Power surged toward the serpent like a tidal wave, flooding its massive body with raw, unfiltered energy. Its magical strength skyrocketed in an instant, reaching a terrifying peak.

But even as the creature's aura grew more monstrous by the second, Ethan and the others—Elira, Ataneya, Seraphina—stood their ground without a flicker of fear.

They'd seen this before.

Back in the Nethora world, they'd hunted down Crimson Ultimate Heroes under far worse conditions. This wasn't new. This wasn't intimidating.

"Don't give it a chance," Ethan said coldly, his voice like steel. Then, without hesitation, he launched himself forward.

He could feel it—his own power was right on the edge. He was so close to Tier 15 he could practically taste it. All he needed now… was the spark.

And that spark?

Was battle.

He wasn't going to hold back. He was going to throw himself into the fire and let the pressure of a Tier 15 SS-rank force him to evolve.

BOOM!

RUMBLE! RUMBLE! RUMBLE!

A violent shockwave erupted as Ethan's power exploded outward. His body swelled with energy, doubling in size, muscles surging with raw force. Though his level hadn't officially increased, his combat strength had never been higher.

He charged.

And right behind him, Elira, Ataneya, Feylora, and Seraphina followed without hesitation—flanking him, shielding him, unleashing hell alongside him.

The battle that followed was nothing short of apocalyptic.

The serpent, a true Tier 15 SS-rank Crimson Ultimate Hero, fought like a beast possessed. Its attacks tore through the swamp, its magic twisted the very fabric of space. But it wasn't enough.

Not against this.

Not against them.

They hit it from every angle, relentless and merciless. Blow after blow, spell after spell, until finally—

AAARGHHH!

The serpent let out a final, blood-curdling scream as its massive body split open, scales cracking, flesh tearing. It collapsed under the weight of their combined assault, its life force draining away into the swamp.

Dead.

"It's over…" Ethan muttered, a satisfied smile tugging at the corner of his lips. He could feel it—he was right there. One step away from Tier 15.

Maybe even seconds away.

"Feylora! Absorb its Fairy bloodline—now!"

"Yes, my Lord!" Feylora responded instantly, darting forward. She placed her hands on the serpent's broken body, and began to draw in its essence.

The Fairy bloodline within the creature surged toward her, flooding into her core.

And then—

DING!

"Congratulations, Player Valkarion. Your Hero Unit, Feylora, is now evolving to Tier 15, S-rank."

BOOOOM!

RUMBLE!

A blinding light burst from Feylora's body, shaking the very air around them. The sky above twisted, the swamp trembled, and a wave of power rolled across the land.

"My Lord… I did it!" Feylora cried out, her voice trembling with joy. "Thank you! Thank you for this gift!"

Ethan smiled, nodding with pride. "Congratulations, Feylora."

With her evolution complete, he now had three Tier 15 powerhouses under his command.

And if he could push himself just a little further…

He'd be the fourth.

The strength of Emerald Castle had just taken a massive leap forward.

But there was something else—something Ethan had noticed during the battle.

Feylora's Fairy bloodline… it wasn't just strong. It was different. Unique.

It had a kind of purity and dominance that set it apart from the others. It didn't just counter enemies with Fairy blood—it overwhelmed them. Crushed them.

That kind of bloodline could become a game-changer.

DING!

"Player Valkarion, you have officially entered the inner world of the Gate of Carno.

World Completion Quest has been activated."

"There are eight Tier 15 SSS-rank super bosses in this world.

Defeat them to complete the Gate of Carno.

Rewards will be calculated based on performance and kill data."

"Clearing this world may grant you unexpected rewards."

...

"What?!"

Ethan's eyes widened in disbelief.

A world-clear quest… for the Gate of Carno?

The objective was crystal clear—no room for misinterpretation. Eight enemies. All of them Tier 15. All of them SSS-rank Crimson Ultimate-class monsters.

No wonder this place had such a terrifying reputation.

Eight Tier 15 SSS-rank bosses?

That wasn't just strong—that was insane.

And now the system expected him to hunt them down?

Was that even possible?

Was their current strength really enough to take on something like that?

The doubt hit him hard. For a moment, he hesitated.

But then again… they were already here.

There was no turning back now.

"Alright, listen up," Ethan said, his tone shifting into something sharp and commanding. "This world is way more dangerous than we expected. From now on, no one moves alone. We stick together, stay alert, and don't take any unnecessary risks. Got it?"

"Yes, my Lord!" the group responded in unison, their expressions serious.

They didn't question him. They trusted him. And if Ethan said this place was dangerous, then it was dangerous.

Everyone immediately tightened formation, their senses on high alert.

"Let's move," Ethan said quietly, leading the way forward.

They traveled for what felt like hours, navigating through twisted terrain until they finally reached a relatively flat riverbank. The air here was thick with magic, but not the kind they were used to.

And that's when Ethan started noticing something strange.

Unlike the Graveyard of Legends, or the Nethora world, or even the Citadel of Shadows—each of which was dominated by a single type of magic, like Dark Magic or Necromancy—this place was different.

The Gate of Carno wasn't just one world.

It was eight.

According to the intel they'd gathered along the way, this realm was divided into eight distinct sub-worlds. Each one ruled by a single, overwhelmingly powerful entity.

Each one… a Tier 15 SSS-rank Crimson Ultimate Hero.

And these weren't just wandering monsters or random bosses.

They had empires.

Territories.

Armies.

They were full-blown dungeon lords with entire kingdoms under their command.

Which meant this wasn't going to be like fighting some elite unit in the wild. This was war. Siege-level warfare. And Ethan knew exactly what that meant—because he was a lord himself.

He understood the difference.

And it was massive.

"Damn… this is gonna be a hell of a climb," Ethan muttered under his breath, the weight of the situation settling on his shoulders.

They couldn't just charge in blind.

They needed to be smart.

Strategic.

"First step… pick the right target," he said, thinking aloud. "They're all Tier 15 SSS, sure—but there's no way they're all equally strong. There's gotta be a weak link."

And that weak link?

That was their way in.

If they could find the easiest one to take down first, it would give them momentum. Resources. Confidence. And maybe even a few surprises.

With that in mind, Ethan turned to Elira.

"Scout the area. I want intel—locations, names, power levels, anything you can find."

"Yes, my Lord." Elira vanished in a flash, her form melting into the shadows.

Not long after, she returned—and in her hand was a rough, but functional, map of the Gate of Carno.

Ethan unrolled it, eyes scanning the parchment quickly.

There. Their current location.

And not far from them… the nearest lord.

A centaur.

Name: Thyssar.

Title: The Centaur High King.

Tier 15. SSS-rank. Crimson Ultimate Hero.

...