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The Council of Chiefs

Far beyond the ruins of Arcade, deep within the fortified heart of the Kings' Kingdom, power had grown—ferocious and unchecked.

Lord Veth, now seated on the throne once reserved for the true Overlord, had spent the last twelve years consolidating power. In the absence of the soul-bound ruler, he had declared himself acting Overlord—not by divine right or spirit, but by dominance.

Everyone knew he was unworthy. Not because he lacked strength—Veth was an elite A-rank warrior—but because he lacked the one thing that defined the Overlord: the soul connection.

Still, the four remaining kingdoms, in desperate need of leadership and fearful of anarchy, allowed Veth to rule. His word became law. His gaze, judgment. His silence—danger.

But behind the appearance of order, Veth was tormented.

He had never stopped searching. For twelve long years, he pursued answers. Why hadn't the soul of the Overlord chosen him? What flaw in his spirit had made him unworthy?

In his obsession, he placed a bounty on the head of every Arcadian—any survivor, any whisper of bloodline or blood oath. Yet none were found. As far as the world knew, the Arcades were extinct.

In his court, the structure of power evolved. The Council of Chiefs, seven in total, became the true enforcers of the realm. Each a master of death and warfare. Each selected by a terrifying standard:

1. Their zeal must match Lord Veth's.

2. Their power level must be at least planetary.

3. And they must have slain a Master to earn their rank.

Veth stood at the top of the rankings.

But beneath him, among the most feared, was Master Tangi.

Master Tangi had been present during the war between Kings and Arcades. His name was carved into history with blood. He single-handedly killed two A-rank Masters during battle and executed the ruler of Thruans after the man dared to question Veth's right to rule.

Tangi was not a warrior driven by loyalty or love. He was a monster who fed off chaos. There was no hidden tragedy, no long-lost heartbreak, no betrayal to shape him. Unlike other villains, there was no pain that made him evil—he chose it. He became it.

His own children feared him.

When they refused to train under him, desperate for his love, he maimed them instead. He gouged out his firstborn son's eyes. He tore his daughter's limbs from her body. And when his wife tried to intervene, he killed her in cold blood.

Most villains have a reason.

Tangi never needed one.

In his youth, he had been the only A-rank prodigy born into his household. But rather than being celebrated, he was shunned. His obsession with death, blood, and torture disturbed even the darkest warriors. His family feared him. Rejected him.

And so, once he ascended fully into his strength, he returned home.

That day, no one survived.

He saved his mother for last.

She stared into his eyes, trembling, broken.

"Why did you choose this path?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper, choking through blood and disbelief.

Tangi smiled, kneeling beside her.

"What kind of mother rejects her own child?" he whispered.

He leaned closer, eyes wild with unholy joy.

"So yes, I did this for fun. And guess what? I don't feel a thing for you. You can die anyway. After all... I'm A-rank now. No one can defeat me. Not even my big brother."

And so she died—her last breath drawn in disbelief, her last sight the twisted grin of the boy she once rocked to sleep.

No one could explain why Tangi did what he did.

Was it for power?

Was it for vengeance?

Fame? Glory? Respect?

No one truly knew.

What they did know was this: Master Tangi was the most dangerous force in the kingdom—and Lord Veth kept him close.

Among Lord Veth's elite circle—the dreaded Council of Chiefs—were masters whose powers had shaped the course of kingdoms. Each one, bound by loyalty or blackmail, served Veth under circumstances as dark as their reputations.

The second seat in power belonged to Master Lui—the first female A-rank Master in history.

She was a mother of three. All her children had risen to become B-rank warriors. But unlike others who gloried in battle, Master Lui lived in constant fear. Her love for her children ran deeper than power or pride, and for their safety, she kept them away from war.

Her loyalty to Veth was not born from choice—it was born from coercion.

Veth desired her, not for her strength, but for control. He threatened her with the lives of her children, forcing her to submit. The horror didn't stop there. He demanded she kill her husband—an act she was compelled to commit under duress. Her husband had stood in the way of Veth's twisted desires, and for that, he died.

Though she was an A-rank warrior, she could not defeat Veth. Not because she lacked skill—but because fear shackled her spirit. She gave in, again and again, for the sake of her children.

But time changes all things.

Her children, now older, began to sense the weight of their mother's suffering. The strongest among them, fueled by rage and honor, finally stood against Veth.

It was a mistake.

Veth broke his spine in front of her. And since that day, her son has not walked—only levitated by sheer will. A broken body. A mother's broken heart.

Since then, Master Lui swore her children would never interfere again.

She would bear the torment alone.

---

The third seat was held by Master Cazz, the Fire Lord of the Underworld.

On Earth, he was considered a mere A-rank. But in the Underworld, he was an Overlord.

He wielded the mythical Hinoe-Uma—the Fiery Horse. A creature of pure flame and destruction, its power unmatched by any mortal beast.

Cazz had once ruled a domain of darkness with pride. But Veth's grip reached even the underworld, and Cazz, like the rest, was forced into servitude. His fate sealed until death claimed him… and dragged him back to where he came from.

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The fourth seat belonged to Master Xuero.

He was the only warrior known to be capable of defeating Veth in open combat. His power was unmatched—godlike speed that blurred time itself.

Only an Overlord could match him.

But Veth was cunning. He discovered Xuero's secret: a Horcrux—a dark artifact containing a fragment of Xuero's soul. Veth found it, and with it, he limited Xuero's full potential.

Now, the swiftest warrior alive was shackled—his power capped by the very enemy he could destroy.

---

The fifth seat was Master Kiora, Empress of Body Magic.

She was the oldest living Master, preserved through her unique ability of body recreation. No wound could claim her. No time could touch her.

Yet her heart remained her weakness.

She had never known love. But in the darkest irony, she found herself drawn to Veth. She admired him. Desired him. But her feelings were unreciprocated—brushed aside like dust on armor.

Still, she remained in his service, pushing her body beyond its limits in hopes that someday he might see her—not as a tool, but as something more.

---

The Council of Chiefs was feared by every kingdom. Worshipped by some. Cursed by many.

But across those conquered lands, whispers stirred. Silent movements. Rebellions.

Voices waiting to be heard.

And soon, they would have a reason to rise.

---

Meanwhile...

In the woods, deep in the forgotten lands, Kalamari trained like never before.

Sweat poured from his brow, soaking the earth. His breath came heavy and strained as his limbs screamed in exhaustion.

"Honestly," he panted, barely able to stand, "I've never been trained this hard before. Master Togiru... you surprise me." He looked up, eyes wide with curiosity. "So tell me—who was your master?"

Master Togiru, serene as ever, smiled quietly.

"My Lord," he said, closing his eyes and drawing in a long breath, "whatever lessons I am teaching you—I taught myself. Unlike you, unlike every other warrior, I was my own master."

Kalamari stood still, eyes fixed on the old man with a new kind of reverence.

"Wow," he whispered, then returned to his training with renewed determination.

---

Days passed.

Kalamari's strength grew. His mana expanded. And under Master Togiru's relentless guidance, he began to master skills only Overlords possessed.

Master Togiru believed in him.

He believed Kalamari was the light destined to pierce through the kingdom's growing darkness.

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In two days, Kalamari would begin his journey—across kingdoms, through danger, into the unknown—in search of any surviving Arcadians.

He would uncover truths lost to war.

He would awaken the hope buried in bones and ashes.

And he would remind the world that the soul of the Overlord had not died.

It had only been reborn.

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[Dear readers, join Kalamari in Chapter Four as he journeys across the fractured kingdoms in search of the surviving Arcadians. The war is not over. It's just beginning.]

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