anwhile, not far from the center where Gold Dragons and Archangels circled overhead, Ethan stood with Seraphina, Cicero, Kyros, Auremax, and the Archangel Alvariel, among others.
They had all noticed the arrival of Grand Duke Fiesto and the Cyclops King Doregar.
And with them—an overwhelming sea of troops, tens of thousands strong, stretching across the hills.
"What the hell is this supposed to an? Are they trying to intimidate us or sothing? Want to show them what real power looks like?" Seraphina snapped, clearly irritated by the display.
Ethan just shook his head, a calm smile playing on his lips. "When the strong do this, it’s called a show of force. When the weak try it... well, it’s just fear in disguise. Relax. Let’s see what they’re up to first." Then he turned to Cicero. "Can you get a read on their numbers?"
"Roughly 3,000 units of Cyclops Kings, and close to 100,000 regular troops—Cyclops, Thunderbirds, Rocs, that kind of thing. Looks like they’re all from the Stronghold faction. But I don’t see any Behemoths or Ancient Behemoths," Cicero replied coolly.
"Stronghold, huh... I bet Balthazar and the others would love to get their hands on those units," Ethan chuckled. Then, casually, "Anyone feel like coming with ?"
"I do!" Seraphina jumped in without hesitation.
"Alright then." Ethan nodded, then turned to the rest. "Everyone else, stay here. Hold your position. Seraphina and I will go have a little chat with Grand Duke Fiesto."
Honestly, even with the enemy’s dramatic entrance, Ethan wasn’t feeling the slightest bit of pressure. Sure, 3,000 Cyclops Kings was nothing to sneeze at...
If he only had one Crimson Ultimate hero on his side, maybe he’d be a little concerned.
But that wasn’t the case—not even close.
He had Seraphina.
He had Kyros.
He had Cicero.
That made three Crimson Ultimate heroes right there.
And on top of that, he had hundreds of Gold Dragons, Archangels, and Mythic Ace Units like Gold Dragon Auremax and Archangel Alvariel. Hell, even he himself had undergone a second awakening—he was a Crimson Ultimate hero now too.
This wasn’t just a strong lineup.
This was damn near invincible.
So no, he wasn’t worried. Not even a little.
"Yes, Master!"
"We’ll wait right here for you, Master!"
"Understood, Master!"
...
Maybe they were thinking the sa thing, or maybe they just trusted Seraphina’s strength—but no one tried to stop Ethan. Cicero, Kyros, Auremax—they all bowed their heads in agreent, one after another.
Even Archangel Alvariel looked like he had sothing on his mind... but in the end, he just shook his head and stayed silent.
"Let’s go, Seraphina," Ethan said with a grin, turning toward Grand Duke Fiesto.
"ROAR!"
As soon as he moved, Seraphina transford—her body shifting into her massive dragon form. She threw her head back and unleashed a thunderous roar that shook the heavens.
A terrifying wave of Draconic Force exploded outward from her.
Invisible, but devastating.
It surged in every direction like a tidal wave, tearing through the air and land alike.
BOOM—BOOM—BOOM—BOOM—BOOM!
In an instant, the ground beneath them began to quake violently.
It was like the earth itself was having a ltdown—an earthquake of apocalyptic proportions.
And above them, the sky darkened as massive storms ford out of nowhere, swirling around their path like angry gods screaming in fury.
Caught in the blast, Grand Duke Fiesto, Cyclops King Doregar, and the tens of thousands of soldiers from the Blazeblade Kingdom were thrown into chaos. The sheer force of Seraphina’s presence sent them staggering, stumbling—so even falling flat on their faces.
They couldn’t even stay on their feet.
"What the hell are they doing?!" Grand Duke Fiesto’s face was twisted with frustration.
But more than anything, what he felt was regret—and a bitter sense of defeat.
He’d brought everything he had. Scraped together nearly all his forces, hoping to give himself a little courage... maybe even put on a show of strength to intimidate the other side.
And now?
The other side had only sent one Green Dragon hero.
Just one.
And that alone was enough to completely crush their morale.
That said it all.
All his careful preparations, all the troops he’d rallied... probably looked like a joke to them.
Shaking his head, Fiesto let out a bitter laugh and muttered, "Doregar, let’s go."
"Yes, Your Grace," Cyclops King Doregar replied with a nod. Then, side by side, the two of them began walking toward Ethan and Seraphina—each step heavy, as if weighed down by the humiliation.
"We et again, Doregar," Ethan said with a casual smile as they approached.
"It’s an honor to see you again, mighty Lord," Doregar replied respectfully, then gestured to the man beside him. "Allow to introduce soone... This is Grand Duke Fiesto, ruler of the Blazeblade Kingdom."
"Grand Duke Fiesto, I’ve heard a lot about you," Ethan said with a friendly grin, extending his hand.
Fiesto had been bracing himself for a tense encounter, but Ethan’s approachable deanor caught him off guard. He let out a small breath of relief, then reached out and shook Ethan’s hand with a polite smile. "You’ve co a long way. As your host, I should be welcoming you properly. I’ve already prepared a banquet in your honor. Please, allow to escort you into the city."
"No need for all that," Ethan said, shaking his head with a smile. "Let’s just talk here. I assu Doregar already told you why I’m here?"
Fiesto’s expression stiffened. He gave a strained smile and said, "He did... but surely you understand, my lord. The Blazeblade Kingdom is part of the Greenwave Empire. What you’re asking for... I can’t agree to it."
Ethan didn’t look angry. In fact, he just smiled again—then suddenly changed the subject.
"Grand Duke Fiesto, do you know Astharel?"
"...Astharel?" Fiesto blinked, confused. "You an... The Jewel King Astharel?"
"Yeah," Ethan nodded, eyes narrowing slightly. "He’s with now."
"W-What!?"
Fiesto’s face went pale. His eyes widened in shock as he stared at Ethan.
And he wasn’t the only one—Doregar looked just as stunned.
Erald Castle had taken over the Gemspire Kingdom?
If that was true...
Then this man’s ambitions were far bigger than they’d imagined.
...
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