Night mist lingered above the forest floor as a cool breeze swept through Arthur's camp. Shadows danced beneath the towering trees, the dense canopy above allowing only slivers of light to pierce through. In the heart of the camp, a quiet intensity hung in the air.
Seated in chains before Arthur and his elite heroes was **Kaldor**, the captured Goblin Vice Commander. His eyes gleamed with hostility, but the fear in his heart was growing. He had expected to find a broken army — not a fully equipped, elite fighting force under the command of a calm, cold-eyed Lord.
Arthur sat silently at the table, hands clasped, his gaze fixed on the goblin. Around him stood his most trusted heroes: Lily, Zara, Diana, and a few other commanders, watching the prisoner closely.
"Speak," Arthur said, his tone calm but unyielding. "Tell me everything you know about dark forest and the Dark City. Who rules the dark forest? How many more armies does it control?"
Kaldor let out a short, bitter laugh. "You think the Dark City is the heart of the forest?" he spat. "It's barely a speck. A sliver of power huddled in one corner of this cursed forest."
Arthur narrowed his eyes slightly. "Then enlighten me."
"The Dark Forest is older than your kind," Kaldor continued, his voice low and cold. "It stretches for millions of kilometers. Even we — the monsters born of this land — do not know how deep it goes. Countless creatures roam its shadows. Some rule patches of territory, some simply kill all who wander too close. No kingdom, empire, or divine nation dares to step foot here. The moment they do, they vanish. That's the only rule this forest respects."
Arthur leaned back slightly. So the Dark City wasn't the center of power. It was a fringe force—one of many—just surviving in a forest that no one dared to claim.
"And what of human Lords?" Zara asked from beside him, her voice soft and probing.
Kaldor looked between them and sneered. "You're the first I've ever seen in this forest. My scouts never reported another human camp, let alone a Lord's territory. If there are more like you, they're either too far or already dead."
Diana stepped forward silently, her cold gaze fixed on the goblin. "Do you think he's lying?"
"No," Lily answered calmly. "But he doesn't know everything."
Arthur exhaled slowly. He had always wondered why no other transmigrated Lords had appeared in this forest. There were billions of humans sent to Eridoria, scattered across the world — yet, for some reason, this immense, wild region had only welcomed him.
Kaldor's chains rattled as he shifted uncomfortably. "You built this army in days. It shouldn't be possible. Even if you were lucky, no Lord grows this fast. Not in this place."
Arthur didn't answer. The truth behind his rise lay in his unique talent — Legendary Luck — but it wasn't something he flaunted. Instead, he let his silence speak for him.
"You were confident enough to attack us," Lily said sharply. "So what did your Dark City truly believe about our forces?"
Kaldor's lips curled. "We thought you'd barely survived your last battle. That your army had been crippled. We were told you were vulnerable. An easy target."
"And now?" Arthur asked quietly.
"Now I see you're a nightmare in disguise," lord khali is already in rage because of your action, he won't forgive you now." Kaldor muttered.
The camp fell silent again.
Arthur rose from his seat and slowly approached the chained goblin. His eyes held no hatred—only clarity and resolve. He drew his blade without a word. Kaldor's eyes widened slightly, but he didn't plead. He knew.
"You attacked my people. You killed my soldiers. You chose wrong."
With a clean, precise motion, Arthur brought the blade down.
The goblin's head fell to the earth.
Blood seeped into the dirt as the forest fell eerily quiet. No one spoke. A system notification appeared before Arthur's eyes.
> [System Notification]
> Requirement Completed: Defeat a Gold-rank enemy leader with your own hands.
> Progress: 5/7 requirements fulfilled to unlock Advancement Trial.
Advancement Requirements:
1. Territory must be at least Level 5 – Fulfilled
2. Possess and be proficient in at least one Gold Rank skill – Fulfilled (Mana Surge)
3. Slay at least one Gold Rank being –Fulfilled.
4. Lead a force of at least 50,000 soldiers (minimum average tier: Bronze Rank Tier-3) – fulfilled.
5. Establish a secondary outpost or sub-territory – Pending
6. Possess a Gold Rank artifact – Fulfilled (Auric Blade of Fortune)
7. Awaken a personal domain – Pending
Arthur cleaned the blade, then he Stored the body in his inventory.
The war wasn't over yet — but with each step, Arthur was getting closer to something far greater.