The Desolate Continent stretched like a living scar, with black ash dunes shifting like waves under a blood-red sky, slashed by purple lightning. Half-buried elven ruins cast twisted shadows, and colossal creature bones jutted from the ground like monuments of a forgotten era. The air, thick with sulfur and metallic dust, vibrated with the energy of the Glitch Fortress, now an improbable oasis in the desert, with obsidian walls reinforced by blue runes, green fields irrigated by hacked springs, and towers firing energy at wandering specters. The Desolate Continent’s culture was one of survival, with villages bound by resistance but divided by distrust, especially after the First Great War unleashed corruption from the depths.Athos walked a cracked stone path, the Tear of Eryndor pulsing at his neck, synced with his hacked interface. His eyes glowed with numbers: Mana: 25000. Intelligence: 45000. Cosmic Strength: 40000. “This place is an open server, full of bugs to fix,” he muttered, his cynical smile curling. He thought of ATHOMIS, where he dominated with hacks, and now saw the Desolate Continent as his personal domain. “System: scan area.” The interface revealed a hidden village, Starshade Village, inhabited by elves stronger than those of Broken Stone, survivors of an ancient lineage resisting corruption with arcane magic.Beside him, Lysara, with her elven agility and enchanted daggers, scanned the horizon. “Master Athos, these elves are different. They’re warriors, not just survivors.” Veyra, with silver hair and a runic bow, nodded. “They don’t trust outsiders. Be careful.” Both, now empowered by Athos’s runes, wielded Stellar Celerity (Lysara) and Chaos Arrow (Veyra), abilities he’d injected via the system.In Starshade Village, built around an elven ruin with broken towers and crystalline mana springs, Athos found a community led by two powerful elves: Zyra, a mage with night-black hair and sapphire eyes, whose Arcane Tempest summoned cosmic lightning; and Lirien, a swordmaster in star-crystal armor with dual blades, using Vortex Dance to slice multiple foes. The village had been attacked by corrupted specters, and the proud elves resisted but were exhausted. Zyra, arrogant but desperate for vengeance against the corruption, spoke: “You’re the Hero of the Tear? Prove your worth, outsider, or leave.” Lirien, colder, added, “Our village needs no saviors, only strong allies.”Athos, with his “admin” vision, scanned the elves: Combat Potential: High. Loyalty: Low. “I’m not here to fight,” he said, voice laced with sarcasm. “System: amplify allies.” He manipulated the interface, boosting Lysara and Veyra. Lysara gained Advanced Stellar Celerity, moving like a blur of light, while Veyra received Supreme Chaos Arrow, firing projectiles that exploded in arcane energy. “Show them how it’s done,” Athos ordered, crossing his arms.A group of corrupted specters, led by two traitorous elves, Sylvara and Erynn, attacked the village, driven by a lust for power and vengeance against Zyra and Lirien, who had exiled them for pacting with corruption. Sylvara, with a spectral scythe and Devouring Shadow, and Erynn, with a dark lance and Abyssal Strike, were formidable, but Lysara and Veyra, now amplified, faced them. Lysara danced through blows, her daggers slashing like lightning, while Veyra’s arrows incinerated specters. In minutes, Sylvara and Erynn fell, defeated but alive. Humbled, they knelt. “You… surpassed us,” Sylvara panted. “We want power. A pact with you, Hero.” Erynn nodded: “Give us strength, and we’ll serve.”Athos analyzed: Betrayal Risk: Moderate. Utility: High. “System: bind loyalty,” he said, injecting control runes into their armor. “Welcome to the team. Let’s head to the Glitch Fortress.” The village, awed, swore allegiance, and Athos led Sylvara, Erynn, Lysara, and Veyra back to his kingdom, where green fields and glowing towers defied the desert.At the Glitch Fortress, a figure awaited: Drakonath, the guardian dragon, now in human form. She was a woman of breathtaking beauty, with obsidian-black hair cascading in waves, golden eyes glowing like embers, and living scale armor that hugged her lithe, powerful frame. Her presence was magnetic, each movement exuding draconic grace with a hint of primal menace. “Master Athos,” she said, her voice melodic yet deep, “new allies? They’ll serve well.”
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