Chapter 292: Blood Sunset in the Tropics Part 2

Day slowly faded into night, and across the entire event world, every guild member began receiving the same unsettling information.

Chaos had erupted in the Tropical Region.

No one knew exactly how it started, but everyone felt its impact.

Guild leaders immediately went on high alert. Guards were doubled, patrol routes were extended, and the number of city soldiers was increased wherever possible.

Cities that had once felt safe now tightened their defenses, preparing for an unseen threat.

Yet despite the panic, not a single survivor from the destroyed cities could clearly explain who had caused the devastation.

No name.

No clear description.

Only destruction.

As a result, cities began to distrust one another. Alliances grew tense. Emergency plans were drafted in case neighboring cities suddenly turned hostile.

The Tropical Region was vast, filled with cities from many different lands, cultures, and guilds—and now, all of them were afraid.

Among all of them, Kevin might have been the only one who truly understood what was happening.

Even he hadn’t expected Ethan to shake the entire region alone.

Seventeen cities.

That was the latest count.

Seventeen cities had vanished from the map since Ethan arrived in the Tropical Region. Not over weeks. Not even over several days.

In a single day.

Hundreds of players had been eliminated. Entire guilds had collapsed without leaving behind anything but ruins and ash.

For some, it was an unbelievable achievement.

For others, it was a nightmare.

“I wonder how Sir Ethan is doing right now,” one of Kevin’s subordinates said quietly.

Kevin remained silent.

No one knew where Ethan had gone after leaving Ascalon. No one knew which city he would target next.

The only visible sign of his movement was the map itself—red dots disappearing one by one.

“At first it was just one city,” Kevin said slowly. “Then another. And another.”

He exhaled deeply.

“Losing Star Shield hit him hard. I doubt he’ll stop tonight.”

***

Elsewhere, beneath the darkened sky, a city flying red-and-black banners burned.

Ethan stepped out from the ruins of a collapsed building, flames crackling behind him.

His clothes were torn, his body stained from battle, and his eyes glowed with a deep crimson light. Bloodblade Ashura was clenched tightly in his hand, humming with violent power.

Enemy guild members rushed toward him despite their injuries, desperation overriding fear.

Ethan planted his sword into the ground.

The air shifted.

“Bloodflare… Cataclysm.”

A crimson domain spread outward, engulfing those who charged at him.

The moment they entered it, their strength and speed were sharply reduced. Their movements slowed, their attacks weakened.

Meanwhile, Ethan felt power surge through his body.

He pulled his sword free and moved.

To them, he was impossible to track.

They tried to retreat, stumbling backward in panic, but their weakened bodies betrayed them. Ethan closed the distance in seconds.

One by one, they fell.

The fear on their faces was unmistakable.

“This… this is hell!”

“Get away—!”

The domain faded as the skill duration ended, but Ethan didn’t slow down.

Using Sera’s power, he lifted off the ground and crossed the city in an instant.

On the opposite side, Sera unleashed destruction without restraint, tearing through buildings and scattering soldiers.

Smoke and fire swallowed the streets, turning the city into a blazing nightmare.

Ethan’s gaze locked onto a single figure ahead.

A woman.

She stood frozen, her face pale, hands trembling as she stared at him. The monster responsible for the terror of the Tropical Region stood right before her.

The air itself felt heavy, thick with fear.

“ETHAN!” she screamed. “You’ve gone too far! Arthur will never forgive you!”

Ethan stopped.

He lowered his head and pressed a hand to his forehead.

Then he laughed.

A loud, unrestrained laugh echoed through the ruins.

“Too far?” he said, lifting his head. “I attacked this city alone.”

He raised his sword and pointed it at her.

“You surrounded Star Shield. You killed Gregor. You trampled on their pride.”

His voice dropped, cold and heavy.

“What I’ve done… doesn’t even compare to what you did.”

He stepped forward.

Crimson energy flared around him.

Mages behind her unleashed their spells in desperation, forming a combined magical barrage meant to stop him.

Ethan answered with a single slash.

Crimson Slash.

The opposing magic collapsed on contact, detonating harmlessly. The mages staggered back, mana drained, faces filled with despair.

They knew it.

They couldn’t win.

Ethan followed up with Ashura Rift, tearing through their defenses.

They were thrown aside, scattering across the street. None of them stepped forward to protect their leader.

Not one.

In seconds, Ethan stood before the woman.

She dropped her weapon.

Her knees hit the ground.

“Y-you want the Core Crystal… right?” she whispered. “I can—”

SLASH.

Her words ended there.

The Core Crystal fell onto the ground, glowing faintly amidst the destruction. Ethan glanced at it, then shifted his attention.

Nine people remained.

All wounded.

All alive.

These were the ones who had tortured Star Shield’s members. They hadn’t been ordered to do so. They had chosen cruelty.

They had earned his wrath.

“That’s the Core Crystal,” one of them shouted desperately. “Take it!”

Ethan stepped forward, kicking the fallen body aside.

“You’re not dead yet.”

“YOU’RE INSANE!”

They tried to flee in different directions.

It didn’t matter.

None of them escaped.

When the city finally fell silent, Ethan returned to the center and picked up the Core Crystal.

Ownership transferred.

[Congratulations, you have obtained a Core Crystal!]

[Total Core Crystals: 27]

[City Ranking: 2nd]

The city collapsed, leaving nothing behind but ruins and ash.

Sera descended beside Ethan.

“My cooldown has one hour left,” she said calmly.

Ethan nodded.

“Then we end this and return—”

“I figured it was you.”

A voice interrupted him.

Ethan looked up.

A man stood ahead, flanked by his guild members and city soldiers.

Ethan drove Bloodblade Ashura into the ground.

He recognized that face instantly, “Arthur.”

“You’re too late. Not a single one of them could be saved.”

“I still remember it. They kept screaming your name, begging you to come.”

“What a pity. In the end, only death was waiting for them.”

Arthur narrowed his eyes sharply and stepped forward toward Ethan, “You’ve gone too far, Ethan!”

Ethan returned his glare. He knew that fighting Arthur would drain him, but it seemed he had no other choice.

And the real confrontation was about to begin.

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