The centaurs were a unique race native to the Gate of Carno. There were many different types—Radiant Centaurs, Shadow Centaurs, Frostborn Centaurs, Embermane Centaurs, and more. These weren't just any foot soldiers either; they were powerful units, ranked at Tier 13 and Tier 14. Some even reached Tier 15, and there were entire armies made up of them. On top of that, there were Crimson Ultimate-class heroes in their ranks.

They were terrifying.

After reading through the intel, Ethan couldn't help but suck in a sharp breath. "Damn…"

This guy… this Thyssar was on a whole other level. With the forces Ethan currently had under his command, storming Thyssar's capital head-on was out of the question.

Unless he could take them out one by one.

But even that wasn't going to be easy. For top-tier powerhouses like these, reinforcements could arrive in the blink of an eye. And this was their turf—their stronghold.

Starting a war here?

They'd be swarmed in seconds.

"This is gonna be a pain…" Ethan muttered, rubbing his temples.

Just then, Seraphina's eyes narrowed. She spotted something in the distance—two minotaurs had just appeared.

They were Hero Units too, but nothing special—just Tier 13. The important part was that they were under Thyssar's command.

Ethan's eyes narrowed. "Bring them to me."

Seraphina moved like lightning, vanishing and reappearing with both minotaurs in tow.

"Who the hell are you people?! Let us go now, or you're all dead!" one of them roared, their faces twisting in fury. At the same time, they began to channel energy, clearly trying to send out a distress signal.

But Ethan was already ahead of them. "Don't even try it," he said calmly, stepping forward and knocking them both out cold with a precise strike. Then he unleashed the power of the Sacred Realm, sealing off the entire area in an instant.

"I've got a few questions for you," Ethan said, his voice low and steady. "Answer them right, and you might live. But if you don't… well, you know how that ends."

"I get that you guys can respawn after death, but come on—why go through all that? And from the looks of it, you're not exactly part of Thyssar's inner circle, are you?"

He shook his head and leaned in slightly. "Tell me everything. I want to know the full layout of Thyssar's capital—every deployment, every unit."

The two minotaurs froze, fear flashing across their faces. It was hard to tell whether they were more afraid of Thyssar… or of Ethan.

BANG!

Without warning, Ethan struck. One of the minotaurs dropped instantly, killed in a single blow.

"No one knows what you're about to say now," Ethan said coldly, staring down the survivor. "So talk. My patience has limits."

The remaining minotaur hesitated, then slowly closed his eyes and began to speak. "There are nearly ten Tier 15 powerhouses inside the city… and a massive number of Hero Units."

"How many?" Ethan asked, his voice sharp.

"Almost ten," the minotaur repeated, nodding with a bitter smile. "But… Lord Thyssar isn't in the city right now. He left for something—I don't know what. All I know is he went east, to the mountain valley. That's all I've got."

He paused, then shook his head. "Just kill me."

Ethan raised an eyebrow. "What, you want to die that badly?"

"It's the only way I'll survive," the minotaur said, his eyes flickering with a strange light.

Ethan blinked, then got it instantly. If the guy died now, he'd just respawn. But if he stayed alive after spilling secrets… that would raise questions.

A clear difference.

"You're smarter than you look," Ethan muttered.

Then, without hesitation, he struck again—clean, efficient, final.

At that moment, Elira stepped forward. "My Lord, should we head to the eastern valley to find Thyssar? If he's just a single Tier 15 SSS-class… we might actually stand a chance."

"We have to," Ethan said without hesitation. "This is our only shot. He's in his own territory—he probably didn't take too many precautions when he left. That means we should be able to track him down easily."

"Yes, my Lord!"

"Alright, everyone—move out. Stay sharp from here on."

"Yes, sir!"

…

No one knew exactly how long they'd been trudging through the muddy swamp, but eventually, Ethan and his team made it to the eastern valley.

Only when they arrived did they realize—it wasn't really a valley at all.

From a distance, it looked like a typical mountain valley, surrounded on all sides by towering peaks. But once they stepped inside, they found themselves standing on a vast, open plain. The mountains didn't close in—they circled around protectively, enclosing the entire area like a natural fortress.

The terrain here was… strange. Unique. Like the whole region had been carved out deliberately, hidden in plain sight.

"Any sign of him yet?" Ethan asked as he scanned the area.

"Based on the energy traces left behind, he should be somewhere around here," Elira replied, her eyes glowing faintly as she analyzed the lingering aura. "But the exact location… we'll need to search more carefully. And from what I can tell, he's not alone. There are other Hero Units nearby—probably his guards."

"Figures," Ethan muttered. "Alright, we'll take it one step at a time. First, we find him—then we see what we're dealing with."

Just then, a thunderous boom echoed overhead.

Feylora dropped from the sky like a meteor, landing right in front of Ethan. "My Lord! I found him!"

"Where?" Ethan asked immediately.

"Over there!" Feylora pointed without hesitation, then quickly added, "But he's not alone. He's got at least one other Tier 15 Crimson Ultimate Hero with him—S-class. And a few hundred regular troops."

"A Tier 15 S-class Crimson Ultimate?" Ethan's brow furrowed.

He didn't waste time. "Feylora, Seraphina, Andona, Namyanna—you four handle that Crimson Ultimate. Lure them away and take them down fast. Then get back here as soon as you can."

"Yes, my Lord!" Feylora nodded. She was Tier 15 herself now, and with Seraphina, Andona, and Namyanna backing her up, she was confident they could take the enemy down.

Meanwhile, Ethan, along with Elira and Ataneya, turned and headed straight for their real target—Thyssar.

A furious roar split the air.

The Centaur High King—Thyssar—stood tall, his massive frame radiating raw power. His eyes locked onto Ethan, and his voice was like thunder. "How dare you trespass in my domain? Do you have a death wish?"

"If death's what you're offering," Ethan said coldly, "then let's see who ends up taking it."

He moved with Elira and Ataneya, the three of them forming a tight triangle around Thyssar, boxing him in.

In the next instant, their auras exploded outward—waves of terrifying, overwhelming power crashing through the air.

"Tier 15… SS-class?" Thyssar's expression darkened. He hadn't thought much of Ethan's power at first, but now that he was facing both Elira and Ataneya—two Tier 15 SS-class Crimson Ultimate Heroes—he realized this wasn't going to be as easy as he'd assumed.

They were strong. Not quite at his level, but close. Too close.

And there were two of them.

"You really think the three of you can take me down?" Thyssar growled. "You're delusional. But if you're so eager to die—fine. I'll grant your wish!"

With a deafening roar, the Centaur High King charged.

BOOM!

The ground shook as he launched forward like a living missile, his massive body blurring into a streak of motion. The sheer force of his charge tore through the air like a storm, aimed straight at Ethan and his team with devastating speed and power—like a god of war descending upon the battlefield.

...