The blood-drenched streets of Zone 4 lay silent in the aftermath of the siege.
What was once a chaotic battlefront now resembled the quiet after a storm—eerie and unnaturally still.
Smoke curled from cracked rooftops, and blood dried between cobblestones as the weight of recent events hung thick in the air.
Survivors moved through the ruins like phantoms, heads bowed, shoulders hunched, as though fearful that even the wind might scream the names of the dead.
Their eyes no longer carried hope, only duty. Tasks were carried out with mechanical precision: bodies buried in hastily dug trenches outside the Upper Hill perimeter, fires kept low, the wounded treated in silence.
No one dared speak of the battle.
The funeral that followed was simple.
A dozen survivors gathered around the graves, placing whatever tokens they could scavenge—a necklace, a belt buckle, a bloodstained scarf. Words were few.
Even the priest, a former teacher who'd taken on the mantle of spiritual comfort, could only mutter half-formed prayers, unsure whether they reached the gods or were swallowed by the thickening crimson skies.
Leo did not attend.
He stood atop the broken balcony of the old courthouse, watching the funeral from afar. In his eyes, weakness did not deserve mourning.
He had built something powerful, and that demanded sacrifice. Their deaths, while unfortunate, were necessary.
That afternoon, the newly formed council convened within the repurposed city hall. Dust still clung to the curtains, and dried blood painted the stone floors.
The symbol of the Blood Camp—a crimson fang surrounded by a silver ring—now adorned the walls, stitched hurriedly into banners.
Jack, Victoria, Anna, Evelyn, Damien, and a few other core figures gathered around a long, scuffed table. The windows were shut, casting flickering torchlight across tired faces.
Jack broke the silence. "Troop morale is... brittle. We've lost twenty-seven in the last three days. Supplies are dwindling. We can't sustain the current pace."
Anna, arms crossed, added, "People are uncertain. They've followed because there was no choice. But fear alone won't hold them forever."
Leo, standing at the head of the table, let them speak. His gaze didn't waver.
When they quieted, he stepped forward.
"Fear won't hold them," he said. "Order will."
A low murmur rippled through the room.
"There must be structure," Leo continued. "A system they understand. A rule they respect. No more chaos. The time of random survival is over. We are no longer scavengers. We are a state."
He raised a hand.
The system flickered before him. A holographic interface opened midair, visible to all in the hall. Its glow painted the room red.
[System Notice: New Feature Unlocked — Crimson Code]
[You may now establish Governance Protocols. Political structures permitted: Autocracy, Oligarchy, Stratocracy, Meritocracy...]
Leo selected Autocratic-Meritocracy. A fusion.
[You are now recognized as Zone Lord of Blood Camp (Zone 4)]
[Feature Unlocked — Imperial Mandate]
[Crimson Hall established. You may assign Command Roles: Governors, Strategists, Enforcers... Loyalty and Efficiency impact Zone output.]
The table fell silent. Even Damien, usually talkative, seemed momentarily stunned.
Leo turned toward Jack. "Your loyalty is unquestionable. You've handled logistics even when chaos ruled. From today, you are the Governor of the Blood Camp. Your main role: logistics and supply. Keep this machine running."
Jack's eyes widened. He bowed, fists clenched in front of his chest. "I won't disappoint you."
"Victoria," Leo said, locking eyes with her.
"Your mind sees through people. Your tongue bends reality. You will be my Head of Intelligence."
Victoria tilted her head, a half-smile forming. "You always did know how to flatter, Leo. I accept."
"Damien," Leo continued. "You'll lead the Outer Guard. The people trust your strength. Use it."
Damien nodded solemnly. "I'll make sure nothing gets past our walls."
No roles were given to others. Some expected it, others did not. Leo said nothing further.
[New System Feature Unlocked — Imperial Aura]
[Crimson Charismine Activated. Leadership Presence and Zone-Wide Influence enhanced based on Fear/Loyalty Balance. Bonus Stats: Charisma +20, Command +15.]
A sense of clarity fell over Leo. The pieces were falling into place.
But cracks began to form. Within days, subtle frictions surfaced in Upper Hill. Red graffiti emerged on the western walls:
"Rhett Lives in Blood."
[System Alert: Hidden Rebellion Node Detected. Rebellion Risk: 22%. Zone Stability: Fragile.]
Most ignored it. Some scoffed. But Leo knew better.
Anna noticed changes too. Tension curled like smoke through the alleys.
While patrolling one night, she stumbled upon hushed whispers behind the ruins of a collapsed armory. Her body froze.
Three men.
Former Zone 4 officers. The same who surrendered with heads bowed days before. They spoke in broken murmurs, unaware she was listening.
"If we strike during the night—slit the throat, cripple the guards—maybe... maybe we can take back what's ours."
"He's not human. You saw what he did. He doesn't bleed."
Anna's heart pounded. Her fingers hovered near her weapon.
She didn't act.
Instead, she walked away. Conflicted.
Her mind spun for hours. Should she report them? What if they were right? What if Leo's empire led only to suffering masked as structure?
But when morning broke, she found herself at Leo's door.
She knocked.
"Enter," his voice came.
She did.
His eyes bore into hers the moment she stepped in.
"I assume you didn't come for a chat."
She hesitated. Then she spoke.
"There's a plot against you."
She explained everything.
Leo didn't smile. He didn't nod. He simply stared at her for a long time.
"Thank you," he finally said. "You did the right thing."
"Did I?" she whispered, more to herself than him.
That night, Leo meditated alone. His consciousness slipped into a different realm—the Blood Domain.
The world bled around him. An endless cathedral of bones and thorns rose from crimson fog. Above, a red throne pulsed with silent malevolence.
He approached.
Whispers chased him—voices of those who had died by his hand.
You're becoming me, one said.
Are you proud? another asked.
He stopped in front of the throne. "Sovereign!" he shouted. "Speak to me."
Silence.
Then, a figure emerged. Clad in swirling red and black mist.
"Leo. This is a surprise. You usually run when I reach out."
"I need power," Leo said coldly. "I don't trust you. But I'll use you."
The Sovereign laughed. "Power always demands a price."
"I know."
The mist surged. Pain gripped Leo's soul. His body screamed, bones cracking, veins burning.
But he endured. He always did.
The Sovereign dissolved into him.
[New Trait Acquired — Blood Convergence: Sovereign Union (Level 1). Locked Abilities: Sanguine Dominion, Crimson Recall, Thronewalker.]
Leo collapsed, gasping.
He felt it. The power. And the cost.
Days passed. The cracks in the council widened.
At the next meeting, Jack insisted on redirecting energy into stabilizing infrastructure.
"We need clean water, stable food supply, routine patrols. Morale breaks without bread."
Leo nodded. "Noted."
Damien slammed his fist. "We waste time. Zone 5 waits. If we delay, others will conquer it."
Evelyn added coldly, "And what of the traitors Anna exposed? We should purge them now."
Ana, silent until now, finally spoke.
"If we become executioners without trial, we're no better than beasts. Let fear guide us, and rebellion becomes prophecy."
The room quieted.
After the meeting, Leo sat alone. The system flickered.
[Dominance Stage 3 Unlocked — Continental Expansion System Active.]
A map unfolded. Zones glowed across the land.
Zone 6: Sunken Spiral. Zone 7: Iron Citadel. Zone 5: Borderlands, unclaimed.
Leo's fingers hovered.
[Zone 5 – Recommend Conquest Priority: High.]
He began planning.
---
The next morning 3 men, former loyalists of Rhett were found dead in the room.
Everyone knew what this meant.
Kneel or Die.