CHAPTER 598: HERE WE GO AGAIN...

Meanwhile—

The Cave Fiend was starting to panic.

Completely.

At this point, it finally realized Ethan wasn’t someone it could afford to underestimate. With a furious snarl, it reached behind its back and pulled out two more scythes—now wielding four in total. With a wild spin, it hurled them outward, the blades circling around it like deadly saws, forming a whirling vortex of steel.

Ethan’s hit-and-run tactics had worked—maybe too well.

Now, the Cave Fiend had gone full defense mode, and the spinning scythes quickly formed a barrier around it, slicing through the air with a high-pitched screech.

Shhhk-shhhk-shhhk!

BOOM!

Ethan’s eyes widened. "Shit..."

That spinning barrier was no joke. Even with his speed, there was no way he could break through it without getting shredded. If he tried to force his way in, he’d be torn to pieces before he even got close.

But just then—

"Master, I’ve got you!"

ROOOAAAR!

A thunderous roar echoed across the battlefield.

Seraphina had arrived.

She came barreling in, already in her full dragon form—massive, majestic, and terrifying. As she swooped down, she unleashed a blast of Venomous Dragon Breath straight at the ground beneath the Cave Fiend.

The toxic explosion rocked the earth, and the spinning scythes immediately faltered, their deadly rotation grinding to a halt.

And Ethan noticed something else—Seraphina’s power had skyrocketed.

She wasn’t just stronger—she was on a whole new level.

"Seraphina... you’ve gotten stronger again?" Ethan called out, stunned.

"Yes, Master!" she roared back, her voice fierce and proud. "I’ve evolved. I’ve reached the peak of Tier 15—SSS rank! Don’t worry, I’ll kill this bastard for daring to lay a hand on you!"

ROOOAAAR!

Seraphina let out another furious roar, her massive wings flaring wide. Her scales gleamed like polished obsidian, and her body radiated overwhelming power. The Cave Fiend’s scythes slammed into her hide—but they bounced off with a metallic clang, completely ineffective.

Ethan didn’t waste the opening.

He charged forward like a bullet, fist cocked back—and then BOOM!

He smashed his fist straight into the Cave Fiend’s skull.

The creature’s head exploded in a spray of blood and bone, chunks flying in every direction.

But it wasn’t over yet.

Seraphina followed up with another Venomous Dragon Breath, engulfing the Cave Fiend’s body in a swirling storm of toxic energy. The creature screamed, thrashing inside the corrosive cloud as it was torn apart from the inside out.

Ethan saw his chance.

He clenched his fists, energy surging through his veins like a tidal wave.

BOOM!

BOOM!

BOOM!

He roared and drove his fist straight through the Cave Fiend’s chest, punching clean through its body. The impact shattered bone, muscle—and even its lingering soul.

In that instant, the Cave Fiend was utterly annihilated.

Dead.

Gone.

Not even ashes left behind.

"Finally... it’s dead," Ethan panted, his chest rising and falling with each ragged breath.

Back-to-back kills of two Tier 16 monsters—his body was screaming at him, muscles trembling, energy nearly drained. He was running on fumes now.

And he wasn’t the only one.

Seraphina, still in her dragon form, looked just as worn out.

"Seraphina, are you okay?" Ethan rushed over to her, placing a hand on her massive scaled shoulder. Without hesitation, he channeled his remaining energy into her, trying to stabilize her condition.

"I’m alright... just needed a second," Seraphina said, shaking her head, then nodding firmly. "Don’t worry, Master. I’m just a little drained. Give me a moment and I’ll be back in the fight."

But before either of them could catch their breath—

A sudden shift in the air.

A new enemy appeared.

From above, a massive, centipede-like creature slithered into view, its segmented body coiling through the sky like a living nightmare. Its presence was overwhelming—crushing, unstoppable.

Then it opened its maw.

FWOOSH!

Blinding golden light erupted from its mouth, searing the air with a high-pitched hiss.

Pshhhhhh!

The energy was wild, unstable—so intense that the space around it warped and twisted like heatwaves on asphalt.

Ethan’s eyes widened in shock. "You...?!"

He recognized it instantly.

One of the three Tier 16 monsters that had attacked Emerald Castle during the first invasion.

The centipede let out a low, guttural laugh. "That’s right. It’s me. What’s wrong, Ethan? Still got enough strength to fight? Or are you about to drop dead?"

Before Ethan or Seraphina could react, the creature lunged—fast, vicious, giving them no time to recover.

"Shit!" Ethan cursed, bracing himself.

But just then—

CRACK!

A burst of divine energy tore through the air. Space twisted violently, and in a flash, a figure shot forward like a meteor, slamming into the centipede and sending it flying.

Ethan blinked.

"Cicero?!"

It was him—Cicero, glowing with Sacred Realm energy, standing tall and radiating power. And not just any power—Tier 16 power.

"You’ve... you’ve broken through?" Ethan stared, stunned. He hadn’t even noticed Cicero’s progress. When had he gotten this strong?

Cicero gave a sheepish grin. "Heh... got lucky, I guess."

Then, without another word, he launched himself at the centipede, blades flashing, diving into a brutal melee.

At the same time, Seraphina stirred beside Ethan, her breathing steadier now.

"Master, I’m good. I can fight again," she said quickly, her voice filled with renewed determination.

Ethan nodded, scanning the battlefield. "Hold on. Let’s not rush. I think we’ve finally turned the tide."

He looked around.

The battlefield was still chaos, but the momentum had shifted. Nearly half of the Dungeon’s top-tier elites had already been wiped out. Their side was holding strong.

That was huge.

It meant—for the first time—they had the upper hand.

They didn’t need to push recklessly anymore. They could take their time, fight smart.

But even as that thought crossed his mind, a chill crept down his spine.

His eyes drifted toward the far end of the battlefield.

There it was.

Still unmoving.

The phantom of the Holy Fox Sovereign.

It hadn’t lifted a finger since the battle began. Just stood there, silent, watching.

And that was the problem.

Everyone knew—that thing was the real threat. The most terrifying, most unpredictable force on the field. And no one had any idea what it was waiting for.

Ethan clenched his fists.

Please... don’t let it be something catastrophic.

But he didn’t have time to dwell on it.

Because the next wave was already coming.

Whoosh!

Whoosh!

Two new figures shot toward them like missiles—one radiating the unmistakable pressure of a Tier 15 SSS-class, the other a full-blown Tier 16 monster.

Ethan’s expression hardened.

"Here we go again..."

...