Rain lashed against the ironwood towers of the Swamp Kingdom, soaking the moss-covered walls and flooding the marshwalk paths. From the high spire overlooking the capital's core, Ashen stood at a circular table etched with glowing runes, watching as holographic maps hovered and shifted.
The recent vault conquest had changed more than his level or strength—it had shifted the very air around him. Even the system itself seemed more cautious, more... reactive.
System Trait Update: Player Presence triggers Mythical Awareness in nearby AI and Zones. Passive effect: "Echo of Power" now active.
His presence alone was influencing the game world.
NPC commanders entered the chamber one after another—Jaecar the Beastkin General, Heqet the Swamp Queen Priestess, and Klayne, the Storm Engineer.
Each knelt with solemnity.
Jaecar looked up first. "All elite units have returned. Red Syndicate forces retreated entirely. We believe a larger force is regrouping at the Valdera front."
