BOOM!

The voice that followed was like a growl from the depths of Inferno—raspy, guttural, and laced with menace.

It echoed across the sky, shaking the very air.

Everyone in Emerald Castle heard it—and those with weaker strength? Their eardrums burst on the spot, blood pouring from their ears.

Seeing this, Ethan's expression darkened.

"…Cocky bastard," he muttered.

And with that, he vanished—reappearing high in the sky.

"Who the hell are you?"

The masked figure gave Ethan a cold once-over.

Then sneered.

"So you're the lord of Emerald Castle? Hmph. You don't look like much. I was expecting more."

He paused, then his tone dropped, voice turning icy.

"Listen up. I am the Dungeon Overlord—Olyan. You've been making too much noise lately. Someone's put a price on your head. So… nothing personal."

ROAR!

With a low growl, Olyan suddenly lunged forward—no warning, no hesitation.

SHING! SHING!

He raised his twin blades and slashed a circle through the air. Instantly, a storm of violet flames erupted from the arc, flooding the sky and surging straight toward Ethan like a tidal wave of fire.

In that moment,

Ethan instantly gauged his opponent's strength.

Tier 15. SSS-class.

And not just that—he was stronger than the Centaur High King and his brother.

On par with the Venomous High King, Gilrox.

"Damn… the Dungeon really is crawling with monsters," Ethan muttered, half in awe.

But even so—

He wasn't the same man he used to be.

He wasn't weak anymore.

He braced himself, ready to counter the incoming attack—

But just then…

Something unexpected happened.

BOOM!

BOOM!

BOOM!

Suddenly, from the void above, several fox tails lashed out like whips of light—then, in a flash, Ataneya appeared out of thin air, charging straight at the Dungeon Overlord, Olyan!

"Foxfire Burst!"

...

"What?! You're Tier 15 SSS-class?!" Olyan's expression twisted in shock, his voice laced with disbelief.

Clearly, he hadn't expected Ethan to have someone under his command who was on the same level as him—a full-fledged Tier 15 SSS-class powerhouse.

But as a Dungeon Overlord, he wasn't about to back down.

BOOM!

With a roar, he swung his twin blades and clashed head-on with Ataneya.

The two of them exploded into a high-speed, high-stakes battle—blow for blow, strike for strike, neither giving an inch.

The sky lit up with bursts of energy as their powers collided, shaking the very fabric of space.

But after only a short exchange, Olyan suddenly disengaged, leaping back and glaring coldly at both Ataneya and Ethan.

"Tch… Looks like I underestimated you," he said, voice like ice. "Fine. Consider this your welcome gift. I'll be waiting for you deeper in the Dungeon. Let's see if you can walk out alive when the time comes."

With a cold snort, he turned and vanished into a swirling rift in space—no hesitation, no wasted motion.

Gone.

"Vmm!" Elira appeared beside Ethan, frowning. "My Lord, why didn't you let me join in? We could've taken him down together."

"There's no point," Ethan replied calmly, shaking his head. "Even if we killed him, more Dungeon elites would just come knocking. Better to slow things down and buy ourselves some time."

He glanced at her, eyes sharp. "Besides, you saw how cautious he was. Even if you jumped in, there's no guarantee we could've kept him here, right?"

Elira paused, thinking it over—then nodded. "You're right. He was extremely careful… always watching for an escape route."

"But it doesn't matter," Ethan said, his voice low and steady. "Get ready. It's time we head into the Dungeon ourselves. If we want to keep growing stronger, we have no choice but to go deeper."

"Yes, My Lord!"

"Understood."

...

In the days that followed,

Emerald Castle shifted into full war-prep mode.

Every available recruitment slot in the Creature Dwellings was maxed out. Ethan and his team didn't leave a single one unused. As a result, the castle's military strength skyrocketed to an all-time high.

They were stronger than ever.

And soon after,

The war horn sounded once more—signaling the beginning of their next campaign into the Dungeon.

A new chapter of conquest was about to begin.

Atop the towering walls of Emerald Castle, Ethan stood tall, overlooking the massive army assembled below. His heart surged with pride and anticipation.

He could feel it—this was the moment.

"Everyone!" he called out, voice booming across the courtyard. "A new war begins today. This time, our target is the heart of the Dungeon! There are enemies waiting for us—powerful lords, ancient monsters—but no matter what stands in our way, we will not fail!"

"We march to conquer the Dungeon!"

"RAHHH!"

"RAHHH!"

"RAHHH!"

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The army roared in unison, their voices shaking the very ground beneath them.

In this world, everyone dreamed of becoming stronger. Everyone wanted a land to call their own.

And now, with Ethan's territory growing larger and more powerful by the day, that dream was becoming a reality—for all of them.

After the rally, Ethan led his forces out in full formation, heading straight for the Dungeon.

It didn't take long before they reached the deeper regions.

And what they found…

Was staggering.

The Dungeon was massive—far larger than Nethora, the Gate of Carno, and the Graveyard of Legends combined. Dozens, maybe hundreds of times larger. Maybe even more.

It stretched endlessly in every direction.

The air was still, eerily quiet.

A strange, ancient energy hung in the atmosphere, thick and heavy. Every stone, every wall, every shadow whispered of time long past.

The deeper they went, the more it felt like they were walking into the belly of something alive—something ancient and watching.

This was the true face of the Dungeon: endless, interconnected, and unknowable. A labyrinth with no end, where danger could be lurking behind any corner.

Here, they had to stay alert—every second.

No one spoke. The silence was oppressive.

Then, after what felt like hours of navigating the winding paths, Ethan suddenly spotted a faint light in the distance.

He moved toward it cautiously—

And that's when he felt it.

A strange force… pulsing from just ahead.

...