The currents of the ruins shifted subtly as the Regalons moved upward through the fractured layers, passing once more through the jagged corridors of broken platforms and collapsing stone ridges.

The oppressive density of Tier-100 presence gradually thinned, though the tension never fully left. Even while withdrawing, their formation remained tight, disciplined, and ready to respond.

Almond walked near the center this time, his expression slightly drawn as he continued attempting to sever the curse. Thin, almost invisible threads of dark energy still clung to him, occasionally flickering as if resisting removal. Every few moments, a faint ripple passed across his Grimblades as he tried to dissect the curse’s structure.

"It’s not just binding," he muttered. "It’s layered. Something in it keeps re-attaching the effect. Either it will go on its own, or we need a tier of purifying power beyond this curse’s tier that can directly counter it."

"We also got artifacts, but we did well not to show our cards just yet," Almond added with a sharp glint in his eyes.

"Yep." Lily grinned. "We will counter this curse, so their one artifact is already rendered useless against us."

"The energy from the Suryax Kingdom is significantly higher than before." Rudran looked up.

"Yeah, that guy is cooking without limit." Almond nodded.

"Haha, the people of our Kingdom have also become more powerful, awakening multitudes of new decks." One of the generals laughed.

"It is all thanks to you." The leading general nodded with gratitude at Almond and others.

...

The moment they broke through the upper layers of the ocean and approached the southern islands, the difference was immediate.

The Kingdom of Suryax was no longer what it had been.

It had transformed.

From afar, the island no longer looked like a fragile sanctuary clinging to survival. It looked like a constructed fortress of overwhelming scale and intent.

The coastline itself had been reforged.

Massive defensive walls encircled the island in layered rings, rising hundreds of meters high. These were not simple stone fortifications. The walls were composed of interwoven structures, segments of reinforced material fused with Dreadling constructs that pulsed faintly with energy. Veins of glowing patterns ran through the walls like arteries, circulating power across the entire defensive system.

At intervals, colossal towers rose above the walls.

Each tower was shaped like a vertical blade or spearhead, angular and sharp, with rotating segments near its peak that emitted slow pulses of scanning light. Arrays of weapon systems were embedded along their sides, some resembling massive cannons, others forming lattice-like structures that hummed with contained energy.

Above the island, a dome had begun to form.

It was not fully complete yet, but its presence was undeniable.

A translucent barrier stretched across the sky, layered in multiple overlapping segments that shimmered faintly as energy flowed between them. It was not a single shield, but a composite system, several defensive fields interlinked and reinforced through continuous feedback.

And beneath it was movement.

An army.

A vast one.

The surrounding waters were filled with formations of Dreadlings, not scattered or chaotic, but organized into structured fleets. Their numbers stretched into the millions, forming a living perimeter that extended far beyond the physical walls.

Among them moved something far more imposing.

Mega Dreadships.

These were not simple enlarged constructs. Each one was a colossal entity, hundreds of meters long, shaped like a fusion of warship and living organism. Their surfaces were layered with armor plating grown from Dreadling matter, reinforced by external constructs and etched with energy channels that glowed faintly.

Some Mega Dreadships bore massive forward-facing cannons, their barrels surrounded by rotating rings that stabilized the energy within. Others carried broad array systems that could release wide-area barrages, while some functioned as command vessels, their upper sections filled with control nodes and signaling constructs.

Between them moved smaller but faster crafts.

Skydread Crafts.

These hovered above the waterline and even within the lower atmosphere, sleek and angular, their bodies composed of refined Dreadling structures fused with advanced constructs. They moved with incredible speed, leaving behind faint trails of light as they maneuvered.

Some were designed for rapid assault, equipped with forward blades and concentrated energy emitters. Others functioned as support units, carrying modular systems that could deploy barriers, reinforcement fields, or suppression zones.

The entire system moved as one.

This eldritch horror army that oozed utter terror and oppression, each bursting exotic flames from their nozzles, wings, and mouths as they were walking entities of destruction and defense.

This was made with the combined efforts of Big D, Ainen, Saffa, Clovelle, Fraisea, and Gopu, all pouring their specialities and crafts, mainly Ainen, who broke all limits and created an efficient organism system with his exotic flames and cooking, into millions of Dreadlings that Lily had left here.

And the result was this.

The Kingdom of Suryax had transformed just as dramatically as its defenses.

The inner city had been rebuilt into layered districts, each one elevated and interconnected through structured pathways. Towers rose throughout the city, not merely decorative, but functional, acting as nodes in a larger system that distributed energy and maintained stability.

The people had changed.

The awakening of their Geneline was no longer a recent event.

It had settled.

Stabilized.

Every soldier now carried a distinct presence, their aura refined and controlled. Many bore newly formed weapons and constructs unique to their lineage, ranging from radiant blades to complex sigil arrays that hovered behind them.

Even civilians had changed.

Their movements were sharper, their presence more defined, their connection to power no longer dormant.

This was no longer a kingdom recovering.

This was a kingdom ascending.

The Regalons descended toward the island.

As they approached, several Skydread Crafts shifted direction and moved to intercept, not aggressively, but in structured escort patterns. Their movements were precise, recognizing and aligning with the returning group.

Ainen was the first to greet them.

He stood atop one of the outer platforms, surrounded by layered cooking arrays that shimmered with energy. Even now, faint aromas drifted through the air, infused with power.

"You’re back," he said with a grin. "Good timing."

Big D stood nearby, his massive frame overseeing the construction processes still underway. Around him, large-scale constructs continued to shift and assemble, reinforcing sections of the defensive walls and integrating new systems.

"You took your time," Big D said, though his tone carried approval rather than criticism.

Saffa, Clovelle, Fraisea, and Gopu were all present as well, each overseeing different aspects of the transformation.

Saffa directed energy flows across the defensive systems, ensuring stability.

Clovelle managed integration between constructs and Dreadling systems, refining efficiency.

Fraisea oversaw resource conversion, turning gathered materials into usable components.

Gopu coordinated large-scale formations, ensuring every unit moved in sync.

And Almond, his transformed Fabricated Spirits, were everywhere.

Not scattered. Not chaotic, but integrated.

Every wall segment, every tower, every ship, every craft carried elements of his power.

He had also left thousands of Fabricated Spirits, unlike Lily, who can produce Dreadlings from the atmosphere and surrounding energy, and everything with power feeding into her Dreadling Gate, his Fabricated Spirits had to be living things.

So his Fabricated Spirits were low in number, but they had also evolved into structured components of a greater system.

Almond stepped forward, taking in the entire scene.

"...This is insane," he said quietly.

Rudra’s gaze moved across the horizon.

"Not yet complete," he replied.

And he was right.

Even now, construction continued.

Segments of the dome were still forming, additional towers rising, more Dreadships assembling in the distance. The system was alive, growing, adapting.

Marcus walked forward, his eyes scanning the defensive layout.

"This isn’t just defense," he said. "This is a war engine."

Natalia nodded slightly.

"And it’s still optimizing."

Kayla’s threads extended outward, connecting briefly with the systems before retracting.

"The integration is seamless," she said. "Everything feeds into everything else."

Silvester crossed his arms.

"Good," he said. "Then we push it further."

The Regalons did not rest.

They joined immediately.

Rudra moved to the central coordination zone, integrating his presence into the command structure. His perception extended outward, analyzing flow, identifying inefficiencies, and reinforcing decision-making across the entire system.

Almond focused on refining internal systems, using his abilities to enhance structural integrity and optimize energy distribution.

Marcus took control of defensive formations, strengthening frontline positioning and reinforcing shield-based systems across key zones.

Natalia and Kayla integrated into the defensive grid, enhancing responsiveness and adaptability, ensuring that every incoming threat could be redirected, mitigated, or countered.

Silvester, Hiroshi, and Maya took to the outer layers, refining strike teams and ensuring rapid response capabilities across the perimeter.

Lily expanded her influence further. She had planted Dreadgates all over the ruins they had travelled, so she was producing Dreadlings at an insane rate.

Her Dreadlings adapted continuously, combining with each other to fuse their effects and become something new, and with guidance, a perfect part of a system.

And the Suryax Kingdom also bloomed.

Their awakened Geneline allowed them to contribute fully, their abilities integrating seamlessly into the growing war machine.

By the time the Regalons finished their integration, the island was no longer merely defended.

It was fortified beyond conventional understanding.

Walls that could regenerate.

Domes that layered multiple defensive fields.

Fleets that moved like living entities.

Armies that had awakened their true potential.

And at the center of it all was a unified force.

Preparing.

Evolving.

And waiting.

But...the island of Suryax did not stand alone in its transformation.

As the Regalons integrated deeper into the kingdom’s systems, reinforcing its defenses, refining its formations, and pushing its war engine into higher efficiency, information began to flow in from beyond their immediate domain. The ocean was not silent. It carried echoes, distortions, and signals. Some were intercepted through Natalia’s expanding Fortune Ballistics network, others through Kayla’s extended thread arrays, and some through the Suryax Kingdom’s own awakened perception systems.

What they saw made one thing clear.

They were not the only ones evolving.

The other existing Kingdoms had also awakened their potential.