Two opposing forces struck Ethan from both sides—
Boom!
His Bear Form nearly collapsed under the pressure, his massive fra feeling like it was about to be crushed.
-3,289!
-2,192!
Collect!
Ding…
[System Notification: You have obtained Frostbound Reverie x1.]
Ding…
[System Notification: You have obtained Infernal Core x1.]
At the sa ti, two massive damage values floated above Ethan's head.
His health bar vanished in an instant. For a brief mont, he swore his soul was about to float away with those numbers.
He had expected to die for this, sure, but actually seeing his HP plumt like that? His heart nearly gave out. When his vision stabilized, he saw a single number remaining.
19 HP.
Nineteen.
His stomach dropped.
Without hesitation, Ethan pulled out his High-Grade Instant Recovery Potion. A single bottle of this stuff cost 50 gold in stores.
Did he care? Not even a little. He chugged it down instantly.
Beneath his feet, the once-lethal frost had lted into ordinary ice—harmless, but rapidly turning into water. The water level was rising fast.
No hesitation.
Transform: Panther Form!
He bolted.
Only an idiot would stay here. Sothing else was still lurking below.
Just as Ethan dashed into the Hidden Chamber, a deafening boom erupted behind him, followed by a scream of pure rage.
"You wretched humans! I'll tear you apart!"
Ethan did not look back.
Nope.
Instead, he sprinted even faster, heading straight for the exit. Behind him, the sound of rushing water roared through the tunnels, closing in. The flood surged violently, slamming into the chamber walls with terrifying force.
Thank god he ran early.
If he had hesitated for even a second, he'd be part of that flood. Because the Winter Queen's companion wasn't just a pet.
It was a dragon.
A monstrous, dual-elent beast of water and poison, her most trusted steed.
But after her death, it had succumbed to corruption, transforming into an unstoppable nightmare.
For ten thousand years, it had been locked away. But now, It was free.
And it was furious.
Ethan barely had ti to process this as he reached the entry chamber, spotting a stone outcrop near the wall.
He dove for cover just as the first wave of floodwater slamd into the room.
BOOM!
The impact shook the entire chamber. If he hadn't found shelter? He'd be nothing but a splat mark on the wall.
As the first surge passed, Ethan felt cold water engulf him. He imdiately transford.
Transform: Seal Form!
Kicking off, he swam upward, breaking through the turbulent current. As he surfaced, he caught sight of his escape route, the underground spring where all this water was pouring out.
All he had to do was wait for the water level to rise high enough—then slip through.
Within seconds, the rising flood had carried him toward the ceiling.
From 20 ters below the top, to 3 ters in just two breaths.
And then—
Ethan saw it.
A dark green haze swirling into the water.
Poison.
The entire water supply was being contaminated. His instincts scread at him—MOVE.
He had only about ten ters before the toxin reached him. And only half a ter before hitting the ceiling. Ethan exhaled sharply, diving for montum before launching straight up.
Swoosh!
He broke through the surface, shooting into the spring's opening.
Ethan swam upward, pushing against the flow. The sa force that had slowed him earlier now aided his escape. His small Seal Form rocketed through the narrow passage like a torpedo, reaching the lakebed above.
But just as he erged, a massive force exploded from below. Before he could react, he was launched upward. The sheer montum hurled him toward the lake's surface, his body completely out of control.
And at that exact mont—
The players from Blade Syndicate, still searching for him above, felt the ground begin to quake. The ground trembled violently.
For a mont, it felt like an earthquake. Players panicked. "Wait, earthquakes exist in this ga?!"
Then, they saw it.
A massive pillar of water erupted from the center of the basin, shooting straight into the sky, nearly a kiloter high.
Monts later, every pool of water in the basin followed suit, geysers bursting upward like synchronized fountains.
The sight was breathtaking and terrifying.
"What the hell is that?!"
It wasn't just Blade Syndicate that was stunned. The sheer size of the central water column made it visible from miles away.
Every player in the region stopped what they were doing, their only thought—What just happened?
anwhile…
At the very top of that kiloter-high water column—
Ethan.
When the pressure launched him into the air, he continued rising another hundred ters before reaching the peak of his ascent.
The mont he felt gravity kick in—
Transform: Night Owl Form!
Wingbeat!
'God, I love this skill.'
At first, he had dismissed it as a cute little flapping move, but it had saved his life so many tis.
There was no way in hell he was falling straight back down into that poison-infested water. Below, the once-clear water had turned murky green, a lethal mix of toxicity and death.
And Ethan?
He had zero antidotes left. No resistance potions. No purification spells. One dip in that water, and he was done. So, he made a different choice…
Glide.
With controlled movents, he maneuvered away from the poisoned basin, smoothly drifting toward the outer edge.
From his aerial vantage point, he could see everything. Players scattering in terror, their tiny figures frantically sprinting for their lives.
So made it. Most didn't. The poison spread too fast.
As he activated Wingbeat, Ethan also activated his recording function. Every second of this massacre was captured.
Slowly descending, he reached the outer periter of the basin. Here, the terrain was higher, aning the poison hadn't reached it yet.
Now just under 100 ters from the ground, he surveyed the scene below.
And that's when he saw them.
A group of over 400 Blade Syndicate players, gathered around a makeshift command platform. On it, a single man, surrounded by won.
Ethan narrowed his eyes.
'Son of a bitch.'
The bastard who had been commanding the hunt for him, Sitting comfortably, enjoying himself, while his guild was dying in agony.
Ethan clenched his jaw.
That man? Marcus Skeiner, the guild master of Blade Syndicate.
Marcus Skeiner's gaze remained locked on the basin, his expression twisting in horror. Seven thousand of his guild mbers, drowning, poisoned, dying.
He watched their desperate struggles, their bodies floating to the surface one by one.
A total wipeout.
Where had this water even co from?! And why the hell was it poisoned?! Panic clawed at his mind.
'How the hell am I supposed to recover from this?!'
Seven thousand deaths, each mber losing one level and one piece of equipnt. How was he supposed to compensate that?!
First thought? He won't pay them back. Second thought? If he didn't, they'll riot.
Even with all the bribes he'd taken, it wasn't enough to cover the losses. His legs gave out, and he collapsed into his chair.
Then—
"Look! Up there!"
A player pointed toward the sky.
A fat bird was descending slowly toward the cliffs.
All eyes turned. Marcus Skeiner followed their gaze— And saw Ethan.
Ethan landed on a high ridge, standing above them all. With 400 Blade Syndicate players watching, he shifted back to human form.
He raised his hand, and pointed directly at Marcus Skeiner.
Then—
Thumbs down. A slow, deliberate motion.
Before he ran his finger across his throat. A declaration of war. And a promise.
'This fight ends here.'
Silence prevailed.
Then—
"That's Renegade Alliance's guild leader!"
The words hit Marcus Skeiner like a slap to the face. His rage boiled over.
"KILL HIM!"
His face contorted with fury, veins bulging as he scread. Did that bastard actually think that he could take him on? With 400 people against him?!
'You arrogant son of a—!'
"GO!"
The Blade Syndicate players charged toward Ethan, only to blink in confusion. Because, he was gone. One second he was there, the next? The ridge was empty.
"Protect Guild leader! Priests, use Illumination! Find him!"
One of Marcus Skeiner subordinates snapped into action. Imdiately, the remaining players rushed to form a protective circle around him.
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