Chapter 291: Blood Sunset in the Tropics Part 1

Without saying goodbye to Kevin, Ethan took to the sky with Sera flying steadily at his side.

He had already identified which cities were allied with Redemption Sword or Scavenger.

The difference was clear and unmistakable—each allied city flew banners with a specific background color.

Ethan was certain they would not casually change their banners. Those colors were symbols of allegiance, a declaration of loyalty that could not be hidden.

Back in Ascalon, Kevin and several members of Guild Avalon looked up at the sky.

Two golden streaks of light cut through the clouds at incredible speed, vanishing toward the horizon in the blink of an eye.

One of the guild members frowned.

“Captain… what is Sir Ethan doing?”

Kevin slowly shook his head.

After hearing about the destruction of Guild Star Shield, Ethan’s anger could no longer be contained.

Kevin understood Ethan well enough to know that this was not a reckless reaction. Ethan was not foolish.

He would never attack Scavenger or Redemption Sword directly—not yet.

Instead, Kevin suspected Ethan was targeting smaller guild cities that had pledged allegiance to them.

Cities that thought they were safe simply because they stood behind stronger names.

“The situation in the Tropical Region is about to become unstable,” Kevin said firmly, turning to face his team.

“Listen carefully to my orders.”

Elsewhere, Ethan flew alongside Sera while keeping his map panel open.

His eyes were locked onto the nearest city to Ascalon. That would be where his campaign began.

If they were enemies, he would strike without hesitation.

If not, he would ignore them completely.

His flying speed increased as the city came into view. When he reached the sky above it, Ethan focused on the banner flying proudly at the city center.

The background color was different.

It didn’t match Kevin’s description.

Several guild members inside the city noticed him and looked up, shock spreading across their faces as they realized someone was flying freely above their city.

“Who… who are you?” one of them shouted.

Ethan’s voice echoed across the sky, calm but commanding.

“What guild do you belong to?”

The players hesitated before answering.

“Western Phoenix. We’re a guild from the western plains.”

Their guild leader hurried out, his eyes wide as he stared up at Ethan and Sera hovering above the city.

“Who… who are you people?”

Ethan didn’t answer.

Without another word, he turned away and continued flying toward the next city. Sera followed without question.

The two figures disappeared into the distance, leaving behind a city full of confused and shaken players.

Ethan’s next destination was another nearby city. He still had roughly nine hours before Sera’s cooldown fully reset.

Even after that, Ethan still had Luna.

But using Luna would complicate things. She was a last resort, someone Ethan would only summon if Lion City itself was threatened.

And that threat would almost certainly come as retaliation from the Blood Ink River Alliance.

They wouldn’t let Ethan act freely once he started dismantling their allied cities.

In Ethan’s eyes, the next city appeared on the horizon.

His focus sharpened.

The banner flying above its walls bore a red-and-black background.

Exactly as Kevin had described.

Ethan halted in the sky above the city. Instantly, alarms spread through the streets.

Soldiers and guild members looked up, tension snapping tight like a drawn bowstring.

“Who are you?!” someone shouted.

Ethan’s voice rang out cold and absolute.

“Hand over your Core Crystal, and I will spare all your lives.”

A wave of outrage erupted from below.

“The Core Crystal? Are you insane?!”

“We’ll never give it up, even if you kill us!”

Their guild leader stepped forward and looked up, narrowing his eyes. His gaze froze when he saw the username floating above Ethan’s head.

“EthanArk,” he said stiffly.

“What? EthanArk?!”

Ethan showed no reaction.

He extended his hand, and Bloodblade Ashura materialized in front of him, floating ominously. He grasped the weapon firmly.

A violent surge of power exploded outward.

His appearance shifted dramatically as crimson patterns spread across his body, his aura growing overwhelming and oppressive.

[Mode Ashura Activated]

Ethan descended like a falling star.

He crashed into the city and unleashed his attacks without restraint. Every skill empowered by Ashura Mode struck with brutal precision.

At the same time, Sera moved independently, targeting buildings instead of players. Her golden blade slashed through the air, and city structures erupted into flames.

The entire city was swallowed by fire.

Panic spread everywhere.

Guild members rushed to attack Ethan, but none of their strikes landed. Their attacks were too slow, too weak, too predictable.

Ethan’s attacks, on the other hand, were unstoppable.

No one could block them.

Players were injured, torn apart, and killed within moments. Explosions rocked the city as city soldiers and guild members alike were utterly overwhelmed.

Watching the devastation unfold, the guild leader reached a grim conclusion.

They couldn’t stop Ethan.

Not even if he stood alone.

“No—stop! Please! I still want—”

BLAST!

His body was torn apart mid-sentence. The sheer damage of Ethan’s skill erased him instantly. Players under level fifty had no means to survive such an attack.

Ethan landed heavily on the shattered street. Blood pooled across the broken stone, scattered with fragments of bodies. The atmosphere was suffocating.

“Monster… you’re a monster, Ethan!” screamed another guild leader, his voice shaking.

Ethan didn’t respond.

In the next second, he vanished.

By the time anyone realized what happened, Ethan was standing directly in front of the man’s face.

Seven guild members who had been protecting him failed to perceive Ethan’s movement. They froze, unable to move, the thick metallic scent of blood filling their lungs.

One mistake here meant death.

“Wait! Please! Don’t kill me!” the man begged.

He frantically pulled out their Core Crystal and held it up with trembling hands.

“I’ll give it to you! I’ll give it to you! Just don’t kill me!”

Ethan glanced at it briefly and took it with his left hand.

Ownership transferred instantly.

The system declared the guild defeated. Their resources and city soldiers were absorbed under Ethan’s control.

One by one, the remaining guild members were teleported out of the event world, marking their total failure.

The city collapsed.

Buildings crumbled into ash and rubble. Fires vanished as if they had never existed.

A notification appeared before Ethan.

[Congratulations, you have obtained a Core Crystal!]

[Total Core Crystals: 14]

[City Ranking: 3rd]

Ethan looked across the empty land where a city once stood.

There were still many cities left in the Tropical Region.

Many of them belonged to the Blood Ink River Alliance.

My slaughter… is far from over.

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