"Don’t worry about them for now," Ethan said calmly, his voice steady and commanding. "We need to focus on recovering, recruiting new units, and building our strength. Then—when the time is right—we’ll make them pay." His words cut through the tension like a blade. The others, who had been on edge, immediately settled down. Ethan’s orders were absolute. No one questioned them. If he told them to charge into death itself, they’d do it without hesitation. And over the next stretch of time, Emerald Castle’s forces flourished on Eclipsera Isle. The army returned to peak condition, stronger than ever. Across the board, their Tiers rose—Ethan himself advanced to mid-17 Tier. But the biggest surprise? She was the first among them to break through to peak 17 Tier. Her power seemed to resonate perfectly with the Primordial Force of this realm. From the moment she arrived, the energy here had poured into her like a river, pushing her through barrier after barrier until she stood at the top of her Tier. With someone like her at his side, he didn’t have to fear anyone. a deep, rumbling boom echoed through the skies of Eclipsera Isle. Ethan’s expression darkened. That sound... it wasn’t natural. Someone was attacking the barrier. Kaedon came running, panic written all over his face. "Master! It’s them—the Obsidian Dynasty! They’ve found this place! If this keeps up, they’ll break through. We should retreat while we still can. I sensed it... there’s an 18 Tier among them!" Ethan’s eyes narrowed. Kaedon’s instincts were sharp—surprisingly so. Even through the thick protective veil of Eclipsera Isle, he could sense the enemy’s strength. The shockwaves from the assault rippled through the entire realm. Several of Emerald Castle’s commanders, who were in the middle of summoning units, cursed under their breath. The tremors were interfering with the Creature Dwellings—some of the newly summoned soldiers were coming out malformed or injured. Ethan took a slow breath, steadying himself. It was clear now: the Obsidian Dynasty didn’t know the exact entrance to Eclipsera Isle, but they knew this realm existed. And they were trying to brute-force their way in. He turned to Ataneya. "You’re the strongest among us right now. Come with me. Let’s see who’s bold enough to challenge us here." "Yes, My Lord," she said without hesitation. The two of them moved fast, slipping out through a hidden exit—one that bypassed the blood-red cloud entirely. Outside, high above the world, they saw him. A massive giant, his entire body encased in jagged stone, stood atop the sky itself—slamming his fists into the air, each strike sending out a shockwave that cracked the very fabric of space. This was the ceiling of Eclipsera Isle’s hidden dimension. And this monster was trying to break it open. Ethan’s eyes narrowed as he studied the enemy. This wasn’t just some brute. The energy rolling off him was immense—18 Tier, no doubt. A commander-class powerhouse. And behind him stood several more figures, each radiating mid-17 Tier strength. It was a terrifying lineup. Just seeing them made Ethan’s gut tighten. Emerald Castle didn’t have anyone who could go toe-to-toe with that kind of force—not yet. He was just about to pull back and reassess when— Ataneya shot into the sky, her body wreathed in black flames. A massive energy sphere formed above her, pulsing with destructive power. Then she hurled it down with a roar. Ethan’s eyes went wide. She hadn’t waited for his command. "Damn it, Ataneya..." he muttered, jaw tightening. "You’re too reckless." The Stone Golem Commander reacted instantly. With a thunderous burst of energy, his massive, rock-armored body lifted off the ground. Power rippled off him in violent waves, and in his hand, a colossal obsidian spear materialized—formed from molten lava and compressed darkness. He gave it a casual flick— —and Ataneya’s magma-charged energy sphere shattered like glass, exploding into harmless fragments. The difference between peak 17 Tier and early 18 Tier wasn’t just a gap—it was a chasm. Ataneya didn’t stand a chance in a direct clash, especially not with several other Obsidian Dynasty lords flanking the Golem. Ethan didn’t hesitate. He raised the Scepter of the Fey Sovereign, its emerald-gold glow pulsing with raw power. The gem at its tip spun rapidly, releasing waves of radiant energy. He poured everything he had into the scepter. Golden streams of light spiraled through the air, converging into a blazing energy sphere—like a miniature sun—and launched it straight at the Golem. The air screamed as the sphere tore through it, heading straight for the enemy. The Golem’s eyes flared crimson. He sensed the danger. With a grunt, he slammed his feet into the ground, shattering the stone beneath him, and launched himself upward. The rock plating on his back cracked and fell away as he rose, revealing glowing magma veins beneath. In his hand, the obsidian spear pulsed with black-red energy. He roared—and hurled it. The two forces collided midair. The explosion was deafening. The golden light was instantly swallowed by the Golem’s dark energy, shattering into a thousand shards. The shockwave ripped through the sky. Ethan’s cloak snapped violently in the wind. Before he could react, a fragment of the Golem’s spear—still charged with residual energy—pierced through the blast and slammed into his left shoulder. Blood sprayed. Ethan staggered, dropping to one knee on a floating rock, his breath ragged. "Ethan!" Ataneya shouted, wings flaring as she surged forward. The Golem’s voice rumbled like an avalanche, laced with mockery. "Hah... Finally flushed you out." He raised his spear again, eyes glowing with cruel amusement. "Tell me where the entrance to this realm is. Or I’ll grind you into dust." Ethan clenched his jaw, forcing himself to stay upright. Pain burned through his body, but his mind was sharp. He pulled up the system interface. A cold blue screen flickered in front of his eyes: [Target: Obsidian Golem Commander] [Tier: 18 (Early Stage)] [Energy Type: Composite Elemental Core] [Defense Rating: 97%] [Energy Node: Heart Core Region] Just as he suspected—this monster had concentrated all his energy into his heart core. But to destroy it... he’d need power on the same level. Neither he nor Ataneya had that—yet. The Golem raised his spear again, obsidian energy gathering at the tip. Ethan took a deep breath. His eyes hardened. "If I can’t overpower you... then I’ll turn your own strength against you." and grabbed the spear still embedded in his shoulder. Golden light flared from his fingertips, clashing violently with the Golem’s dark energy. The pain was blinding. His vision blurred. But he didn’t let go. He gritted his teeth and forced his energy to reverse flow. "—Absorption Mode: Activate." The system’s cold voice echoed in his mind. Golden and black energy surged through the spear like twin dragons locked in a death spiral. The air twisted. The floating rocks cracked. A vortex of raw power erupted beneath them. The Golem’s eyes widened. "Impossible! You dare—?!" He tried to pull the spear back— ɴᴇᴡ ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀʀᴇ ᴘᴜʙʟɪsʜᴇᴅ ᴏɴ 𝕟𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕝✦𝘧𝙞𝙧𝙚✦𝕟𝕖𝕥 but the flow had already reversed. His energy was being drained—ripped from his core, siphoned through the weapon. Ataneya felt the sudden spike in Ethan’s aura and rushed to his side. "Master! Stop! You’ll tear yourself apart!" His body trembled violently. Blood poured from his wounds, evaporating into steam as his energy surged out of control. The Golem roared in fury, his body shaking as his power was leeched away. Ethan’s skin began to crack, glowing with unstable energy. Ataneya didn’t hesitate. She dove forward, wrapped her arms around him, and slammed her palms together. A dark red flame burst beneath their feet— a spatial fire, infused with dimensional energy. The fire exploded outward, forming a massive energy veil that turned the entire sky blood-red. In the blinding light, the two of them vanished— swallowed by the flame. When the dust finally settled, the Golem stumbled back, his chest flickering with unstable light. He let out a furious roar and smashed the rock beneath him with a single punch. But Ethan and Ataneya were gone. slipping through a hidden rift and returning to the safety of Eclipsera Isle.