BOOM!

BOOM-BOOM-BOOM!

…

The battlefield shook as Ataneya charged straight into the enemy ranks, leading the assault without hesitation. Her aura flared to its peak, a blazing storm of raw power that lit up the chaos around her.

But then—

From the depths of the dungeon army, a bizarre figure stepped forward.

This guy was… wrong.

His head floated eerily above his body, completely detached, yet somehow still connected by dozens of thin, blood-red threads that hovered around him like a web of death. Each thread pulsed with a strange, sinister energy—so intense that even the air around them seemed to wither and decay.

As Ataneya closed in, her power surged outward—only to be instantly sliced apart by the threads. Her energy scattered in all directions, like it had slammed into an invisible net. No matter how wild or explosive her force was, it couldn't break through those delicate-looking lines.

They clashed for over a dozen exchanges, neither gaining the upper hand. Ataneya's frustration was written all over her face.

What the hell is this guy?

They collided again—another violent burst of energy—and both were forced to retreat.

The man chuckled darkly, biting down on one of the threads and tugging it to the side like it was a toy.

"Impressive. You've got the blood of the Holy Fox Clan in you, don't you?" he said with a twisted grin. "Looks like fate's brought you close to Lord Holy Fox herself. Why not surrender? If you do, maybe you'll be allowed to serve at her side—as a pet, perhaps."

Ataneya didn't even dignify that with a response.

Instead, her power surged again, coalescing into a massive fox-shaped phantom above her—its eyes glowing, its form crackling with elemental fury.

"You sure you don't want to reconsider?" the man asked, still smirking.

"Go to hell!" Ataneya snarled, hurling the fox phantom down with a roar.

"Hmph."

The man didn't flinch. In a flash, the threads around him twisted together, forming a massive shield.

To anyone watching, it looked flimsy—just a mesh of thread. And with Ataneya's attack packed with searing fire energy, it should've burned through it like paper.

But reality had other plans.

The shield held.

Not only did it block the attack, it actually reflected part of the energy back at her.

Ataneya's eyes went wide. She stumbled back several steps, glaring at him in disbelief.

"You're not bad at all," the man said, clearly enjoying himself. "No wonder you share the same bloodline as Lord Holy Fox."

He plucked a thread from the air, letting it hum between his fingers like a violin string. "You've earned the right to know my name. I am… The Crimson Threader."

Ataneya rolled her eyes internally. Wow. That name's a little on the nose, huh? she thought, but didn't say it out loud.

Instead, she summoned her power again—this time forging it into a gleaming longsword. With a sharp cry, she slashed it toward him.

The Crimson Threader's smile widened. His threads twisted and wove together, forming a blade of his own. The two swords clashed mid-air, sparks flying as they exchanged blow after blow.

Their duel was fast, brutal, and evenly matched.

And his thread-forged sword? Shockingly sharp—cutting through the air like it was nothing.

BOOM!

BOOM!

BOOM!

…

The force of their battle cracked the very space around them. Rifts tore open in the air, reality itself buckling under the pressure of their blows.

And neither of them showed any signs of slowing down.

If anything, they were getting more into it—feeding off each other's strength, pushing harder, faster, stronger.

Their power wasn't fading.

It was building.

BOOM!

BOOM-BOOM-BOOM!

…

While the others were locked in their own brutal duels, Ethan finally stepped onto the battlefield himself.

His target? A lightning-cloaked enemy—one of the Hero Units on the opposing side. Among them, this guy was the weakest, which made him the only one Ethan could realistically take on right now. After all, Ethan was still sitting at 15-Tier SSS-level. Not quite enough to go toe-to-toe with the big dogs.

But even this "weakest" one was no pushover.

The guy moved like a bolt of lightning—literally. In the blink of an eye, he'd already shifted positions multiple times, flickering across the battlefield like a phantom. Ethan, for all his mastery over lightning-based attacks, couldn't match that kind of speed. He could channel lightning into devastating blasts, sure—but turning it into pure movement? That was something else entirely.

A unique skill.

And Ethan wanted it.

He took a deep breath, eyes narrowing as he focused. He wasn't going to rush in blindly. Instead, he calmly studied the enemy's movement patterns, watching every flicker, every shift in energy.

It didn't take long.

He found the rhythm.

Then—bam! Ethan suddenly appeared in an open clearing, his power surging as he slammed his palm into the ground. A massive claw of lightning erupted upward, crackling with violent energy—and just like that, the speedster was caught mid-dash, trapped in Ethan's grip.

"You're fast," Ethan said coldly, tightening his hold, "but you're predictable. You've only got a few tricks, and once someone sees through them… you're done."

His body surged with power.

Lightning exploded from his core, flooding into the enemy's body—ripping it apart from the inside out.

The speedster didn't even have time to scream.

He was reduced to shredded meat in seconds.

Ding!

"Congratulations, Host. You have acquired the skill: Lightning Step."

The system's voice chimed in Ethan's mind, catching him off guard for a second.

He blinked. "Huh. That was easier than I thought."

No level-up, but this skill? It was a serious boost. With it, his mobility and combat flexibility would skyrocket.

He barely had time to enjoy the moment before two more figures appeared nearby.

One radiated searing fire, his entire body wreathed in flames. The other was a hulking Stone Golem, his body covered in thick, jagged rock.

Both of them locked eyes on Ethan, their expressions twisted with rage.

"Damn intruder," the fire-wielder snarled. "This is where you die!"

They didn't wait.

Their power surged outward, forming a crushing energy field that slammed down on Ethan like a mountain.

But Ethan had just picked up a new trick.

With a flicker of movement, he activated his Lightning Step skill—his body shimmering and vanishing from the energy field. In the next instant, he reappeared behind the Fire Elemental.

Before the guy could even react—

CRACK!

Ethan's fist slammed into his back, right between the shoulder blades.

The flames around him sputtered and died out, and he dropped like a stone.

BOOM!

But Ethan didn't stop there.

He blinked again, reappearing in front of the Stone Golem. Power surged into his arm as he drove his fist straight into the creature's forehead.

CRACK!

The impact sent a shockwave through the Golem's massive frame. Chunks of stone exploded from its neck, raining down like rubble.

Damn, this thing's defense is no joke, Ethan thought, shaking out his arm. That punch had left his whole limb numb.

Still, the damage was done—half the Golem's neck was shattered. A few more hits, and he could probably take the head clean off.

But just as Ethan was winding up for another strike—

WHOOSH!

The Fire Elemental, the one he'd just knocked down, suddenly shot back into the air, flames roaring even hotter than before.

Ethan glanced over his shoulder, unimpressed. "Persistent little bastard."

With a flicker of lightning, he vanished again—reappearing behind the Stone Golem. Then, with a swift shove, he pushed the Golem forward—

—right into the path of the incoming fire blast.

BOOM!

The Fire Elemental's attack slammed into the Golem's back, detonating on impact. The explosion shattered half of the Golem's stone armor, sending debris flying in every direction.

CRASH!

BOOM-BOOM-BOOM!

...