Ethan's eyes lit up with a strange, burning gleam. "Umbral Abyss… Archdemon… and control over an entire world?" A thrill shot through him. He hadn't expected a jackpot . Elira came running over, blood streaked across her face, her aura noticeably stronger than before—clearly fresh from a brutal fight. "Right after you left, another group from Sky Citadel showed up. We clashed. They were stronger than us at first, but halfway through the battle… they suddenly pulled back." Ethan gave a small nod. He didn't need to ask why. The internal war in Sky Citadel had begun to spiral. The cracks were widening faster than expected. "Order everyone to pull out of Sky Citadel immediately," he said, his tone leaving no room for argument. "I'm taking you all somewhere better." Elira blinked, confused. After all the blood and sweat they'd poured into carving out territory in Sky Citadel, now they were just… abandoning it? She opened her mouth to ask—but Ethan was already gone, vanishing into a spatial rift without another word. The Emerald Castle army didn't dare hesitate. Ethan had given the order, and no one questioned him. Without delay, the entire force began its organized withdrawal, leaving the fractured Sky Citadel behind. But Ethan wasn't rushing into the Umbral Abyss just yet. Instead, he returned to Emerald Castle to prepare—summoning more troops, reinforcing his forces. The Umbral Abyss wasn't just another dungeon. It was a monster of a world. Every faction lord there was a powerhouse in their own right. Charging in unprepared would be suicide. For two full weeks, Emerald Castle buzzed with activity. Armies were rebuilt, new creatures summoned, weapons reforged. The castle once again stood tall, its forces restored to their former glory. But not everyone was thrilled. Sycaron sat off to the side, arms crossed, a deep scowl etched into his draconic features. While everyone else was summoning troops left and right, he could only sit there, helpless. No summoning skills. No Creature Dwelling. Nothing. He wasn't alone, either. The other dragonkin leaders were in the same boat. They were native monsters of this world—wild bosses, not system-bound players. They couldn't summon minions. The only way they could grow their numbers was the old-fashioned way: reproduction. And in just a few weeks? No way they could breed an army. Ethan felt a twinge of guilt. The whole reason he'd gone to the Eighth Layer of Sky Citadel in the first place was to help Sycaron gain summoning abilities. But that plan had gone sideways. Still… the Umbral Abyss was different. There had to be 17Tier monsters in there. If he could take one down—just one—he might be able to unlock something even better for Sycaron. That was the new plan. Months passed in a blur of training, summoning, and preparation. And then, finally, the day came. Ethan stood at the head of a vast army, his banner flying high above the walls of Emerald Castle. And with a thunderous roar, his forces surged forward—marching toward the Umbral Abyss. It didn't take long before they reached the edge of the chasm. From a distance, it looked like a bottomless abyss—just one glance down was enough to make your soul feel like it was being yanked out of your body by something lurking in the dark. Even Ethan found himself momentarily dazed. But now wasn't the time for hesitation. He led his forces down a narrow path that spiraled along the cliffside, descending slowly into the depths. Before long, they reached the outer rim of the Umbral Abyss. The moment they arrived, a crushing aura slammed down on them like a tidal wave. Then—figures emerged. Over a hundred of them, all radiating raw hostility, their eyes gleaming with bloodlust. "You fools must have a death wish, barging into our territory," one of them snarled. "No one trespasses here and lives!" Their presence was… wrong. Not just dark, but twisted. Their bodies pulsed with shadow energy, and something else—something feral. The moment the words left his mouth, the entire group seemed to snap, like they'd been triggered by some blood-rite. Their eyes turned crimson, and they charged without warning, howling like beasts. Ethan's gaze turned ice-cold. "Self-destruct Goblins—go. Tear them apart." Hundreds of goblins surged forward like a tidal wave, slamming into the enemy ranks. Their bodies overloaded with unstable energy, detonating on impact. The explosions came in relentless waves, shaking the very walls of the chasm. Fire and smoke turned the battlefield into a vision of hell. Flesh, bone, and shadow energy were torn apart in the chaos. The Bloodfang Brotherhood—those savage, snarling warriors—were shredded by the onslaught. When the smoke finally began to clear, the front line where the enemy had once stood was nothing but scorched earth. But—one figure still stood. He was massive, his body radiating power like a volcano on the verge of eruption. But his armor was cracked, his aura flickering, his breath ragged. A system scan flickered in front of Ethan's eyes: 17Tier Entity Detected. Under normal circumstances, Ethan wouldn't stand a chance. But now? The goblin bombardment had left the man broken and bleeding, his energy in chaos, his regeneration sluggish. Ethan's eyes sharpened. "All units—kill him." The goblins surged again. For the first time, fear flickered in the 17Tier warrior's eyes. He tried to rally his remaining strength, but the relentless assault pinned him down, giving him no room to breathe. Ethan blinked forward, energy coalescing into a lethal spear in his hand. He drove it straight through the man's chest before he could recover. ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ꜰʀᴏᴍ 𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙡⚫𝔣𝔦𝔯𝔢⚫𝘯𝘦𝘵 A guttural scream echoed through the chasm. Moments later, the 17Tier warrior collapsed, his life force snuffed out. Congratulations, Player Valkarion, mission complete! Your subordinate Sycaron has unlocked the ability: Summon Celestial Dragons! The system notification was brief, almost dismissive—but Ethan's eyes widened. Only Sycaron got a new ability? No level-up? No stat boost? He frowned, a little annoyed—until he noticed something else. His goblin summoning speed had increased. What used to take ten seconds per summon now took barely one. And the goblins? They were now 15Tier. Ethan's frustration vanished in an instant. These goblins weren't just cannon fodder—they were directly tied to his growth. Every time they fought, every time they killed, he gained power. Tier. Experience. This was better than he'd expected. But before he could savor the moment, a new group approached from the shadows—dozens of them, but unlike the last bunch, these ones looked nervous. Skittish. Their eyes darted around, and they kept their distance. "What the hell happened here? The Bloodfang Brotherhood… wiped out?" "Holy shit, these guys are monsters. They actually took out the Bloodfangs!" "Where the hell did they even come from?" The whispers spread like wildfire. Then, one of them—braver than the rest—stepped forward, cautiously. "Who… who are you? What are you doing here? Are you… trying to establish your own faction?" Ethan tilted his head, then stepped forward and grabbed the man by the shoulder. "You said something about establishing a faction. What exactly do you mean?" The man's breathing hitched. His body trembled under Ethan's grip. "In the Umbral Abyss… the rule is simple. If a new force wipes out an existing one, they inherit everything. Territory, resources, influence. The Bloodfang Brotherhood's assets… they're yours now."