CHAPTER 535: INTRUDER

Time flew by.

Before anyone realized it, several months had passed...

Then one day, out of nowhere, a series of deafening explosions erupted just outside the city walls.

BOOM!

BOOM!

BOOM!

...

"What the hell was that?"

Ethan shot out of the castle, curiosity written all over his face. What he saw made him freeze mid-air.

Lying in the open field beyond the towering walls of Emerald Castle was a massive creature—its entire body radiating with blinding Light Magic.

"A Kirin? And... Light Magic?"

"What the hell is this thing?" Ethan sucked in a sharp breath, eyes wide with disbelief.

He was stunned.

"My Lord!" Andona called out, rushing over. "This is one of our test subjects. What do you think? We tried infusing a Kirin with Light Magic—and it actually worked!"

"...What?"

"You can just... give a creature new magic powers like that?" Ethan was floored.

If this was just a one-off, that’d be one thing. But what if it wasn’t? What if this could be done to an entire army of regular troops?

That would change everything.

If it really worked...

Then he could upgrade every single one of his standard units—across the board.

That kind of power boost? That was game-changing.

"My Lord," Andona continued, her voice brimming with excitement, "Ever since I became the Queen of Angels, I’ve gained access to some unique abilities. I’ve only succeeded once so far, but based on what I’ve seen—it’s highly promising!"

"Then let’s test it."

"Absolutely!" Andona didn’t hesitate. She immediately summoned her Divine Angels and Angels of Death.

And right there, she began channeling new magical powers into them.

And—unbelievably—it worked.

Each Angel of Death and Divine Angel began to glow with different types of magical energy, their auras shifting and intensifying.

They were getting stronger. A lot stronger.

"Andona, you did it! You’re incredible!" Ethan was practically buzzing with excitement.

Watching his regular troops grow stronger by the second, he couldn’t help but feel a surge of hope and ambition. This wasn’t just a minor upgrade—this was a mass enhancement. And mass enhancements? Those were terrifyingly powerful.

With this kind of breakthrough...

If he could gather enough power...

He could launch a whole new campaign. Maybe even head back into the Dungeon. Dive deeper than ever before. Finally find out what lay at its core.

BOOM!

BOOM!

BOOM!

...

But just then—everything changed.

Without warning, the ground began to shake violently. A deep, echoing rumble tore through the air, like the world itself was groaning.

"What the hell now?" Ethan froze, his expression darkening.

"My Lord," Andona said, her voice low and cold, "It looks like someone’s trying to invade us... They’ve got some serious nerve."

Her eyes narrowed, and a deadly glint flashed in her pupils.

"My Lord, stay here. I’ll go check it out—"

WHOOSH!

WHOOSH!

WHOOSH!

...

But before she could even finish her sentence, figures began appearing in the sky above them—Cicero, Seraphina, Kyros, Ataneya, Namyanna... all of them materialized at once.

And at the same time—

The air itself began to tremble.

Then, with a sudden violent twist, space tore open.

A massive spatial rift ripped through the sky, stretching straight from the depths of the Dungeon. It opened like a wound in reality, pulsing with raw, chaotic energy.

BOOM!

A crushing pressure slammed down on the world, like the heavens themselves were about to collapse.

And then—

Something monstrous emerged.

It was a giant—no, a colossus—so massive it seemed to stretch beyond the horizon. But it wasn’t made of ordinary stone. Its body was forged from black, molten rock, seething with dark, hellish flames.

It radiated heat so intense it warped the air around it, lava coursing through its veins like blood.

And embedded in its chest—

A single, eerie blue gem pulsed with a heartbeat-like rhythm.

Thump. Thump. Thump...

The gem released a strange, otherworldly energy that spread out like a dome, instantly enveloping the entire Emerald Castle.

They were sealed in.

It was some kind of spatial lock—cutting them off from the outside world.

Everyone’s expression turned grim.

Because they all knew one thing for sure—

Whoever—or whatever—this was...

It wasn’t here for a friendly visit.

But just then—Seraphina made her move.

"ROAR!"

In a flash, a blast of venomous breath erupted from her mouth, forming a massive beam of toxic energy that shot straight toward the intruder like a cannon of pure destruction.

BOOM!

A thunderous explosion rocked the battlefield. The blast slammed into the lava-skinned giant, engulfing him in a storm of poison and light.

But the creature barely budged.

Instead, he let out a low, rumbling laugh—sounding almost... excited.

"A Green Dragon? Interesting. Not bad. You’ve got some bite," he said, voice like grinding boulders. "But if you think that’s enough to impress me, you’ve got a long way to go. Still... looks like that crazy bitch, the Dark Sovereign, wasn’t lying this time."

"This place... it’s got some real potential. You all aren’t weak."

Then—

ROOOAAARRR!

With a deafening roar, the ground split and the sky trembled. The sheer force of his voice sent shockwaves through the air, shaking the very foundations of Emerald Castle.

Everyone flinched.

"Another SSS-class?" Ethan’s face darkened. There was no mistaking it—this thing was on the same level as the worst monsters they’d ever faced. And odds were, it was another one of the Dark Sovereign’s twisted little "gifts."

"Master," Andona said, her tone cold and razor-sharp, "give the order. Whoever dares to invade us like this—this time, they pay in blood."

Ethan nodded without hesitation. "Do it. No holding back. If you get the chance—kill him. End it."

"Yes, my Lord."

BOOM!

Before the words had even finished leaving her lips, Andona launched into the sky, wings flaring wide as she soared toward the enemy like a divine missile.

"Holy Death Sentence!"

The heavens split open.

A celestial gate appeared in the sky, and from it, a legion of radiant angels emerged, their forms merging into a single, colossal blade—the Blade of Divine Extinction.

It came crashing down like judgment itself.

The power behind it was terrifying.

But the lava-skinned monster—wreathed in black flames and dark energy—wasn’t just any invader.

He was a force of nature.

And with just one punch—

He deflected the entire attack.

BOOM!

The divine blade shattered mid-air, its energy scattering like sparks in a storm.

"ROOOAAARRR!"

The creature bellowed again, this time with wild, unrestrained glee. He was loving this.

Then he went berserk.

He charged forward, unleashing a wave of destruction with every step—attacking everyone in sight, no target, no mercy.

Total chaos.

Seeing this, the defenders of Emerald Castle were furious. Their faces twisted with rage, their eyes burning with fury.

...