Cosmic Lord: The Error Awakens
Chapter 86: Chaos Meets the Colossus

Chapter 86: Chaos Meets the Colossus

The eightieth dawn erupted over Kael El’s Ashen Empire with a fierce golden glare, the 10,906 square kilometers of his Territory Level 5 dominion bristling with defiance. The capital city stood at 270 buildings, bone steel and golden turrets looming as 2,688,000 subjects reveled in the festival’s chaos—forges dimmed, fields abandoned, streets roaring with cheers and clashing steel. Kael stood atop the Lord’s Estate ramparts, Stormforged Blade in hand, its shard-pommel pulsing with a restless hum. EX: Dragonflame Reaver glowed at his hip, and Stormhide Armor clad him, its scars catching the light amid the festival’s golden banners. His flirty smirk danced across his lips, a cool dominance radiating as he flexed EX: Gold Dominion, golden veins threading the stone beneath his boots.

Day 80. Myra’s cowering, Lyra’s pissed—perfect time for a party. His dark eyes gleamed with unwavering confidence, pride a molten core beneath his chill exterior. Two-point-seven million souls, 10,906 square kilometers, Territory Level 5’s my stage—let’s dance on it. The Nexus crackled through the festival din: "Kael’s 72, gold reigns!" He smirked at the sky, voice low. Reign? I rule.

"Day 80: Post-Peace Period. Territory Level: 5 – Commanding Lord. Territory Size: 10,906 sq. km. Population: 2,688,000 Subjects. Food Stock: 20 Days. Resource Yield: +100% (Lv. 5 Bonus) + 100% (SSS: Resource Lord). Resources: 800,000/1,000,000 for Lv. 5 Completion – Excess Banked: 0. Summon Limit: 20/Day. Territory Lv. 6 Conditions: Reach Level 105, Continental Empire (500+ buildings) [270/500], Defeat 100,000-stat Entity [Not Met], 5,000,000 Resources [800,000/5M], 250,000 Gold/Month [170,000/250,000], Army of 10,000 Elite [2,500/10,000], Build World Wonder [In Progress: Golden Colossus]."

"Lord Nexus Leaderboard: 1. Kael El (72), 2. Myra (64), 3. Lyra (63), 4. Gavrin (61), 5. Sylth (60), 6. Elynn (59), 7. Jorr (57), 8. Kalia (56), 9. Zane (55), 10. Taryn (54)."

Kael leaned on the rampart, shard-pommel singing as he watched the festival below—mock battles in the plaza, bread carts rolling, gold coins glinting in the crowd. "Level 72, first place," he murmured, voice teasing but edged. "Myra’s 64, 80,000 hiding—Lyra’s 63, 60,000 left. Coalition’s scared—Colossus’ll make ’em choke." The Golden Colossus’s foundation loomed in the courtyard, thirty meters wide, fifteen high, its frame starting today—Thora’s smiths hauling gold steel under festival banners.

Lena approached, map in hand, her calm voice cutting through the cheers. "Lord, buildings hit 273—forges slowed for the festival. Resources at 810,000—20,000 spent yesterday, 30,000 coming today. Gold’s at 175,000 monthly—taxes bumped it. Colossus frame’s up by dusk—another 50,000 resources."

Kael winked, spinning the blade. "273’s good—push to 280 by tomorrow, bank 50,000 after the dip. Festival’s keeping ’em happy—Colossus’ll keep ’em proud." He paused as a horn blared—sharp, urgent, from the east.

Veyna sprinted up, bow taut, wolves snarling at her heels. "Lord! Lyra’s hitting—150,000, 1,200 kilometers east, violet chaos tearing in. 120,000 Level 25, 2,500 Stats, 30,000 Level 45, 8,000 Stats—SSS: Chaos Lord’s burning the plain!"

Kael’s grin sharpened, predatory. "150,000? Lyra’s 63, mad I broke her last batch. Drayce!" He shouted, and the warrior appeared, glaive ready. "500,000—gold elite, summons, full line. We crush her at the outpost—Colossus watches." He raised the blade, shard singing louder, EX: Dragon Sovereign roaring as dragons took flight.

Drayce saluted, voice gruff. "Aye, Lord—festival’s fuel, they’ll fight harder. Back by dusk." He marched off, rallying 500,000—2,500 gold-clad elite, 20 summons, and the rest roaring with festival fire. Kael led, EX: Stormwing Prime blurring him east, 1,200 kilometers in hours, the outpost’s golden turrets gleaming ahead.

The eastern plain shimmered violet, then exploded—150,000 charging, Lyra’s army a storm of steel and chaos. 120,000 Level 25 grunts in ragged armor swung crude blades, 2,500 Stats pulsing, while 30,000 Level 45 elites in violet cloaks wielded glowing staves, 8,000 Stats crackling. Violet waves surged, SSS: Chaos Lord tearing earth into spikes, air into storms.

Kael laughed, blade raised. "Fancy tricks—let’s break ’em." He charged, 500,000 thundering behind, Drayce’s vanguard smashing in—glaives slicing 15,000 grunts, steel splintering, violet spikes crumbling under gold boots. War Surge roared, 10,000 shredded, dust swirling. Veyna’s wolves hit the flanks, frost fangs ripping 12,000, her arrows piercing elites—3,000 down, staves clattering.

Thora’s turrets, hauled east, fired—golden bolts shredding 18,000, earth shaking as 100,000 troops reinforced. Bone golems stomped, EX: Bone Dominion summoning twenty, crushing 15,000, claws raking steel. Kael reached an elite captain, 8,000 Stats flaring, violet staff blazing. The captain swung, energy lashing, Kael dodged, earth splitting. EX: Volcanic Tsunami surged, 10,000 damage melting 8,000 grunts, steel sizzling. The captain thrust, Kael parried with the Stormforged Blade, shard screaming, then triggered EX: Vitality Reaper—10,000 health stolen, 20,000 damage shredding the foe into ash. "Too weak, Lyra’s toy," he grinned, gold dust swirling.

Dragons dove, fire and ice raining, 20,000 vaporized, ash pooling. Elys’s lightning cracked, 15,000 fried, Lyra—his Lyra—blasted violet mockery, tearing 12,000. Rhea and Fyra torched 18,000, flames roaring—harem reaping chaos. Ninety thousand down in an hour, Lyra’s army fracturing.

The elites rallied, 30,000 forming a violet shield-wall, energy pulsing. Kael smirked, EX: Seismic Rupture splitting the ground, 5,000 damage breaking ranks, bone golems smashing 8,000. EX: Ash Reaper spun, 50,000 damage wiping 12,000, dust choking. Drayce’s glaives reaped 15,000, Veyna’s wolves tore 10,000, turrets pounded 15,000—150,000 dead, the plain silent but for ash and wind.

"Ding! XP Gained: 150,000 enemies (120,000 Lv. 25, 1,767,922 XP each; 30,000 Lv. 45, 33,554,432 XP each) × 0.1 × 50 = 6,086,540,400 XP."

—Level Up! Level 72 to 73.

Kael felt the surge, EX: Gold Dominion flaring, shard singing brighter. "Level 73—Lyra’s tantrum’s my ladder." He sheathed the blade, clapping Drayce’s shoulder. "Loot?"

"Decent," Drayce said, wiping his glaive. "15,000 resources, violet cores—festival’ll eat ’em up."

Kael nodded, turning west as the army marched back, reaching the capital by dusk. The festival roared louder—mock battles now real tales, bread carts heavier with loot. Thora met him at the plaza, hammer swinging, the Colossus’s frame rising—fifty meters tall, gold steel ribs gleaming. "Frame’s up, Lord—50,000 resources in. Core’s next."

Kael winked, dusting ash off his armor. "Level 73, 150,000 down—frame’s a beauty. Lena, numbers?"

Lena stepped up, map glowing. "Buildings hit 275—forges restarted. Resources at 775,000—festival and frame ate 50,000. Gold’s at 180,000 monthly—loot bumped it."

"275’s strong," Kael said, grinning. "Push to 280 by tomorrow, bank 20,000 after. Lyra’s 63, 60,000 to nothing—Myra’s 64, 80,000 next. Colossus says I’m 73 and climbing." He tapped the frame, shard humming in sync.

The harem gathered, voices cutting through the festival din—Elys sparking, Rhea warming, Veyna pacing. Kael waved them over, voice a teasing drawl. "Ladies, 2.7 million souls, 10,906 square kilometers, 775,000 resources, Level 73—Lyra’s 63, 150,000 gone. Colossus rises—thoughts?"

Elys grinned, lightning dancing. "You’re a storm, Kael—Lyra’s done. Colossus’ll break ’em all."

Rhea’s flames flickered, voice soft. "Break ’em, but stockpile’s low—core’s a risk. Your blood’s the real tower."

Veyna notched an arrow, smirking. "Risk pays—Lyra’s broke, Myra’s watching. Wolves’ll sniff her panic."

Kael’s grin sharpened, predatory. "Storm, tower, panic—my playbook. Lena, squeeze ’em—Thora, raise it—Veyna, hunt ’em. Coalition’s crumbling—I’ll bury it under gold." He stood by the frame, shard alive, festival roaring around him.

By night, 278 buildings glowed, the Colossus’s frame towering sixty meters, resources at 760,000, gold steady at 180,000. Kael watched from the ramparts, shard singing, Lyra’s ash in the wind. The Empress’s ’Error’—twisting dominion—felt closer. He smirked into the dark. "Twist away—I’m the one standing."