex above him began to compress, shrinking, condensing all its remaining power into a single, terrifying strike. This wasn't a bolt; it was a swirling, multi-hued vortex of pure, concentrated Heavenly Tribulation energy, descending slowly, majestically, towards him. It shimmered with the combined judgment of all his sins, all his power, all his destiny.
"The Final Strike!" Evelyne cried out, her voice strained. "He has to meet it with everything!"
Kael felt it too. This was the ultimate test. Survive this, and he would break through. Fail, and he would be erased.
He closed his eyes for a moment, not in fear, but in concentration. He thought of his path, the choices he'd made, the power he'd claimed. He thought of Emberfang, of Vira, of the Throne of Ascendancy that now pulsed within him. And he thought of his wives, their trust, their love, their shared destiny. He was not just Kael Viren; he was a Sovereign, forged in flame and blood, rising on a path unseen.
Then, his eyes snapped open, blazing with an infernal light. He reached deep within, pulling every last ounce of Mana, every shred of Willpower, every spark of his Nullfire Core. The air around him shimmered, then ignited. It wasn't just a skill; it was a manifestation of his entire being.
From his body, a colossal, crimson phantom coalesced. It was a projection of his will, a titan of shadow and flame, adorned with a crown of searing fire – the embodiment of his Throne of Ascendancy. It roared, a sound that shook the very foundations of the Desolate Maw, and met the descending vortex of judgment head-on.
The clash was cataclysmic. Light and shadow, judgment and defiance, slammed together in a blinding explosion that swallowed the entire basin. The ground buckled, tremors ripping outwards, threatening to shatter the wives' perimeter arrays. A pillar of raw energy erupted towards the sky, tearing a hole through the bruised clouds.
For long moments, nothing could be seen but pure, chaotic energy. The wives shielded their eyes, their hearts pounding in unison.
Then, slowly, the light began to recede, the chaotic energies subsided, revealing the devastation. The center of the Desolate Maw was even more deeply scarred, a new, massive crater gouged into its surface.
And in the center of that crater, standing amidst the still-smoking ruins, was Kael. He was battered, his clothes tattered, blood trickling from a cut on his forehead, but he was standing. His aura, previously constrained, now surged outward, immense and vibrant, pulsing with a newfound power.
[Heavenly Tribulation Cleared!]
[System Level Up! — Level 48]
[Realm Breakthrough! — Worldpiercer Realm (Tier 1/9)]
[Overflow EXP (Stored) Applied! — +12,000,000,000 EXP Consumed]
[All Stats Permanently Increased!]
[New Trait Acquired: Worldpiercer's Will (Increased resistance to realm-based pressure, ability to perceive hidden pathways between minor realms)]
[All Bonded Partners' Realm Cap Increased to Worldpiercer Realm!]
A wave of relief, joy, and exhaustion washed over his wives. They rushed towards him, their faces alight. Selene was the first to reach him, throwing her arms around his neck, burying her face in his shoulder. Evelyne quickly followed, checking him over with worried eyes. Thalaria let out a whoop of triumph, and Valeria conjured a small stream of pure vitality to begin healing his superficial wounds. Nysera simply leaned against him, her quiet strength a solid presence.
Kael looked up at the sky, which was slowly clearing, revealing faint stars. He had done it. He had faced the judgment, and he had emerged victorious. The power of the Worldpiercer Realm now flowed through him, a tangible connection to the fabric of reality itself.
STATUS WINDOW: KAEL VIREN
System Level: 48
EXP: 60,022,850,000 / 70,000,000,000
Realm: Worldpiercer Realm — Tier 1/9
HP: 98,500 / 98,500
Mana: 110,500 / 110,500
Stats (with buffs applied):
Strength: 950 × 2.8 × 2 = 5,320
Endurance: 920 × 2.8 = 2,576
Willpower: 940 × 2.8 = 2,632
Charm: 1010 × 2.8 = 2,828
Intellect: 840 × 2.8 = 2,352
Dexterity: 950 × 2.8 × 2 = 5,320
Sin Points: 30,480,000 / 100,000,000,000
Sin Tier: Warlord Rank
SKILL WINDOW
Active Sin Skills:
• Sovereign Flame Crush [+Max]
• Wrathflare Lance [+Max]
• Flamebind Chains [+Max]
• Infernal Domain [+Max]
Passive Traits:
• Crown of Dominion → Throne of Ascendancy [+Mythic]
• Sovereign Union [+Enhanced]
• Nullfire Core [+Enhanced]
• Phoenix Mantle [+Enhanced]
• Worldpiercer's Will [+New]
Bloodline / Physique Traits:
• Carnal Sovereign Core [+Enhanced]
• Sin Catalyst Matrix [+Enhanced]
[Skill Upgrade Available — Spend Sin Points to enhance or evolve active/passive/bloodline skills]
[Bonded Partner Skills Eligible for Sin Point Upgrade]
Bonded Wives (Mythic Bloodlines/Physiques Active):
Selene — Skyshatter 9/9 → Worldpiercer 1/9 (Mythic Eclipse Matron)
Evelyne — Skyshatter 9/9 → Worldpiercer 1/9 (Starlit Ember Empress)
Thalaria — Skyshatter 8/9 → Worldpiercer 1/9 (Stormheart Valkyrie — Advanced 11 tiers)
Nysera — Skyshatter 9/9 → Worldpiercer 1/9 (Scarlet Hexmistress)
Valeria — Skyshatter 8/9 → Worldpiercer 1/9 (Verdant Windborne Queen)
Pet Panel:
Emberfang — Infernal Flamebeast Cub (Tier 5)
Vira — Sky Serpent Hatchling (Tier 2)
Cultivation Realms:
Initiate → Essence Drawn → Veinwoven → Soulroot → Starforged → Sunbound → Moonglade → Skyshatter → Worldpiercer ← Current (1/9) → Heaven's Echo → Celestiaflame → Worldbreaker → Eternal Crown → Primordial Ascendant
Next: Heaven's Echo (Unlocks at Worldpiercer Tier 9/9)
With the Heavenly Tribulation successfully overcome and a new realm achieved, what challenges will the Worldpiercer's Will allow Kael to perceive or conquer, and what new attention might his ascension