Chapter 285: The Annihilation of Three Enemy Guild

War was no longer something that could be avoided.

From the moment Ethan decided to reveal his power, the outcome had already been sealed.

No matter how desperately they resisted, none of their strength came even close to matching his.

Every skill, every tactic, every ounce of magic they threw into the battlefield was crushed without mercy.

There was only one option left to them.

Run.

Run as far as possible, and pray they could escape with their lives intact.

Lyra gasped sharply, her breath hitching as she stared across the cliffside.

On the opposite side, Ethan’s servants were slaughtering the remaining members of Red Javelin with frightening efficiency.

Every attack was precise, lethal, and overwhelming. There was no hesitation, no wasted movement.

The Red Javelin members tried to dodge, desperately rolling and casting defensive spells.

Some raised magical barriers, others activated artifacts they had been saving for emergencies.

It was useless.

The defensive shields shattered like fragile glass the moment Sera’s power collided with them.

“This… this is insane,” Lyra muttered, her voice shaking.

Kai turned toward her sharply, his expression grim. “You’re only realizing that now? Red Javelin can’t hold out anymore!”

Then, for the first time since the battle began, Kai raised his voice and shouted at her.

“Get out of here! Now!”

Lyra froze.

It was the first time she had ever seen Kai shout at her like that. The sound of his voice, filled with urgency and anger, snapped something inside her.

In that moment, she finally understood how wrong she had been.

She had underestimated Ethan.

No, worse than that.

She had doubted him, failed to maintain a proper relationship, and treated his strength as something negotiable rather than absolute.

Regret flooded her chest like a crushing weight.

If only I had refused the offer from those three guilds…

If only I hadn’t tried to play both sides…

Maybe my team would still be alive.

Panic overtook her thoughts.

Without another word, Lyra turned and ran.

She sprinted away from the battlefield as fast as she could, abandoning her remaining teammates without looking back.

Fear drowned out guilt, and survival became her only priority.

From the edge of the cliff, Ethan narrowed his eyes as he watched her fleeing figure disappear into the distance.

“So you chose to run,” he said calmly.

Then his voice rang out across the battlefield.

“Lyodra.”

A system notification flashed before his eyes.

[Mode: Aggressive Soul Servant]

[3. Lyodra Vulkanis | Lv. 10 | S-Rank | Passive → Aggressive | 2500 MP]

Ethan leapt backward, creating distance as a small chibi-like figure of Lyodra shot forward. Her body glowed crimson, radiating intense heat.

In midair, her form expanded and transformed, light wrapping around her like flames.

In seconds, she became a full-grown woman clad in a blazing red gown, her long hair flowing like fire itself.

A sword made of pure flame materialized in her hand.

Lyodra’s eyes opened.

Sharp. Cold. Merciless.

She scanned the battlefield ahead of her, taking in the sight of wounded and terrified enemies struggling to survive.

“Fight them,” Ethan ordered, his voice firm and emotionless. “I want them all dead.”

Before Lyodra could move, a voice called out desperately.

“Wait, Ethan! We can negotiate!”

Kai stepped forward, raising his hands slightly in surrender.

“I’ll help you retrieve the Core Crystal from Lyra,” he said quickly. “We don’t need to keep fighting like this.”

Other surviving members nodded in agreement, their faces pale with fear. They understood the rules of this event.

As long as the Core Crystal changed ownership, those who lost it would be forcibly teleported out of the event.

It was the only way they could survive.

Ethan fell silent.

He listened.

Kai had helped him before. Not just Kai, but several others as well.

They had fought together, shared information, and survived battles side by side.

Finally, Ethan spoke.

“Fine.”

“I’ll give you one chance.”

His gaze hardened.

“But if you betray me again,” Ethan continued, “I’ll have my allies in Mavelard lead an invasion on your northern city.”

Kai felt a chill run down his spine.

The seriousness in Ethan’s expression left no room for doubt. This was not an empty threat.

If he broke Ethan’s trust, countless lives would be lost.

“I understand,” Kai replied, his voice heavy. “I’ll go after her.”

Several members immediately followed him.

At Ethan’s command, Sera stopped attacking. Lyodra also halted, both servants floating silently in front of him, awaiting further instructions.

Ethan walked to the edge of the cliff and looked out toward the desert beyond the canyon.

In the distance, enemy forces were advancing in organized ranks, nearing the desert territory.

If they were allowed to pass, the invasion would spiral completely out of control.

“Sera,” Ethan said, “use your power to hold them back.”

“Yes,” Sera replied calmly, nodding without hesitation.

Ethan turned to Lyodra and gestured toward the LionArk members. He instructed her to escort ten of them safely away from the cliff.

Lyodra nodded in obedience.

The two servants split apart, flying in opposite directions. Sera descended into the canyon, while Lyodra flew back to guard the LionArk members as they retreated.

When Sera appeared before the advancing enemy army, shock rippled through their ranks.

Some panicked.

Others acted recklessly, launching immediate attacks.

Magic blasts exploded around Sera, filling the air with smoke and light.

BLAST!

A massive explosion erupted, and several enemy mages grinned confidently.

But when the smoke cleared, their smiles vanished.

Sera stood unharmed.

Not a scratch.

Not even a speck of dust on her dress.

“What the—”

Sera smiled softly and raised her hand. “Now, it’s my turn.”

Her golden sword lifted skyward, radiating blinding light. A massive golden magic rune formed above her, so large and intricate that it made even veteran warriors tremble.

“What is that thing?” someone whispered in terror.

Moments later, thousands of golden swords emerged from the rune. Katanas, longswords, rapiers—every type imaginable, hovering in the air like a divine arsenal.

“Defensive formation!” shouted one of the guild leaders.

The enemy quickly erected a massive magical barrier, shielding their entire force.

At first, they managed to hold, even mocking Sera’s attack.

But her expression darkened. She extended her hand further, channeling more power.

The number of swords multiplied.

Thousands became tens of thousands.

One by one, enemies began to fall, their defenses failing under the relentless assault. Cracks spread across the barrier.

CLANG!

The shield shattered completely.

Panic erupted.

Cries of pain echoed as flying swords pierced through their ranks. Fear was written clearly across their faces.

“RETREAT!” one of the leaders screamed.

But the canyon was too far.

Ethan watched from above as enemies collapsed, some wounded, others dying. The invading force was completely annihilated.

Sera lowered her hand once no one remained capable of fighting. She descended into the canyon, eliminating those who still tried to move.

From above, Ethan noticed a faint glow among the fallen bodies.

He ordered Sera to retrieve it. When she returned, holding the object in her hands, Ethan’s eyes widened slightly.

A Core Crystal.

“They brought this with them?” Ethan muttered. “Idiots.”

A system message appeared.

[Congratulations, you have obtained a Core Crystal!]

[Total Core Crystals: 11]

[City Ranking: 3rd]

Ethan stored the crystals, maintaining his position in third place.

Once ownership changed, all remaining members of the three guilds were forcibly teleported back to their real-world headquarters.

Their city was destroyed. Their army was wiped out. The invasion had been stopped.

Ethan turned to the side, noticing Kai still hadn’t returned with Lyra.

His voice was cold.

“Go find Lyra,” he said. “If anyone tries to protect her… kill them!”

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