CHAPTER 703: THE SUN OVER THE DESERT

SWISH—!

The woman across from Feylora was starting to crack.

Her face had gone pale, fingers trembling as she forced the bowstring back again.

Blue energy whipped around her like a cyclone, gathering into another arrow—but her momentum was faltering.

Her aura, once overwhelming, was now clearly being pushed down.

And Feylora kept advancing.

Her breaths came fast, shoulders trembling from the strain, but she didn’t back off an inch.

SWISH—!

SWISH—!

Gold and blue arrows clashed again and again in the sky, each collision like a thunderclap that made the very air shudder.

Every shot Feylora loosed drained her, nearly wringing her dry.

Her golden hair streamed behind her like a banner in the storm, and in her eyes burned not calculation, but conviction.

Even if it cost her everything—

She would hold this battlefield for her master.

BOOM—!

Another pair of arrows collided.

The sky flipped.

The entire desert trembled as a wave of searing heat rolled across the horizon.

Dunes shook and cracked.

From beneath the sand, the tentacled creatures that had been lying in wait burst to the surface, shrieking in fury and pain.

Ethan’s eyes lit up.

Opportunity.

He didn’t hesitate.

"Full assault!" he shouted. "Wipe out the remaining tentacles—don’t let them near the fight!"

The order shot through the ranks like lightning.

Emerald Castle’s warriors surged forward, and the roar of battle returned to the desert.

Meanwhile—

Ethan rose silently into the air, his form vanishing into the swirling sand.

He slipped around the edge of the storm of light and fury above, moving fast, a golden blur threading through chaos.

He was closing in—fast—on the blue-haired woman’s blind spot.

Above, the duel between Feylora and the woman had reached its peak.

They were practically fighting in the clouds now, their energy tearing across the sky in jagged arcs.

Each clash screamed through the heavens, a sound like the sky itself being ripped open.

Gold and blue spiraled together in a massive helix, lightning and wind detonating inside it.

For a moment, it was impossible to tell who had the upper hand.

BOOOOM—!

Then, a streak of gold shot up from below.

Ethan made his move.

Power surged through him, golden light condensing in his palm into a spinning sphere of energy.

It burned so bright it looked like it might punch a hole through the sky.

He murmured, low and final:

"Let’s end this."

The energy sphere launched, trailing a blazing tail of fire—

And slammed straight into the woman’s back.

BOOM—!

The explosion lit up the entire desert.

She screamed, a raw, piercing sound, and her body twisted midair before plummeting from the sky.

SWISH—!

The woman’s composure cracked.

Her hands trembled, her face drained of color, but she still forced the bowstring back, blue energy howling around her as it formed another arrow.

But her momentum was gone.

Her aura, once overwhelming, was now clearly being crushed.

And Feylora kept pressing forward.

Her breath came in short bursts, her shoulders shaking from the strain, but she didn’t falter.

Not once.

SWISH—!

SWISH—!

Gold and blue arrows clashed again and again in the sky, each impact like a thunderbolt tearing through the heavens.

Every shot Feylora fired drained her to the bone.

But she didn’t stop.

Her golden hair whipped in the wind, her eyes blazing—not with logic, but with unshakable resolve.

Even if it cost her every last drop of strength—

She would protect her master’s battlefield.

BOOM—!

Another collision.

The sky flipped inside out.

The desert trembled beneath the shockwave, a wall of heat rolling across the horizon.

Dunes quaked.

Buried tentacle beasts burst from the sand, shrieking in pain and panic.

Ethan’s eyes sharpened.

Now.

"Full assault!" he shouted. "Clear out the remaining tentacles—don’t let them interfere!"

The order snapped through the ranks.

Emerald Castle’s warriors surged forward, weapons blazing, and the desert rang once more with the roar of battle.

Meanwhile—

Ethan rose, silent as a shadow, vanishing into the swirling sand.

He slipped around the edge of the storm above, moving fast, a streak of gold threading through chaos.

He closed in on the blue-haired woman’s blind spot.

Above, the duel had reached its final crescendo.

Feylora and the woman were practically fighting in the clouds, their energy tearing the sky apart.

Each clash screamed like the heavens were being ripped open.

Gold and blue spiraled into a massive helix, lightning and storm detonating within.

For a moment, it was impossible to tell who would fall first.

BOOOOM—!

Then a golden streak shot up from below.

Ethan struck.

Power surged through him, golden light condensing in his palm into a spinning sphere of energy.

It burned so bright it looked like it might pierce the sky itself.

He murmured, low and final:

"Let’s end this."

The energy sphere launched, trailing a blazing tail—

And slammed into the woman’s back.

BOOM—!

The explosion lit the desert like a second sun.

She screamed, a raw, broken sound, and her body twisted midair before plummeting.

Feylora’s eyes locked on.

She didn’t hesitate.

She drew the bowstring to its limit.

"Die—!"

Her voice was a roar, and the golden arrow she loosed screamed with fury.

It chased the falling figure like a meteor, then another, and another—dozens of arrows, each faster, brighter, more precise than the last.

Each one struck true.

Each one tore the sky.

Until finally—

The woman’s body shattered into fragments of light above the sand.

The wind caught them, and they vanished.

Silence.

Then—

BOOM—!

A golden shockwave erupted from Feylora, blasting upward like a pillar of light.

It swept across the desert, turning the sky molten gold.

The wind howled.

The heavens burned.

Ethan looked up, a slow smile tugging at his lips.

She’d done it.

Feylora hovered in the air, golden currents swirling around her like a living aura.

Her power climbed, steady and sure.

And in that moment, she broke through—

Tier 21, Early Stage. Fully stabilized.

For a heartbeat, she wasn’t just a warrior.

She was the sun over the desert.

...

Ethan let out a long breath.

When that woman had first appeared, he’d been on edge—her power had been overwhelming. Even if he’d gone all out, there was no guarantee he’d survive.

But now, it seemed—

It was over.

Or so he thought.

Just as he began to relax, a strange ripple spread from deep within the desert.

It was subtle, like a whisper in the wind—but it made every hair on his body stand on end.

Then something rose from the sand.

A soft, pale-white shape floated into the air, delicate and translucent, like a silken cocoon just cracked open.

It hovered, wingless, toothless—no threat at first glance.

Only a faint shimmer of golden runes glowed across its body, radiating a gentle, pure energy.

"What the hell is that?" someone whispered.

Ethan froze.

He could feel it—that energy was impossibly pure. No corruption, no distortion. It was like a divine battery, a perfect source of spirit power.

His instincts kicked in. He reached out—

BOOM!

A bolt of lightning struck from nowhere, swallowing the creature in blinding light.

A sharp, tearing sound followed, like silk being ripped apart.

When the light faded, the fragile creature was gone.

In its place hovered a massive white butterfly.

Its wings looked like they were woven from snow, etched with flowing runes that shimmered with power.

Each beat of its wings sent shockwaves through the air, cracking the ground and flinging sand into the sky.

"...My god," someone breathed.

Even Ethan took a step back.

His system interface flared to life, and the numbers made his stomach drop.

Tier 21. Mid Stage.

"Another monster?!" he muttered, cursing under his breath.

But before he could act, Elira stepped forward.

"Just another bug," she said coldly. "And it dares posture in front of me?"

Her voice was steel.

In the next instant, she shot forward like a thunderbolt, black-red energy flooding the sky behind her.

The white butterfly flinched.

Its wings twitched, and it actually retreated—two steps back.

The dunes trembled.

Elira didn’t stop.

She advanced, relentless, her presence pressing down like a furnace.

The air thickened with heat and the acrid scent of burning.

Everyone stared, stunned.

Even Ethan stood frozen.

The butterfly was stronger—clearly.

But in front of Elira, it looked... subdued. Like something unseen was forcing it down.

Then, slowly, it bowed.

Its glowing energy began to flow—softly, reverently—into Elira’s body.

"What... what is this?" someone whispered.

Ethan didn’t answer.

He just watched.

The scene was almost holy—

And yet, something about it felt wrong. Like worship twisted into submission.

But before anyone could speak—

The sand shifted again.

A cold, wet, crawling presence seeped up from below.

"Don’t move!" Ethan shouted instinctively.

A second later, a massive black centipede burst from the ground.

Its armored body gleamed with an oily sheen, and it twisted midair with terrifying speed—

Then sank its jaws into the white butterfly’s body, tearing into it with a shriek that split the sky.

...