CHAPTER 281: CHAPTER 281- TOMB

A flicker of desperation crossed Gideon’s face, the unshakeable confidence of his Indomitable Body finally cracking under the relentless assault and the terrifying pressure of Julian’s Domination.

"Wait! A truce!" Gideon shouted, his voice strained. "We can negotiate! I have resources, information—!"

"Did the survivors you butchered get a chance to negotiate?" Julian’s voice was colder than the cavern’s stone. "Did you listen when they begged? Your offer is meaningless."

The last shred of Gideon’s composure shattered, replaced by primal rage. "THEN DIE WITH THEM!" he bellowed.

He abandoned all defense, channeling every ounce of his power into a final, desperate charge. His body glowed with a dull, metallic light as he became a living battering ram, aiming to crush Julian against the cavern wall.

His remaining lieutenants, seeing their leader’s all-or-nothing assault, also broke from their engagements and launched a frenzied, simultaneous attack.

The coordinated defense of the Iron Fortress collapsed into a chaotic, last-ditch brawl.

"Clear them. Now," Julian commanded, his tone utterly flat.

The order was all his team needed.

Celestia’s silver threads, previously used for precise control, now became whips of pure annihilation, slicing through the charging guards in wide, lethal arcs.

Emma unleashed a torrent of fire, not a focused lance, but a wave of incineration that engulfed the left flank.

Zoe became a pure force of nature, a blur of fangs and claws meeting the desperate charge with even more savage fury.

But Julian’s focus never left Gideon. As the man thundered towards him, a human juggernaut, Julian didn’t brace for impact. He simply... stepped sideways into nothingness.

[Shadow Blend]

He dissolved into the shadows cast by the flickering alarm lights and Emma’s flames. Gideon crashed into the empty space where Julian had been, his fist plowing into the solid rock wall with a thunderous impact that sent cracks spiderwebbing outwards.

He whirled around, disoriented. "Where are you?! Face me, you coward!"

A voice, calm and close, spoke from directly behind him, a whisper from the shadows themselves.

"A defense that cannot adapt is not a defense. It is a tomb."

Gideon spun, but it was too late.

Tendrils of solidified darkness erupted from the ground at his feet, wrapping around his legs, his torso, his arms—[Shadow Bind].

They were not physical ropes, but constructs of pure negation, sapping his strength and rooting him in place. He roared, his Indomitable Body straining, the shadows visibly fraying but holding fast.

Julian materialized in front of the immobilized leader, his hand already crackling with the dark energy of Domination. This time, there was no escape. Gideon’s will, already fractured by fear and rage, was fully exposed.

[Skill: Extraction – Active]

Target Gideon Blane is Dominated. Would you like to use [Extract]?

"Your skill is mine," Julian stated, not as a boast, but as a simple declaration of fact.

He placed his palm on Gideon’s forehead. The dark energy surged. Gideon’s eyes rolled back into his head as a scream, not of physical pain, but of profound, soul-deep violation, was torn from his throat.

A shimmering, golden essence—the very core of the Indomitable Body skill—was forcibly extracted from him, flowing into Julian’s outstretched hand before vanishing.

New skill acquired [Indomitable Body]

The shadows dissipated. Gideon, now just a man, collapsed to his knees, his body frail and vulnerable, the metallic sheen gone from his skin forever. He looked up with hollow eyes, a shell of his former self.

Around them, the final echoes of battle died. The cavern fell silent, save for the crackle of fading flames and the heavy breathing of Julian’s team.

Julian looked down at his own hands, feeling the new, formidable power settling within him. He then looked at his team, giving a single, curt nod.

"The objective is complete. We’re done here."

He turned and walked towards the exit, the newly acquired Indomitable Body now another tool in his arsenal.

The Iron Fortress had fallen.

Veronica wiped a speck of dust from her sleeve, surveying the conquered cavern with a critical eye. "Hold on. Our business here isn’t quite finished."

Emma’s eyes lit up, catching her meaning instantly. "She’s right! Looting time! They won’t be needing any of this anymore!"

Zoe, who usually remained impassive, actually let out a soft, excited sound, raising both her hands. "Hooo." It was the closest she came to enthusiastic agreement.

Julian watched them, a faint, almost imperceptible softening around his eyes. "Be quick about it."

The team scattered, their movements practiced. Crates of high-grade Zombie Cores were hauled out and stacked before Julian, who stored them with a touch.

Preserved food, medical supplies, and ammunition vanished into his Inventory. Aya directed him towards a pile of high-quality scrap metal and rare forging materials, a small, proud smile on her face as she cataloged the bounty for her Blacksmith craft.

It was Celestia, returning from a deeper annex, who broke the productive mood. Her usual cold composure was edged with something darker. "Julian. You should see this."

They followed her to a barred chamber. Inside, a horrific scene greeted them: skeletal remains, still shackled to the walls. These weren’t fallen soldiers; they were prisoners, left to die.

A collective wave of anger and sorrow passed through the group. Clarissa gasped, her hand flying to her mouth, while Emma’s fiery joy was extinguished, replaced by grim silence.

Julian’s jaw tightened. The cold killer was still there, but it was now layered with a quiet, solemn respect for the dead. He had seen too much suffering to be unmoved.

"We’ll bury them," he stated, his voice low but firm. "They deserve that much. We’ll grant them peace." It was an order, but one born of decency, not strategy.

The task was somber, but the group carried it out with respectful efficiency. Once the last grave was marked with a simple stone, a heavy silence fell over them.

It was Beatrix who broke it, her voice cutting through the gloom with its usual weary impatience. "Now, Julian, it’s time you held up your end of our agreement."

All eyes turned to him. He met Beatrix’s gaze, then he gave a single, definitive nod.

"We’re going to the New Order."