Chapter 44: Level 9 king attacked the city Ethan still had a few hours left before dusk fell. He closed his eyes, steadying his breath, and began practicing the Extinction Sword Technique in the quiet of his room. For five relentless hours, his sword slashed through the air, each stroke more refined than the last. He could feel the technique burrowing into his soul.. > [Ding! You have reached Level 3!] His eyelids fluttered open. A cold gleam danced in his gaze. At Level 3, the technique’s power multiplied sixfold. Coupled with his Level 9 Sword Intent, his attacks now carried seventy-two times their base strength. He ran the numbers in his mind—19.9 million tons. This was his max combat power today. A Level 1 Emperor possessed 18 million tons. He was now stronger than any Level 9 King on the planet. He took a long shower, the steam swirling around his athletic form, then stepped out and dressed with deliberate care. As he adjusted his cuffs, he heard the front door swing open—Jack and Elina were back from their shopping spree. When he stepped into the living room, his composure cracked for the briefest instant. Dozens of shopping bags lay strewn across the floor: luxury dresses, cosmetics, towering boxes of sweets. The sight was... overwhelming. Jack rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "We might have gotten carried away." Ethan sighed and shook his head. "Might?" Half an hour later, they were ready. Jack and Ethan both wore matching formal suits, dark as night, the cut precise and regal. Elina appeared in an elegant silver gown, her hair arranged in soft waves that framed her graceful neck. Standing together, they looked less like a family and more like nobility: Jack and Ethan, two brothers in their prime; Elina, the flawless elder sister. Jack jingled the keys to the Celestial Nova parked outside. "Son, go on—sit in the back. Your mom deserves the front seat with me." Ethan blinked. "Seriously?" But Jack had already wrapped an arm around Elina’s waist, guiding her to the passenger side, a youthful flush on his cheeks. Love-struck old fool. Ethan could only watch, exasperated, as they drove off. When they reached the civilian district, Ethan gathered every shopping bag himself. Behind him, Jack and Elina walked hand in hand, murmuring softly to each other, oblivious to the world. He tried to hold onto his dignified mood, but inside he was cursing, This is supposed to be my day... you two are ruining my aura. Elina pressed the doorbell. It was Elizabeth who opened the door. Her eyes widened when she saw the mountain of packages and the radiant trio on her doorstep. "Elizabeth," Elina greeted warmly. "Thank you for letting us visit." Elizabeth smiled, her gaze softening as it passed over Ethan. "Of course. Come in." They stepped inside. The living room was warm, filled with faint music and the scent of fresh lilies. Rose sat stiffly on the couch, her fingers tangled in her dress. When she looked up and met Ethan’s eyes, she blushed scarlet. He set down the bags and walked to her, his voice low. "Don’t be afraid. Today... I’m making you mine." Her breath caught, but before she could respond, a sudden, cataclysmic pressure tore through the air. It was as if the heavens themselves had cracked open. BOOM— Every window rattled. The walls groaned. Across the entire city, people fell to their knees, clutching their chests. Some spat blood outright. Zara, hidden behind her mother’s skirts, began wailing in terror. Ethan’s face hardened. He stepped forward, his aura swelling. He spread his mental realm in all directions, the invisible domain wrapping the city in a protective cocoon. Instantly, the suffocating pressure vanished. Citizens gasped for air. Relief mixed with raw dread. Zara was still sobbing, tears streaking her cheeks. Ethan knelt and gently wiped her face. His voice was calm, unshakable. "Don’t cry, little princess. Big Brother Ethan is here. No one will hurt you." He had already locked onto the source—a colossal eagle descending from the southern sky. Its wings stretched thirty meters wide, its talons like hooked scythes. Even from kilometers away, its killing intent pressed against the city like a tidal wave. Ethan’s eyes narrowed. This monster is no ordinary King... It was Level 9, radiating nearly ten million tons of force—enough to annihilate every defense the city possessed. Charles couldn’t possibly stand against it. He just didn’t know where this monster came from. He checked all the nearby wilderness areas but he couldn’t find a single king except that earth dragon. He needed to go. No one in the city could withstand such a monster. He turned to Rose and her mother. "I’m sorry. I have to go." "No!" Rose shot to her feet, her hands grabbing his sleeve. Her voice shook. "You can’t! The pressure can’t be from a normal monster,that thing should be a very very powerful monster—You’ll die!" Elina’s eyes were wet. "Ethan, you don’t have to—" But he only shook his head. Then with a thought everyone in the room fell asleep. If he didn’t go, the city would cease to exist. He closed his eyes, then exhaled. Everyone in the room slowly slumped to the floor, falling into a painless sleep. He whispered to Rose’s still form, "Forgive me. I promise—I’ll come back to you." He used his armor skill. In a burst of golden light, his full-body armor materialized, its intricate plates gleaming like the forge-born skin of a god. Then he stepped out of this appartment,called his clone to protect here. This room contained all of his loved ones in the world. Then he stepped onto his sword, and became a streak of light and soar to the sky. --- On the Southern Wall Smoke and chaos reigned. Charles stood atop the battlements, the city’s highest-ranking martial artists arrayed beside him. Overhead, the monstrous eagle circled, its eyes burning with malevolence. Charles contacted to the higher ups but they would still need some time to reach here which they didn’t have. Commander Ray swallowed, his voice rough. "Sir... do we have any chance?" Charles didn’t answer. The silence spoke volumes. 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮 Below them, soldiers manned the massive laser cannons—the city’s last hope. Ray turned, his expression grim, and bellowed: > "Listen up! You are the shield of humanity! This is our home—our families are behind these walls! I don’t care if you’re afraid! You will stand your ground! You will fight with everything you have—until your final breath!" The soldiers roared back, though terror quavered in their voices. A reporter clung to the parapet, her camera shaking as she spoke into the mic. "This is—this is the southern wall—Supervisor Charles has mobilized every elite martial artist—laser batteries are engaging—but—" FWOOOOOSH— A pillar of energy lanced upward, striking the eagle’s chest. The beam fizzled on impact, leaving not a scratch. The eagle shrieked—a sound so piercing that every window in the city exploded into shards. The reporter screamed and dropped to her knees, clutching her ears as blood trickled from them. Charles’s face turned ashen. He drew his saber, stepping into the air itself, each stride a burst of compressed force. With a roar, he unleashed his most powerful technique—a gleaming arc that split the clouds. The blade struck the eagle’s breastplate feathers— —and bounced off harmlessly. In that moment, Charles knew: the city was doomed. Even Ethan... the hope of mankind... Please, he prayed in the secret corners of his heart. Don’t come here. Run. Survive. --- The eagle fixed its bloodshot eyes on Charles. With a thunderous sweep of its massive wing, it struck him like a rag doll. Charles felt his heart slam against his ribs as his body hurtled toward the ground. He tasted iron—blood poured from his mouth in thick, warm streams. Gasping, he forced his eyes skyward. High above, the eagle was spreading its wings wide, gathering power. Its beak parted, drawing in a deep, shuddering breath. A swirling sphere of compressed wind began to form before its maw, howling with a rising, terrible pitch. If that attack struck the city, nothing would remain but dust. In the control room, the scene played across every monitor. Despair spread like a contagion. Soldiers and civilians alike fell to their knees, hollow-eyed. No one could look away. No one could muster even a whisper of hope. It was over. They were finished. Yet far from the city, high in the dimming sky, three figures stood in midair, looking down on it all as if from another world. "This is your punishment," a cold voice declared, seething with hate. "Your punishment for bringing that wretch Ethan Hunt into this world—and his punishment for daring to humiliate the Ashford bloodline." Nolan Ashford’s face twisted, veins bulging at his temples. Beside him floated Erasmus Ashford and an elder of their clan. Nolan’s teeth ground together so hard it felt as though they would crack. He wanted nothing more than to tear Ethan apart with his own hands. "You all shall perish today," he spat, his voice rising to a manic shriek. "Hahahahaha!" But then— A golden light tore across the twilight sky. Whooooom— A figure descended, standing tall atop a gleaming sword. Their armor blazed brighter than the sun itself, flooding the darkness below with radiance so pure it made the monstrous eagle flinch. All eyes turned upward, breath catching in every throat. The eagle’s massive head swiveled, its pupils narrowing to black slits. It stared in silence. Though it sensed no aura—no pressure or killing intent—some primal instinct screamed a warning. This one was dangerous. ---