Chapter 15 – The Black Storm
The storm over Nexa's barren lands had finally faded.
The sky was dim and bruised purple, the soil cracked and lifeless. From the mouth of a dark cave, Morde stepped out, his cloak whipping against the cold wind. His expression was cold, focused — the calm before something catastrophic.
"I need to find that blood mage," he muttered, his voice low. "There's still much I can learn from him."
Inside his mind, the deep, distorted voice of the dark power echoed once more.
"You don't need to learn anything, Morde," it whispered. "I will carry you beyond all limits. Every battle will make you stronger. You only need to obey one rule… chaos."
Morde narrowed his eyes, his tone faintly amused.
"Maybe you're right. With you, defeat is impossible. But I'll need allies — people who understand power, not morals."
"Allies?" the voice sneered. "You mean tools. Use them. Then break them when they're done."
Morde smirked. "Call it whatever you want. There's a reason I'm heading for Nexa. This place may be strong, but it's not bound to the World Government. If I destroy this kingdom, my chances are higher — and the world will finally start to rot properly."
The dark power laughed in satisfaction.
"Your philosophy pleases me, Morde. Very well — set your strategy. I'll handle the rest."
Without wasting another word, Morde started walking. His steps were silent yet heavy, his aura distorting the air. An hour later, he reached the outskirts of Fevay, one of Nexa's largest kingdoms. What he saw there made his lips curl.
Chaos.
The kingdom was lawless — a place where crimes happened in the open, where screams blended with laughter, and no one cared about the bodies lying on the stone streets. Murder, theft, and worse acts were performed without a trace of fear.
Morde stared at the filth, and for the first time, his expression darkened with disgust.
"Yes…" he whispered. "This is where it begins. None of them deserve to live. Every last one of them… must die."
"Steady," the voice in his head warned. "We strike fast — hit and vanish. Make Nexan bleed before you crush it."
"Then let's begin," Morde said.
In a blur of movement, he disappeared from sight. His figure flickered through the shadows, and before anyone could react, he appeared beside a soldier attempting to kill a civilian.
"Black Blade – Shadow Sever."
The soldier didn't even scream. His body split cleanly in half, falling apart with a wet sound. Panic rippled through the plaza. People ran in every direction as soldiers shouted and formed ranks.
"Who the hell are you!?" their commander barked, sword trembling in his hand.
Morde turned toward him, eyes glowing faintly red.
"Death," he said simply — and lunged.
In an instant, the entire unit fell apart. Morde's movements were impossible to follow — a blur of black strikes, each one clean and final. Within seconds, half the soldiers were down. The air filled with screams and dust. When the smoke cleared, Morde stood alone in the middle of the street, his blade dripping shadows.
Only the commander remained, trembling. He gritted his teeth and roared, charging forward.
"Rapid Fist!"
Morde dodged effortlessly, a hint of mockery on his lips.
"That's all? You're a commander, and this is the best you can do?"
He vanished and reappeared behind him, using Black Leap — a teleport-like burst of shadow. The commander barely turned before a Black Fist struck his chest, sending him flying ten meters backward. Coughing blood, the man tried to speak.
"You… are a… mon—"
Before he could finish, Morde raised his blade and cut him down.
"Pathetic."
In less than a minute, the entire unit — B2 Division — was wiped out. Not a single heartbeat remained.
Inside the Fevay Royal Castle, alarm bells were ringing. A messenger rushed into the grand hall, his voice trembling.
"My lord! There's been an attack in the main square! One man — just one man — annihilated the entire B2 division in under a minute!"
The Fevay Lord shot up from his throne.
"What do you mean one man!? That's impossible! Send Riyo immediately! Tell him to kill whoever it is!"
"Y–yes, my lord!"
Outside, chaos consumed the capital. Morde was no longer distinguishing between soldier or civilian. His eyes had gone cold, merciless.
He cut down everyone who dared move — no one was spared. Blood flowed in the streets, staining the cobblestones. The kingdom screamed.
"Run! Run!"
But there was no escape. Morde was a storm of blades and darkness. Even the soldiers, once proud defenders, began to flee in terror.
Just as Morde was about to strike down another man —
a flash of light erupted beside him.
A massive shockwave tore through the street, scattering dust everywhere. When the cloud settled, a hand had caught Morde's wrist.
"You've killed enough," a calm, deep voice said.
Morde looked down — a smirk tugging at his lips.
"Finally… someone worth my time."
Standing before him was a tall figure in ornate black armor — Riyo, the strongest warrior in Fevay.
Riyo's expression was stern but calm.
"So you're the new bearer of that cursed power. I had hoped things would be different this time… but fate repeats itself."
Morde jerked his arm free and flipped backward, landing gracefully.
"Save your speeches. I'm not here to talk. I'm here to erase this kingdom — and then Nexa itself."
Riyo raised an eyebrow. "Then you truly are lost."
Without another word, Morde dashed forward. His Black Blade hummed with dark energy.
"Black Slash!"
The blade cut through the air, sending out a crescent of shadow that split stone and steel alike. Riyo didn't flinch. His aura hardened, his body shimmering with silvery energy.
"Iron Shell."
The attack struck him directly — and did nothing.
Morde's eyes widened slightly, then curved into a grin.
"Not bad… maybe this will be fun after all."
"Don't get cocky," Riyo replied coldly. "You've brought death upon yourself."
Their battle erupted — shockwaves rippling across the city, the earth cracking under their feet. The screams of civilians were drowned by the clash of darkness and iron.
Hortex – Fort Leviathar, Main Marine Base
Far across the ocean, within the grand command tower, Fleet Admiral Kaizen stood by the window, gazing over the fleet. The rhythmic pounding of waves against steel filled the silence.
A knock came at the door.
"Enter," Kaizen said.
Vice Admiral Zix stepped in, saluting sharply.
"Sir, we've received a report — a major one."
Kaizen turned, his eyes narrowing. "Speak."
"It's Morde, sir. He's in Nexa… in one of their primary kingdoms, Fevay."
Kaizen's hand froze mid-motion. "What is he doing there?"
"He's… killing everyone, sir. Soldiers, civilians — doesn't matter. He's wiping the kingdom out."
Kaizen's jaw tightened. "That fool… this is getting out of control."
Zix hesitated. "Shall we deploy forces, sir?"
Kaizen thought for a moment, his expression cold and precise. Then he spoke slowly.
"Send word to the scouts. Find his weak moment — and kill him. If we don't stop him now, he'll become a problem we can't contain."
Zix nodded. "And if their identities are discovered?"
Kaizen's voice turned like ice.
"Then burn Fevay to the ground. No survivors. If that's not enough, send the hunters as well. Put a bounty on his head — thirty million Bel. Alive or dead."
"Understood, sir."
As Zix left the room, Kaizen turned back toward the sea. The horizon was quiet, calm — but his eyes burned with stormlight.
"Morde… how far will you go before the world itself breaks beneath your shadow?"
Fevay – Nexan
The ground trembled under each blow.
Morde swung his sword once more, sending arcs of darkness toward Riyo, who stood firm, his armor shining with light.
The clash of their powers painted the night sky with chaos — black and silver colliding like two storms.
"Black Slash!"
"Iron Shell!"
Each move met its counter. Sparks scattered like shattered stars. The ground beneath them cracked and burned from the intensity of their attacks.
Riyo blocked another strike and spoke, almost pitying.
"You could've been more than this, Morde."
Morde laughed. "I am more than this!"
He lunged again, their blades locking in a burst of shadow and light.
The battle had only just begun.