CHAPTER 577: STILL... SO WHAT?

At the same time, Ethan and the others turned toward the source of the shouting.

From the far end of the corridor, a large group of lion-headed centaur beasts came storming in. Judging by their aura alone, they were all at least Tier 14.

But the one leading them?

That guy was massive—easily several times larger than the others. His presence was overwhelming, and it was clear he was a Tier 15 Crimson Ultimate Hero. Probably just an S-rank, like Sigral.

Ethan narrowed his eyes and scoffed. "Seraphina."

"On it," Seraphina growled.

With a flash of light, she vanished from her spot and reappeared mid-air, directly above the incoming group. Her Sacred Realm energy exploded outward like a divine storm.

WHOOSH!

BOOM! BOOM! BOOMBOOMBOOM—!

The entire group of lion-headed centaurs was instantly crushed under the weight of her power. The Tier 15 leader didn’t even get a chance to react—Seraphina slammed him into the ground with a single clawed strike, pinning him like a bug under her heel.

He couldn’t move.

Couldn’t even breathe.

"You looked like you had a lot to say," Ethan’s voice cut through the chaos, calm and cold.

Clack. Clack. Clack.

His boots echoed against the stone floor as he walked over, then—THUD!—he stomped down hard on the centaur’s lion-like head.

"You clearly don’t understand the situation," he said flatly.

Before the creature could even respond, Ethan raised his hand.

Sacred Realm energy surged around him.

BOOM!

BOOMBOOMBOOM—!

Black orbs of annihilation rained down from above, tearing through the air like divine judgment.

And just like that—before anyone could blink—the centaur hero was obliterated.

Instant kill.

The ground shook violently from the impact.

All around them, everyone froze.

Eyes wide.

Faces pale.

No one moved.

No one spoke.

"H-How... how is that possible? A Tier 15 Crimson Ultimate Hero... just got one-shotted? Just like that?!"

The silence that followed was suffocating.

Like the air itself had been sucked out of the room.

The lion-headed centaurs, Sigral the minotaur, even Trigath—the once-proud Auric Phoenix—stood frozen, their faces drained of color, their bodies trembling.

No one dared speak.

No one dared breathe.

Then Ethan broke the silence.

"Someone want to tell me who the hell this ’Lethostar’ idiot is that the dead guy was screaming about?"

Sigral and Trigath exchanged a glance, their eyes flickering with unease.

Sigral was the first to speak, his voice low and cautious. "My Lord... the fool was referring to Lethostar. He’s... he was Thyssar’s older brother."

"Thyssar and Lethostar," he continued, "they were both known as Centaur High Kings. Each ruled their own kingdom. Lethostar commands one of the neighboring realms."

Ethan’s eyes narrowed, a thoughtful smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.

"Is that so..."

"Then that makes things simple."

"If we bait him into coming to us... that saves us a hell of a lot of trouble."

For Ethan, the hardest part—the uphill battle at the beginning—was already behind him.

Now? His entire core team had reached Tier 15.

And Elira, the strongest among them, had even ascended to the rare and terrifying Tier 15 SSS rank.

Their power had skyrocketed.

So naturally, Ethan had started to feel a new kind of confidence—one that told him he could handle enemies at this level now. Not just survive them. Beat them.

Which meant...

Draw them out. Spring the trap.

It was a damn good plan.

"Is there a way to lure him here?" Ethan asked suddenly, his voice calm but sharp.

Sigral and Trigath both froze for a second, exchanging awkward glances. Their expressions twisted, like they’d just been asked to volunteer for a suicide mission.

"You deaf?" Ethan’s tone dropped, cold and dangerous.

"N-No, not at all!" Sigral stammered, shaking his head quickly. Then, swallowing hard, he forced himself to speak. "My Lord... if we want to lure Lethostar here, maybe... maybe all we need to do is leak the news of Thyssar’s death."

"You think that’ll work?" Ethan pressed.

"I-It should," Sigral said, sweat beading on his forehead. "Lethostar has a violent temper... and he’s extremely confident in his own strength. If he hears his brother was killed..."

"He’ll probably come charging in without thinking."

"Then it’s your job to make sure he hears it," Ethan said with a nod.

He gave Sigral a firm slap on the shoulder as he passed by, then walked off without another word.

Sigral and Trigath exchanged a look—one full of dread and resignation.

But they didn’t argue.

They couldn’t.

They had no choice but to carry out the order.

...

Several days later—

The ground outside the castle began to tremble.

A massive army had arrived.

It was a terrifying coalition of high-tier centaur units—dozens of elite species, all marching under one banner. And at the front of the formation, towering above the rest, was a monstrous centaur warrior who looked eerily similar to Thyssar... only bigger.

Stronger.

More dangerous.

BOOM.

BOOM.

BOOM.

Each step he took shook the earth.

And the aura rolling off him? It was suffocating. Violent. Dominant.

Just standing there, he made people want to kneel.

That was the kind of pressure he exuded.

"RAAAAHHH!"

"COME OUT!"

"Who?! WHO KILLED MY BROTHER?! I’LL RIP YOU TO PIECES! I’LL BURN THIS PLACE TO THE GROUND!"

The Centaur High King—Lethostar—was here.

And he was pissed.

Ethan watched from the castle walls, a smirk tugging at his lips.

"Looks like the fish took the bait," he said casually, then stepped forward, flanked by his elite team. They appeared one by one atop the battlements, looking down at the furious army below.

Ethan’s voice rang out, mocking and sharp.

"You really are brain-dead, huh? You heard your brother got killed, and your first thought was to come running straight into the same trap?"

"You in a hurry to join him in the afterlife?"

"WHAT DID YOU SAY?!"

Lethostar’s roar shook the sky.

His eyes locked onto Ethan, burning with rage.

And then—WHUMMMM—his power surged.

A terrifying energy wave rippled out from his body.

Buzz...

In the next instant, a massive spear formed in his hand—crafted entirely from pure lightning. The weapon crackled with destructive energy, and with a roar, he hurled it like a thunderbolt straight at Ethan.

The air split open.

Everyone’s face changed.

They could feel it—this wasn’t just a flashy move.

This was a real, lethal strike.

"Dark Surge!"

BOOOOOOM!

But before the spear could land, Elira moved.

She flashed forward, her body cloaked in swirling shadows, and summoned a massive dark vortex in front of her. The lightning spear slammed into it—and stopped.

The storm of energy was absorbed, neutralized.

The castle walls held.

Lethostar narrowed his eyes, letting out a cold snort.

"Tier 15 SSS, huh? That explains it. No wonder you were able to kill Thyssar. You came prepared."

But even as he spoke, his aura surged again—this time even more violently.

"Still... so what?"

"Kill them all!"

"Attack! Take the castle!"

...