The Darkness System: Rise of the Broken Sovereign

The binding contract took effect instantly.

Oblivion surged.

The miniature black hole doubled in intensity.

Final Verdict cracked.

Cassandra’s perfect technique — refined over decades, forged in actual combat against Origin Realm enemies — developed a fracture along its gravitational matrix. The axe strike that had been pushing Oblivion back suddenly stopped, caught in the gravitational undertow of Kael’s enhanced attack.

Then Oblivion pushed through.

The collision point detonated inward. The two techniques collapsed into each other, and the resulting implosion sent a shockwave of pure gravitational force in every direction.

Cassandra flew backward.

Her back hit the far wall with a sound like a thunderclap. The reinforced metal dented inward, forming a perfect impression of her body. Rune arrays flickered red across the surface — the first time they’d registered damage in what had to be years.

She dropped from the wall and landed on her feet. One hand braced against the metal. The other hung at her side, axe still gripped but lowered.

Blood dripped from her lips.

Cassandra wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and stared at the red stain. Her eyes changed as excitment surged within her.

Her aura climbed.

The suppression she’d maintained throughout the duel shattered like glass. Spirit Soul pressure erupted outward, filling the training room with a weight that made Kael’s knees buckle despite his Void Body Refinement. But it wasn’t just pressure. It was intent. Domination Intent.

A bloodthirsty aura exploded from her body. The temperature in the room dropped. The rune arrays screamed warnings. Cassandra’s eyes with excitment.

She raised her axe.

”Again.”

A figure materialized between them.

The female butler — who had been absent since the fight began — stood with perfect stillness. Her aura, pressed back against Cassandra’s bloodthirsty rage with the gentle firmness of someone who had done this many times before.

”My lady.” Her voice was soft, unhurried. ”You seem to have forgotten your purpose for this duel.”

Cassandra’s grip on her axe trembled. The bloodthirsty aura flickered — fighting against the butler’s presence.

Her aura dropped back. The temperature normalized. The rune arrays settled from screaming red to calm blue.

Cassandra closed her eyes and she breathed.

Kael let out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding.

His legs gave out.

He hit the ground on his hands and knees, blood dripping from his eyes. The binding contract had expired the moment Oblivion dissipated — his lightning abilities returned in a rush. His meridians right now felt like someone had dragged burning wire through them.

If that fight had continued for even a few more minutes, he would have lost. Badly.

Cassandra walked toward him.

She stopped in front of him and looked down.

”You win.”

Kael laughed weakly. ”I really don’t feel like a winner.”

”A loss is a loss regardless of how close it was.” She extended her hand. ”Get up. You’re bleeding on my floor.”

He took her hand and let her pull him upright.

”Why don’t we take a bath?” Cassandra said with a smirk. ”This fight has gotten me all sweaty.”

She started walking away. Kael who was still standing looked at her. She then turned back, ”I mean together.”

She turned toward the butler without waiting for his response. ”Margaret. Prepare the spring.”

Margaret bowed slightly. ”As you wish, my lady.”

Kael stared at Cassandra’s back as she walked toward a side door he hadn’t noticed before. A bath. Together. With my sister.

His eyes drifted involuntarily downward.

He followed her through the door, which led to a private elevator that descended for nearly a minute before opening onto an enclosed garden. Steam rose from a natural hot spring surrounded by flowering plants and smooth stones. The ceiling above was transparent, revealing the evening sky of World Thirteen.

The training room had withstood their attacks without a scratch.

This room could probably tank full-power attacks from Spirit Soul cultivators. Maybe even higher.

Father must have made it for her, Kael thought.

An hour later, Kael sank into the hot spring up to his chest and tried very hard not to look at his sister.

Well, he failed. Badly.

Cassandra lounged on the opposite side of the spring, arms resting on the stone edge, eyes closed, expression relaxed. Water lapped at her collarbone. Steam curled around her shoulders.

And her breasts — stop man — were huge. Probably an E-cup. Maybe larger. The water distorted the exact proportions but—

”I might soon pluck out your eyes the way you keep staring.”

Kael’s gaze snapped to the ceiling. ”I was admiring the floral arrangement.”

”The flowers are behind you.”

”They’re everywhere. Very floral.”

Cassandra didn’t open her eyes, but her lips curved slightly.

Kael submerged himself up to his chin and focused on the water.

The spring seemed to carry a faint medicinal quality — herbs dissolved in the mineral water, probably cultivated specifically for this purpose. Every muscle in his body unwound. The micro-fractures from Void Body Refinement stopped aching. Even his meridians, still raw from the binding contract’s backlash, began to soothe.

It has quite the purifying effect. This water accelerates natural healing.

”The Family Head’s attention is a double-edged sword,” Cassandra said quietly. Her eyes remained closed. ”You understand that, don’t you? Purple grade talent means you’re no longer invisible. It also means you’re no longer ignorable.”

”I’m aware.”

”Good. Because the siblings who wanted you dead or cripled before now really want you dead. And they’ll have to try harder.” She opened one eye. ”I can’t help you much directly. My position is too visible. But if you need something — information, resources, a quiet word in the right ear — call me.”

Kael stared at her. ”I didn’t know my sister had such a soft spot.”

”I don’t.” The eye closed again. ”I have a strategic interest in keeping useful siblings alive. Don’t mistake it for affection.”

Sure.

”From now on, you should have a butler of your own. Margaret will send someone suitable later today.”

”A butler.”

”You’re purple grade now. Running around without staff is beneath your station.”

”As for your birthday gift,” Cassandra continued, ”since you entertained me so much today, I’ll send for Dorin.”

”Who’s Dorin?”

”A bastard dwarf. Obnoxious, crude, and utterly brilliant.” Cassandra’s lips twitched. ”He’s an expert at runes. A forgemaster too — he draws the arrays for my weapons and helps repair my tools when I push them too far. Rank six Origin Runemaster.”

Kael’s interest sharpened. ”Rank six?”

”You have talent for runes. Being able to produce Rank 4 inscriptions at your age and cultivation is already quite impressive. But your focus is on inscriptions and talismans — individual applications. Dorin bases more on formations and arrays — large-scale integrations. Different specializations.” She paused. ”I want him to forge a Special Grade weapon for you. Something that complements your fighting style better than standard Tier 1 equipment.”

”Wow, sis. You seem to know quite a lot.”

”I’m way older than you. So of course, I know a lot.”

”Not that old.”

Cassandra’s eyes opened fully.

”I was born before your mother was a thought in anyone’s mind,” she said softly. ”I watched Father bury three wives before Sophie. I trained under commanders who have been dead for longer than you’ve been alive. I have forgotten more about this family than you will ever learn.”

The water rippled as she stood.

Margaret materialized from beside her with a robe draped over her arms. Cassandra stepped out of the spring, water cascading down her body, and Kael found himself looking at something else entirely.

Her ass was magnificent. Firm, round, the kind of shape that made a man forget his own name. Beads of water traced down the curve of her lower back and—

I need to leave before my own sexual desires kill me.

Margaret wrapped the robe around Cassandra with hiding the view. Kael forced his attention to the steam rising from the spring and tried to look like he hadn’t just been staring at his sister’s bare body.

”Margaret will show you out,” Cassandra said without turning around. ”Don’t die before Dorin arrives. I’d hate to waste the trip.”

Kael climbed out of the spring, grabbed his own robe, and followed Margaret back toward the elevator.

The image of Cassandra’s hot body refused to leave his mind.

The Sixth Branch residence was a joke compared to Cassandra’s place.

Kael stood at the edge of the cliff behind his quarters, looking out over the territory that technically belonged to him. Three hundred hectares of forested land. A mountain range to the north with caves that went deep enough to lose a man for days. A beast-infested woodland to the east where Foundation Establishment and above creatures roamed without fear. A freshwater river cutting through the southern boundary.

And the residence itself — a modest two-story building with six rooms, a basement, and nothing else. No training facility. No medicinal garden. No runic formations. No hot spring. The mana density was barely above planetary baseline.

Man, I think I’m jealous.

Cassandra had a training room that could tank Origin Realm attacks and a private hot spring with purifying properties.

Kael had a house in the woods.

Well, this needs to change.

He found Isabella in the administrative wing’s lower offices, reviewing supply manifests with the bored efficiency of someone who had done this ten thousand times before.

”You’re alive,” she said without looking up. ”Cassandra didn’t kill you. Surprising. Disappointing, actually. I was looking forward to the drama.”

”Oh sis, you don’t actually wish me dead, do you?”

”You will be surprised I do. ”

He set the Gravitational Paradox book on her desk. ”Returning this. Thanks.”

Isabella finally looked up. Her eyes flicked to the book, then back to him. ”You memorized it?”

”Enough.”

She slid the book into a drawer without comment. ”What do you want, Kael? You don’t come visit your sister unless you want something.”

”Well, I just need a tiny favor.”

”What is it?”

”Renovation. The Sixth Branch residence is quite depressing. I need the whole place overhauled — expanded living quarters, a training room with reinforced formations, a medicinal garden, and a hot spring. Surely, my beautiful sister can do that for me.”