"Hell yeah, that’s what I’m talking about!" Ethan grinned, his excitent barely contained.
With this, he now had not one, but two Tier 14 Crimson Ultimate Heroes under his command. That alone was a ga-changer. It was a massive leap forward for his plans—and more importantly, it gave him a real shot at clearing the Citadel of Shadows dungeon.
I an, co on—Tier 14!
The sheer power and rarity of a Crimson Ultimate Hero at that level? That wasn’t sothing you just stumbled across. It was the kind of firepower that could bulldoze through endga content.
And now he had two.
Wummmm...
As he was still riding the high, a strange, powerful energy began to pulse from deep within his body. It wasn’t chaotic—it was focused, ancient, and overwhelming. The energy fused with his own, swirling together until it condensed into a small, glowing orb embedded in his chest.
The aura it gave off was unlike anything he’d felt before—dark, yes, but also divine, like the ocean itself had left its mark on him.
And with it, his strength surged. Not just a little—he felt like he’d doubled in power. His level had definitely gone up, though he wouldn’t know the exact number until he left this place.
"No doubt about it... this thing’s a true Primordial Force artifact," Ethan muttered, clenching his fist as the energy settled into his core. "I can feel it. I’m way stronger now."
The power finished syncing with his body, and as he opened his eyes, he saw both Ataneya and Namyanna kneeling before him, heads bowed, their expressions solemn.
"You two can get up now," Ethan said, a little awkwardly. "No need for all that in front of ."
But neither of them moved.
Instead, they stayed kneeling, hands glowing with shifting light, performing what looked like so kind of ritual.
A contract ritual.
When the light finally faded, Ethan felt a strange warmth on his shoulders. He looked down and saw two black diamond-shaped marks—one on each side.
Through those marks, he could feel them—Ataneya and Namyanna. Their life force, their power levels, their presence. It was like they were now permanently linked to him.
"So this is what a real contract bond feels like..." he murmured.
"Master," Ataneya said, rising to her feet first. "Klorvax is powerful. Not just him—his entire faction is a force to be reckoned with. His army, his elite units... they’re no joke. If we want to take him down, we can’t do it alone. We’ll need help. There’s soone we have to find."
Ethan exhaled slowly. "Yeah... I figured as much."
He’d already had a run-in with Klorvax before. The guy was a monster. Even his regular troops were on par with dungeon bosses. Taking him head-on would be suicide.
"Who is it? And where do we find them?" Ethan asked, not wasting a second.
If there was another potential ally out there—maybe even another hero—he wasn’t about to pass that up.
Namyanna didn’t say a word. Instead, she pulled out a blood-red gem from her robes and tapped it lightly with her finger.
Wummm!
The gem flared to life, casting a brilliant crimson light that stretched out into the distance—forming a glowing path.
But the path didn’t lead across land.
It led straight into the ocean.
Ethan’s eyes widened. "Wait... you’re telling we have to cross that?"
He’d just gotten out of the damn sea, and now they were diving back in?
"Don’t tell we’re swimming across that entire ocean," he muttered. Sure, he could handle water, but this wasn’t just any sea. This place was massive—endless, even. And definitely dangerous.
"Of course not," Namyanna said with a small smile. Then, without warning, she tossed the blood-red gem into the water.
Fwoooosh!
A massive warship materialized out of thin air, rising from the depths like a summoned beast.
"We’re going far," she said simply. "So of course we’ll need a ship."
Ethan let out a breath of relief. "Thank god."
He followed her aboard.
The ship was unlike anything he’d ever seen. Its design was ancient and elegant, with blood-red gems embedded into every corner. They pulsed with energy—clearly the ship’s power source. All it took was a spell cast at the bow, and the entire vessel would move.
Namyanna stepped to the front of the ship, raised her hand, and began weaving a spell with practiced grace.
Monts later—
BOOM. BOOM. BOOM.
The ship roared to life, cutting through the waves like a blade through silk.
Out on the open sea...
Ethan lay sprawled on a cushioned lounge built into the deck of the massive ship, staring up at the sky with a distant look in his eyes.
Ever since he’d entered this dark world, his nerves had been stretched tight. He was alone here—cut off from his old forces, unable to summon any of his previous allies. Every step had been a gamble.
But now... things were finally starting to turn around.
He had two allies again.
And not just any allies—two S-Class Crimson Ultimate Heroes. Tier 14.
That was no small thing.
Even if he couldn’t unleash his full power while at sea, Ataneya and Namyanna were both masters of water magic. Especially Namyanna—this entire ocean was practically her personal domain. With them by his side, he didn’t need to worry about anything sneaking up on him.
And since the ship ran on its own, powered by those blood-red gems, he could finally relax for a bit.
"Alright," he muttered to himself, folding his arms behind his head. "Next step—finish this. Clear the Citadel of Shadows."
Sure, this world was fascinating in its own way, but he still preferred the world outside. He missed his old companions—Cicero, Seraphina, Kyros... all of them.
He wondered how they were doing now.
How long had it even been?
THUD.
BOOM—BOOM—BOOM—
A sudden, thunderous rumble shook the ship, jolting Ethan upright. He leapt off the bed and rushed to the edge of the deck—only to freeze at the sight before him.
Floating not far from the ship was a massive, translucent creature.
At first glance, it looked like a ghost.
But as it drifted closer, he realized—it was a jellyfish.
A massive jellyfish.
"What the hell is that thing...?"
Its body was enormous, with tens of thousands of tendrils trailing beneath it like a living curtain. The do of its head glowed with shifting hues of blue and white, and sothing about it scread toxic as hell.
Ethan’s expression hardened. He could feel the pressure radiating off it—raw, primal energy. His own power surged in response, ready to strike.
THOOM.
Just a ripple from the creature’s aura made the ship creak and groan, the hull crackling under the strain.
If they let this thing go unchecked, it could tear the ship apart in seconds.
"Don’t worry, Master," Namyanna said casually, stepping forward with a faint smile. "That’s a Phantom Jellyfish. Looks terrifying, sure—but its at is actually delicious. Just wait here. I’ll go catch it and make you so Phantom Jelly Tempura."
Before Ethan could even respond, she vanished in a flash of light.
A gentle, radiant energy spread from her body, enveloping the surrounding sea in a shimring field—her domain.
The jellyfish was pulled into it instantly, and the mont it entered, its power began to weaken. Fast.
In less than two minutes, its aura had dropped by half.
Namyanna floated effortlessly in front of the beast, raised one hand, and tapped it lightly on the head.
FWOOSH!
A shockwave burst outward.
The massive jellyfish—this towering, terrifying creature—began to crack apart, its body disintegrating into glowing fragnts. Within monts, it was reduced to nothing but drifting pieces, which Namyanna gathered and brought back to the ship.
"Apologies for the scare, Master," she said sweetly. "But now you’ll get to taste just how good this thing is."
Ataneya ca bounding over, practically bouncing with excitent. "It’s been forever since I’ve had jellyfish this big! We’re feasting tonight!"
The two of them got to work imdiately, prepping the at with practiced ease. It didn’t take long before they’d cooked up a massive platter of golden, crispy Phantom Jelly Tempura.
When they brought it over to Ethan, Namyanna picked up a piece with her fingers and held it up to his lips.
"Here, Master," she said gently. "Try it. I promise—you’ll love it."
Ethan hesitated for a second, then shrugged and leaned in, taking a bite.
"...Huh?"
The flavor exploded in his mouth—rich, savory, with a strange, almost electric aftertaste. As he swallowed, the at seed to lt into liquid, flowing down into his core.
And then he felt it.
A surge of energy.
His eyes widened as divine power coursed through him—pure, radiant energy, the kind that was rare even in this dark world. It wasn’t just nourishnt—it was empowernt. His strength was rising. He could feel it.
"Holy shit..." he muttered, eyes gleaming. "This stuff actually boosts my power..."
And not just a little. This was the kind of energy that was nearly impossible to absorb in this realm—and now he was getting it from food?
Ethan didn’t need to be told twice.
He grabbed the plate and started devouring the tempura like a man possessed.
...
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