Chapter 66: The battle begins(Part 2) The whole army began moving forward. Ethan had already pinpointed the location and the route the monsters would take. Although their main targets were the ocean beasts, there were also plenty of land and sky monsters converging, darkening the horizon like an endless tide. Ethan had observed that all the monsters on the planet were gathering near the point where the ocean creatures would emerge from the sea. They intended to attack jointly, as if some ancient intelligence bound them together. Maybe their strategy was to destroy one city at a time, or simply focus all their strength on wherever Dragon was. If Dragon fell, humanity would fall with him. That was likely the monsters’ plan. Two hundred kilometers from Supercity 1 stretched a barren land the size of three supercities—a vast desert where the wind scraped dry soil into swirling clouds. While the monsters weren’t gathering in the desert, they were clustering near it, massing like an army of nightmares. If Ethan moved the army into the desert, the enemy would surely attack them there, which would provide the perfect battlefield—far enough from any city to spare the civilians, yet open enough for humanity to unleash its full force. The entire situation was being broadcast around the world. In every shelter, civilians huddled together, clutching blankets or each other’s hands, eyes locked on the trembling screens. All above Warrior Level 7 had gone to war; only the lower-level fighters remained to guard those who could not fight. This was humanity’s total combat power, assembled in one desperate stand: 55 Emperors whose strength alone could shatter mountains 5,321 Kings, seasoned in countless battles 76,321 Grandmasters, each a legend in their own right 594,736 Masters, wielding enough force to decimate armies Over 2 million Warriors above Level 7, countless faces turned resolute toward the battlefield Additionally, there were 554 Nova Sentinels, each with Emperor-level might. Po controlled 54 of them, while 500 were operated by 1,500 Grandmasters. And of course, there was Ethan, whose power eclipsed them all. Right now, Ethan was thinking, a hard glint in his eyes: This massive battalion looks impressive, but comparing to the monsters coming out of the ocean, their numbers aren’t even 1% of their total number. If I use my clones at full power, I can conjure 30 clones at 5% of my strength each. Even then, that’s still not enough. Sure, each clone would have a base strength of 290 million, but their numbers are too few. If I conjure clones at 1% of my power, I can create 1,000 of them. Each will have 58 million base strength. A thousand with 58 million is far better than thirty with 290 million. He decided: he would summon 1,000 clones at 1% of his power. It was already night, a restless darkness pressing down over the waiting army. The main battle would probably begin at dawn, when his attributes would double again. All his clones would be able to wield his skills and techniques, each a mirror of his own lethal precision. Moving such a colossal army wasn’t easy, but none of the martial artists caused trouble. They didn’t know Ethan’s true power, but all of them knew this could be their last battle. When death looms overhead, petty rivalries dissolve like smoke. Besides, Dragon, Leon, and the Emperors were leading the march, their presences as steadying as bedrock. Ethan asked Po to transfer control of the Optimus Prime to him. He would operate it with one of his clones, turning it into an extension of his will. After two hours, the entire two-million-strong army reached the deserted area. On any other day, such a sight—a living ocean of martial power—would have been the most shocking spectacle imaginable. But no one was in the mood to admire it. Dragon stepped forward and raised his hand. The army halted in unison, dust settling around them in a vast hush. Ethan already expanded his mental domain to cover them all, concealing their collective pressure like a cloak. If such an immense aura had been released, the land monsters nearby would have sensed it, and the Ocean Emperor might have changed its plans. They waited. The silence was absolute, thick with the knowledge that tomorrow, many of them would not see the sunrise. No one spoke. Suddenly, Ethan rose into the air, the moonlight glinting off his armor. Brilliant light erupted from his body in blinding waves. One by one, armored figures materialized around him, each a perfect duplicate of the martial artist who had saved the city the day before. This had been broadcasting all over the world. Everyone watched in stunned disbelief. A hush spread through the ranks and across the shelters where civilians clung to each other. For a moment, the entire world seemed to hold its breath. Charles smiled faintly, as if surrendering to the truth he’d been avoiding. "I used to think I was protecting humanity’s last hope back in Base City 5. But it was always this monster protecting us." Leon gave a tired, almost sorrowful smile. "He never needed our protection." Dragon said nothing. He’d suspected it yesterday, but now the evidence blazed undeniable. In Supercity 1, deep in the Hunt family’s bunker, Jack smiled with a pride so fierce it hurt. Even surrounded by two million martial artists, his son was shining brighter than all of them. His eyes turned red as he fought back the tears. Elina couldn’t hold hers back—this was the proudest moment a parent could ever know: to watch their child stand out among everyone in the world. Rose clenched her fists, her heart beating too fast to breathe. She couldn’t even think straight. This man might have surpassed everything on the planet. Yet he had never once treated her with condescension. He had always been there, like the warmest blanket on the coldest night. Do I really deserve him? The question hollowed her chest. Back in the city, Ryan threw back his head and started laughing like a madman, his voice hoarse with devotion. "Hahaha! That’s my king! Someday I’ll be his strongest general and slaughter anyone who dares to stand against him!" Everyone felt something different. Pride. Awe. Terror. On the battlefield, Alexander couldn’t suppress the smile tugging at his face. But the situation was too grim, and if he started laughing, Dragon and Leon might pummel him on the spot. Leon caught the glimmer in Alexander’s eyes anyway. "What the hell are you smiling about, you old bastard? I knew you abandoned his family! Damn it, I shouldn’t have told you about him. I should have adopted them myself—what a fool I was." Alexander’s grin only widened, almost taunting. Leon was about to lunge at him when Dragon stopped him with a look. One by one, Ethan’s 1,000 clones materialized, clad in armor that gleamed like molten steel. Inside his mental domain, Ethan released their pressure in a single, unstoppable wave. The aura of a Level 3 Emperor poured from each clone, rolling over the army like a promise of salvation. Ethan did it on purpose to boost the morales of the army. He needed some backbone right now. Dragon alone wasn’t enough. Even Dragon’s eyes went wide, awe breaking through his composure. These are his clones? If they’re this strong...how powerful is he really? And how can he conjure a thousand of them? What kind of skill is this? Where did it come from? Thousands of questions churned in his mind, and none of them had answers. Meanwhile, far out in the sea—where Ethan’s mental domain couldn’t penetrate—a colossal octopus, at least 100 kilometers long, studied the beasts beyond its hidden territory. Its massive red eyes glowed with cold calculation. Fifty years have passed. It’s time we erase these insects from the planet...or else... A trace of something like worry flickered in that endless gaze. It issued a mental command: "Move." Millions of monsters began to march. Giant jellyfish drifted like living continents. Sharks larger than megalodons knifed through the waves. Blue whales bigger than the greatest ships from Ethan’s past life surged forward. As the octopus’s hidden domain lifted, Ethan finally saw the full magnitude of the threat. His face turned grim, shadows etching his features. That octopus had to be the Ocean Emperor. Its life force was massive.It’s strength was nearly 80 trillion tonnes. No wonder Dragon had never defeated it. But if it was so strong, why wait until now? Something didn’t add up. Among the monsters were some Emperor-class creatures whose strength began at one trillion. What the hell is going on? How can these monsters be this strong? None of this makes sense. By tomorrow, his base strength would be 10 billion. With 360x combat amplification, he’d reach 3.6 trillion. His Level 5 force weapon would multiply that by 80—288 trillion total. Not bad. But he was sure the octopus had other tricks. He couldn’t afford to be careless. As dawn broke, the sun spilling fire across the desert, Ethan’s voice rang out, cold and defiant: "All martial artists—be ready. We’re going to f**k up these ugly bastards...and then we’re having a seafood festival for three days and nights nonstop." Everyone erupted in cheers, fists raised, their fear transmuted into raw resolve. Now that they knew Ethan’s true capabilities, their respect was genuine, almost reverent. Only the Morningstars looked sour, their faces twisted in silent spite. They were the same kind of people Ethan had known in his past life—those who would rather die than let someone else surpass them. He noticed their ugly expressions and thought coldly: You’d better behave yourselves. Otherwise, I won’t even give you time to regret it. On land stood a hundred-meter-tall ape, its knuckles like siege weapons—a Level 9 Emperor. Beside it, a bear the size of a hill and a flame wolf as large as a two-story bus, each radiating killing intent that made the air feel thin. In total, there were 578 Emperor beasts on land. Their Kings and lesser ranks were innumerable. Yet even they were only about 5% of the total enemy force. Above, the sky teemed with monstrous eagles, vultures, and mutated birds—around 300 Emperor-class sky beasts wheeling in formation. Ethan released the suppression from his mental domain. A horrendous pressure surged outward, crashing into the monsters like an invisible tidal wave—a declaration of war. The monsters reacted immediately, falling into disciplined battle formations. They waited, silent and monstrous, for their command from the sea. Then, thousands of ocean creatures began to emerge. In their midst, the colossal head of the octopus rose from the deep, dark waves. It issued a single, resonant command. The monsters charged straight toward the source of that impossible pressure. The battle had truly begun.