Cosmic Lord: The Error Awakens
Chapter 175: The Overlord’s Throne

Chapter 175: Chapter 175: The Overlord’s Throne

Midnight’s stark glow bathed the desolate Nexus world, a barren expanse of rune-etched ruins and golden-veined spires piercing a storm-wracked sky. Kael El led his team—Drayce, Rhea, Veyna, Vren, Sira, Jory, and eighteen militia and Dusk Enclave hunters—through a shattered citadel toward the Nexus overlord’s throne, guided by the gate’s fleet plans to end the remnant’s reign. Stormforged Blade blazed in his grip, shard-pommel roaring, its hum a defiant pulse against the world’s electric howl. EX: Dragonflame Reaver burned at his hip, Stormhide Armor scarred with ash, 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 core activated, unleashing corrupted rune-enhanced titans, massive constructs with red-rune cores and plasma hammers, led by the Nexus Overlord, a colossal figure in void-rune armor wielding a scepter of cataclysmic energy. He brushed EX: Gold Dominion, golden veins flaring through the ruins, molten and fierce, amplifying his team’s strength.

The citadel erupted in chaos—titans stomped forward, their hammers smashing stone with devastating force, while their rune-cores fired red energy barrages that scorched the ground. The Overlord’s scepter unleashed waves of cataclysmic energy, warping reality to destabilize 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 throne held the Nexus remnant’s final control node, critical to ending their galactic threat, but the titans and Overlord guarded it. The conflict was physical and strategic—destroy the titans, neutralize the Overlord’s scepter, and purify the corrupted runes to seize the node. Vren’s redemption and rune mastery, forged through battles, made him key to dismantling the node, his resolve a beacon of focus. Blood hunts. Kael’s blood stirred, heavy with a new truth: Devourer, you are the valley’s end. The shard blazed—vision: the citadel, titans shattered, runes purified, unity forged: Devourer, your blood binds us. His blood roared, the ruins trembling—binds? Vren dodged a barrage, his red shard flaring, voice strained. "Kael, their runes—Nexus warped control, like my crew’s fall! I’ll hack ’em—cover me!" His eyes burned—redemption fierce.

Kael’s voice was fierce, blade slashing a titan’s core. "Hack? I’m the storm, Vren—break ’em!" But the Overlord’s scepter unnerved him—Vara, what’s their final gambit? Rhea’s flames flared, torching a titan, her voice steady. "Love, they’re massive—Vren’s our key!" Her trust glowed—Level Up: Flame Intensity, Enhanced Core Scorch.

Veyna’s wolves, Grim and Shade, tackled a titan’s leg, her bow loosing rune-tipped arrows, voice calm. "Kael, wolves smell ruin—Overlord’s the key!" Her trust held—Level Up: Rune-Arrow Precision, Enhanced Core Shots. Drayce’s glaive smashed a titan’s arm, voice gruff. "Key? Militia’s 4,400—Sira, Jory, flank!" His rune-glaive flashed—Level Up: Rune-Glaive Force, Enhanced Core Cleave.

Sira’s spear pierced a titan’s joint, voice sharp. "Kael, my hunters know constructs—Vren’s right!" Her scar gleamed—Level Up: Enclave Spear Power, Enhanced Joint Pierce. Jory’s spear felled a titan’s core, 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, Overlord down, Vren hacking, runes pure. He roared, "Militia, enclave—right flank, titans! Veyna, pin ’em! Sira, guard Vren! Rhea, Drayce, Jory, with me!" His blood surged, EX: Dragonflame Reaver igniting—flames roared, melting a titan swarm, leveling his mastery of EX: Vitality Reaper to heal team wounds—Level Up: EX: Vitality Reaper Efficiency, Enhanced Group Healing.

The battle raged, Kael charging the Overlord, Stormforged Blade clashing with his scepter’s cataclysmic 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 Overlord’s armor, voice fierce. "Nexus ends here—valley’s mine!" A cataclysmic wave grazed his chest, pain flaring, but EX: Vitality Reaper mended it, his blood roaring.

Vren took point, his red shard blazing, counter-runes glowing as he hacked the node’s corrupted systems. His redemption shone, voice steady, "Kael, node’s vulnerable—hit the core!" His leadership burned—Level Up: First Code Rune Mastery, Node Sabotage. The team shielded him, their rune-weapons felling titans, trust in Vren binding them—Level Up: First Code Rune Control, Enhanced System Hack. "Valley’s mind!" Vren shouted, his runes a beacon.

Rhea fought beside Kael, her flames engulfing titans, her love anchoring him—Level Up: Flame Range, Enhanced Firestorm. "Kael, love, break his scepter!" Her fire shielded the team, her presence rallying—Level Up: Fire Aura, Enhanced Team Resolve. Her trust in Vren burned, steadying his focus.

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

Drayce led the militia, his glaive slashing titans, his voice booming, "Wedge formation—hunters, sweep left!" His leadership burned—Level Up: Militia Strategic Command, Enhanced Flank Coordination. "Jory, hit their cores!" His orders unified the team—Level Up: Battle Synergy, Enhanced Team Flow. Sira’s spear jabbed a titan’s core, 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 titan’s core, rallying recruits—Level Up: Militia Spear Precision, Enhanced Core Strikes.

The team converged on the Overlord, his scepter summoning cataclysmic waves, titans dwindling. Kael charged, Stormforged Blade slashing the scepter’s rune, pure runes shattering corrupted metal—Level Up: Stormforged Blade Impact, Enhanced Rune Cleave. Rhea’s flames weakened his armor, 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 scepter, its glow fading—Level Up: First Code Rune Control, Master Node Hack.

Kael leaped, Stormforged Blade driving into the Overlord’s chest, flames from EX: Dragonflame Reaver exploding, shattering his rune—Level Up: EX: Dragonflame Reaver Force, Enhanced Rune Blast. The Overlord collapsed, titans deactivating, the control node revealing the remnant’s final secrets: a Nexus failsafe buried in the valley. The citadel quieted, storms subsiding, the team panting, bloodied but victorious. Kael’s chest ached, but EX: Vitality Reaper healed it, his blood calming.

Vren approached, red shard dim, offering a rune-etched crystal, shimmering with code. "Kael, for you—not tech, but kin. I hacked, valley won." His voice was raw—Vren’s heart. Kael hung it beside Rhea’s ember, blood stirring—Vara, a failsafe? "Kin? Vren, you’re our mind. Guide us." His trust burned—new bond.

Rhea stepped forward, flames dimming, her hand on Kael’s. "Guide? You’re gold, love—Vren, Jory, all of you. Valley’s one." Her love burned—trust glowed.

Drayce’s grin was wide, glaive bloodied. "One? Militia’s 4,500—Kin, survivors, enclave fire. Kael, you’re the storm!" His trust glowed—Drayce’s fire.

Veyna’s wolves licked wounds, her voice calm. "Storm? Wolves see Vren—valley’s pack, Kael’s wise. Secrets 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, Vren—valley’s strong. Node’s ours." Her trust glowed—hope held.

The citadel glowed, golden veins strong, the team rallying. Kael faced the control node, blade raised, voice a rough hum. "Valley’s ours—Overlord’s gone, failsafe next. Speak."

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

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

The valley’s edge stood firm, golden veins pulsing, the failsafe beckoning—Kael’s empire kindled anew, its heart forged in an overlord’s throne.