A violent surge of power suddenly burst out from the egg, forcing Ethan to stumble back several steps, completely caught off guard. The next moment, the egg floated into the air, crackling with sharp, splintering sounds. Then, from within, a thin, wiry Skyfiend crawled out. At first glance, the creature looked almost harmless—frail, even. But as seconds ticked by, its body began to swell, growing larger and more grotesque by the moment. By the time it stopped, it had transformed into a monstrous Skyfiend, radiating pure menace. The moment it appeared, every single person in Emerald Castle turned their eyes toward it in unison. Sure, they'd seen Skyfiends before—but this one was different. The moment it showed up, the entire atmosphere shifted. The pressure rolling off its body was so intense it felt like it could crush the air itself. Every breath it took came with a low, guttural hum, like it was tearing through space just by existing. And the weirdest part? Embedded right in the center of its forehead was a pearl-sized orb, about the size of a clenched fist. It was milky white, but under the light, it shimmered with an eerie iridescence—like something alive was slowly swimming inside it. It didn't look like a power core, and there were no runes or magic arrays etched into it. Honestly, it looked like a piece of jewelry. But that only made it creepier. As the Skyfiend lifted its head, the orb pulsed faintly—and in that instant, a sharp, stabbing pain shot through everyone's eyes, like some invisible force was peering straight into their souls. Then, without warning, a wave of raw, violent energy exploded from its body like a volcanic eruption, shaking the entire space with a deafening roar. "You're the ones who dared to stir up trouble in Sky Citadel?" the Skyfiend sneered, voice dripping with contempt. "Tch. I thought you'd be something special. Turns out you're just a bunch of worthless trash. You really don't know your place, huh? Fine. Then die here—all of you." The moment those words dropped, everyone's expression changed. That wasn't just some random egg—it was a reinforcement sent down from the upper levels of Sky Citadel, all the way to the fourth layer. But seriously? Just one guy? Did they really think one Skyfiend could wipe them all out? "Hmph! Kill him!" Ethan snapped, his voice cold and sharp. Just as Ethan moved to strike, a terrifying force erupted from the Skyfiend's body. In midair, it condensed into a massive net of energy that spread out like a trap ready to spring. At the same time, a huge sphere of energy formed in the Skyfiend's hands, locking onto every single person in Emerald Castle. The pressure that followed was suffocating. Everyone's face went pale. Ethan quickly pulled up the Skyfiend's stats—and his heart sank. This guy… he was Tier 16, SSS-rank?! "Shit!" Ethan cursed under his breath. This was bad. Really bad. A Tier 16 SSS-class monster? And that net in the sky—it wasn't just big. The energy it was giving off was bizarre, almost unnatural. If it dropped, it could trap them all in one go. Ethan launched himself forward, unleashing the full force of his Dragon God power. It surged from his body in a golden blaze, slamming into the massive net above. The clash of powers echoed like thunder. But even with all his strength, Ethan's energy was no match. The moment it hit the net, it was absorbed—completely swallowed. Ethan's eyes widened in shock. He hadn't expected the net to have such a powerful devouring effect. He took a deep breath, stepping back slightly. Then, gathering every ounce of his strength, he fused his Dragon God aura into a single, radiant form—a golden bow and arrow. "Dragon God's Heavenpiercer!" The golden arrow blazed to life, pulsing with divine energy. The arrow shot upward like a comet, slamming into the net with a force that shook the heavens. This time, the power was on a whole different level—several times stronger than before. The golden arrow radiated a destructive force so intense, it felt like it could tear the world apart. The very fabric of the world seemed to shift. A terrifying energy rippled outward as the golden arrow clashed with the massive net in the sky, locking into a brutal tug-of-war. But even with all that force behind it… The net was still winning. Overwhelmingly strong. "You call that power? Not bad, I guess… but compared to me? You're still nothing. Got it? Trash." The Skyfiend hovered effortlessly in the air, his tone dripping with mockery. He looked completely relaxed, like he wasn't even trying. Meanwhile, the energy sphere in his hand had fully locked onto everyone in Emerald Castle—ready to explode at any second. "My Lord!" Ataneya growled, her teeth clenched so hard they audibly cracked. Her face was twisted with frustration. They had just taken down the Holy Fox Sovereign—a Tier 16 SSS-class monster—not long ago. There was no way they were backing down now. If they could win then, they could damn well win now. Suddenly, a violent surge of energy erupted behind her. Eight massive tails unfurled behind Ataneya, swaying in the air like living weapons. Each one radiated a strange, space-warping energy, creating swirling vortexes that seemed to suck in the surrounding power. She took a deep breath—then launched herself straight at the net. A wave of devouring force burst from her body, slamming into the net and beginning to absorb its energy. "What?! Are you insane?!" the Skyfiend shouted, stunned. He hadn't expected anyone to be reckless—or stupid—enough to try and absorb his power directly. But what he didn't know… Ataneya had done this before. Thunder cracked across the sky as the net trembled violently under the strain. And unbelievably—Ataneya was actually absorbing it. Her eight tails swelled, growing thicker and more powerful. Her body, too, began to expand—stronger, fiercer. But it wasn't without risk. If she kept going , her body might not be able to handle it. She could literally explode from the inside out. "Ataneya!" Ethan shouted, panic flashing in his eyes. The source of thɪs content is Nov3lFɪre.ɴet He was just about to rush in to help when— Another tail sprouted from Ataneya's back. Everyone froze, eyes wide in disbelief. What the hell just happened? The power from her eight tails was already insane. Now she had nine. She still wasn't quite at the level of the Holy Fox Sovereign's twelve tails, but this was more than enough to shake everyone to their core. And more importantly— Ataneya had just hit the absolute peak of Tier 16 SS-class. She was one step—just one—away from breaking into SSS-class. "Hell yeah!" Ethan grinned, his excitement barely contained. But then he noticed something else. The Skyfiend's body… was shrinking. Even the energy sphere in his hand had started to flicker and fade. "What the hell? Don't tell me…" Ethan's eyes widened as the realization hit him. Ataneya wasn't just absorbing the net—she was draining the Skyfiend himself. The Skyfiend screamed in agony, his voice echoing across the battlefield. He tried to stop her—but Ethan was already there, intercepting him with everything he had. He knew—this was Ataneya's moment. If she could keep going, she might actually break through. More and more of the Skyfiend's power was pulled into her, and her body began to change again—radically. Ten massive tails now danced behind her, each one radiating a terrifying, godlike energy. The sheer force rolling off her was enough to make the air itself tremble. Her body, which had swelled with power, now returned to its normal form—only now, all that energy had been channeled into her tails. Ataneya had officially stepped into the realm of Tier 16 SSS-class. Her power had skyrocketed.