Cosmic Lord: The Error Awakens
Chapter 169: The Citadel’s Phantoms

Chapter 169: The Citadel’s Phantoms

Night’s eerie glow cast shadows across a fortified Nexus remnant citadel, a labyrinthine fortress carved into the northern valley’s mountains, its rune-etched spires and golden-veined walls pulsing faintly under starlight. Kael El led his team—Drayce, Rhea, Veyna, Vren, Sira, Jory, and twelve militia and Dusk Enclave hunters—through the citadel’s outer corridors, guided by the spire’s server data to strike a Nexus command core. Stormforged Blade blazed in his grip, shard-pommel roaring, its hum a defiant pulse against the citadel’s chilling air. EX: Dragonflame Reaver burned at his hip, Stormhide Armor flecked with frost, Lyra’s fierce spirit and Rhea’s gentle love fueling his resolve. His flirty smirk was absent, replaced by a steely focus, masking a surging alertness—the citadel’s defenses activated, unleashing corrupted rune-enhanced phantoms, spectral constructs with red-rune eyes and energy claws, led by a Nexus controller in shimmering rune-cloak wielding a staff of void energy. He brushed EX: Gold Dominion, golden veins flaring through the stone, molten and fierce, amplifying his team’s resilience.

The citadel erupted in chaos—phantoms glided through walls, their claws slashing with ethereal precision, while their rune-eyes fired red energy beams that scorched the corridors. The controller’s staff summoned void pulses, warping space to disorient the team. Kael’s team, a mix of Kin, survivors, and enclave, wielded Thora’s rune-etched weapons, their training under Drayce battle-honed. The command core held Nexus protocols critical to crippling the remnant’s leadership, but the phantoms and controller guarded it. The conflict was physical and strategic—dispel the phantoms, neutralize the controller’s staff, and purify the corrupted runes to access the core. Rhea’s love and fire mastery, anchoring the team’s spirit, made her key to countering the phantoms’ disorienting void, her flames a beacon of clarity. Blood hunts. Kael’s blood stirred, heavy with a new truth: Devourer, you are the valley’s flame. The shard blazed—vision: the citadel, phantoms banished, runes purified, unity forged: Devourer, your blood binds us. His blood roared, the mountains trembling—binds? Rhea’s flames flared, burning a phantom, her voice steady. "Love, they’re shadows—my fire’s your guide!" Her eyes glowed—love fierce.

Kael’s voice was fierce, blade slashing a phantom’s core. "Guide? I’m the storm, Rhea—burn ’em!" But the controller’s void unnerved him—Vara, what’s their source? Veyna’s wolves, Grim and Shade, snarled at a phantom, her bow loosing rune-tipped arrows, voice calm. "Kael, wolves smell void—controller’s the key!" Her trust held—Level Up: Rune-Arrow Accuracy, Enhanced Spectral Shots.

Vren dodged a beam, his red shard flaring, voice strained. "Key? These runes—Nexus warped essence, like my crew’s fall. I’ll purify ’em, Kael—cover me!" His hands carved counter-runes—Level Up: First Code Rune Mastery, Void Disruption. Drayce’s glaive smashed a phantom’s form, voice gruff. "Cover? Militia’s 3,900—Sira, Jory, flank!" His rune-glaive flashed—Level Up: Rune-Glaive Force, Enhanced Spectral Cleave.

Sira’s spear pierced a phantom’s rune-eye, voice sharp. "Kael, my hunters know specters—Rhea’s right!" Her scar gleamed—Level Up: Enclave Spear Power, Enhanced Spectral Pierce. Jory’s spear felled a phantom, voice steady. "Lord, I’m gold—valley’s one!" His courage surged—Level Up: Militia Spear Accuracy, Enhanced Core Thrusts.

Kael’s jaw clenched, shard blazing—vision: the citadel, controller down, Rhea shining, runes pure. He roared, "Militia, enclave—left flank, phantoms! Veyna, pin ’em! Sira, guard Vren! Rhea, Drayce, Jory, with me!" His blood surged, EX: Dragonflame Reaver igniting—flames roared, banishing a phantom swarm, leveling his mastery of EX: Vitality Reaper to heal team wounds—Level Up: EX: Vitality Reaper Potency, Enhanced Group Recovery.

The battle raged, Kael charging the controller, Stormforged Blade clashing with his staff’s void field, sparks flying as pure runes met corrupted ones. EX: Gold Dominion pulsed, golden veins cracking the stone, boosting his endurance—Level Up: EX: Gold Dominion Endurance, Enhanced Stamina Surge. He shattered a field, flames searing the controller’s cloak, voice fierce. "Nexus fades—valley’s mine!" A void pulse grazed his leg, pain flaring, but EX: Vitality Reaper mended it, his blood roaring.

Rhea took point, her flames cutting through the void, guiding the team through the citadel’s twisting corridors. Her love shone, voice steady, "Kael, my fire clears the way—hit the core!" Her leadership burned—Level Up: Fire Mastery, Enhanced Void Burn. The team followed, her flames dispelling phantoms, trust in Rhea binding them—Level Up: Fire Aura, Enhanced Team Clarity. "Valley’s light!" Rhea shouted, her love a beacon.

Veyna’s wolves tore at a phantom’s form, her arrows piercing the controller’s field, rune-enhanced precision lethal—Level Up: Rune-Arrow Power, Enhanced Field Shots. Grim and Shade flanked, snarling, Veyna’s voice steady. "Kael, staff rune—strike there!" Her leadership shone—Level Up: Wolf Command, Enhanced Pack Strike. She loosed an arrow, cracking the controller’s rune, her trust in Rhea sharpening her aim.

Drayce led the militia, his glaive slashing phantoms, his voice booming, "V formation—hunters, sweep right!" His leadership burned—Level Up: Militia Strategic Command, Enhanced Flank Coordination. "Jory, hit their eyes!" His orders unified the team—Level Up: Battle Synergy, Enhanced Team Flow. Sira’s spear jabbed a phantom’s rune-eye, her voice sharp, "Valley’s ours!"—Level Up: Enclave Spear Power, Enhanced Core Penetration.

Jory led the hunters, his spear thrusting, voice booming, "Squad, hold the line—valley’s one!" His leadership shone, courage unwavering—Level Up: Militia Leadership, Enhanced Rally Cry. "Lord, we’re yours!" His spear pierced a phantom’s core, rallying recruits—Level Up: Militia Spear Precision, Enhanced Spectral Strikes.

Vren knelt by a rune-panel, his red shard blazing, counter-runes glowing, disrupting the phantoms’ corrupted essence. His redemption drove him—Level Up: First Code Rune Mastery, Spectral Neutralization. "Kael, phantoms faltering—controller’s next!" His voice was raw, runes flaring, beams stuttering, their runes dimming—I’m valley.

The team converged on the controller, his staff summoning void pulses, phantoms dwindling. Kael charged, Stormforged Blade slashing the staff’s rune, pure runes shattering corrupted metal—Level Up: Stormforged Blade Impact, Enhanced Rune Cleave. Rhea’s flames weakened his fields, Veyna’s arrow pierced his rune, Drayce’s glaive slashed his arm, Jory’s spear pinned his leg, Sira’s spear jabbed his side. Vren’s runes flared, a final pulse neutralizing the controller’s staff, its glow fading—Level Up: First Code Rune Control, Master Essence Hack.

Kael leaped, Stormforged Blade driving into the controller’s chest, flames from EX: Dragonflame Reaver exploding, shattering his rune—Level Up: EX: Dragonflame Reaver Force, Enhanced Rune Blast. The controller collapsed, phantoms dissipating, the command core revealing Nexus protocols and leader identities. The citadel quieted, starlight glowing softly, the team panting, bloodied but victorious. Kael’s leg ached, but EX: Vitality Reaper healed it, his blood calming.

Rhea approached, flames dimming, offering a rune-etched firestone, crystal and ember. "Kael, for you—not love, but kin. I burned, valley won." Her voice was raw—Rhea’s heart. Kael hung it beside Vren’s chip, blood stirring—Vara, we’re rising. "Kin? Rhea, you’re our light. Lead us." His trust burned—new bond.

Drayce stepped forward, glaive lowered, his grin wide. "Lead? You’re gold, Kael—Rhea, Vren, all of you. Valley’s one." His trust glowed—Drayce’s fire.

Veyna’s wolves licked wounds, her voice calm. "One? Wolves see Rhea—valley’s pack, Kael’s wise. Protocols are ours." Her trust glowed—hope held.

Jory’s spear stood high, voice steady. "Ours? Lord, I’m militia—valley’s one!" His hope burned—trust held.

Sira’s voice was firm, spear lowered. "One? Kael, Rhea—valley’s strong. Core’s ours." Her trust glowed—hope held.

Vren’s voice was steady, runes dim. "Ours? Runes are clean—valley’s safe, Kael’s flame." His trust glowed—hope held.

The citadel glowed, golden veins strong, the team rallying. Kael faced the command core, blade raised, voice a rough hum. "Valley’s ours—phantoms gone, remnant next. Speak."

Rhea’s voice was soft. "You’ve bound us, Kael—my light, Vren’s runes, we’re stronger. Lead on." Her hand tightened—love held.

Rhea’s voice was steady, firestone gone but heart full. "Stronger? You’re my kin, Kael—valley’s one. I’m yours." Her hope glowed—trust burned.

The valley’s edge stood firm, golden veins pulsing, the protocols beckoning—Kael’s empire kindled anew, its heart forged in a citadel’s phantoms.

Search the lightnovelworld.cc website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.