Chapter 1306: The Tower

Lisa continued deeper into the tower. The interior was enormous, with dark corridors extending in every direction and countless rooms and training chambers hidden throughout the structure. However, she had no interest in exploring them yet.

She already knew where she needed to go.

After traveling through several corridors, Lisa eventually arrived at the central chamber.

A massive circular formation occupied most of the floor.

Lisa stepped onto it.

The moment her foot touched the formation, countless runes illuminated simultaneously.

Then, a deep voice echoed throughout the tower.

[ Master... You have returned. ]

Lisa smiled.

"Summon the Shadow Sentinels."

The formation immediately responded.

The entire tower began to tremble as an enormous amount of Dark Energy gathered within the chamber.

It didn’t take long before the air became colder, and the shadows surrounding Lisa began twisting violently.

A moment later, the first figure emerged from the darkness.

Then another.

Soon, dozens of figures had appeared.

The number continued increasing until dozens became hundreds, and hundreds became thousands.

Within only a few minutes, the enormous chamber was filled with Shadow Sentinels.

Every one of them stood completely still.

They were clad in dark armor and carried weapons formed from condensed Shadow Energy. Their faces were hidden behind their helmets, and not a single one made a sound as they stood before their new master.

Lisa slowly looked across the army.

Thousands of Shadow Sentinels.

She had known about their existence before entering the tower, but seeing the entire army gathered in front of her was still impressive.

This was already an enormous military force.

And now, they were hers.

"Welcome to the Valor Realm."

The Shadow Sentinels remained silent.

Lisa didn’t mind. They probably have no idea about this new realm anyway...

Instead, she smiled as she imagined what would happen if these soldiers fought alongside her Vampires.

The Dawnblades already possessed powerful Arcanists... Now she possessed thousands of Shadow Sentinels and a growing Vampire army as well.

The Dawnblades were no longer merely a group attempting to establish itself in the Valor Realm.

They were gradually becoming a true military force.

Lisa turned her attention toward another part of the tower.

"There is one more advantage."

The Dark Arts Tower wasn’t merely a military stronghold. It was also an ideal place for anyone who possessed talent in the Dark Arts.

The Dark Arts were one of the sixteen Arcane Arts, and learning any of the sixteen required extraordinary talent, countless resources, and years of dedicated practice.

Inside this tower, however, things were different.

The tower could greatly enhance the environment for Dark Arts cultivation, allowing talented practitioners to comprehend the principles of the art much faster than they could outside.

Lisa immediately thought of the Dawnblades.

Ruth and the others had already gathered countless talented individuals throughout the Valor Realm. If even a few of them possessed an affinity for the Dark Arts, bringing them here could dramatically accelerate their growth.

"Perhaps I should let the Dawnblades know."

Lisa smiled faintly.

However, her expression soon became more serious.

There was another reason she had chosen to erect the tower now.

The Dark Arts Tower was impossible to hide.

Even from a considerable distance, its enormous black structure could be seen towering over the surrounding landscape.

And that was exactly what Lisa wanted.

She stepped outside and looked toward Atrium City.

For months, she had operated from the shadows. She had quietly taken control of officials, placed Vampires among the guards, and sent agents throughout the region to gather information.

But this was different.

The moment this tower appeared, the Dawnblades would no longer be merely preparing for their future conquest.

They would be announcing their presence.

Lisa slowly smiled.

"Perhaps it’s time."

Behind her, thousands of Shadow Sentinels stood silently within the tower.

Meanwhile, throughout Atrium City, people had already begun noticing the enormous black structure.

Merchants stopped in the middle of their work to stare at it. Adventurers gathered in the streets, pointing toward the distant tower while trying to figure out where it had come from. Guards stationed along the city walls were already receiving reports from different districts.

Even the officials under Lisa’s control were beginning to realize that something extraordinary had happened.

Everyone wanted to know what had suddenly appeared outside Atrium City.

Lisa looked toward the towering structure one last time.

"This is only the beginning."

The Dark Arts Tower had finally been erected in the Valor Realm.

And with its arrival, the Dawnblades had taken their first true step toward claiming the realm as their own.

***

A few minutes after the Dark Arts Tower appeared, the news had already begun spreading through Atrium City.

The first people to notice it were the merchants and adventurers near the western gate. Before long, rumors were spreading through the streets faster than anyone could verify them.

Nobody knew where the enormous black tower had come from.

Nobody had seen it being built.

One moment, the land outside the city had been empty.

The next, a colossal structure had appeared there.

And naturally, the sudden appearance of something so extraordinary attracted the attention of powerful outsiders.

A black carriage rolled through the eastern gate of Atrium City.

The carriage itself was relatively simple, but the silver emblem engraved on its doors immediately caught the attention of the guards.

It depicted a white sun surrounded by seven narrow rays.

The symbol belonged to the Church of the Radiant Covenant.

Inside the carriage sat six people.

At the center was a tall woman wearing a long ivory robe. Her silver-blonde hair was braided over one shoulder, while a thin golden chain rested around her neck.

Her name was Yelena Vetrova, a Platinum-ranked High Priestess of the church.

She was in her early thirties, but her calm expression and sharp blue eyes made her seem considerably older.

Beside her sat a broad-shouldered man wearing a dark red cloak over his priestly robes.

His name was Mikhail Dragunov.

Unlike Yelena, Mikhail carried a massive iron mace across his back.

He was a battle priest who had reportedly fought against undead hordes in the northern territories.

The remaining members of the group were also priests and temple knights.

They had originally come to Atrium City to investigate several reports concerning unusual mystical activity in the region.

None of them had expected to find this.

"W-what is going on here?"

The carriage suddenly slowed as the coachman stared at the scene...