CHAPTER 87: THE MOST WANTED PERSON... ETHANARK

The man agreed to hand over the Heaven Sword Guild’s Star Essence to Ethan. Noah had to admit Ethan’s strength.

If they kept fighting, they could die, and in the end, Ethan would still get their Star Essence.

For Noah, it was much better to surrender the Star Essence than to die and get nothing.

Ethan received a cluster of blue Star Essences in his hand. He threw Veres’s body forward, letting Noah catch him completely. Anggie rushed over to treat Veres’s wounds.

[Thousand Stars Event]

[Team Name: Sword Liberation]

[Rank: 3]

[Star Essence: 147,238]

[Congratulations, your Guild Team has reached the top three of the Thousand Stars Event.]

Not only Ethan received the notification, but every player still active in the event also got the message about the change in the top three rankings.

On their panels, they saw Sword Liberation rise from rank 10 to rank 3, while Silver Star dropped to rank 4.

Ethan stayed silent. In general, he had fulfilled his promise to Luscho by making sure Sword Liberation reached the top ten. But that still wasn’t enough.

He carried the responsibility to defeat Silver Star and save LionArk.

Ethan didn’t know LionArk’s exact ranking, but by taking the Star Essence from ranks 8, 9, and 10, the total amount of LionArk’s Star Essence would surely increase and push them into the top ten.

Veres and Noah watched what happened to their guild. Their S-rank guild had fallen to the bottom with zero Star Essence — a humiliating result for them.

"Is it over?" Noah asked.

Ethan turned while storing his Star Essence, then gave a short nod in response.

He walked past them indifferently, his hand still gripping the Bloodblade Ashura tightly.

The battle had ended with Heaven Sword’s defeat. Raphael assumed Gilgamesh had received the same notification, and whether it made him curious or angry was anyone’s guess.

But the conflict between EthanArk and Heaven Sword was over. Staying there any longer wouldn’t be wise for Raphael.

He stood and leaped away, moving silently from branch to branch, his steps and jumps making no sound at all.

When he arrived at Uruk City, at the headquarters of Redemption Sword, Raphael went straight to Gilgamesh’s office.

Apparently, the man had already sensed Raphael’s arrival.

"So, Sword Liberation is the team that defeated Heaven Sword?" asked Horald, also known as Gilgamesh.

Raphael was a bit surprised. He opened the door, stepped inside, and knelt before Horald, who sat casually in the hall chair.

"Yes, Lord Gilgamesh. Sword Liberation took all of Heaven Sword’s Star Essence, pushing their guild team to rank three," Raphael replied.

Gilgamesh clicked his tongue, shook his head, and sighed. He truly regretted Heaven Sword’s defeat.

If only they had informed him earlier, Gilgamesh might have sent Redemption Sword’s second team to help Heaven Sword.

But what’s done is done. There was no divine way to turn back time.

Gilgamesh believed the only thing they could do now was focus on keeping their Star Essence stable and ensuring the city’s safety.

"I didn’t expect a D-rank guild’s team to be that strong," said Gilgamesh.

"Actually... Heaven Sword lost to one man."

"What?" Gilgamesh asked, shocked.

"Yes. During my observation, I didn’t see any other members from Sword Liberation’s guild team. I only saw one man fighting the entire Heaven Sword guild team."

"Heaven Sword is an S-rank guild. It’s not easy to defeat them. How did he do it?" asked Gilgamesh.

"His power is mysterious, and so is his weapon..."

"What about his weapon?"

Raphael went silent for a moment, watching Gilgamesh’s curious eyes that waited for his answer.

Gathering his courage, Raphael told him about the weapon Ethan used to defeat Heaven Sword.

"It’s because... he used the Bloodblade Ashura."

"The Ashura Sword?!" Gilgamesh shouted, his face turning red and his eyes wide.

Raphael quickly knelt down again, bowing his head in apology for not doing anything even though there had been a Bloodblade Ashura user before him.

"Are you sure, Raphael?!" yelled Gilgamesh.

"I’m a hundred percent sure that sword was the Ashura Sword," Raphael replied.

"Its physical form, aura, and power all matched what’s written in the sacred records."

Gilgamesh fully believed what Raphael said. He knew Raphael wouldn’t lie to him this time. Whatever it took, he had to claim that sword.

"What’s the name of the sword’s owner?" asked Gilgamesh.

"EthanArk."

"EthanArk, huh? Alright. I know what I have to do."

Raphael silently nodded, not daring to oppose his will.

Quickly, Gilgamesh left the place, heading toward the area where Ethan and Heaven Sword had fought earlier.

His goal was clear —to attack Ethan and force him to hand over the Ashura Sword.

Together with Raphael, Gilgamesh ran into the forest, unaware that Ethan had already woken Luna and carried her away from the eastern region, especially that cave.

For Ethan, the battle and the notification earlier were enough to make many players curious.

To avoid unwanted attention, it was best for him to leave and hide somewhere else.

Heaven Sword was gone, but since Sword Liberation had taken third place, Silver Star would not stay quiet.

It was time to return south and inform Leni. She and the entire Southern Guild Alliance needed to act fast and use this momentum.

At the same time, Gilgamesh and Raphael arrived in the eastern region. They landed and stopped in front of a cave.

There, Raphael saw the remains of a burnt-out campfire, but Ethan was nowhere to be found.

"It seems he ran away, Sir Gilgamesh. I’m sorry," Raphael said.

Gilgamesh clenched his fists and grabbed Raphael’s neck. After landing several hard punches, Gilgamesh managed to injure him, forcing Raphael to kneel, weak and in pain.

He threw Raphael’s body harshly into the cave wall. Raphael hit the stone hard and fell to the ground, covered in wounds and unconscious.

"I was this close to getting the Bloodblade Ashura!"

"Just a little more, and you ruined everything, Raphael!" Gilgamesh shouted.

He left Raphael, the assassin, lying there unconscious. He hadn’t hurt him fatally, so by morning, Raphael could recover and return.

When Gilgamesh arrived back in Uruk City, his solo return caught the attention of many players from various guilds.

He stopped when a man dressed in black, holding a scythe, approached him. The man wasn’t alone —beside him stood a handsome blond man wearing white and gold armor.

The two were leaders of different guild teams. The man with the scythe was Alan from the Scavenger Guild, and the blond man was Kevin from Silver Star.

"There’s a trash guild sitting at the top ranks. We need to do something, Gilgamesh," Alan said, his voice rough.

"I’ll crush Sword Liberation myself. How dare they take my guild’s position when it is untouchable for twenty days straight," Kevin growled.

Gilgamesh stood silently, then cleared his throat in agreement. Alan despised weak, trash guilds. Kevin hated Sword Liberation for taking Silver Star’s position. Gilgamesh was hunting them because EthanArk possessed the Bloodblade Ashura.

"What’s your decision?" Alan asked.

"I’m cancelling the Star Dome Order! As the leader of the Northern Guild Alliance, I order every player in my alliance to go out and start searching for Sword Liberation!" Gilgamesh shouted.

The Star Dome command was an order for the top ten guilds to stop hunting and stay inside Uruk City until the event ended. But he hadn’t expected a small rebellion to disrupt the Star Dome plan.

That rebellion had caused Heaven Sword’s downfall and threatened Silver Star’s position.

"Capture the man named EthanArk from Sword Liberation. Bring him to me alive!" Gilgamesh commanded, his voice echoing with authority.

Everyone obeyed and quickly left Uruk City in their teams. Alan and Kevin also returned to their bases to prepare.

Gilgamesh remained standing in the middle of the city road, gazing at the sky filled with stars.

"EthanArk... I will make sure that you can’t escape from me!"