Ethan's pupils shrank to pinpricks.

Tier 25…

Even in his wildest nightmares, he'd never imagined a power like that.

That kind of strength—he wouldn't even have time to scream before he was pulverized into dust.

He didn't dare linger another second.

Spinning on his heel, he bolted into the depths of the desert, pouring every last drop of energy into his escape.

Even a stray ripple from her power could scatter his soul to the winds.

He flew for what felt like forever, until his limbs trembled and his breath came ragged. At last, he spotted a massive slab of weathered stone. No time to be picky—he carved a deep hole behind it with a burst of force and buried himself inside.

He'd barely settled in when the sky outside darkened like a curtain dropping.

Boom—

The Tier 25 spider-woman had risen into the air, her power surging like a tidal wave, flooding the entire valley with light.

But this time…

Another light flared in answer.

A second woman appeared—someone Ethan didn't recognize. Her figure was nearly flawless, her presence sharp and commanding.

She wore little, but there was nothing seductive about it. Her look was all edge and dominance, like a blade wrapped in silk.

She simply stood there, suspended in the air.

...

Thoom—

Another shockwave slammed down from the heavens, like thunder rolling across a sea of sand.

And with it came a pressure so thick it stole the breath from Ethan's lungs.

Kaelira's power radiated from her like distilled stormlight. Even the tiniest leak of her energy sent the desert into chaos.

Sand whipped into the sky, forming dozens of towering tornadoes that spiraled around her in a furious dance.

Ethan crouched in the crevice behind the stone, barely daring to breathe.

Thank the stars he'd hidden fast enough. A second slower and he'd be ash.

Meanwhile—

The newly ascended Tier 25 spider-woman froze at the sight of Kaelira.

Her body gave a tiny, involuntary shudder—but she forced it down, straightening her spine and puffing herself up. Energy burst from her in waves, coalescing behind her into the massive phantom of a spider.

She shouted, voice sharp and venom-laced, though it trembled at the edges:

"Kaelira! You've ruled Sol'Rakka long enough!

It's time to step down!

Starting today, I am the true Desert Queen! Kneel and submit—or I'll scatter your bones across the sands!"

The words were bold, but her voice shook like a leaf in a cold wind.

Kaelira didn't even blink.

No anger. No surprise. Not even curiosity.

She simply raised her hand.

—Effortless.

Thoom.

The world contracted like a bowstring pulled taut.

Power surged from the heart of the desert, a tidal wave crashing toward the spider-woman, swallowing her whole.

Even from his hiding place, Ethan felt the crushing weight of it. His chest tightened like a stone had been dropped on it.

He scrambled to reinforce his defenses, layering shields around himself and warping the space nearby to blend into the shadows.

The spider-woman roared, her phantom spider lashing upward, tearing through the pressure and lunging toward Kaelira.

She shrieked, wild and desperate: "I'm Tier 25 now too!

You can't kill me!"

Her energy flared, and another tornado rose from the sand, clashing head-on with Kaelira's force.

But—

Thoom.

A second impact.

Kaelira's power didn't spike. It didn't need to. It just kept pressing down, steady and absolute.

The moment the two forces met, the spider-woman's phantom shattered like glass.

Then Kaelira's energy sliced into her—clean and merciless, like blades of wind.

Splurt—

Splurt, splurt—

Her core ruptured. Her power imploded. Blood and flesh burst outward from within, as if her body was being turned inside out.

It took only seconds.

The woman who'd dared to call herself Kaelira's equal—

was reduced to a fine red mist, from head to toe.

Silence fell over the valley like a shroud.

Ethan stood frozen.

That had been a Tier 25.

Someone powerful enough to rule all of Sol'Rakka.

And yet, in front of Kaelira—

She'd been crushed like a bug.

The gap between them wasn't just vast—it was monstrous. Maybe tenfold. Maybe more.

It was terrifying.

A chill crept over Ethan's skin.

He found himself wondering:

Was Tier 25 even Kaelira's real level?

He didn't dare move. All he could do was press himself deeper into the shadows, reinforcing every layer of concealment he had.

Then Kaelira paused.

As if she'd sensed something.

Slowly, she turned her head.

Her gaze swept toward the stone where Ethan was hiding.

In that instant, his heart nearly stopped.

He didn't blink. Didn't breathe.

Kaelira looked for a few seconds.

Then turned away.

As if whatever weak little thing she'd noticed wasn't even worth her attention.

A moment later, she dissolved into light—

and vanished into the sky without a sound.

"…She's gone?"

Ethan cautiously peeked out. Only when he was sure her presence had truly faded did he finally exhale, long and shaky.

If she'd looked at him for even a second longer, he wouldn't have had a chance to run.

He dropped his barriers and stepped out from behind the stone.

—The desert had returned to silence.

Off in the distance, toward Sol'Rakka's capital, a strange pillar of energy was rising from the massive castle at its heart.

It looked like a bottomless vortex, drawing in every trace of ambient power from the surrounding sands, draining the desert dry.

Ethan stood on the ridge, watching from afar, eyes slowly lighting with heat.

His system interface blinked open, displaying data on the city with startling clarity:

[Divine-Class Special Creature Dwellings]

Capable of continuously summoning units and heroes, and granting massive combat bonuses to the controlling faction.

Ethan sucked in a sharp breath.

If he could bring Sol'Rakka under his banner—

Emerald Castle's strength would skyrocket into the stratosphere.

But reality slapped the thought down hard.

Kaelira.

Her power was so far beyond the system's scope, it couldn't even analyze her.

Her data panel was blank. Just one line:

[Unable to Parse]

No countermeasures. No strategies.

Which, in system terms, meant:

"Don't fight. You'll die."

Ethan's brow furrowed deeper.

He was still turning over options when—

The sky trembled.

Whoosh—

The air split open, torn by a wild, alien force.

A figure plummeted from the clouds, wrapped in a storm of thunder and fury.

...