Kingdom Building Game: Starting Out With A Million Upgrade Points! - Chapter 68

Chapter 68: The Night’s Edge [Bonus Chapter]
Beside him, Abaddon’s smirk widened slightly as he observed. He didn’t know the specifics, but he could sense that the emperor had discovered something worthwhile.

For now, he decided to keep his observations to himself, entertained by the unfolding dynamics.

Abaddon suddenly bowed respectfully, his smirk still lingering on his lips. “I will be on my way now, Your Majesty,” he said.

Without another word, he turned, and in an instant, a massive gust of wind surged around him. His body became almost invisible, blending with the air as he leapt into the sky. With a sudden burst of speed, he shot forward, disappearing into the horizon in the blink of an eye.

As the air settled, Arkanos stood motionless, watching the direction in which Abaddon had soared off to. He let out a quiet sigh, speaking to himself, “I really need to give him a telepathy ring, so I can always keep track of his location and constantly give instructions. He’s far too unpredictable.”

Shaking his head in mild exasperation, Arkanos refocused, turning his gaze toward Seraphine.

“We should finally have our spar, Seraphine,” he said, his tone laced with anticipation.

Seraphine’s face lit up immediately, her eyes gleaming with excitement. She nodded, her hand on the hilt of her sword, “Understood, Your Majesty.”

…

It was now nightfall…

Back In the Maze…

As nightfall descended upon the jungle, the oppressive atmosphere seemed to settle, if only slightly.

The humidity in the air clung to their skin, making the knights’ armor feel heavier with every passing minute.

Exhausted and bloodied, they stumbled into a small clearing, the towering trees surrounding them standing still as though they had been watching them.

The leaves rustled in the breeze, but none of the ominous sounds of traps or creaking vines coukd be heard.

The knights collapsed onto the damp ground, panting heavily from the constant sprinting and the nerve-wracking feeling of constantly being on edge.

Lionel also felt the weight of their journey. He wiped the sweat from his brow, his fingers slipping over the metal of his helmet.

“This is the longest I’ve ever run in this armor,” Lionel said, almost to himself, as he leaned against one of the trees for support.

His body ached, his muscles screaming in pain. Despite the fear gnawing at his mind, the sudden stillness of the jungle felt almost peaceful—yet, there was an undeniable edge to it, as if the night itself was just another veil for death.

Garik walked up to Lionel, who was leaning against a tree, his armor heavy on his shoulders. The exhaustion in Lionel’s face was clear, but Garik simply stood beside him, giving him a few moments to catch his breath.

“You’ll get used to it,” Garik said with a small grin.

Lionel gave him a weary look, barely lifting his head. “If by ‘getting used to it’ you mean I’ll eventually forget what it’s like to breathe properly, then sure. But right now, I’m convinced I might be better off falling into one of those traps.”

Darian, who had been walking nearby, raised an eyebrow at their little chat. He couldn’t resist the urge to poke fun. “Wait a second, Garik, didn’t I swear I saw you fall into one of those traps earlier? How are you still walking around like this?”

Garik let out a dry laugh, one that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Haha, not even funny, Darian.”

Darian shook his head in mock sympathy. “Can’t blame you, really. I thought someone as old as you wouldn’t be able to keep up with the rest of us.”

Garik straightened a bit, his posture betraying his true age. “I’m barely over 40, Darian. And I’m a level 47. This pace? It’s nothing for me.”

Darian blinked, clearly caught off guard. “Wait, for real? I could have sworn you were around level 35 before. What happened?”

Garik shrugged, the faintest smirk appearing on his face, “I think it has something to do with what His Majesty did to us. I feel like all our levels rose by 10 after we… I’m not sure, but it feels like something shifted in us.”

Lionel, who had been listening quietly, stared at Garik, shock etched on his face. “Wait, you mean your level—”

Before Garik could respond, Lionel’s hand shot out, his fingers fumbling for the air in front of him. The familiar shimmer of runes appeared before his eyes. A burst of information flooded his senses, the ancient symbols that had become almost second nature to the knights now flashing brightly.

The stat window unfolded before him, showing his name and level:

Lionel – Level 42 – ( 1 star Kight )

Strength: 118

Dexterity: 112

Endurance: 116

Agility: 114

Intelligence: 110

Magic Power: 80

Skills and Techniques:

Intermediate mana breathing (B)

Iron will (A)

Advanced swordsman (C)

He gawked at the numbers, his mind racing. He’d been stuck at level 29 for what seemed like weeks. This sudden increase in his stats, confirmed what Garik had said.

“No way,” Lionel muttered under his breath. “This can’t be right. I didn’t level up like this on my own. Did His Majesty really—?”

Garik nodded, a knowing look in his eyes. “Looks like we’re all feeling the effects. Whatever happened, it’s real.”

Darian, who had been watching quietly, raised an eyebrow. “I guess we’re not the only ones who have changed then.”

Meanwhile…

Kael, who had been watching the surroundings with his sharp gaze, finally spoke up.

His voice, though weary, remained commanding. “We can rest here for a moment. But we need to do a head count. We must know exactly where we stand.”

The knights nodded, some slumping to the ground while others stood to maintain a perimeter.

One by one, they began to count off. As the final knight reported in, Kael frowned, his eyes narrowing as he glanced at Esten, who stood nearby.

“We’re down to 1502,” Kael said grimly. There had been over four thousand knights when they first entered the maze. Now, more than half were gone, either claimed by the traps or lost to the endless dangers lurking in the shadows.

“We’ve lost more then half our forces,” Esten said, his expression dark. “How much longer can we survive like this?”

Kael stood silently for a moment, his eyes looking around the dense jungle ahead of them. He could feel the exhaustion creeping in, but he knew this was no time to falter. They had to push forward.

It was the only option available to them.

“We’ve made it this far,” Kael said finally, his voice firm despite the grim circumstances. “If we keep our heads, focus, and keep moving forward, we’ll survive… We have to. Not like we have any other choice.”

Laris, who had been quietly observing the night sky, nodded in agreement. “Kael’s right. We can’t afford to give up now. We have to press on, and hope the emperor’s blessing is more than just a fleeting thought.”

The knights, though weary, gathered themselves. They couldn’t afford to rest too long. The night was no friend, and in this maze, danger never truly slept.

“We’ll take a brief rest,” Kael ordered. “Then we move again. Steady yourselves. We’re not done yet.”