From the sky not far off, a deafening roar cracked through the air. And then, just like that, a figure appeared—suspended between heaven and earth. The moment he showed up, a wave of wild, chaotic energy exploded outward from him. It was overwhelming—terrifying. But what was even more disturbing was what happened next. The Adamant Essence—those powerful, elemental forces that had been stable just moments ago—suddenly went berserk, like they were being summoned by something. In an instant, they spiraled out of control. It was like they were trying to tear free from this world altogether. "...What the hell?" Ethan frowned, floating midair as he looked up. The figure in the sky looked like a man in his twenties or thirties—or more accurately, a young Skyfiend. He just stood there, but his presence was like a black hole—dark, oppressive, and impossibly powerful. All around, the Adamant Essence began surging toward him, drawn like moths to a flame. "Mmm... still tastes just as delicious as ever," the Skyfiend said, licking his lips with a twisted grin. "I gotta say, I didn’t expect someone to actually gain control over the Adamant Dragon Plane World... and even harness the power of the Adamant Essence for themselves. Impressive." "But come on, isn’t it a little selfish to keep all this good stuff to yourself?" He chuckled darkly. "How about you share it with me? Who knows, maybe I’ll be so touched by your generosity, I’ll spare everyone here. What do you say? Hahaha... HAHAHAHA!" The mocking laughter echoed across the battlefield, sending a chill down everyone’s spine. "...Is that so?" Ethan’s expression darkened. Yeah, this guy was definitely here to cause trouble. And judging by the pressure rolling off him, he wasn’t just some random punk—he was strong. Really strong. Still, Ethan wasn’t fazed. He had his entire force assembled here. He wasn’t afraid of anything. RUMBLE-RUMBLE-RUMBLE— A massive surge of energy erupted from Ethan’s body. The sheer force of it was staggering, radiating outward like a shockwave. Right in front of him, a massive sphere of energy began to form—dense, glowing, and pulsing with power. It wasn’t just raw strength—it carried the divine essence of the Dragon God, fused with the unique high-dimensional energy signature of the Sky Citadel itself... The shockwave blasted outward, shaking the very air. Even the Skyfiend paused for a second, caught off guard. "Tier 16, SSS-class?" he muttered, eyes narrowing. "Didn’t expect that. No wonder you wiped out those weaklings... But wait—did you actually manage to tap into the high-dimensional attributes of our Sky Citadel too?" He grinned, eyes gleaming with interest. "You’re a real prodigy. Tell you what—why don’t you submit to me? I’ll give you power, status—everything you could ever want." "Swear loyalty to me, and from this moment on, you’ll be the master of the Fourth Layer of Sky Citadel." Ethan let out a cold laugh. "You want me to kneel to you? Become your little puppet in the Fourth Layer? Please..." He sneered. "You really think you’re qualified to make that offer?" The Skyfiend’s grin widened, sharp and cold. "Do I think I’m qualified? Heh... Let me introduce myself." "I am the Overlord of the Sixth Layer of Sky Citadel." "If you submit, you live. If you refuse..." His voice dropped, icy and low. "You already know what happens next." The moment those words left his mouth— Everyone’s face changed. The Sixth Layer Overlord...? Suddenly, a terrifying, sky-shattering force erupted from the Skyfiend’s body. The energy rippling through the sky turned savage, violent—like a storm that could swallow the world. Even Ethan and Ataneya—both Tier 16, SSS-class powerhouses—felt a chill crawl down their spines. The aura pouring off this guy wasn’t just strong. "Damn it! What the hell is this? Someone above Tier 16?!" Ethan’s face darkened, his brows furrowing hard. The energy pouring off this guy was way too intense—no doubt about it, he was beyond SSS-class Tier 16. And Ethan knew it. He didn’t have much confidence he could win this fight. But what made it worse— This was just a probe. A taste of the guy’s power. "No wonder he calls himself the Overlord of the Sixth Layer..." Ethan muttered under his breath. "He’s the real deal." He took a deep breath, steadying himself, then stepped forward. His expression turned cold and sharp—and in that instant, a wave of terrifying power surged from his body, sweeping out like a tidal wave, shaking the very air. "And who the hell do you think you are, telling me to surrender?" Ethan’s voice rang out, bold and defiant, laced with raw dominance. The young Skyfiend’s expression instantly darkened. Clearly, that hit a nerve. "So... you’ve chosen death, huh?" the Skyfiend sneered, his voice like ice. He raised his hand—and immediately, a monstrous surge of energy erupted from within him, so intense it made the air crackle and even made the strongest warriors flinch. "Damn, he’s strong..." Ataneya’s face paled slightly. She could feel it too—this guy was stronger than her. But just then, Ethan suddenly let out a cold laugh. "You think I’m some kind of idiot?" he said, smirking. "You really thought I wouldn’t notice? This is just a projection." The Skyfiend’s face twitched. He stared hard at Ethan, saying nothing. "Hmph." Ethan snorted, his voice sharp and cutting. "I’ve already sealed off the dimensional channels from the higher layers of Sky Citadel. You’re not getting down here that easily. So cut the act and get lost. Who exactly do you think you’re fooling?" "...Very well," the Skyfiend growled, his eyes dark and venomous. "In that case, just wait." "It won’t be long before the full force of Sky Citadel descends." "And when that happens—every last one of you will die." ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ꜰʀᴏᴍ novel•fire.net "We’ll see about that," Ethan shot back with a cold smirk, not backing down an inch. The Skyfiend let out a final snort, then his body flickered—and vanished into thin air. But even after he disappeared, the energy he left behind still lingered in the air, crackling and booming like thunder, refusing to fade. Ethan’s expression didn’t ease up. If anything, it got even grimmer. Sure, he’d sealed the dimensional channels from the upper layers of Sky Citadel. But that didn’t mean they were impenetrable. If that guy really wanted to kill him— He could break the seal. And if that happened... things would get ugly. Fast. But there was no other choice now. He had to get stronger. Fast. Ethan narrowed his eyes, then glanced back at his troops. He opened his mouth to speak— But before he could say a word, the sky above them suddenly split open. A rift in space tore wide across the heavens.