CHAPTER 541: ALRIGHT, I’M DONE PLAYING

"My Lord!"

"What’s happening to you?!"

"This isn’t good—BOOM!"

In an instant, Andona, Namyanna, and Ataneya all felt something was wrong. Their expressions shifted, and they immediately unleashed their power, trying to help Ethan break free from the Dreadforged Armor’s grip.

But just as they began channeling their energy—

Ethan raised a hand, stopping them.

"Hold on. I’m fine," he said, voice strained but steady. "The Dreadforged Armor... it’s not attacking me. It’s fusing with me. Just give me a second—I think I can take full control of it."

The moment he said that, the three women froze, stunned. But they didn’t argue. Without hesitation, they pulled their power back and stepped away.

BOOM!

BOOM!

BOOM!

Thunder cracked across the sky. Lightning split the clouds. The entire world seemed to tremble.

From the Dreadforged Armor, a terrifying aura surged outward, thick and suffocating. At the same time, Ethan’s body slowly lifted into the air, suspended by the sheer force of the transformation.

Then—

The armor began to melt.

Not in the literal sense, but it transformed—its dark, jagged plates liquefying into streams of black fluid, each particle pulsing with raw Dark Magic. The liquid flowed into Ethan’s body, seeping into his skin, his veins, his soul.

"AAAHHH!"

Ethan screamed.

The pain was unbearable.

But even as he cried out, the energy inside him surged—rising, climbing, exploding upward.

And then—

DING!

A system notification echoed in his mind.

He’d done it.

He had fully fused with the Dreadforged Armor.

And his Hero Rank—

Had officially reached SSS-level.

Crimson Ultimate Hero.

BOOOOOOM!

A shockwave of power erupted from Ethan’s body, like a dormant volcano finally waking up. His aura exploded outward, wild and untamed, shaking the very air around him.

His power was no longer just surging.

It was overflowing.

And the Dreadforged Armor?

Gone.

No longer a separate entity.

It had become part of him—completely and utterly absorbed.

"He actually did it..."

"He really tamed the Dreadforged Armor..."

Ataneya and Andona stared in awe, their eyes wide with disbelief—and maybe a little envy. Namyanna, too, looked stunned. None of them had expected Ethan to pull this off. He’d just leapfrogged past them, straight into the realm of legends.

SSS-rank.

That kind of power was beyond rare.

And now, Ethan had it.

ROOOOOOAR!

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

But just as the dust began to settle—

A new threat emerged.

From the depths of the ocean, a monstrous energy surged upward. The sea churned violently, waves towering like mountains. A massive, grotesque creature burst from the water—a soul-form beast with the body of a colossal octopus, its presence radiating death and fury.

"You filthy bastards! You killed my master!" the creature roared, its voice shaking the heavens. "I’ll rip you apart! I’ll devour your souls and drag you into eternal darkness!"

The sheer rage in its voice was enough to make the air tremble.

No one had expected this.

This thing... it was here for revenge.

For Thalrion.

And more importantly—

"...Another SSS-rank?" Ethan muttered, eyes narrowing.

A flicker of excitement sparked in his gaze.

Because now?

Now he was a real SSS-rank Crimson Ultimate Hero.

And unlike Thalrion, he wasn’t some half-broken soul-form. He was whole. Alive. Overflowing with power.

And this monster?

It was the perfect test.

"Perfect," Ethan said under his breath, a grin tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Let’s see what I can really do now."

He inhaled deeply.

Then vanished.

WHOOSH!

In a blink, he reappeared—right above the monster’s head.

His hand shot up.

And then—

He brought it crashing down.

BOOOOOOM!

A thunderous impact shook the sky as Ethan’s innate skill exploded to life, slamming into the beast with devastating force.

BOOOOM!

THUD!

BOOM! BOOM!

Ethan’s devastating strike slammed the massive octopus-like soul beast straight into the ocean with bone-crushing force.

ROOOAAARRR! The creature let out a blood-curdling scream, thrashing wildly beneath the waves—but it couldn’t break free. Ethan’s power was overwhelming, pressing down on it like a mountain. He wasn’t just winning—he was dominating.

BAM!

CRACK!

BOOM!

They clashed again and again—first plunging into the deep sea, then rocketing back up into the sky. In just a few minutes, the entire ocean looked like it had been torn apart. Shockwaves rippled across the horizon, the sheer force of their battle shaking the world.

Gulp.

Watching from a distance, Andona, Ataneya, and Namyanna couldn’t help but swallow hard. Their eyes were wide, their minds reeling.

Their entire understanding of power—of what was possible—was being shattered right in front of them.

"He’s incredible..."

"My Lord’s strength... it’s unreal."

They knew it. As a true, fully awakened SSS-rank Crimson Ultimate Hero, Ethan might not yet be on par with the legendary Blazing Overlord Khorzinoch—but he was damn close.

Same tier. Same league.

And right now, that terrifying strength was being unleashed in full, crushing the soul beast with absolute dominance. The monster didn’t even have a chance to fight back.

It was getting wrecked.

"AAAHHH!"

The creature’s screams grew more desperate, more agonized.

"This can’t be happening! You’re just some outsider trash—how?!"

"How can you possibly have this kind of power?! It’s not possible!"

"Oh yeah?" Ethan sneered, eyes gleaming with cold amusement. "If I’m trash, then what does that make you? Trash that can’t even beat trash? Sounds like you’re just a worthless piece of shit."

He turned his head slightly, glancing toward Andona and Ataneya.

"Alright, I’m done playing. Let’s finish this. All of us—together."

"Yes, My Lord!"

"On it!"

The moment the words left his mouth, the three women lit up with excitement. They’d been waiting for this. Power surged through them as they launched forward, joining Ethan in a coordinated assault.

They surrounded the beast, striking from all sides.

And this time, the outcome was obvious.

It was over.

In less than a minute, the massive soul-form octopus monster let out one final, guttural scream before its body shattered into a storm of glowing magic particles—its form disintegrating completely.

Gone.

WUMMMM!

WUMMMM!

WUMMMM!

And in the aftermath, hovering above the remains, a blood-red orb pulsed with raw magical energy.

The creature’s Primordial Force.

It wasn’t quite as powerful as Thalrion’s, but it was still unmistakably SSS-rank. A treasure, no question.

Ataneya, Andona, and Namyanna all locked eyes on it, their expressions filled with awe—and longing.

They knew what this meant.

Whoever absorbed that orb would gain a massive boost in power. Maybe even level up. Just like Ethan had.

And Ethan?

He took a moment to think.

Then made his decision.

He turned to Namyanna.

"Namyanna. This one’s yours."

"M-My Lord? Me?"

"Take it," Ethan said with a nod and a smile. "You’re water-element, just like that thing was. It’s the best match. You’ll get the most out of it."

He paused, then added more seriously, "Besides... you took a heavy hit during the fight with Thalrion. I saw it. Your Primordial Force is unstable. If you don’t recover soon, your rank might drop. We can’t let that happen."

That part wasn’t negotiable.

It had to be handled.

"I... I understand." Namyanna took a deep breath, her eyes misting slightly. Then, without hesitation, she stepped forward and absorbed the orb.

The moment it entered her body, her aura flared—bright, powerful, and rising fast.

...