CHAPTER 685: NOT A FAN OF CARDIAC ARREST

Ethan narrowed his eyes, locking onto the flickering pulse of energy in the distance.

"There," he murmured to Feylora, his voice low and tightly controlled.

In the next instant, both of them vanished, streaking across the shattered ridgeline like twin shadows.

Seconds later, they reappeared in a scorched clearing, the ground blackened and cracked, the air thick with the acrid stench of burnt metal and ozone.

At the center of the devastation crouched the pangolin beast, limbs braced against the ground, its massive chest rising and falling in slow, deliberate breaths. With each inhale, it seemed to suck the very essence from the air—drawing in the ambient mana like a black hole devouring light.

Its body looked like a fortress carved from stone, runes etched deep into its armored hide, glowing faintly with unstable energy.

But Ethan’s eyes weren’t on the runes.

He was watching the subtle, off-rhythm pulse of energy deep within its chest—right where the heart should be.

That was his target.

"You two..." the creature growled, lifting its head. Its eyes gleamed with a blood-red glow.

"I thought you ran off. Didn’t expect you to come crawling back. Guess you’re tired of living—fine. I’ll end it for you."

With a roar, it launched itself into the air, the ground beneath it fracturing from the sheer force. The air cracked with sonic booms as it surged forward like a missile.

Ethan didn’t flinch.

Instead, a cold smirk tugged at the corner of his lips.

"Let’s find out who’s really dying today."

He raised his hand, and a small, smooth energy orb formed in his palm—its glow soft, its surface calm, almost harmless.

The pangolin sneered and unleashed a blast of earth energy from its mouth. The two attacks collided mid-air with a deafening explosion.

BOOM—!

The flash was blinding, washing the world in white for a split second.

But hidden in that burst of light, Ethan moved.

Using the explosion’s shockwave as a boost, he dove low, body skimming the ground like a shadow slicing through smoke and debris.

The beast was still mid-roar.

"You pathetic little—what, you think that weak-ass trick—"

It never finished the sentence.

Ethan was already there.

He drove his right fist forward, every muscle in his body coiled tight, his knuckles trailing a streak of searing golden light.

—BOOM!

His punch landed dead center on the creature’s chest.

Time seemed to freeze.

Then came the impact—an earth-shattering thud, followed by a shockwave that rippled out in all directions.

The pangolin’s massive body was launched backward like a wrecking ball, slamming into the cliffside with a thunderous crash. The rock face shattered, boulders raining down in a landslide of rubble.

It let out a guttural, pained howl, its limbs twitching, the glowing veins across its chest flickering erratically.

Ethan stood where he’d struck, chest heaving, eyes locked on the beast as it struggled to rise.

His voice cut through the silence like a blade of ice. "Not a fan of cardiac arrest, huh?"

The creature’s pupils shrank in shock.

"You... how do you know that?!"

Ethan didn’t answer.

He just kept walking forward, slow and steady, like a predator closing in.

Energy flared again around his fist, runes lighting up along his arm.

"Because I’ve been watching you for a long time."

And then—he struck again.

A second punch, just as precise, just as brutal, slammed into the exact same spot on the creature’s chest.

BANG!

BANG!

BANG!

Ethan’s fists slammed into the creature’s chest again and again, each blow heavier than the last.

If its heart stopped beating every time it unleashed its full power, that meant one thing—its heart was fragile. Vulnerable. All he had to do was hit it hard enough, and it would shatter.

And that’s exactly what he did.

With every punch, Ethan poured in everything he had left. By the time his fist pulled away from the pangolin’s chest, its heart was nothing but a mangled mess of ruined flesh.

Tier level? Raw power? None of that mattered.

Destroy the core, and even the strongest beast would fall.

"No—!"

The energy radiating from the creature’s body dispersed in an instant, its life force vanishing with it.

Feylora rushed up beside Ethan, eyes wide with awe. "My Lord, you actually did it! You really killed it!"

She placed a hand on the creature’s back, drawing in the remnants of its power. A soft glow pulsed through her as her own strength ticked up slightly.

Ethan’s eyes gleamed with adrenaline and satisfaction.

This changed everything. With this victory, their odds against the Kazzan Empire just got a whole lot better.

"Let’s move."

They didn’t linger.

Before long, they were back at the capital of the Obsidian Dynasty.

But what greeted them wasn’t the familiar sight of home—it was a warzone.

The entire city was under siege.

An unknown army had surrounded the capital, sealing it off completely. There weren’t many of them, but their Tier levels were off the charts. At this rate, the city wouldn’t hold much longer.

Ethan steadied his breathing, then dropped down with Feylora into the heart of the castle.

"What the hell’s going on? Who are those troops outside?" he demanded.

Elira came running, panting, her face pale. "We don’t know. They didn’t announce themselves when they arrived. All we’ve got is a name—their commander is called Hestanar."

Ethan’s expression darkened. He immediately pulled up the enemy’s data panel.

There he was—Hestanar. Tier 18, mid-stage.

The power radiating from him was monstrous.

The battle had already claimed countless lives from the Emerald Castle’s forces—most of them at Hestanar’s hands.

"Son of a bitch..."

Rage flared in Ethan’s eyes, and a wave of raw power surged from his body.

"Hestanar! Your fight is with me!"

His voice thundered across the battlefield like a cannon blast.

Both armies froze for a moment, heads turning toward Ethan.

Even Hestanar paused, then slowly turned to face him, eyes narrowing.

"And who the hell are you supposed to be?" he sneered. "You think you can challenge me? You must have a death wish."

Ethan didn’t flinch.

No fear. No hesitation.

A massive energy blade formed in his hand, crackling with power.

Hestanar’s lips curled into a grin. "Now we’re talking."

He summoned his own energy blade, and in the blink of an eye, the two of them clashed.

BANG!

BOOOOOOM—

The sky lit up with their collision, shockwaves rippling through the air like thunderclaps. The battlefield trembled under the weight of their power.

The sound alone was unbearable—an unnatural, high-pitched hum that pierced the ears and rattled the bones. Soldiers on both sides dropped to their knees, clutching their heads, unable to move.

No one could tell how many blows had been exchanged before the two combatants finally broke apart, landing on opposite ends of the field.

Hestanar wiped a smear of blood from his lip, eyes gleaming. "You’re stronger than I expected. I’ll give you that. But don’t get cocky—you’re still just an insect to me."

Then, behind him, a massive spectral figure began to take shape—a towering Frost Phoenix, wings spread wide, its body glowing with icy blue light.

The temperature plummeted.

The air itself seemed to freeze.

SSSSSSHHHH—

A wave of frost swept across the battlefield.

Everyone shivered involuntarily.

Even Ethan staggered back a few steps, breath fogging in the air.

Hestanar was already stronger than him. Now, with the Frost Phoenix’s power backing him, Ethan knew—even if he unleashed everything he had, he still wouldn’t be able to match him.

He clenched his fists, jaw tight, mind racing.

But before he could act, a sudden gust of wind swept through the battlefield.

Namyanna rose into the air, her trident glowing with a soft, ethereal light. With a single graceful motion, she swept it through the air—

And the biting cold was pulled toward her like a tide.

The temperature around them began to stabilize, the frost retreating as if sucked into a vortex.

...