"Boy, leave the goods and those two women behind and get out of here!"
The newly arrived Hero snarled with a greed-filled gaze, especially when his eyes landed on Mia and Sherry standing beside Ethan.
Their beauty was captivating, making the Heroes' hearts race uncontrollably.
So stunning!
"Such beautiful women should belong to me!"
The Heroes thought, their minds inadvertently overlooking Ethan and Pale Wolf.
After all, in their eyes, they had a clear numerical advantage with seven or eight Heroes on their side, all quite formidable among their peers, against the mere four on Ethan's side.
They felt supremely confident.
However, often, strength isn't merely determined by numbers.
Ethan, raising his head to meet the eyes of the approaching Heroes, felt a surge of anger.
As the Dark Lord, he had never sought trouble with the Heroes.
Yet, it was these Heroes who had taken the initiative to cause trouble.
Moreover, the idea of Heroes attempting to seize others was appalling!
The roles seemed reversed, with Heroes now playing the part of the aggressors.
Ethan decided it was time to teach these men a lesson.
Stepping forward, with Thunder dancing around his hand and an emotionless expression, he declared, "You lot are audacious. But often, audacity leads to demise! How dare a bunch of insects like you bother me?"
With that, the Thunder in Ethan's hand roared to life.
His mastery over the Thunder - the Language of Nature - had grown remarkably.
"This is bad!" The leading Hero exclaimed in horror.
He tried to dodge, but how could one possibly outrun the speed of lightning?
The Thunder caught up to him in a heartbeat.
Under the fearful gazes of the others, the lead Hero was struck, instantly turning into a charred figure.
"Help!"
"Don't kill me! I didn't mean to steal from you."
The remaining Heroes pleaded desperately, hoping to spare their lives from Ethan's wrath.
However, the surging Thunder paid no heed to their cries.
In mere moments, the seven to eight approaching Heroes lay permanently dead in this quiet expanse of the jungle.
Yet, Ethan stood there in astonishment as notifications from a system appeared before him.
[Ding! You have slain the Hero William from the Azure Empire, earning Hero's Soul1. This Hero was a member of the Silver Wolf Association of the Azure Empire. You have additionally received WolfCoins3.]
[Ding! You have defeated the Hero Gorin from the Azure Empire, obtaining Hero's Soul1. This Hero was a member of the Silver Wolf Association of the Azure Empire. You have additionally acquired WolfCoins5.]
[Ding! You have annihilated the Hero Buvius from the Azure Empire, collecting Hero's Soul1. This Hero was a member of the Silver Wolf Association of the Azure Empire. You have also been rewarded with WolfCoins2.]
[Ding... ]
What would usually be a standard kill notification was now quite different.
"Azure Empire? What's that?"
Ethan couldn't help but murmur.
He had never heard of such an empire.
Furthermore, places like Sunset and Blackstone Kingdom were named as kingdoms, indicating average nations.
But to be termed an 'empire' suggested a formidable and prominent stature for Azure Empire.
With curiosity brimming in his eyes, Ethan turned to Pale Wolf and Sherry to inquire further.
Both looked equally perplexed. Pale Wolf shook his head and said, "Azure Empire? I've never heard of its existence, let alone something called the Silver Wolf Association."
"However, this serves as a reminder."
"If the Azure Empire exists, there might be other empires and various hidden powers out there. "
"This world isn't as straightforward as we assumed. It holds countless secrets buried beneath history, waiting for us to unearth. "
"Furthermore, the vastness of this realm may far exceed our imaginations."
Ethan found himself agreeing wholeheartedly with Pale Wolf's sentiments.
Sherry nodded and, as though recalling something, her expression shifted abruptly.
"I remember now! On a quest I undertook before, I caught whispers about the Azure Empire. It's a massive maritime nation, controlling numerous islands and reigning as one of the maritime overlords."
"The reason we haven't heard of Azure Empire is that they rarely ventured to these parts."
Sherry's account left Ethan deep in thought.
The world, as Sherry described, was incredibly vast.
The Sunset Kingdom was situated in a rather remote location, with expansive snow-covered plains to the north and an endless sea to the east.
Surrounding the Sunset Kingdom were various mountains, lakes, and rivers, home to different tribes.
Hence, kingdoms like the Elf Kingdom and Dwarf Kingdom arose, each representing a distinct race. Besides these were other human kingdoms.
These powers shaped the primary landscape of this region, and especially with the advent of Heroes and the Dark Lord on this land, conflicts among them grew more frequent.
Yet in the grand scheme of things, these skirmishes seemed trivial.
"So, how did those Heroes from Azure Empire get here?" Ethan questioned again, adding with some regret, "I should've kept one or two of them alive."
"It's okay," Sherry reassured, "If they were truly Heroes from Azure Empire, it indicates they've established a route to this place. Other Heroes from the Azure Empire are bound to come."
She didn't find any fault with Ethan's actions.
Even if Ethan hadn't made a move, she would've taken action herself, sending those men to meet their Maker.
Upon learning about the Azure Empire, the group didn't dwell on the topic.
Their main focus was the red jade laid out on the ground, also known as the Blood Source.
"Sherry, how did you feel just now?" Ethan asked, picking up a piece of red jade and examining it closely.
Sherry relayed her recent experience: "I tried probing the red jade using the power within me. As soon as I did, I felt an overwhelming sense of yearning from deep inside."
"What followed was what you all witnessed. I didn't feel discomfort, rather there was this sensation of growing stronger."
"Gaining strength? Sherry, strike me!" Ethan suddenly commanded.
"Wait, what?" Sherry looked taken aback but complied.
Mia and Pale Wolf immediately backed off, watching from a distance.
This time, Ethan instantly noticed the change in Sherry and quickly halted her, "Sherry, you have indeed become more powerful."
Compared to before, Sherry's aura was now much more fierce.
Furthermore, Ethan sensed another change in her.
It was hard to describe, but it felt like a piece of iron riddled with impurities had been forged into robust steel.
"Bloodline advancement?"
Ethan recalled the information he had seen in the system logs after returning from Stone Rock Harbor.
The Blood Source indeed had the ability to enhance one's Bloodline, purifying it.
But its effect seemed almost too potent, a mere shard had granted Sherry such a significant boost.
Moreover, it appeared she could continue to grow even stronger.
Most astonishingly, amplifying the Bloodline didn't even require any tools; simply holding the jade and channeling one's energy into it would suffice.
It was almost beyond belief.
In an instant, Ethan grasped the implications.
"Mia, Pale Wolf, Sherry, gather up these red jades. I suspect a significant skirmish will soon erupt within this Red Jade Valley," Ethan briefly explained.
Upon his terse elucidation, everyone grasped the gravity of the situation.
The red jade's ability to so effortlessly augment one's prowess was an irresistible allure to anyone.
Even though countless jades spewed from deep within the valley, their number paled in comparison to the Heroes surrounding the area.
Thus, an inevitable conflict over these precious stones would ensue.
Unfortunately, Ethan harbored the same ambition.
Shortly after Ethan and his group packed up and departed, another Hero squad arrived.
The leader of the squad stirred the embers of the campfire Ethan had left behind, smoldering but not entirely extinguished.
Anger flashed across his face, "Blasted fools, they left in quite a hurry!"
"Captain, should we pursue them?" A squad member inquired.
The leader shook his head, decisively ordering, "No need. The red jades are limited and our time is precious. We'll spare these few for now and focus on claiming the jades elsewhere."
Such scenes were similarly unfolding in other parts of the valley.
Ethan's assessment was spot on.
Once a Hero had utilized the red jade to elevate themselves, countless others vied frenetically for the coveted gemstone.
Especially after a Rank A Hero named Luke absorbed twenty-five pieces of red jade, successfully ascending to Rank S, the fervor among the Heroes escalated to madness.
The Red Jade Valley echoed with the sounds of battle everywhere.
Countless Heroes fell at the hands of their comrades, but just as many new Heroes arrived.
These were the ones freshly alerted to the news, and as soon as they set foot in the valley, they were ensnared in the melee.
Compared to these Heroes, Ethan seemed rather leisurely.
Mia sat behind him, kneading his shoulders with forceful presses, while Sherry, alight with excitement, sat beside and asked, "Ethan, are you sure I should be the first to use the red jade?"
"Absolutely," Ethan affirmed, then turned his gaze to Pale Wolf. "After Sherry's strength is boosted, it'll be your turn with the red jade, Pale Wolf. We may face formidable battles ahead."
"Understood, no problem!" Pale Wolf responded, glancing longingly at the red jades scattered on the ground.
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