The sky over Nerulia Haven burned gold at dusk.
Yuto stood on the city's outer balcony, the highest point of the Spirit Spire , staring into the fading horizon where the Spirit Lake shimmered in the distance. The breeze carried faint whispers of mana, alive, yet unsettled.
For the first time in a while, the silence made him uneasy.
The battle with the corrupted drake had shaken him more than he admitted. It wasn't just the strength of the creature, it was the feeling that something was holding back, watching him, measuring his limits.
And that thought kept gnawing at him.
[ Advisor: You're thinking too loudly again.]
Yuto sighed. "Hard not to. That thing wasn't ordinary corruption, was it?"
[Advisor: No. It wasn't. What you fought was a fragment of something much older ,a remnant of an Overlord's essence.]
Yuto turned sharply. "Overlord… like the Vampire one that beat me to a pulp?"
[ Advisor: Precisely. Though you've only met one, the world holds twelve known Overlords , entities that embody the pinnacle of each magical race. They are the apex predators of existence. You might call them the natural gods of this world.]
The wind howled faintly as if even the mention of them carried weight.
[ Advisor: Listen carefully. You asked to understand this world, now's your crash course.]
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The Structure of this World...
[Advisor: as you may well know, the world you inhabit is called Aetherion , a realm suspended between three primary planes: the Physical, the Spirit, and the Corrupted Abyss. Each plane leaks energy into the others, creating life and chaos.]
Yuto folded his arms. "So that explains the weird mana fluctuations near the lake?"
[ Advisor: Exactly. Corruption seeps from the Abyss, distorting natural mana. When left unchecked, it mutates life , creating the corrupted beasts you've been fighting. The Overlords exist to stop that corruption from consuming all three planes.]
"Wait… so they're protectors?"
[ Advisor: Once, yes. Now… only a few still are.]
Yuto frowned. "Meaning?"
[ Advisor: Some Overlords have fallen to the same corruption they swore to destroy. The Vampire Overlord you fought, Vel'Drath, the Crimson Eclipse Maybe one of them. He walks the edge between sanity and decay. Others remain neutral… or hidden.]
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[The Thirteen Thrones of Power]
The Advisor projected a holographic sigil .. twelve points circling a dark center.
Each point glowed in a unique color.
[ Advisor: These are the known Overlords of Aetherion:
1. Vel'Drath, the Vampire Overlord : Crimson Eclipse. Lord of Blood and Shadows. Commands the Crimson Legion and feeds on corrupted mana to sustain his immortality.
2. Lyganos, the Werewolf Overlord : Fang of the Silver Moon. Dominates the Northern Wildlands. His howl can shatter souls.
3. Dravion, the Dragon Overlord : Rumored to be the strongest, The Endless Flame. Slumbering beneath the continent of Aerthros; his breath can ignite oceans.
4. Seraphael, the Angelic Overlord: The Light of Judgement. Dwells above the clouds in the Sky Fortress of Velyria. Her light can purify or annihilate.
5. Tyrnak, the Demon Overlord : The Abyssal Crown. Ruler of the Ebon Pits. His existence distorts reality itself.
6. Eryndra, the Fairy Queen Overlord : Blooming Star. Guardian of the Sylvan Realms; manipulates nature and life essence.
7. Morthal, the Giant Overlord : Mountainbreaker. A colossus who shapes continents through his footsteps.
8. Kaelith, the Magical human Overlord : Ethereal Sovereign. A spirit who commands the flow of souls between life and death of humans, as you know humans are also magical here.
9. Aqura, the Leviathan Overlord : Queen of Tides. Her true form encircles the oceanic trench of Lunaris.
10. Ryzen, the Golem Overlord : Stone Monarch. Protector of the subterranean realm, bearer of eternal endurance.
11. Nefra, the Serpent Overlord : Venom Queen. Poison incarnate; her breath brings decay even to mana itself.
12. Aethrael, the Spirit Overlord : The Silent One. A mystery. Believed extinct , until now.*
---
Yuto blinked. "Wait… the last one. The Spirit Overlord? That's my class of being. You're saying…?"
[Advisor: Yes. You may be his successor, or his reincarnation. Records are fragmented, but your power aligns with the extinct Spirit lineage. You are, by all measurable parameters, an unawakened Overlord.]
The air trembled as the words sank in.
[ Advisor: In simple terms , you possess the potential to ascend. But potential doesn't mean qualification. You're still leagues beneath the top .]
Yuto exhaled slowly. "And the corruption? Why do they fight it?"
> Advisor: Because the Overlords are the world's immune system. When the Abyss leaks too much energy into reality, corrupted beasts manifest , born from twisted mana and hatred. The Overlords hunt and destroy them to maintain balance.
"But some have fallen."
[Advisor: Yes. Which is why the balance teeters. The Dragon Overlord has been silent for centuries. The Vampire Overlord is half-mad. The Fairy Queen's realm is sealed. And the Demon Overlord… grows stronger.]
Yuto clenched his fists. "So if the Overlords fall, the corruption wins."
[ Advisor: Exactly. And when it does, Aetherion will collapse into the Abyss , consuming all three planes. Spirit, flesh, and soul , gone.]
---
Yuto stared at the night sky. The stars shimmered like distant embers , small, but burning eternally.
"Advisor… how do I become an Overlord?"
[Advisor: You don't 'become' one. You evolve into it. Your evolution rate is your measure of divinity. You've reached 58%. When it reaches 100%, your spirit form will transcend, turning you into a Spirit God, the new Spirit Overlord.
"And that happens by fighting corrupted beasts?"
[Advisor: Correct. By purifying them, you absorb the energy of decay and transform it into divine resonance. The more you fight, the faster your evolution stabilizes.]
Yuto grinned faintly. "So basically… get stronger or die trying."
[Advisor: You catch on fast. Though 'die' is statistically the more probable outcome right now.]
"Thanks for the vote of confidence."
[Advisor: Anytime, Overlord Candidate.]
----
Elira appeared quietly behind him. Her hair danced with the wind, eyes reflecting the stars. "You're thinking about that fight again."
Yuto didn't answer at first. "More like what comes after it. There's something big brewing, Elira. The corruption, the beasts, even the vampire's attack… they're connected. Someone's stirring the Overlords from their thrones."
She placed a hand on his shoulder. "Then we'll face it together."
He smiled slightly. "Yeah. Together."
[ Advisor: Touching. Should I prepare your joint tombstone inscription now or later?]
"Advisor," Yuto warned.
[ Advisor: Fine, fine. Heroic last words are on backorder anyway.]
The two of them laughed softly, the tension briefly easing , but above them, a faint crack appeared across the night sky.
Barely visible.
But spreading.
[ Advisor: …oh no.]
"What?" Yuto asked sharply.
[Advisor: The barrier between the planes. It's weakening faster than expected. The corruption isn't waiting anymore.]
Yuto's eyes hardened. "Then I won't either."
The stars reflected in his eyes , burning with the same light as the one they said once belonged to the Spirit Overlord himself.
---
Evolution Progress: 56% -58%
Title Earned: Overlord Candidate – Spirit Class
Passive Unlocked: Overlord's Pulse , Senses Overlord energy or corruption within a 100-mile radius
Mission Update: Purify 5 Major Corruption Zones to Awaken True Form
[ Advisor: You've officially entered the big leagues. Try not to embarrass the Spirit lineage, alright?]
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