CHAPTER 674: ECLIPSERA ISLE

"I know this place—it’s called Eclipsera Isle!" the man blurted out, eyes wide with a mix of fear and excitement. "It’s one of the most mysterious, hidden realms in the entire Umbral Abyss. It floats high above the sky, completely isolated. Most people can’t even find it... but I know how to get there."

Ethan’s eyes lit up instantly.

Without hesitation, he grabbed the man by the collar and yanked him up off the ground.

"Excellent," he said, voice low and dangerous. "I hope for your sake you’re not lying to me. You know what’ll happen if you are."

"N-no! I wouldn’t dare! I swear I wouldn’t!" the man stammered, his whole body trembling.

"What’s your name?"

"K... Kaedon..."

"Kaedon, huh? Good. I like you." Ethan gave him a sharp grin. "From this moment on, you’re one of mine. Take me to Eclipsera Isle. If you’re telling the truth and we find it, I’ll make sure you’re rewarded."

"Y-yes, of course! Great and mighty one, I—I’ll obey your every word!" Kaedon said, practically groveling. "If you trust me, I can take you there right now."

Ethan gave a satisfied nod and clapped him on the shoulder.

Then he turned and called over a few of his top people, giving quick orders.

After a brief round of preparations, the group set out—

their destination: Eclipsera Isle.

...

The Umbral Abyss was vast—

a sprawling, layered world filled with hidden realms and pocket dimensions,

many of which had never been charted.

They traveled for what felt like hours, maybe days—

until finally, they reached a jagged cliffside,

where a thick, blood-red cloud hovered ominously in the air above the drop.

Normally, a place like this would scream "death trap."

Anyone who tried to pass through that cloud would fall straight into the abyss—

smashed to pieces on the rocks below.

No sane person would ever willingly jump into it.

Which, of course, made it the perfect hiding place for something like Eclipsera Isle.

Kaedon’s eyes lit up the moment they arrived.

"I remember this place," he said, practically bouncing with excitement. "The first time I came here, I was terrified. I didn’t dare go through the cloud. But after digging through some old records, I found out the entrance to Eclipsera Isle is hidden inside it."

"So I jumped."

And with that, Kaedon took two steps forward—

and leapt straight into the blood-red cloud.

Ethan’s pupils contracted.

This guy was either incredibly brave... or completely insane.

But then—

something strange happened.

The air around the cloud began to ripple,

space itself warping like heat waves off a flame.

VMMMM—

And yet... there was no sound of a body hitting the rocks below.

No scream. No impact. Nothing.

Just silence.

Ethan narrowed his eyes.

"...So it’s real."

He could feel it—Kaedon had entered a hidden realm.

A secret space tucked away inside the cloud.

Without a second thought, Ethan launched himself forward—

and dove in.

Elira, Ataneya, and the others didn’t hesitate either.

One by one, they followed him into the cloud.

The blood-red mist wasn’t solid at all—

just a veil, a floating illusion suspended in midair.

And the moment they passed through it—

They emerged into a world unlike anything they’d seen before.

The air was crisp and clear,

the sky above a soft, glowing violet.

Cherry blossom petals drifted lazily through the air,

carried by a breeze that smelled faintly sweet—

like springtime and magic.

Ethan inhaled deeply,

and immediately felt the difference.

The energy here was thick—

so dense it practically poured into his body the moment he arrived.

His power surged,

his core filling with vitality and strength.

"...This place," he murmured, eyes scanning the horizon,

"is something else."

This place... it really did feel like they were floating in the sky.

Massive chunks of stone drifted lazily through the air, suspended by some unseen force. The entire realm shimmered with an ethereal glow, like a dream made real.

Kaedon stood on one of the floating stones not far ahead, waving at Ethan with a grin plastered across his face.

"Great one! This is it—I told you I wasn’t lying! Just up ahead, there’s a grove of cherry blossoms. The Primordial Force there is even denser than here!"

Without waiting for a response, Kaedon turned and began walking toward the grove, practically skipping with excitement.

The group followed, and before long, they reached a wide, flat area nestled among the floating terrain.

Cherry blossom trees stretched in every direction, their petals drifting through the air like soft pink snow. The scent was intoxicating—sweet, calming, and strangely powerful.

Ethan took a deep breath, letting the energy of the place wash over him.

It was thick. Potent. Alive.

But just as he stepped forward, a strange pulse of energy surged into his body.

VMMM—

He turned his head sharply.

There, nestled among the cherry blossoms, stood a single phoenix tree—tall, ancient, and completely out of place.

The energy he’d just felt... it was coming from that tree.

Without hesitation, Ethan walked over and placed his hand on the bark.

The moment he touched it, a surge of power rushed through him—

and behind him, a figure materialized in a flash of light.

A hero unit.

Ethan’s eyes widened.

This wasn’t just a beautiful grove—this was a hidden Creature Dwelling.

A special one.

"Kaedon," Ethan said, turning to face him with a rare smile. "You’ve made a very smart choice. This place is incredible. You’ve earned your life... and a place among us. What do you say?"

Kaedon’s eyes lit up like twin suns.

"I—I want to join! I do! Great one—no, My Lord!" he stammered, practically vibrating with excitement. "I swear my loyalty to you!"

He was overwhelmed.

He’d once considered offering this place to the Obsidian Dynasty,

but no one there had ever taken him seriously.

They wouldn’t even give him a low-ranking captain’s badge.

Sure, his power wasn’t impressive,

his Tier was low—

but he had a brain.

A sharp one.

He could’ve been a top-tier strategist if anyone had given him the chance.

But they hadn’t.

So every time a battle broke out, he’d fake his death and hide in the corpse piles, waiting for it all to blow over.

And now?

Now he’d stumbled into the service of a leader who not only spared his life,

but praised him, rewarded him, and welcomed him into Emerald Castle.

It was like a dream.

Ethan didn’t say much more. He simply nodded, then turned to Elira.

"Send the signal. Tell the others to move here immediately."

The Blood Saints of Thirty-Six’s base had already been drained dry of Primordial Force.

There wasn’t enough left to sustain them, let alone power the Creature Dwellings.

And without Primordial Force, those dwellings couldn’t summon anything.

It was only a matter of time before that place became useless.

When the Emerald Castle army finally arrived at Eclipsera Isle,

they were stunned.

No one had expected to find a place like this hidden in the Umbral Abyss—

a realm overflowing with pure, untainted Primordial Force.

The commanders didn’t hesitate.

They immediately located the Creature Dwelling and began summoning units nonstop—

flooding the area with new soldiers, new heroes, new power.

For the next two weeks, Ethan and his people thrived.

They trained, expanded, and fortified their new stronghold.

Their numbers grew.

Their strength multiplied.

But peace never lasted long in the Umbral Abyss.

One day, a Gold Dragon unit—one of the soldiers left behind to guard the old base—

arrived in a panic, his scales scorched and his breathing ragged.

"My Lord! Bad news!" he gasped. "The old Creature Dwelling... it was ambushed! The Obsidian Dynasty struck without warning! Everyone’s dead—the entire garrison was wiped out!"

Ethan’s expression darkened.

He didn’t look surprised—just grim.

He’d expected this.

He knew the Dynasty wouldn’t let that loss go unanswered.

He just hadn’t expected them to move so fast—

or to still have that much power left to throw around.

After the last battle, they’d lost so many high-tier commanders,

Ethan had assumed they were on the brink of collapse.

But clearly... they still had monsters in reserve.

...