The citadel's war room was silent save for the crackle of soul-flame torches. Maps of the continent lay spread across a table carved from obsidian—Eldoria in blue, Valthor in crimson, Drakon in black iron, Thorne in shadowed green. Alex's growing empire pulsed in violet at the center, tendrils stretching like veins toward every border.
Nyxara stood opposite him, her veil of living shadow shifting as if breathing. "The system has presented its ultimatum. Eternal Conqueror... or World Breaker. One path promises endless dominion. The other... annihilation of everything, including yourself, to reset the cycle."
Alex traced a finger along the map, where his latest conquests glowed faintly. "Tell me what you know of the Eternal path. The system only shows glimpses—power without end, but no destination."
Nyxara's eyes gleamed. "In the old grimoires, the Eternal Conqueror is no mere title. It's a state of being. The path demands absolute supremacy. You harvest souls not just for strength, but to weave them into your own essence. Every life taken becomes a thread in an immortal tapestry. You grow beyond flesh, beyond mortality—becoming a living concept. Conquest. Victory. Dominion incarnate."
She leaned closer. "But the price is erosion. Memories fade. Emotions dull. Allies become tools. The world shrinks until only the next battlefield matters. Legends speak of previous Eternal Conquerors—figures who toppled gods, shattered planes, only to wander empty eternities, forever seeking worthy foes that no longer exist."
Alex felt the system's presence stir, warmer now, almost eager.
[Eternal Conqueror Path Selected (Provisional)]
[Core Tenets Activated:]
Infinite Harvest: No upper limit to stat growth. Each kill permanently integrates a fragment of the slain's potential.
Apex Dominion: All under your banner gain exponential scaling based on your level. Your empire becomes an extension of your will.
Eternal Ascendance: Upon reaching critical thresholds, evolve past mortal forms—into Sovereign Spirit, Cosmic Sovereign, finally Eternal Sovereign.
Drawback: The Void Within: Prolonged existence erodes personal identity. Compassion, regret, love—all become optional luxuries.
[Current Threshold: Level 50 – Sovereign Spirit Awakening]
[Requirement: Conquer or subjugate at least three of the Four Thrones within one solar cycle.]
Alex exhaled slowly. "And if I refuse? Take World Breaker instead?"
Nyxara's smile was sad. "Then you become the end. A cataclysm that burns the board clean. Kingdoms, gods, even the system itself—erased. A new cycle begins without you. Some call it mercy. Most call it madness."
He looked out the window. Distant campfires dotted the horizon—reinforcements from the Concord, larger than before. Dragons wheeled in the moonlight. Siege engines rolled like thunder.
The boy from Earth felt a flicker of something old: hesitation. But the system pulsed, promising more. Always more.
"I choose Eternal Conqueror," he said finally. "Not because I want eternity. Because I refuse to let anyone else decide when it ends."
The room darkened as violet light erupted from his body. His stats surged in real time:
[Level: 31 → 35 (Provisional Boost)]
[Strength: 412 → 580]
[Agility: 398 → 550]
[Endurance: 440 → 620]
[Mana: 612 → 850]
[New Passive: Eternal Harvest Aura – Nearby deaths feed you automatically at 50% efficiency.]
[Legion Overlord evolved to Eternal Legion Dominion – Fallen soldiers revive as undying Revenants under permanent command.]
Nyxara stepped back, awe and fear mingling. "It begins."