The war hall hummed with tension as the warriors encircled Ezra and Blackthorne.
No one spoke.
No one moved.
They were all waiting for the fight to begin.
Blackthorne rolled his shoulders, his armor creaking with the movement.
"I don't kill weaklings," he said. "But I don't hold back either."
Ezra smirked, cracking his knuckles. "Good. I'd be insulted if you did."
The air shifted.
A heavy killing intent rolled off Blackthorne like a storm.
But Ezra—
He met it head-on, his own aura rising in response.
Abyssfang pulsed in his grip, whispering for blood.
Blackthorne moved first.
BOOM!
The stone floor shattered beneath his feet as he launched forward, his fist aimed straight at Ezra's chest.
But Ezra—
He didn't dodge.
He met the blow head-on.
Their fists collided—
Shockwaves erupted through the war hall!
Torches flickered.
The walls shook.
The warriors around them staggered back, eyes wide.
But neither man fell.
Both stood their ground, locked in a contest of sheer strength.
Ezra grinned. "Not bad."
Blackthorne chuckled. "You too."
And then—
The real fight began.
---
Power vs. Evolution
Blackthorne attacked ruthlessly, his blows fast and precise.
His sheer brute strength made the air tremble.
Each punch—each kick—was like a warhammer smashing through a battlefield.
But Ezra—
He wasn't just strong.
He was evolving.
Every second, his body adapted to Blackthorne's attacks.
His movements became smoother.
His reactions became faster.
The battle shifted.
Ezra stopped blocking.
He started dodging.
Then—
He started countering.
A sidestep.
A perfectly timed strike to the ribs.
A feint—then a brutal knee to the stomach.
Blackthorne grunted, staggering back.
The warriors gasped.
Their unbeaten warlord was being pushed back.
Blackthorne wiped the blood from his lip, then grinned.
"I see now."
He clenched his fists—
And his aura exploded.
The air crackled with raw power.
Ezra narrowed his eyes.
This fight—
It wasn't over yet.
---
The Warlord Unleashed
Blackthorne's muscles tensed, his veins glowing with an eerie red light.
His battle aura surged, turning the air thick with oppressive pressure.
"Let's see how you handle this."
BOOM!
He vanished.
Ezra's eyes widened.
Faster than before.
Too fast.
A fist slammed into his gut.
Then another to his jaw.
Then a brutal axe kick to his shoulder.
CRACK!
Ezra crashed into the stone floor, shattering it.
The warriors roared in excitement.
Sylvaine's hands clenched into fists.
But Ezra—
He lay there, his body already healing.
And then—
He laughed.
It was a low chuckle at first.
Then it grew.
Blackthorne frowned. "What's so funny?"
Ezra grinned up at him, eyes glowing red.
"That."
Blackthorne's expression darkened. "What?"
Ezra stood.
His wounds closed instantly.
His body felt stronger.
Faster.
More perfectly adapted to Blackthorne's strength.
"I was hoping you'd push me this far."
Blackthorne tensed.
Ezra vanished.
BOOM!
A punch slammed into Blackthorne's ribs.
BOOM!
A kick sent him flying into the wall.
The warriors stared in disbelief.
Their leader—
Their undefeated warlord—
Had just been knocked off his feet.
Ezra rolled his shoulders.
His voice was calm.
"This was fun."
He pointed Abyssfang at Blackthorne.
"But I think it's time you admit it."
Blackthorne stood slowly, wiping the blood from his mouth.
He met Ezra's gaze.
And then—
He chuckled.
Then he laughed.
A deep, hearty warrior's laugh.
"Hah…!" Blackthorne shook his head. "You crazy bastard."
He took a deep breath—
Then knelt.
The entire war hall froze.
Ezra raised an eyebrow.
Blackthorne placed a fist over his heart.
"I acknowledge you."
The warriors around them gasped.
Sylvaine's eyes widened.
Ezra tilted his head. "That easy?"
Blackthorne smirked. "I don't bow to kings or gods."
He looked up, his eyes burning with respect.
"But I bow to strength."
He clenched his fist.
"And you, Ezra… You're the strongest I've ever fought."
Ezra exhaled.
Then he grinned.
"Well then."
He extended a hand.
"Get up. We've got work to do."
Blackthorne took it.
The warriors cheered.
Because today—
A new warlord had been born.
And the world—
Would never be the same.
---
The Warlord's Oath
The war hall roared with cheers, a thunderous chorus of warriors who had just witnessed their strongest leader kneel before another.
Ezra stood there, taking it all in.
The scent of blood.
The air thick with battle-hardened warriors who thrived in chaos.
And at the center of it all—
Him.
He had conquered Blackthorne.
Not through politics.
Not through deception.
But through pure, undeniable strength.
And now, he had a warlord at his back.
---
Blackthorne's Pledge
Blackthorne wiped the blood from his mouth and turned to his warriors.
His voice boomed through the hall.
"This man—Ezra—has proven himself beyond doubt!"
The warriors cheered again.
Blackthorne continued, his tone unyielding.
"I have fought wars. Killed kings. Torn through armies. Yet never have I met a warrior like him."
He turned to Ezra, his piercing gaze filled with conviction.
"So I swear an oath."
He clenched his fist.
"From this day forth, I pledge my sword and my army to you. Your battles will be our battles. Your enemies will be our enemies."
The warriors pounded their chests in unison.
The sheer force of their battle cries sent chills down Sylvaine's spine.
This wasn't just an oath.
It was a declaration of war.
Ezra grinned. "I'll hold you to that."
Blackthorne smirked. "You better."
---
Abyssal Whispers
But just as the moment settled, Ezra's vision blurred.
A familiar darkness coiled at the edge of his mind.
Then—
A whisper.
"More... Feed... The Abyss must grow…"
Ezra's fingers instinctively tightened around Abyssfang's hilt.
A slow, insidious hunger curled in his chest.
More battles.
More power.
More evolution.
He exhaled sharply, pushing back the creeping sensation.
Not now.
Not yet.
But soon.
---
What Comes Next
Blackthorne folded his arms. "So, what's next, leader?"
Ezra didn't hesitate.
"We march."
Blackthorne raised an eyebrow. "To where?"
Ezra's eyes glowed faintly in the dim torchlight.
"To war."
Sylvaine sighed. "Figures."
The warriors grinned.
Ezra's conquest had begun.
And the world—
Would never be the same.
---
Next Chapter Preview
With Blackthorne's army under his command, Ezra prepares for his next move.
Who will he conquer first?
What hidden enemies lurk in the shadows?
And what dark whispers haunt his mind?
One thing is certain—
The war is just beginning.