The first spark came before sunrise.
A shout, a crash, and then a scream — by dawn, Veridian was burning.
Smoke rose over rooftops as hundreds of furious citizens surged through the streets. The clatter of overturned carts, the ring of metal, the roar of defiance — the entire city had become a furnace of rage.
From the balcony of his manor, Noah watched it unfold like a spectator at a theater play. The fires reflected in his pale silver eyes, and the faintest smirk touched his lips.
"Revolt already?" he muttered. "Guess I'm doing something right."
The Fire in the Streets
Guards in red-and-silver uniforms rushed through the streets, shields raised, shouting orders. "Hold the line! Protect the civilians! Push them back!"
But the mob had swelled beyond reason. Farmers, merchants, blacksmiths — even minor guilds had joined the chaos. Smoke and ash filled the air as torches flew, striking walls and banners.
The guards fought valiantly, trained and disciplined, but were being overwhelmed by sheer numbers. Spears thrust into the crowd, shields locked, yet the weight of the mob pushed back like a living tide.
In the marketplace, men with pitchforks and rusted blades overran a guard post. A captain's scream was cut short as he disappeared beneath the swarm. At the city's south gate, archers fired warning shots — but rebels came on anyway, flames in their eyes and blood on their hands.
The guards began to break formation. Fear spread like wildfire.
The Revolt Reaches the Manor
By midmorning, the revolt had reached the noble district. The marble avenue that led to Noah's manor now seethed with thousands — shouting, cursing, pounding at the gates with makeshift rams.
"Down with the tyrant!"
"End his rule!"
"Freedom for Veridian!"
The gates shook under the assault.
Inside the manor walls, the Soul-Forged Knights stood silently in formation. Polished armor gleamed faintly blue, and the hum of enchantment vibrated in the air like a heartbeat.
Noah watched from his balcony, unfazed. He sighed, stretching his arms lazily.
"Guess the neighbors aren't fans. Time for some pest control."
He opened the glowing blue overlay.
> [SUMMON PANEL — OPEN]
• 20 Soul-Forged Knight — 10 SP
• Available SP: 9820 SP
He tapped once.
> [CONFIRM SUMMON — 800 SOUL-FORGED KNIGHTS]
[SP – 400]
[DEPLOYMENT: MANOR FRONTLINE]
Blue sigils flared to life across the courtyard. The air rippled.
Eighty armored warriors appeared in perfect rows, spectral light glinting beneath their helmets. They drew their blades — the sound like ringing bells — and began to march.
Noah smiled faintly.
"Alright, boys. Let's remind them why revolting against me is bad for their health."
The gates shattered — and the horde rushed in.
The first wave met the Soul-Forged Knights head-on. The impact shook the ground. Rebels were thrown back like ragdolls as steel cleaved through their ranks.
The Knights moved as one — every motion cold and precise, blades cutting arcs through the smoke. Their eyes burned faintly blue beneath their helms, and no matter how many fell around them, they did not slow.
By nightfall, the city was divided into warzones.
Rebel cells fought in alleys, guards regrouped at crossroads, and the Soul-Forged Knights carved through block after block — inexorable, relentless.
Even as bodies burned and barricades fell, the chaos refused to die. The revolt had spread too deep, too fast.
But on the second day, the storm finally broke.
When the last barricade fell and the last screams faded, only ash and silence remained.
AFTER A DAY
In front of the manor, hundreds of captured rebels knelt in rows.
Smoke curled from the scorched cobblestones; the air stank of blood and burnt wood.
Noah stood before them, his cloak fluttering in the acrid breeze. His voice was calm, almost conversational.
"You were promised freedom," he said, "but all you earned was failure."
He raised a hand. The Umbra Assassins emerged from the shadows — silent, faceless, efficient.
The executions were swift. The city watched in silence. None dared look away.
> [QUEST: "Consolidate Power" — COMPLETED]
[Reward: +10,000 SP]
[City Loyalty: +20%]
[Public Fear: +40%]
Noah exhaled, slumping back into his chair. "Two days of screaming for this much loyalty? I swear the system's stingier than a tax collector."
A ping sounded.
> [UMBRA ASSASSIN REPORT COMPLETE]
[SOURCE OF REVOLT IDENTIFIED: DUKE RENARD DAMARIS]
[EVIDENCE: FUNDS, AGENTS, CORRESPONDENCE CONFIRMED]
He froze. Then smirked.
"So the Duke stirred the pot himself. Starting a revolt to test me? Heh. Bold move for a man who hides behind gold and courtiers."
Another message flashed.
> [NEW QUEST UNLOCKED — DEFEND VERIDIAN]
Objective: Repel the Governor's advancing army and prevent your territory's capture.
Failure: Loss of Veridian and command privileges.
Reward: Unlock new basic troop types and upgrade your Soldier Pool (quantity and tier).
— Defend your realm. Expand your legacy.
Noah leaned back, steepling his fingers. "Now that's a reward worth bleeding for."
He chuckled softly. "The Governor marches to 'save order,' the Duke schemes to stir chaos, and I'm just here, buying upgrades with blood and sarcasm.
Yeah… I like this game."
> [UMBRA ASSASSINS DEPLOYED — SCOUTING GOVERNOR'S FORCES…]
......
Meanwhile — The Royal Capital of Stygian
The marble spires of Ascendia gleamed like ivory under the noon sun. The grand hall of the royal palace was alive with murmurs — nobles in embroidered coats and jeweled gowns clustered beneath gilded chandeliers, their voices a mix of awe and dread.
At the head of the chamber, King Aldred IV sat upon the obsidian throne, his face half-lit by sunlight streaming through the stained glass of the Hall of Radiance. His ministers and high nobles stood before him, uneasy.
"Reports confirm it," said Chancellor Ardyn, unfurling a parchment. "Duke Renard Damaris will be crowned in three days' time. His banners already fly independently of the royal crest."
The Minister of Defense frowned deeply. "He's gathering armies across the northern provinces — uniting trade guilds, fortifying cities. His influence grows faster than we can track."
A low murmur rippled through the nobles.
"If Renard completes his coronation unopposed," another advisor said quietly, "he could claim full autonomy. The Stygian crown would lose its northern border and its wealth."
King Aldred's eyes darkened. "We cannot allow this. The Duke has grown too bold."
The Royal Spymaster stepped forward, his cloak whispering over the marble. "Our agents report that the Duke's capital prepares like a kingdom in miniature — walls repaired, armies expanded, taxes rerouted to private coffers. He no longer sends tithe to the Crown."
Gasps spread across the hall.
"So he's already acting as sovereign," said the Chancellor bitterly. "If we delay, the coronation will make it official."
The King rose slowly from his throne. His voice carried through the hall like steel drawn from a sheath.
"Then we will not delay. Begin preparations. If Duke Renard Damaris dares crown himself as king of the South…"
He paused, eyes narrowing. "...then the Stygian Crown will remind him what happens to those who forget their place."
The nobles bowed deeply, the chamber thick with tension and the scent of fear. Outside, Ascendia's bells tolled faintly — a sound that marked both glory and the shadow of war to come.
Back in Veridian
Far from the marble halls of the capital, the city of Veridian slept uneasily beneath the stars. The air was heavy with smoke and memory, but within the manor, a single man smiled beneath the glow of blue system light.
and somewhere in the dark, his assassins were counting the Governor's troops.