BOOM!

RUMBLE—

RUMBLE—

RUMBLE—

In an instant, countless tendrils shot out from Bathorax's massive body, whipping through the air like a storm of living spears.

"Oh yeah? You wanna kill me? Go ahead and try," Ethan said coolly, his voice calm but laced with steel.

He raised one hand, and with almost no effort, conjured a glowing orb of energy in his palm. Then, with a casual flick of his wrist, he tossed it forward.

The moment it left his hand, the orb detonated into a devastating burst of power—an innate skill so destructive it tore through Bathorax's incoming tentacles like paper, disintegrating them mid-air.

Bathorax's eyes widened in disbelief.

"No… Impossible! Your power—you're…!"

He hadn't expected this. Ethan wasn't just strong—he was an SSS-rank Crimson Ultimate Hero.

But Ethan didn't even bother replying. He was already irritated from the earlier ambush on Elira and Seraphina, and now this overgrown calamari had the nerve to come looking for a fight?

Fine. He'd give him one.

Just as Ethan was about to step forward and finish it himself—

A voice rang out beside him.

"Let me handle this."

Ethan paused, turning to see Elira slowly rising into the air, her eyes locked on Bathorax with a cold, focused intensity.

"Let me take this one," she said, her voice sharp and steady. "I've been holding back for too long. I need to let off some steam."

Ethan blinked, then gave a small shrug. "Alright. He's all yours."

BOOM—

BOOM—

BOOM—

Behind him, magical particles exploded into the air like a supernova, swirling into rings of pure arcane law. The sheer pressure made the air crackle.

And then—

Elira moved.

With a sharp whoosh, she vanished from sight, reappearing in a blur right in front of Bathorax.

She didn't hesitate.

Her hand snapped forward, unleashing a devastating blast of energy.

"Soul of the Abyss!"

BOOM!

"AAARGH!"

A massive explosion rocked the sky. Bathorax screamed in pain, his massive body flung backward. A gaping, blackened hole had been blasted clean through his side, oozing dark, corrupted blood. From the wound, wild undead energy poured out, shrieking and writhing like tortured souls.

"I'LL KILL YOU!" Bathorax roared, his voice shaking the heavens.

"Oh yeah?" Elira shot back, her tone icy. "Let's see who kills who."

Her aura erupted.

The rings of magical particles around her flared to life, spinning faster, glowing brighter, until they looked like halos of pure destruction.

BOOM!

BOOM!

BOOM!

The battle exploded into full force.

Elira and Bathorax clashed in a storm of power—blasts of energy, innate skills, and raw magical force colliding in a chaotic, breathtaking display. The sky itself seemed to warp under the pressure.

But it was clear from the start—

Elira was dominating.

She was faster, stronger, more precise. Every time Bathorax tried to counter, she was already two steps ahead, hammering him with relentless attacks.

He was getting wrecked.

Badly.

"DAMN IT! DAMN IT ALL!" Bathorax howled, flailing under the onslaught. "Why are you so strong?! You damn invaders—don't get cocky! I'll kill you! I'll kill all of you!"

But Elira didn't even flinch.

She kept pressing forward, her power surging higher and higher.

"You brought this on yourself," she said coldly. "And now you're going to pay for it."

Bathorax's eyes burned with fury. "You leave me no choice! I'll end this—now! Come forth… Grand Necrotic Summoning!"

He roared, and the air split open.

A massive summoning circle tore through the sky, glowing with sickly green and black light. The energy pouring out of it was overwhelming, forming a swirling vortex of death and decay.

And then—

Something huge began to emerge.

A monstrous figure, cloaked in shadow and bone, stepped through the portal, its presence so massive it made the ground quake.

BOOM!

RUMBLE—

RUMBLE—

RUMBLE—

The moment the summoning completed and the massive figure stepped through the vortex, both Elira and Ethan froze for a split second—staring in disbelief.

Because they recognized him.

That hulking stone body, the jagged obsidian armor, the glowing crimson eyes…

It was Dolenkroh—the so-called Abyssal Titan who had barely escaped from them last time.

"You've gotta be kidding me…" Ethan muttered.

"Bathorax, are you out of your damn mind?! Why the hell would you summon me without warning? I am the great—wait… what the hell?! It's YOU?!"

Dolenkroh's booming voice cut off mid-sentence, his bravado instantly evaporating the moment he laid eyes on Ethan and Elira.

Especially Ethan.

The memory of his last humiliating defeat came rushing back like a nightmare.

"Bathorax, you idiot!"

Whoosh!

Without another word, Dolenkroh turned and bolted, his massive body flickering with teleportation energy. He didn't even hesitate—he was out.

No way was he sticking around to get his ass kicked again.

"Dolenkroh, what the hell are you doing?! Are you insane?! Why are you running?!" Bathorax roared, completely losing it.

"You're the insane one, you moron!" Dolenkroh shouted back, panic in his voice. "Do you even know who that is?! That guy's an SSS-rank Crimson Ultimate Hero! And he's got a terrifying partner too! Wait… where's the other one?"

He paused mid-flight, scanning the area.

Something was off.

Ethan's other allies… weren't here?

"Relax," Bathorax growled. "It's just the two of them. If we work together, we can take them down!"

Dolenkroh hesitated. If it really was just the two of them… maybe he could finally get his revenge.

He glanced around again, then narrowed his eyes at Elira.

He clenched his stone fists. "Fine. I'll kill the guy first. You help me, then I'll help you."

Bathorax nearly choked. "Are you blind?! She's the one kicking my ass! Take her out first!"

"That's your problem," Dolenkroh snapped. "I've got a score to settle."

And with that, he turned his full attention to Ethan.

"RAAAAH!"

He let out a thunderous roar and began casting a massive summoning spell. The ground cracked beneath him as portals opened all around, spewing out monstrous creatures—one after another, each more terrifying than the last.

And among them… one radiated unmistakable SSS-tier energy.

"You miserable little insect," Dolenkroh bellowed. "This time, I'm going to crush you! You won't escape me again!"

Ethan's expression hardened. He stepped forward, eyes cold.

"I beat you once. I'll beat you again. And this time, I'm not letting you crawl away. I'm ending this."

He turned his head slightly. "Elira—let's finish them."

But before either of them could move—

BOOM!

A sudden, earth-shaking tremor erupted behind them.

RUMBLE—RUMBLE—RUMBLE—

From deep within the cave they had just left, a terrifying surge of energy exploded outward. A pillar of venomous green light shot into the sky, piercing the clouds and shaking the heavens.

"What the hell?!" Ethan's eyes widened.

From within the pillar of light, a figure slowly rose—her silhouette glowing with raw, unrestrained power.

Seraphina.

She hovered in the air, her body wrapped in swirling rings of magical particles nearly identical to Elira's. But hers were darker, more volatile—pulsing with the raw essence of the Venom Law. Toxic mist coiled around her like a living aura.

"Seraphina!" Ethan called out.

She turned her head slightly, her eyes glowing with emerald fire.

"Master," she said calmly, her voice echoing with power. "I've done it. I've completed the evolution. Now… leave this to us. That thing dared to insult you. I'll make sure he regrets it."

And with that—

FLASH!

She vanished from the sky and reappeared right in front of Dolenkroh.

CRACK!

Her claw came down like a meteor, slamming into him with bone-shattering force.

At the same time, a system notification echoed in Ethan's mind:

DING!

Congratulations, Player Valkarion. Your Green Dragon Hero, Seraphina, has successfully evolved to SSS-rank! Current racial stage has advanced—evolving into: Primordial Venom Dragon.

Primordial Venom Dragon.

Ethan's eyes widened.

That name alone… sounded like the stuff of legends.

And right in front of him, Seraphina was proving it.

Dolenkroh was sent flying, his massive stone body crashing into the ground like a meteor strike. The impact triggered a shockwave that tore through the battlefield, sending summoned monsters flying.

Then—

"PRIMORDIAL VENOMSTORM!"

Seraphina roared, her wings flaring wide as she unleashed a devastating beam of venomous energy straight at Dolenkroh.

The beam tore through the air like a scythe of death, engulfing everything in its path.

...