Chapter 287: Tropical Region

Sera understood Ethan’s decision without needing any further explanation.

She did not question it, nor did she try to persuade him otherwise.

From the moment Ethan made up his mind, she knew his path was already set.

Instead of heading south, Ethan chose the opposite direction. Together, they turned north.

Lion City had already been entrusted to Hanss.

With Hanss’s sharp understanding of city management and resource priorities, Ethan felt no anxiety about leaving the city behind.

Hanss knew what Lion City needed, when to push expansion, and when to stabilize. Ethan trusted him completely.

That trust allowed Ethan to move forward without hesitation.

They walked toward the cliff again, descending into the canyon path.

The narrow ravine was still filled with the remains of city troops from the three enemy cities.

Bodies lay scattered across the ground, piled in unnatural positions, some half-buried in sand and broken stone.

Even though they were NPCs, Ethan could not shake the strange feeling creeping into his chest.

The blood looked real.

Too real.

The wounds were detailed, vivid, and disturbingly convincing.

Torn armor, fractured limbs, expressions frozen in fear or pain—it all felt far beyond what he expected from a game event.

This doesn’t feel like simple programming. It’s almost like the system wants us to forget that this isn’t real.

It was clear the administrators wanted the event to feel immersive. Brutally immersive.

The canyon floor was soaked with blood, and as Ethan walked through it, his leather boots became stained dark red.

The smell of iron lingered in the air, heavy and suffocating.

But Ethan did not stop. His focus was fixed on one thing.

The tropical region.

And the people waiting there.

“Sera,” Ethan said calmly, “help me fly.”

Sera nodded without hesitation. She extended her hand toward him, and golden particles began to swirl around Ethan’s body.

The light wrapped around him like a second skin, warm and steady.

With his instincts guiding him, Ethan felt his body lift from the ground.

There was no panic. No disorientation.

He adjusted naturally, stabilizing himself in midair. Sera floated beside him, matching his movement perfectly.

Together, they shot upward, cutting through the sky.

Clouds parted as they flew, their speed startling those below who caught brief glimpses of golden light streaking overhead.

Yet, as the tropical region came into view, Ethan realized how wrong his expectations had been.

It was massive. Far larger than he imagined.

The land below was dense and vibrant, layered with forests, rivers, and sprawling plains.

For a single zone, there were two or even three cities clustered together. Compared to the desert region, this place was alive.

If one city already felt overwhelming, then the full scale of the tropical region was almost absurd.

Guild banners fluttered proudly atop city walls. Each banner represented identity: Power and territory.

Ethan had already given special instructions to every member of the Eastern Alliance regarding banners.

All allied cities were required to use a blue-and-white background to signal their allegiance.

From the sky, it was easy to spot them.

Scattered among countless other guild cities were a few bearing the distinctive blue-and-white banners, each marked with their own guild insignia.

They were few in number, almost hidden among stronger, more dominant guilds.

Ethan descended and landed in front of one such city. Sera landed beside him, her presence immediately drawing attention.

“Who’s there?!” several city soldiers shouted.

The gates were heavily guarded, city troops already mobilized and standing in formation.

It was an efficient response, especially given the recent chaos spreading across regions.

“I’m here to meet your city leader,” Ethan said firmly.

“From where? Who are you?” one soldier demanded.

“EthanArk. From Guild LionArk.”

One of the soldiers stepped away from the gate and hurried toward the town center to deliver the message.

The gates remained closed, and no one lowered their weapons.

Ethan waited. Minutes passed.

There was no immediate sign of the soldier returning, and the gates remained shut. Ethan did not move, nor did he show impatience.

Finally, the gates began to open.

Ethan narrowed his eyes slightly as a woman in polished armor approached, a confident smile on her face.

“Sir Ethan,” she greeted him warmly as she stepped forward.

“I’m Laurensia. Leader of Guild Heaven Sword, and a non-permanent member of the Eastern Alliance,” she introduced herself.

She had black hair tied in a ponytail, sharp eyes, and an aura of confidence earned through leadership.

They shook hands briefly, and Laurensia personally escorted Ethan into the city.

The difference was immediately apparent.

This tropical city was nothing like the desert cities Ethan was used to.

Resources were abundant. Food was plentiful. Water flowed freely through canals and reservoirs.

However, there were trade-offs.

Rare materials like stone and gold were scarce. Unlike the desert, where rare materials could be mined easily, this region lacked those advantages.

Several guild members greeted Ethan respectfully as he passed. Ethan smiled lightly and raised a hand in response.

Laurensia led him into the town center, where three officers were already waiting. These individuals assisted her in managing the city’s operations.

“Sir Ethan,” they greeted in unison.

Laurensia gestured for everyone to sit.

“What brings you to our city, Sir Ethan?” she asked.

“I came to the tropical region to find the cities of Avalon and Star Shield,” Ethan answered honestly.

“LionArk is located in the desert region. There aren’t many direct threats there.”

Laurensia glanced at her officers before speaking again. “The desert region is rich in rare materials. Recruiting troops is much easier there.”

“That’s true,” Ethan replied. “But food and water are constant problems.”

Laurensia nodded in agreement.

She had already considered sending food supplies to Lion City, but the distance was great, and the route was dangerous.

Especially after hearing reports of a massive battle erupting in the southern canyon.

Transporting supplies through that area would be risky.

“Because of the distance and current situation,” she said carefully, “we can’t send food support to you yet, Sir Ethan.”

Ethan smiled faintly.

“That’s not a problem,” he replied.

From the beginning, his goal was not to secure food supplies.

His purpose for coming to the tropical region was to locate his allies—especially Avalon and Star Shield.

LionArk was already strong enough to destroy other cities if necessary, either through city troops or guild members. But brute force alone was not his objective.

His real target was the dominance of Redemption Sword and Scavenger.

Their influence was already far greater than LionArk’s.

Lyra from Red Javelin had betrayed him purely because she was tempted by offers from the Redemption Sword alliance.

That alone proved how dangerous their reach had become.

“You don’t need to worry about sending supplies,” Ethan said calmly. “From the start, my goal was to find Avalon and Star Shield.”

Laurensia turned to her officers. All three nodded in agreement.

“I don’t know Star Shield’s location,” Laurensia admitted, “but I do know where Avalon is.”

“One of our members’ soul servants encountered their city during scouting.”

“I don’t mind sharing that information with you, Sir Ethan.”

A notification appeared in front of Ethan.

[Laurensia has shared the scouting results of City Exca.]

[Accept?] [Y/N]

The panel hovered between them as Laurensia transmitted the data. Ethan nodded and accepted it immediately.

To him, this information was far more valuable than any amount of food.

The map panel expanded—not only for Ethan, but also for LionArk members connected through the system.

Shock spread among them. The terrain was green, dense, and alive.

Ethan’s attention focused on a red-marked point surrounded by three other guild territories.

“That’s Ascalon City,” Laurensia explained. “It belongs to Guild Avalon.”

Ethan narrowed his eyes. The distance was significant, but that didn’t matter.

What mattered was that he had found them.

“Thank you, Ms. Laurensia,” Ethan said sincerely.

“Of course,” she replied with a smile. “We’re glad we could help.”

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