Tales of the Endless Empire
Chapter 233: Black Fortress (1)

Thalion stood atop the largest skyship in their fleet, its sleek, obsidian hull humming with arcane energy. Kaldrek had named the vessel Judgment after it had once leveled an entire mosquito hive with a single blast. From this high vantage, the jagged horizon of the tutorial stretched endlessly beneath a churning sky, and the silhouette of the Black Fortress loomed in the distance like a scar carved into the earth.

Earlier, Thalion had briefed the top combatants on the strategy. With one of the undead generals already eliminated, they would first secure a safe perimeter around the fortress. Only then would they begin bombarding it using Jim’s light formations, each strike followed by a pause to allow the mages to replenish their energy. Prolonged casting without rest risked attracting retaliation, something they desperately wanted to avoid until they had dealt a few critical blows.

Evelyn had warned him that her patron sensed a seismic shift in divine energies, something had weakened the gods. And worse still, both the elves and the undead now possessed a combatant of terrifying strength. That revelation was, oddly enough, convenient. Thalion no longer had to explain what he’d seen in the System shop, and it clarified where the true threats lay. One part of him remained cautious, yet another part—darker, hungrier—thrummed with anticipation. The idea of capturing one of those elite warriors for his own experiments stirred a twisted excitement within him. If he could turn the gods' sacrifice into his personal advantage, it would be a victory beyond measure.

Surrounding Judgment, dozens of other skyships flew in tight formation, each one brimming with warriors. Over three thousand elite fighters still remained at base to defend against potential elven retaliation. While many lingered there, most were simply too weak to participate in a battle where high-level F-ranks and E-ranks with advanced body-tempering would dominate the field.

As the armada soared toward the Black Fortress, a heavy silence blanketed the fleet. Tension rippled through the air like static before a storm. Soon, the army would break into smaller assault groups, each led by seasoned elites. Originally, Thalion had planned to accompany Jim and Amalia, to ensure they didn’t survive the encounter. But after much persuasion from Maike, Kaldrek, and the others, he’d agreed to go solo. He couldn’t exactly tell them the real reason for his plan.

Going alone offered its advantages. If Jim and Amalia fell during the mission, no one would blame him directly. Fewer witnesses meant fewer suspicions and no need to share the spoils. The fortress itself would be difficult to navigate for an ambush, but the catacombs beneath it… those offered far better opportunities. Especially since escape tokens didn’t function there.

It took nearly an hour to reach the outskirts of the Black Fortress. As Judgment descended, the fleet began preparing ground defenses. Scouts had already encountered vampires lurking within the forest, but hunter teams had flushed most of them out. Now, it seemed, the bulk of the undead forces were holed up within the fortress, bracing for the attack.

While the others worked to fortify their positions, Thalion sifted through the stolen spatial rings he’d collected from fallen elves and vampires. The vampire rings were mostly disappointing, low-grade weapons, a few trinkets, but the stronger ones had carried crimson blood crystals pulsing faintly with power. Thalion transferred them into his own ring. Unfortunately, without an active blood pond, they were little more than curiosities for now.

Still, he double-checked each item meticulously, unwilling to risk missing anything of value. Most of the vampire loot he passed off to Kaldrek or other warriors without much fanfare. The elven ring, however, was more promising. It held the windblade he’d seen used in battle, graceful and deadly and a few other rings likely tied to elemental affinities. One item in particular caught his eye: a smooth orb that resembled a snow globe filled with swirling wind.

This might suit Kaldrek, Thalion mused. The man already wielded fire and lightning, perhaps wind would complete the trifecta. Amused, he pictured Kaldrek holding the blade in his mouth like a certain fictional swordsman. With Maike’s tracking abilities resembling Nami’s and Vorlok devouring everything like Ruffy, their team wasn’t far off from some famous anime crew. Of course, the comparison broke down quickly. Thalion’s own dream wasn’t freedom, it was absolute power. Power that bent the world to his will.

He’d considered giving the elven ring to Josh earlier, but it lacked anything that would enhance the man’s abilities. Ultimately, Kaldrek received it.

“What am I supposed to do with a third blade? I already have two,” Kaldrek muttered, examining the windblade skeptically.

Kaldrek, Maike, Evelyn, Kargul, Josh, and Jack were gathered atop one of the smaller airships, overseeing the deployment efforts below. The final preparations were nearly complete.

“Maybe you’ll grow a third arm,” Thalion replied with a smirk. “Besides, wind could complement your current elements nicely.”

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It was a gamble, perhaps, but one never knew when such a weapon might become essential. And with war looming on the horizon, every advantage mattered.

"Wait—you said it had wind affinity?" Maike asked, her eyes lighting up. "If you’re not interested in it, could I take it? I usually stick to spying and evasion, but with the way things are going, I need something that hits hard."

Kaldrek shrugged casually and tossed the spatial ring toward her. “Sure, sure. Take it.”

Maike caught it greedily, her fingers closing around the cold metal like a hawk snatching prey. Her expression transformed as she rifled through its contents, a wide smile breaking across her face, equal parts excitement and relief.

A moment later, Kaldrek turned to Thalion, curiosity flickering behind his tired eyes. “So... how tough was it to take down that Nathaniel guy? I watched the vampire interrogations and every one of them said he was one of the strongest in the entire undead base.”

They had discussed before how to handle encounters with high-tier enemies, but Nathaniel’s death hadn’t been mentioned in detail. Thalion still held onto Nathaniel’s unique spatial ring, but he hadn’t dared to use it. The bandage sealed inside radiated a sinister aura so oppressive it made his soul recoil. He hadn’t even touched it since storing it. As for the ring itself, it looked deceptively mundane. He’d wait for the next system shop before asking the Voice about it. Thalion had already gambled enough with his past experiments and wasn’t willing to tempt fate further, not when he finally stood in a position of strength.

“He was a tough nut to crack,” Thalion admitted after a pause. “Got a little too close to killing me, honestly. If that Elias guy is anything like him, we shouldn’t face him head-on. Not unless we can keep him from locking anyone down.”

“What? Just how strong was he?” Maike asked in disbelief. She had seen Thalion destroy vampire elites with ease, she hadn’t imagined anyone in the tutorial could genuinely threaten him.

Thalion nodded slightly. “He had some nasty concepts I had to deal with near the end. Plus, fighting him in the desert? Not exactly ideal terrain for me. It might’ve been easier somewhere else.”

He watched her reaction carefully. Fear was a poison he couldn’t allow to spread. The battles ahead would be brutal, chaotic. Betrayals and backstabbing were inevitable in the final weeks of the tutorial. Thalion’s goal was to keep as many of the decent people alive as possible, but no matter how hard he tried, death would come for many of them.

“Hey, to lighten the mood,” Jack chimed in, grinning as he elbowed Josh in the ribs. “Place your bets: how many times is Josh going to get his ass handed to him by an elf before this tutorial’s over?”

“Oh! Oh! I’m calling three more times!” Kargul shouted, laughing.

“Nah, not enough,” Evelyn added with a mischievous smirk. “I say four.”

“Seriously? What kind of friends are you?” Josh muttered, clearly annoyed, though a hint of a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

“Don’t worry, this’ll build character,” Jack said, flashing his trademark wide grin. “I say two times, so do your best not to get wrecked by any elves. I want to win this bet. Oh, and just in case you do get stomped early and the elves seem done with you, could you, you know, kinda... present yourself again? Just once more. I really want to win.”

Josh sighed dramatically while Evelyn and Kargul launched into loud protests about Jack’s shameless cheating. Maike and Kaldrek burst out laughing, their spirits momentarily lifted by the banter.

But Thalion remained quiet, his thoughts elsewhere.

His mind returned to the cursed bandage. The weight of its presence in his spatial ring like a coiled beast waiting to strike. What could he do with it? What form would suit its power best? As for the upcoming battle... he knew what he had to become. Calculating. Cold. Merciless. That was the only way to survive—and thrive.

If he encountered Kael or Sylas in the catacombs, he would strike without hesitation, even if it meant killing fellow humans in their entourage first. He hated the thought, especially since they weren’t to blame. But one moment of mercy could mean his end. Down there, it would be life or death. And if his title gave even the faintest warning, he would slaughter anyone, no matter how ugly the consequences.

There were bloody days ahead. Of that, he had no doubt.

He found himself wondering. What would happen if they failed to destroy all the pillars? Would Ankhet simply seize the palace's treasure in the final week and hunt the living like sport? Perhaps even stranger horrors would be unleashed if they succeeded. Without a common enemy, the fragile alliances would crumble. Greed would bloom like rot, and every survivor would turn predator in pursuit of the ultimate prize.

One way or another, Thalion knew he needed to stay focused.

He had clawed his way up every day in the tutorial, earning a divine passive skill, a bloodline, and even a bloodline skill. This was his moment. No matter who stood in his way. Elf, vampire, or human, they would fall.