The Revenant Legion had grown into something fearsome. What began as a handful of desperate villagers now numbered in the thousands—hardened fighters, former slaves, deserters from every kingdom, and even a few rogue mages who sensed the unstoppable tide Alex represented. His fortress, once a minor Valthorian keep, had been transformed. Black stone walls reinforced with mana-infused runes, towering spires where spectral sentinels stood eternal watch, and a central citadel crowned with a throne forged from the melted-down weapons of a hundred fallen champions.
Alex stood on the battlements, gazing at the horizon where storm clouds gathered—both natural and unnatural. His stats had long since broken mortal limits:
[Level: 28]
[Strength: 312]
[Agility: 298]
[Endurance: 340]
[Mana: 512]
[Kill Count: 4,871]
[New Skills Unlocked: Soul Dominion (Lv. 4), Legion Overlord, Void Step]
Soul Dominion allowed him to temporarily bind the essences of the strongest slain enemies, granting their signature abilities for a time. Legion Overlord boosted every soldier under his banner by a percentage of his own power. Void Step let him flicker through shadows, appearing behind lines like a nightmare made flesh.
A messenger arrived, breathless. "My lord, the Shadow Alliance has sent an emissary. They wish to parley."
The Shadow Alliance—a secretive coalition of assassins, dark sorcerers, and exiled nobles from all four major powers. They had watched Alex's rise with equal parts terror and fascination. Now, they sought to use him… or be used.
Alex met their representative in the great hall. A woman in midnight robes, face half-hidden by a veil of living shadow. She called herself Nyxara, Voice of the Unseen.
"You carve a path of corpses across the continent," she said, voice like silk over steel. "Yet you fight alone. The kingdoms unite against you now. Eldoria, Valthor, Drakon, and even the isolationist Thorne have signed the Concord of Iron—an oath to crush the 'Soul Harvester' before winter's end."
Alex leaned forward, eyes glowing faintly with harvested mana. "And your offer?"
"Knowledge. Resources. Hidden paths into their capitals. In return… when you sit upon the unified throne, the Shadow Alliance claims one seat at your table. We thrive in darkness; let us be your unseen blade."
He considered. The system pinged softly:
[Hidden Quest Unlocked: Crown of Shadows]
[Objective: Incorporate the Shadow Alliance into your empire without losing control.]
[Reward: +50 to all stats, Unlock Shadow Sovereign Class Advancement]
"Very well," Alex said. "But betray me, and your souls join my collection."
Nyxara smiled thinly. "We would expect nothing less."