The Devouring Knight

And then, on the fourteenth day, it came.

His chest seized, not with pain, but with power. Something clicked, like a lock turning for the first time. Within him, a mana heart pulsed into existence, dense, vibrant, a storm compressed into a single point.

Thunder rumbled in his veins. Sparks crawled across his skin, snapping faintly in the dim room. His hair lifted slightly from the static charge as the air itself trembled around him.

(You have successfully created your Mana Heart.)

(You have gained the element: Thunder Element Lv.0 (1/1000).)

Lumberling's eyes snapped open, and a faint violet crackle flashed across them before fading. His lips curved into a grin. Of all the elements, it was thunder. A perfect match for his spear.

He willed open his status window, watching as the numbers and skills shifted before him. His heart beat in rhythm with the low hum of thunder still resonating in his core.

Name: Lumberling

Race: Human

Age: 27 years (1 month, 2 week)

Level: 11

Essence Point: (21,924 / 31,900)

Power: 10,075 (Skills: 8,364 | Level: 1,711)

Fragment of Divine Blessing: Qi Adaptation

(A trait bestowed upon beings from the Martial Realms, allowing them to thrive in foreign energy systems.)

Fragment of Naxxiriss' Blessing: Blessing of the Pale Dream

(You become resistant to illusion and fear. Your own aura causes low-level terror in the weak-minded. (Effects weakened))

Cultivation Realm: Unranked

Beginner Imperial Mindseal Meditation Level 2 (33/1000)

Beginner Ironblood Tempering Scripture Level 2 (1/1000)

Knight Stage: Knight One

Active Skills

Beginner Sprint Lv2 (468/1000)

Beginner Hammer Shock Lv1 (0/1000)

Beginner Thundering Lunge Lv.0 (231/1000))

Beginner Spearheart Thrust Lv. 0 (226/1000)

Beginner Steel Tempest Lvl 0 (1/1000)

Beginner Stonewall Guard Lvl 0 (1/1000)

Beginner Essence Weave Lv1 (158/1000)

(Derived from Essence Devour. Allows the user to bind the essence of a fallen enemy and channel it into another chosen vessel.)

Passive Skills

Essence Devour

Low Level Spearheart Doctrine Lv1 (294/1000)

Beginner Shadow Glide Lv7 (31/1000)

Beginner Flowing Edge Lv4 (706/1000)

Beginner Bowmanship Lv2 (340/1000)

Beginner Shield Bash Lv2 (697/1000)

Beginner Bonecrush Method Lv1 (595/1000)

Beginner Dual Wielding Axe Lv1 (348/1000)

Beginner Dagger Fang has been learned Lv. 0 (1/1000)

Resistances

Beginner Poison Resistance Lv2 (186/1000)

Beginner Cold Resistance has been learned Lv. 0 (1/1000)

Arcane Stage: Unranked

Elements

Fire Element Lv.0 (1/1000)

Earth Element Lv.0 (1/1000)

Chaos Element Lv.0 (1/1000)

Thunder Element Lv.0 (1/1000)

Einherjar Stage: Unranked

(Týr's Blessing Lv.0 (251/1000))

(Odin's Blessing Lv.0 (1/1000))

(Thor's Blessing Lv.0 (1/1000)

(Ullr's Blessing Lv.0 (1/1000))

"Four elements now," Lumberling murmured, his tone half amused, half thoughtful. Perhaps he had even surpassed the elves.

But power without focus was just noise. He knew better than to chase every path at once. To spread himself too thin would only leave him weaker in the end.

The sight of his skills made him shake his head. Active skills waiting to bloom, passive ones climbing steadily, a few lingering at their first step. He chuckled quietly.

"Steel Tempest and Stonewall Guard will have to wait." Until his weapon-based passive skills reached the True Knight stage, those skills would remain out of reach.

He leaned back against the wall, closing the status window for a moment. The silence of the chamber wrapped around him, broken only by the faint crackle of thunder lingering under his skin.

He thought of the long road. His path split into many directions, cultivation, the knight's road, the mage's arcane arts, even blessings of the Einherjar.

It was too much to chase at once. He knew better than to stretch himself thin.

"For now," he whispered, exhaling slowly, "I'll focus on my cultivation and the mage's path. Everything else can wait."

His eyes softened. For the first time in weeks, he allowed himself to rest. No fighting, no orders, no blood. Just a moment of peace.

And for Lumberling, peace itself felt like the rarest victory of all. He thought of how many faces had bought him this silence. Too many.

But peace never lasted long. A ripple brushed against his senses, someone moving quickly, his presence pressing at the edge of Lumberling's awareness.

Moments later, Captain Derrek appeared, breath heavy, his armor carrying the sheen of sweat. "Finally found you, Lord Lumberling," he said, huffing between words. "I've been looking everywhere."

Lumberling straightened, already feeling that creeping weight in his chest. He knew news like this rarely came bearing anything good. "What is it, Captain?"

Derrek swallowed hard. "Bad news. Two of the five Imperial Legates holding the border, Legate Thorne Valemire and Legate Serwin Halford… they've fallen. Sengolio Knights and Aetherborne mages struck in force. The lines won't hold much longer."

The words sank deep. Lumberling's jaw tightened, a flash of frustration breaking through his calm. 'Just when things were starting to steady…' He cursed inwardly.

He drew in a slow breath, forcing his voice to remain level.

"So the storm finally broke. We don't have the numbers to stand alone. Legate Serwin was the shield at our border, now that he's gone, Sengolio's army can march straight to us. And this time, we won't be just fighting stragglers. We'll be facing their true strength."

Derrek's face darkened, his hand curling into a fist. "Baron Roland thought the same. He's waiting on your decision."

Lumberling turned his gaze toward the horizon, as if he could already see the fire and smoke of the frontlines. "Evacuate the people. All of them. Send them to Viscount Liraeth's territory."

Derrek blinked. "To her?"

"Yes." Lumberling's tone left no room for doubt. "Her territory lies deeper within the empire. It's wiser to unite our strength and focus our forces. Together, we might stand a chance."

For a moment, the captain studied him, then gave a firm nod. "Understood. I'll tell the Baron at once."

Lumberling's gaze lingered, softer for just a heartbeat. He couldn't help but think of Liraeth, not just as an ally, she was the one person he couldn't afford to lose. Worry edged his thoughts, though he kept it buried behind the mask of command.

"Tell Baron Roland to move fast," he said quietly. "Time isn't on our side."

Derrek saluted with a clenched fist. "At once, Lord Lumberling." He turned and hurried off, leaving Lumberling alone once more.