Chapter 521: The true King of Angels
BOOOOM!
In an instant, Ataneya, Namyanna, and Andona sprang into action. Sure, they were wary of the monster’s overwhelming power—but that didn’t mean they were pushovers.
Let’s not forget—
These women were Tier 14.
S-class Crimson Ultimate heroes.
Three-on-one? They were more than confident.
And now that they’d found its weak spot?
That gave them a serious edge—maybe even a clear shot at victory.
Meanwhile, Ethan kept his eyes locked on the towering monstrosity, scanning every inch of its massive frame. Then, something caught his eye—a barely noticeable crack at the back of its skull.
"There..."
His expression lit up.
That might be it. The opening they needed.
Whoosh!
Without hesitation, Ethan calculated his move and launched himself straight at the giant.
Ataneya’s eyes widened in alarm. "My Lord, what are you doing?! Be careful!"
Even though they felt like they had the upper hand, the fight wasn’t over yet. Charging in recklessly could still get him killed.
But Ethan didn’t slow down.
"Don’t worry. I know what I’m doing," he called back, his voice calm.
Then—he accelerated.
Whoosh!
He shot forward like a missile, heading straight for the giant’s head.
"ROOOAAARRR!!"
The massive creature let out a furious bellow and swung one of its colossal arms, trying to crush Ethan like a bug.
But Ethan wasn’t some rookie.
With a flicker of movement, he dodged the blow, slipping through space itself. In the blink of an eye, he was behind the monster’s head—right where that tiny crack was.
And then—he struck.
BAM!
His fist slammed into the weak point with explosive force.
BOOM!
BOOM!
BOOM!
The crack shattered.
The monster howled in agony, its roar shaking the sky.
And Ethan didn’t stop—he dove straight into the opening.
Inside, the scenery changed. He was now in the heart of the beast—literally. And there it was: the white insect, fused into the creature’s core, pulsing with energy.
"You’re next," Ethan muttered, narrowing his eyes.
He lunged.
The insect writhed and hissed, trying to resist.
But it was weak—far weaker than the giant it controlled.
It couldn’t stop him.
In seconds, Ethan had it in his grasp.
And the moment he did—
The giant outside froze.
Its limbs stopped moving.
Its roar died in its throat.
It was like someone had pulled the plug.
"Yeah... just a puppet after all," Ethan murmured.
Then, without hesitation, he crushed the insect in his hand.
SPLURT!
Blood sprayed everywhere.
The creature was dead.
Buzz—
Its body began to dissolve, transforming into a glowing crystal—dense with magical energy, pulsing with raw power.
Ethan’s eyes lit up.
"Ataneya! Namyanna! Andona! Get over here!"
"This thing—it’s the core of its power. See if you can absorb it!"
Outside, the three women were still locked in combat with the now-lifeless giant, confused by its sudden stillness.
"He’s... dead?" Ataneya said, stunned.
They stared at the unmoving colossus, disbelief written all over their faces.
Ethan chuckled. "What are you standing around for? Get over here!"
Snapping out of their daze, the three of them rushed over. With the giant no longer resisting, they easily broke through its chest and reached the heart.
BOOM!
BOOM!
Immediately, waves of fire and lightning burst out, flooding the area with elemental energy.
"My Lord! This is incredible!" Ataneya shouted, eyes gleaming.
The three of them quickly divided the core’s power among themselves, absorbing it into their bodies.
Meanwhile, Ethan exited the giant’s body and began exploring the area. Something was tugging at his senses.
And sure enough, not far from the battlefield, he found it—a stone altar, half-buried in the scorched earth.
But what really caught his attention... was the light.
Resting quietly atop the altar was a crystal orb—half lightning, half flame, glowing with a mesmerizing brilliance.
"The fourth one..." Ethan whispered.
No doubt about it—this was one of the Ten Sacred Orbs.
He reached out, placing his hand over it.
Just like the others, the orb melted into liquid light and flowed into his body, merging with the power already inside him.
...
Ding!
"Player Valkarion, please be advised: Congratulations... You’ve completed 60% of the Citadel of Shadows instance world. Keep up the good work and push forward to clear the dungeon!"
...
"Sixty percent, huh?"
Ethan’s eyes lit up with excitement.
At this point, the Citadel of Shadows was starting to feel less like a challenge and more like a checklist.
Especially now that his power had grown so much—
Everything was running smoother than ever.
The Ten Sacred Orbs?
No big deal. As long as he took down their guardians one by one, they were his for the taking.
And those guardians?
They weren’t just obstacles—they were power-ups. Every one of them made his team stronger.
Basically, once he got past the early hurdles, the rest of the dungeon was just a matter of time.
And now?
He had three Tier 14 Crimson Ultimate heroes at his side.
With them, he was practically steamrolling through the objectives.
"Let’s keep it up. The sooner we finish this place, the better," Ethan muttered, then turned to the others.
"Let’s move. We’re done here."
There were still more targets ahead—more orbs to claim, more power to seize.
All he had to do now was follow the path and knock them down one by one.
"Yes, my Lord!"
"Yes, Master!"
...
Before long, they left the battlefield behind.
The massive stone body of the fallen giant had completely collapsed, crumbling into rubble. The land, once scorched and trembling, was finally still again.
But just as they were flying out of the desolate wasteland—
Something unexpected happened.
BOOOOM!
The sky above them suddenly split open.
A blinding light poured through the crack, and a voice—cold, commanding, and filled with divine authority—echoed across the heavens.
"Andona."
The moment the name was spoken, Andona’s entire body tensed.
Everyone looked up.
Above them, the sky shimmered with radiant Light Magic. Then, descending from the rift, a figure emerged—an angel, glowing with holy brilliance, wings spread wide, suspended in midair.
Behind him, the gates of Heaven itself seemed to shimmer into view.
"Well, well... I never thought I’d see the day. You’ve fallen this far, Andona. Running with these... misfits? Becoming someone’s servant? You’ve disgraced the name of the Angelic Order."
His voice rolled across the land like thunder, heavy with judgment.
Even Ethan felt a chill run through his body.
The sheer purity of the Light Force radiating from this being was unreal—far beyond anything this world should’ve been able to contain.
"Who the hell is that?" Ethan asked, eyes narrowing.
"Gabriel Eliryas," Namyanna said grimly. "An Overlord-class angel. One of the City of Angels’ ultimate weapons. He’s insanely powerful."
Andona’s expression darkened.
A flicker of killing intent sparked in her eyes as she slowly rose into the air to meet him.
"Gabriel," she said coldly, "you don’t get to judge me."
"The moment you exiled me from the City of Angels, I stopped being one of you."
"So now, shut the hell up."
Her words hit like a slap.
Gabriel’s body stiffened.
Even the angels behind him looked stunned.
In this world, the Angelic Order was the most prideful of all races. Though they lived in the Dark World, they embodied the last remnants of pure Light Force—beacons of hope in a realm of shadows.
Countless beings had begged for a chance to join their ranks, to escape the darkness and bask in the light.
But none were ever deemed worthy.
And now?
Andona—one of their own—had willingly thrown it all away?
Gabriel’s breath grew heavy.
Truth was, he hadn’t come here just to scold her.
He’d come to take her back.
When Andona awakened her true angelic power, the entire City of Angels had felt it. Especially when she fused both Light and Dark within her—something no one had ever done.
Because among the angels, there was an ancient prophecy:
If an angel ever mastered both Light and Darkness, they would become the true King of Angels.
And that...
That was supposed to be Gabriel’s destiny.
He was the chosen one. The heir apparent. The future king.
Until now.
Now, Andona had stolen that future from him.
And the hatred in his eyes made it clear—
He wasn’t going to let that happen.
...