The forest trembled with the sound of goblin drums. Torches flickered in the distance, casting jagged shadows across the twisted trees. Sam sat astride Helios, the Phoenix's wings blazing like banners of fire, his Sun Blade glowing at his side.
He closed his eyes and whispered: "Eyes of Horus."
The world sharpened. Every detail leapt into focus — the brittle wood of goblin spears, the cracks in their armor, the fear hidden in their eyes. Even the terrain revealed itself: unstable rocks, hidden paths, ambush points. Sam's vision pierced everything.
"Teams of three," he commanded. His voice carried across the ranks.
• Two Lunar Lizard Knights with one Shade Assassin for the lower goblins.
• Solar Warriors in disciplined trios, shields locked, sabers ready.
• The Tier 5 Shade Assassins breaking away to hunt the eight Tier 4 goblins.
The army moved like a living machine, shadows and steel working in harmony.
---
The goblin tribe surged forward, shrieking war cries. The clash was immediate.
Knights hissed as their spears drove through goblin ranks, Shade Assassins striking unseen from the shadows. Solar Warriors formed shield walls, sabers flashing in precise arcs. Goblins fell in droves, their weaknesses laid bare by Sam's vision.
Above, Helios shrieked, flames raining down to scatter the horde.
The Tier 5 Shade Assassins melted into darkness, reappearing behind the eight Tier 4 goblins. Blades of shadow pierced throats and hearts, the fight over before it began.
---
Sam's gaze locked onto the Goblin Shaman. Tier 5. Its staff dripped with blood, curses spilling from its lips. Dark energy coiled around it, twisting the air.
"Helios," Sam whispered.
The Phoenix dove, flames trailing like a comet. The shaman hurled bolts of blood magic, but Helios's mobility was unmatched. Fire engulfed the shaman, forcing it back. Sam leapt from Helios's back, Sun Blade blazing, and struck.
Eyes of Horus revealed the weakness — a fracture in the shaman's chest armor, a hesitation in its stance. Sam drove the blade through, ending the fight in a single decisive strike.
The goblin tribe broke. Survivors fled into the forest, their drums silenced.
---
System messages flooded Sam's vision:
[Loot Acquired: 150 Beast Cores.]
[Loot Acquired: 4 Troop Tokens.]
[Loot Acquired: 1 Tier 5 Beast Lord Core.]
A surge of energy coursed through him. His body strengthened, senses sharpened.
[You have reached Tier 2.]
[Progression: Nearing Tier 3.]
The Lunar Lizard Knights hissed in triumph, their scales glowing faintly.
[All Lunar Lizard Knights have advanced to Tier 2.]
Sam exhaled, chest heaving. His army was no longer basic. They were evolving into a true fighting force.
---
Back at the manor, Sam placed the Beast Lord Core into the Domain Core. The walls shimmered, the shield pulsed brighter, and the System spoke:
[Domain upgraded to Tier 2.]
[Choose one of 10 random Skill Cards.]
Ten glowing cards appeared before him. His Eyes of Horus pulsed again, and one card burned crimson — flickering with dangerous light. Sam reached out.
---
[Skill Acquired: Lightning Spear]
Caster conjures a spear of pure lightning. Can be hurled at enemies. Attack deals lightning damage and paralysis.
---
Electricity surged through his veins. He raised his hand, and a spear of crackling blue‑white lightning formed in his grip, humming with raw power. The courtyard filled with the scent of ozone, the air vibrating with energy.
Sam grinned. "So this is what it feels like to be Thor."
He hurled the spear skyward. It tore through the air with a thunderclap, exploding in a storm of sparks that lit the manor walls. The shield resonated with the strike, humming in approval.
---
The System's voice returned.
[Overlord, what title shall you be known by?]
Sam's eyes narrowed. He thought of balance — sun and moon, shadow and flame, lightning and steel.
"The Twilight Lord," he said.
The System pulsed.
---
[System Announcement: The Twilight Lord has become the first Overlord to defeat a Beast Lord and raise his domain to Tier 2.]
[Reward: Gold Treasure Chest.]
---
The world heard.
• In a mountain manor, a young girl with a frost dragon pouted, jealousy burning in her eyes.
• In a forest of elves, a young man sneered, muttering about undeserved luck.
• In a graveyard, a teenage boy surrounded by undead chuckled, wondering if "The Twilight Lord" was a fanboy of death like him.
• In a sanctuary of angels, an older woman looked on with curiosity, her radiant guardians at her side, just after slaying a Tier 4 alpha wolf.
The world now knew his name. Rivalries, envy, and curiosity were born.
---
Back in the manor, Sam stared in shock as a golden chest materialized before him. Its glow filled the hall, promising treasures beyond imagination.
He reached out, heart pounding, as the chest unlocked.