CHAPTER 542: THAT’S YOUR WEAKNESS

BOOOOM! BOOOOM! BOOOOM!

In an instant, a surge of immense power erupted from Namyanna’s body. The ocean beneath her feet responded, glowing with ancient, arcane energy that rose up and wrapped around her like a living tide.

A shockwave burst outward, shaking the sea and sky alike.

At the same time, the ocean itself seemed to awaken—countless particles of magical energy began to swirl and gather, flooding toward Namyanna and engulfing her in a radiant vortex of power.

Moments later—

DING!

"System Notification:

Player [Valkarion], congratulations—your Hero Unit [Primordial Tide Siren: Namyanna] has successfully evolved into an SSS-rank Crimson Ultimate Hero!"

DING!

"System Notification:

Player [Valkarion], congratulations—your Hero Unit [Primordial Tide Siren: Namyanna] has successfully evolved into an SSS-rank Crimson Ultimate Hero!"

DING! DING! DING!

The system spammed the same message over and over, as if trying to hammer home just how monumental this was.

"She did it!" Ethan’s eyes lit up, his voice filled with excitement.

Namyanna had ascended.

She was now an SSS-rank Crimson Ultimate Hero—just like him.

That meant Ethan now had not one, but two SSS-rank heroes under his command. And if he counted himself... that made three.

Three SSS-rank Crimson Ultimates.

That was insane.

It was a power level most players could only dream of. And now, it was his reality.

"Perfect," Ethan muttered, eyes narrowing with anticipation. "Now the real hunt begins..."

He was fired up.

Because this was just the beginning.

If things kept going like this, then Andona, Ataneya... even Cicero, Seraphina, and Kyros—they all had the potential to reach SSS-rank too.

This wasn’t the end.

It was the start of something massive.

SSSSHHHHHHHH!

BOOOOM!

AAAAHHHH!

Suddenly, just as Ethan was riding the high of victory, a deafening rumble tore through the air.

From the distance, the sea began to churn violently.

Then—CRACK!—a massive surge of energy exploded upward, and something began to rise from the depths.

A giant.

A stone colossus, slowly emerging from the ocean.

Its body was wrapped in seaweed and marine flora, its hollow frame filled with swimming sea creatures. It looked ancient, like it had been sleeping for centuries beneath the waves.

At first, the air around it was calm.

But then—it opened its eyes.

FWOOOSH!

A pulse of raw, unfiltered power burst from its body, shaking the entire battlefield.

The pressure was suffocating.

Ethan’s heart skipped a beat.

"What the hell is that...?" he muttered, his expression darkening.

He could feel it.

This thing wasn’t just strong—it was on his level.

Another SSS-rank.

He activated his scan instinctively, and sure enough—

[SSS-Rank Crimson Ultimate Hero Detected]

"Of course," Ethan muttered, narrowing his eyes.

But before he could even finish processing the threat, the stone giant let out a thunderous roar that shook the heavens.

ROOOOOAAAAARRRR!

Its power exploded outward in a violent wave.

"You filthy invaders!" the giant bellowed, its voice like a crashing tsunami. "You’ve turned this world into chaos!"

The sheer force behind its words made even Ethan flinch. He had no idea what this thing was talking about—but it was pissed.

Then—

HUMMMMM!

A radiant, multicolored orb floated up from the giant’s chest. Inside it swam a mermaid—glowing with iridescent light, her form eerily similar to Namyanna’s.

Same build.

Same aura.

But this one shimmered with a rainbow of colors, her presence so dazzling that even Ethan couldn’t help but stare.

"Since you dare to defile this place," the stone giant growled, "prepare to be shattered into dust!"

The mermaid shot forward, unleashing a terrifying wave of pressure that blanketed the entire battlefield.

The air turned heavy.

The sea trembled.

But just as Ethan was about to step forward—

Namyanna moved in front of him.

"My Lord," she said firmly, her voice calm but resolute. "Let me handle this."

"That creature... her power is just like mine."

She turned her head slightly, eyes locked on the glowing mermaid.

"So let me be the one to face her."

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Ethan paused for a beat, then gave a firm nod. "Alright, go for it, Namyanna."

After all, she was SSS-rank now—he wasn’t too worried. Worst-case scenario? If things got dicey, they’d just gang up on the enemy and beat it down together. No big deal.

THUD!

THUD!

THUD!

BOOOOOOM!

At that moment, Namyanna and the stone giant clashed in midair. Two overwhelming forces collided, lighting up the sky with a storm of magical energy that rippled across the battlefield.

To Ethan’s surprise, the stone giant wasn’t just a brute—it was a summoner. The sea creatures swimming inside its hollow body began pouring out, summoned into battle like a living army.

A full-on swarm.

Namyanna was immediately put on the defensive. She was powerful, yes—but this was her first real fight as an SSS-rank Crimson Ultimate Hero. She was still adjusting, still finding her rhythm.

But even so—

She held her ground.

Alone, she managed to stall the monstrous sea giant, trading blows in a dazzling display of magic and might. The sky above the ocean became a battlefield of light and shadow, water and stone.

BAM!

CRASH!

But just as the fight reached its peak, something else stirred beneath the waves.

Another presence.

Another monster.

This one rose slowly from the depths—a towering soul-form creature shaped like a massive tree, its body wrapped in seaweed and aquatic plants that writhed like living vines.

Every time those vines lashed through the air, they released bursts of violent energy.

And the worst part?

This one was SSS-rank too.

"...What the hell is going on?" Ethan muttered, eyes narrowing. "Are they seriously ganging up on us now? Trying to wipe us out?"

He didn’t wait for an answer.

With a flash of light, he surged forward, power erupting from his body as he prepared to meet the new threat head-on.

Because right now, he was the only one who could go toe-to-toe with another SSS-rank.

Andona and Ataneya were strong—but not quite there yet.

But just as he was about to strike—

Ataneya suddenly darted in front of him.

"My Lord, let us fight with you!"

"We can’t just stand by and watch you risk your life alone. We’re your warriors—we fight beside you, no matter the odds!"

Ethan blinked, caught off guard by her sudden determination.

But then he smiled.

"Alright. Let’s do this together. Andona, Ataneya—go!"

"Yes, My Lord!"

This time, Andona was the first to move. She vanished in a flash of light, reappearing mid-air with her Angelic longsword already swinging down.

BOOOOM!

Her blade struck the Sea Treant’s massive body, and a blinding explosion of holy energy erupted on impact.

SSSSHHHH!

The Sea Treant let out a guttural roar, its body trembling. The vines wrapped around it began to swell and lash out wildly—then suddenly, they detached and transformed into five separate SS-rank soul-form monsters.

"More summons?" Ethan scoffed. "Too bad. That’s your weakness."

He grinned.

"Take them out—now!"

He knew exactly what this meant.

Those summoned creatures weren’t just minions—they were extensions of the Sea Treant itself. Kill them, and the Treant’s power would drop. Fast.

BOOM!

BOOM!

BOOM!

Andona and Ataneya didn’t hesitate. They charged in, blades flashing, magic flaring. The two of them tore into the summoned beasts with relentless fury, holding their own against all five.

Ethan watched for a moment—then joined the fray.

He moved like a storm, cutting through the summoned monsters with brutal efficiency. Three strikes. Two kills. One explosion of soul energy.

AAAAHHHH!

The Sea Treant howled in pain.

Just as Ethan predicted, its strength began to plummet. The connection to its summoned extensions was severed, and its core energy destabilized.

Ethan’s eyes narrowed.

This was it.

The opening he’d been waiting for.

...