Chapter Eighteen: The Duke of Doom

Linxia scrolled through the Points Mall, expecting to find some flashy new ability or maybe a hidden gem in storytelling techniques. Instead, the system pulled up a list of history books.

He frowned. "History books?"

The title Mighty Figures of History blinked in front of him. It was only 1,000 points—dirt cheap compared to the other options. He hesitated, then chuckled to himself.

"Man, I remember when 1,000 points was too much for me."

Back when he had just started Sightless Path, he had to pinch every point. Now? He glanced at his balance—50,000 points—all thanks to the wild success of his last book.

"Alright, let's see what you've got."

He purchased the book, and immediately, a holographic page unfolded before him. The index was filled with names, but his eyes locked onto a single section—

Sanguine Sector: Legends & Tyrants

Beneath it, one name stood out.

Aldric Voss – The Duke of Doom.

Linxia's fingers twitched. There was something about that name. He tapped on it, and the screen expanded, revealing an ancient, bloodstained record.

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Historical Records - The Duke of Doom

Name: Aldric Voss

Titles: The Duke of Doom, Crimson Tyrant, Harbinger of Ruin

Era: Third Age of the Sanguine Sector

Domain: House Voss, Bloodstained Throne, The Crimson Dominion

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Excerpt from The Chronicles of the Sanguine Sector, Volume VI

> "Among the annals of history, few names inspire as much fear and reverence as Aldric Voss—the Duke of Doom. To the common folk, he was a monster draped in noble finery; to his enemies, he was the abyss given form. His mere presence on the battlefield turned tides, his name alone was enough to end rebellions before they began. And yet, beneath the blood-soaked legend lay a mind sharper than any blade and a will stronger than the chains of fate."

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Linxia's mind raced as he kept reading.

Early Life & Rise to Power

Aldric Voss wasn't born into power—he took it with his own hands. At fifteen, he was a political hostage, sent to a rival house to ensure peace. Most would have died there. Instead, he orchestrated a coup, wiped out his captors, and conquered his enemies from within.

By the time his own family came to "rescue" him, he had already taken over their greatest rival's forces. When he returned, he executed his own father for weakness and seized the throne.

The Crimson Dominion was his. The galaxy would never be the same.

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The Reign of Terror

He ruled not with law, but with fear.

The Night of the Crimson Eclipse: His coronation came with the purge of all dissenters. The streets ran red for three days.

The Sanguine War: The Coalition tried to stop him. He poisoned water supplies, unleashed bio-plagues, and led his Death Legions personally.

The Pact of Bone and Blood: He made a deal with an unknown entity, and from that moment on, he could steal the very life force of his enemies.

His empire thrived on war. His legend only grew.

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The Fall of a Tyrant

No reign lasts forever.

The Coalition finally united to bring him down. The final battle—The Last Eclipse—was the bloodiest in recorded history.

Aldric Voss stood alone in the final hours, his armor shattered, his body broken. But instead of surrendering, he left behind one final message:

"If I must fall, let it be in fire, not in chains."

Then, he detonated his own capital, taking his enemies with him.

His body was never found. Some say he died. Others believe he still lingers, waiting for the day his name is spoken again.

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Linxia exhaled slowly, his heart pounding.

"Bloodline Thief…"

Suddenly, he had an idea. A damn good one.

Miss Deadline's voice interrupted his thoughts. "Did you find something?"

A grin spread across Linxia's face. "Oh yeah. I found something alright."

He wasn't out of ideas anymore.

Now, he just had to bring the idea from the Duke of Doom to life.

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