Ethan shot a cold glance at the man in front of him, his face completely emotionless. Without a word, he raised his hand and slammed it down right over the guy's heart—killing him on the spot. Sure, by the rules of this place, once he took out their boss, these guys technically became his subordinates. But they hadn't submitted. And Ethan had no use for people who didn't know loyalty. Might as well just wipe them out. The order dropped like a hammer. The Emerald Castle crew moved instantly, cutting down the last few survivors of the Bloodfang Brotherhood without hesitation. Ethan didn't say another word. He just turned and walked straight into the main hall of the Bloodfang Brotherhood's stronghold. The place was a dump—barebones layout, everything looked like it hadn't been touched in years. More like a rundown courtyard than a proper base. Sure, with some cleanup it could be usable, but Ethan wasn't about to let his people live in a place . Aside from a blood-red gem sitting on the table, everything else was basically junk. Ethan sighed, a little annoyed, but still reached out and picked up the gem. The moment his fingers closed around it, a wave of Bloodlust Aura exploded from it, flooding into his body. The power inside the gem wasn't overwhelming, but the Bloodlust Aura it released was thick—intense. As soon as it surged into him, Ethan could feel his own strength being tainted by that same bloodthirsty energy. And then, the surrounding energy— it started pouring into him, like he was a magnet. The sudden influx of power didn't level him up or boost his stats, but it did make his aura feel way more savage—more lethal. it could seriously amp up someone's combat ability. He was just about to toss the gem to one of his men, thinking they could absorb some of that energy too— But then, the gem vanished. Gone. Just like that. Looked like… each Bloodlust Gem could only be used by one person? Ethan didn't hesitate for a second. He immediately ordered his people to tear through the Bloodfang Brotherhood's base, searching for more of those blood-red gems. But after a long, thorough search— they came up empty. Not a single one. < Congratulations, player Valkarion, you've obtained a Bloodlust Orb! > [The Bloodlust Orb is a divine relic unique to the Umbral Abyss, containing pure Bloodlust energy.] [Currently, there are two known ways to obtain one:] [First: Forge it yourself within the Umbral Abyss—requires massive time, manpower, and energy.] [Second: Defeat other factions and take it from them. The stronger the faction, the more Bloodlust Orbs they're likely to have!] The moment Ethan saw the notification, a grin tugged at the corner of his mouth. So basically, if you wanted more Bloodlust Orbs, you had to go pick a fight with other factions and take them by force. Wasn't that exactly why he came here? He took a deep breath, then immediately locked his gaze on the nearby strongholds. Sure, these other bases looked way more fortified than the Bloodfang Brotherhood's dump, but the energy radiating from them? Not much stronger, if at all. With that command, Ethan led his crew straight to the neighboring stronghold. No subtlety, no diplomacy—he just walked up and started pounding on the front gate like he owned the place. A few seconds later, the door creaked open, revealing a burly guy with a massive blade and a face like a pissed-off demon. But the second he saw Ethan, all that bravado drained from his face. He stumbled back in panic, eyes wide with fear. "Wh-what do you want?" he stammered. This faction was called the Blood Serpent Brotherhood. Their stronghold had a watchtower that gave them a clear view of the surrounding area. They'd seen everything— Ethan's brutal takeover of the Bloodfang Brotherhood, how he'd punched a hole straight through Karn's chest like it was nothing. "We're not here to cause trouble," Ethan said casually. "Just go tell your boss—we need a few Bloodlust Orbs. Thought we'd borrow some." Get full chapters from 𝕟𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕝~𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕖~𝕟𝕖𝕥 The guy at the door froze. Was this guy serious? Bloodlust Orbs were sacred to every faction in the Umbral Abyss. Even a mid-tier group would need at least a month of grinding to forge just one. The Blood Serpent Brotherhood only had three—two of which they'd stolen in bloody battles with rival factions. "B-Boss!" the guy yelped, then turned and bolted inside like his ass was on fire. Moments later, a whole squad stormed out of the stronghold, weapons drawn, eyes blazing. At the front was a tall man with a scar running down his face. He looked Ethan up and down with a twisted smirk. "You've got some balls, I'll give you that. Just got here and already trying to challenge the Blood Serpent Brotherhood? You really have a death wish, don't you?" Ethan didn't flinch. He stepped forward, calm and direct. "Let's not get it twisted. I'm not here to challenge anyone. I'm just asking to borrow a few Bloodlust Orbs. If you've got some, hand 'em over. We'll pay you back once we've got our own supply." The Blood Serpent boss started trembling— not from fear, but from rage. In the Umbral Abyss, Bloodlust Orbs weren't something you lent out. Hell, they weren't even something you asked for. "You little shit, you're clearly here to provoke us! Brothers—kill him!" The entire Blood Serpent Brotherhood erupted in fury. Dozens of warriors surged forward, their bodies radiating thick, violent Bloodlust Aura. The energy fused together into a massive, oppressive force. Ethan didn't even blink. He took a few steps back and casually tossed out ten Goblin Bombers. The explosions hit like a freight train, engulfing the entire stronghold in fire and chaos. To their credit, the Blood Serpent Brotherhood had built their base like a fortress. Even after ten consecutive blasts, the walls only lost some plaster. The concrete tiles on the floor didn't even crack. Clearly, they'd used some kind of high-grade material to reinforce the place. Still, the sudden assault caught them completely off guard. The weaker members were blown to pieces on the spot. The stronger ones were left battered and bleeding, their armor shredded, their bodies torn up. The Blood Serpent boss and his two lieutenants stood coughing violently, the explosions having drained most of their energy. One of them was a Tier 17 beginner, the other two were both Tier 16 SSS-level elites. Compared to the Bloodfang Brotherhood, they had one extra top-tier fighter, but overall, their strength was on a whole different level. In fact, even in Sky Citadel, this trio would be considered a serious threat. "You're still standing? Impressive," Ethan said with a smirk. But he wasn't about to let them catch their breath. His power surged in an instant— and with a single, brutal punch, he smashed it straight into the Blood Serpent boss's skull.