Ethan vanished from the battlefield in a flicker of golden light.
When he reappeared, he was standing in front of Roseâs house. His clone still guarded the courtyard, unmoving, like a divine knight descended to watch over them.
Inside, the others were slowly awakening from their forced slumber.
Rose was curled on the couch, her delicate face wet with tears. In her sleep, she kept murmuring broken words.
"Please donât go...I wonât argue anymore. I wonât shout at you. Come back, Ethan...Iâll only love you..."
Hearing her soft, choked voice, Ethanâs expression softened. What was this silly girl dreaming about?
A moment later, everyone began to stir. As soon as Rose opened her eyes, she searched the room in panic. The instant she spotted Ethan beside her, she threw herself into his arms without hesitation.
He held her close, steadying her trembling shoulders.
Jack sat up, rubbing his forehead groggily. "Ethan...do you know what happened?"
"We probably all fainted," Ethan said calmly. "I woke up a few minutes ago and found everyone still unconscious."
Jack frowned. What could attack the entire city and make everyone collapse at once? He knew there were rare soul-attacker beasts capable of such feats...but they were almost never seen.
Could it have been a soul-type monster?
He pulled out his phone to check the newsâand saw over thirty missed calls. All of them were from his grandfather, Alexander Hunt.
Grandpa must have heard about the attack, Jack thought, heart tightening. He opened a news site.
Every channel was broadcasting the same story: the titanic battle between the Wind Eagle and a golden-armored warrior. The entire city was in awe. People called that figure a legend alreadyâthe man who had fought a monster alone and saved thousands with his godlike healing light.
Jack stared at the footage, his eyes wide. That healing radiance...why does it look so familiar?
His gaze flicked to Ethan, who sat quietly between Elina and Rose, as if nothing had happened.
No...impossible. Ethan is just a warrior. Even if he were some reincarnated entity out of a fantasy novel, he couldnât become a Level 9 King in a matter of days. He forced himself to look away. It must be someone else.
His phone rang again. This time, he answered.
"Hello, Grandpa. Weâre all gâ"
Before he could finish, Alexanderâs voice thundered from the other end.
"Your father and uncle have disappeared!"
Jack shot to his feet, his face pale. "What do you mean, disappeared? Theyâre Emperors!"
"I sent them toward Base City Five for Ethanâs engagement ceremony," Alexander said, his tone raw with tension. "We lost all contact forty-five minutes later after their departure. They vanished while passing by the sea."
Jack swallowed. It canât be... But the details were too precise. Something terrible had happened.
He realized Alexander likely hadnât even heard about the attack in the city. The old man was worried sick about his sons.
"Donât worry, Grandpa," Jack said softly. "Iâm sure theyâll be alright."
Ethan had been listening to every word, his brows knitted together. Two Emperorsâgone without a trace? Was it an accident? Or something orchestrated?
Jack looked at him. "Ethan, your great-grandpa called."
"I heard, Dad," Ethan replied. His voice was calm, but his eyes were cold with focus. "Itâs a matter that needs investigation." He exhaled.
Elina asked, "What exactly happened?"
Jack explained in a few terse sentences.
Rose wiped her cheeks and whispered, "Ethan...letâs hold the ceremony some other day. Too many bad things happened today..."
Ethan shook his head slowly. "Fate doesnât want me to complete this ceremony. Thatâs exactly why I will. Nothing will stop me today from making you mineânot even destiny itself."
He extended his hand to Jack. "Dad, give me the ring."
Roseâs eyes turned red again as tears welled up and spilled down her cheeks. Warmth flooded her heart, driving away the lingering fear.
Elizabeth covered her mouth, sobbing quietly. She was simply happy to see her daughter loved this much.
Jack and Elina exchanged a look and nodded. Thatâs the resolve a man should have. Go on, kid.
Ethan took the slender silver ring and gently slipped it onto Roseâs finger. Then he pulled her into his embrace, resting his chin against her hair.
"Youâre mine, Rose," he murmured. "Nothing in this world can tear us apart."
When he finally stepped back, he looked at Jack. "Weâll need to decide when to leave for Super City."
Heâd had other plans for tomorrow, but now everything had changed. They might have to depart sooner.
Suddenly, Alexander called againâthis time, his voice booming with excitement.
"Hahaha! Jack, donât worry anymoreâthey came back! Your father and uncles are fine. They discovered a new realm. Thatâs where they vanished to. Ethan really is the Hunt familyâs lucky star!"
Relief washed over Jackâs face. Ethan also felt a weight lift from his chest. But the word realm echoed in his mind. A realm? What kind of place could make Great-Grandfather this excited?
Jack cleared his throat. "Weâll discuss it later. For now, letâs go home. We have to prepare for tomorrowâs party. All three old men will probably come."
Ethan nodded. "Alright."
He kissed Roseâs forehead before leaving with his parents. At the doorway, he paused.
"Aunty," he said gently, "someone will come to pick you up tomorrow morning. You can come to our house to get ready for the party."
Elizabeth smiled through her tears. "Okay."
Ethan returned to his room alone.
He wasnât in the mood to eat.
If Iâd been a little stronger today...I could have killed that monster instantly. He clenched his fists. I was gambling with everyoneâs lives. If even a single breath attack had struck the city...
He didnât let himself finish the thought. He had only one answer: I need to break through tonight.
Sitting cross-legged on the floor, Ethan activated the Primordial Three-Element Breathing Technique.
A vortex of energy swirled around him, rippling the air.
Three hours later, he broke through to Level 2 Grandmaster.
Another three hours passed.
Level 3 Grandmaster.
It was almost morning. He could feel that breaking through to Level 4 would take at least another five hours. He didnât have that much time.
Still, the two breakthroughs had granted him 4,500 points of physique and spirit.
He looked at this core. It was 88 cm before. Now it became 94 cm. 3 cm increasement per level. Not bad. The core would soon become 1 meter.
He glanced at his status panel. At 5 a.m it would double, as always.
Now it was 4:55 a.m. Only five minutes to go.
> [Master: Ethan Hunt]
Physique: 282,260
Spirit: 282,260
Talent: Infinite Competition
Ethan rose and went to wash his face. He wouldnât be sleeping tonight. In a few hours, he needed to visit the Martial Hall and see Charlesâand check on the others who had fought beside him.
At exactly 5:00 a.m., he checked his panel again.
> [Master: Ethan Hunt]
Physique: 564,520
Spirit: 564,520
Talent: Infinite Competition
His base strength now rivaled a Level 4 King.
With his 72x combat multiplier, that meant a force of 40.6 million tonsâequivalent to the power of a Level 2 Emperor.
Ethan finally felt a measure of security. But he didnât stop. He drew his sword and began practicing the Extinction Sword Art.
At Level 3, it gave him a 6x multiplier. If he could reach Level 4, it would increase to 9x.
Hours passed in a blur of motion and focus.
Finallyâ
> [Ding! You have reached Level 4!]
He exhaled, sweat streaming down his face.
With a 9x multiplier from the technique and 12x from his sword intent, his total amplification reached 108x.
His maximum combat power soared to 60.9 million tons.
Damn, he thought, gripping the blade. Thatâs the base strength of a Level 3 Emperor which was 54 million.
Confidence settled in his chest like a solid stone.
It was 9 a.m. Time to head to the Martial Hall.
He had promised Ryan and the other three boys that he would help them with their awakening. And he needed to see if Charles was ready to take the test.
Now that his core had expanded again, Ethan felt his reserves surging. He could create another clone without strain.
He focused, and a second projection of himself materialized beside himâa silent figure, perfectly lifelike. He placed a simple white mask over its face, concealing its identity.
"Go," he instructed softly.
The clone nodded and vanished, heading straight for Roseâs house to stand guard.
Ethan took a deep breath, then swung a leg over his sleek black bike. With a low growl of the engine, he sped toward the Martial Hall.
When he arrived, the place was still in disarray.
Shattered glass littered the walkways. Workers moved back and forth, replacing windows and sweeping debris into piles. Even the walls were pitted with claw marks and scorch trailsâa testament to how close the city had come to disaster.
Ethan parked and made his way through the halls without stopping. He reached Charlesâs office and knocked lightly before stepping inside.
The old man looked up from a stack of reports. He seemed tired, but far better than he had the day beforeâwhen heâd been barely clinging to life.
Wasnât he on the verge of death yesterday? Ethan thought.
Charles studied him for a moment, then offered a quiet smile.
"Iâm happy to see youâre alright, Ethan."
The words were simple, but Ethan could feel the depth behind them. A warmth spread through his chest. Even after everything, Charles still cared.
He inclined his head. "I saw the video. Iâm glad to see you alive too, old man."
Charles gave a raspy chuckle. "So, what brings you here? Did you come just to say that?"
Ethan shook his head. "I came for something else."
He explained his purposeâabout the boys heâd promised to help.
Charles listened, then nodded with a thoughtful look. "Alright. We can always use fresh blood. Who knowsâmaybe someone among your friends will awaken a good talent."
He gestured toward the door.
"Call them here. Iâll make the arrangements for their test."