[Sub quest triggered!]
[Kill 200 goblins, 100 dire wolves, 50 trolls, ten orcs and five ogres.]
[Completing the kill of each specie will provide its own award.]
Seeing the sub quest appear, Ethan could not hide the small, satisfied smile that curved his lips.
He stood still for a moment, letting the monsters gather around him.
He had aggroed them perfectly, and now they surged forward, expecting an easy kill.
"Commander! The lord is in trouble!" one of the watchmen shouted down to Nicholas, voice edged with panic.
But Nicholas remained silent.
He had seen the unfamiliar skills Ethan just used, skills he had never witnessed before.
Perhaps he has been hiding his true strength all this while, pretending to be weak? Nicholas asked himself.
A faint smile appeared on his face, one that left even the watchmen confused.
"Open the gate!" Nicholas instructed firmly. "Let the others provide support to the lord!"
Ethan, now completely surrounded, did not panic.
The circle of snarling creatures closed in, their hot breath visible in the cold night air.
"Blizzard!" he activated the skill once the monsters pressed tight around him.
The spell froze every creature within a five-meter radius.
Ice crackled sharply in the sudden silence.
It was an overwhelmingly powerful skill that nearly made Ethan's jaw drop in awe.
Yet it came at a steep cost, his mana drained completely in a single burst, leaving a heavy strain across his body.
[You have drained the mana from your body, placing strain on your body. Your stored mana quantity has increased.]
Ethan's eyes opened wide with surprise.
Knowing the physique worked this way was a game-changing discovery.
Immediately, his empty mana pool refilled in a warm rush.
Isn't this a bit too broken? he asked himself as he continued the relentless onslaught.
[You have devoured a dire wolf bloodline.]
[You have awakened the trait Sharp Claws.]
[Congratulations! Your Infallible Physique has levelled up.]
[Congratulations! Your Apex Devouring Bloodline has levelled up.]
[Congratulations! Your Absolute Defence has levelled up!]
Ethan stood motionless for a breath, covered head to toe in the dark blood of monsters.
The metallic scent clung thick in the air around him.
Before any backup could reach the field, he had already defeated every creature and cleared the first wave single-handedly.
Goblins killed: 215/200
Dire wolves killed: 27/100
Orcs killed: 0/50
Trolls killed: 0/10
Ogres killed: 0/5
The first wave had consisted only of goblins and a handful of dire wolves, but Ethan had wiped them out completely.
[Congratulations! You have successfully defended your castle from the first wave.]
[Rating: SSS rank.]
[The reward for the first wave has been awarded.]
[Reward: Dire wolves mounts stable – A stable that produces ten fire wolf mounts every day and 1 dire wolf king mount once a month.]
[Congratulations! You contributed in defending the castle.]
[Rating: SSS rank.]
[Reward: Independent space: 1 cubic square meter – a pocket space dimension accessible to only you. Time is frozen in the dimension.]
"Crimson castle is the best place I should be," Ethan said with a wide smile.
----
"My lord!"
Ethan stepped through the massive gate, the heavy iron hinges groaning softly behind him.
At once, he met the fanatic gazes of the assembled knights.
Their eyes burned with awe.
Most of them were only one-star ranked warriors.
In any normal first wave, they would have walked away with at least a few cuts or bruises.
Yet tonight, thanks to Ethan charging straight into the fray, every single knight stood completely unharmed.
Relief and admiration washed over their faces, turning their usual grim determination into something almost reverent.
"Inform the captain of each unit," Ethan ordered one of the nearby guards, his voice steady and commanding.
"We need to discuss contingency plans for the next wave."
The guard snapped a quick salute and hurried off, boots crunching over the frost-dusted stones.
Shortly after, Nicholas fell in behind him, walking like a loyal escort.
"How long were you planning to keep the secret?" Nicholas asked, a knowing smile playing across his face.
Ethan caught the meaning instantly.
He returned the smile, faint but genuine, the corners of his mouth lifting just enough to show quiet amusement.
"When I was away from my family," Ethan replied smoothly,
"and the risk of death was less than it needed to be."
They continued walking side by side through the winding castle corridors.
Torches cast long, dancing shadows along the stone walls.
While they moved, Ethan turned his attention inward and checked his system for detailed information on the new rewards he had earned.
The glowing panels appeared clearly in his mind, crisp and detailed.
[Apex Devouring Bloodline LV2]
Whenever you kill any being, you devour their bloodline, assimilating only the best parts of it, including physical traits that you can make use of freely.
[Infallible Physique LV2]
The harder you strain yourself, the stronger your physique becomes.
Completely draining your aura, mana, or stamina will have it immediately replenished.
[Absolute Defence LV2]
Your defence is absolute.
You cannot be harmed by poison or any form of attack below the sixth-star rank.
Ethan nodded his head in deep satisfaction.
The quiet pride warmed his chest like a steady flame.
Now, not even beings ranked as high as Nicholas could hurt him.
The realization settled over him with calm confidence.
Time passed in a measured hush.
Soon Ethan and the captains sat gathered in the strategy room.
The large chamber felt heavy with purpose.
Maps of the surrounding lands lay spread across a scarred wooden table, lit by several oil lamps that gave off a warm, flickering glow.
The scent of aged parchment and polished steel hung in the air.
"Fill me in," Ethan said, leaning forward slightly.
"What do we need to know concerning this monster wave? What is it that we need, and what is it that we don't need?"
One of the captains spoke up first, his voice firm yet edged with concern.
"We need food. It is the most important thing right now. We have too few supplies."
His gaze shifted pointedly toward Sean, carrying clear dislike.
"The expedition team did a good job after all."
The words lingered in the room, tension thickening the atmosphere around the table as the captains waited for Ethan's reaction.