Isaryne let out a cold snort, clearly about to shut him down, but Ethan cut her off before she could even get the words out.
"I know exactly what you’re thinking," he said, his tone calm but firm. "You probably think Emerald Castle isn’t strong enough to be worth your time. That someone like you—Crimson Ultimate, second awakening—shouldn’t have to team up with someone like me."
He took a step forward, locking eyes with her.
"But I’ve got news for you."
"Seraphina—she’s on the verge of her second awakening."
The moment the words left his mouth, Isaryne’s expression froze. Her eyes snapped to Seraphina, flickering with something unreadable.
"And?" she said coolly after a beat. "Even if she is about to awaken again, what’s that got to do with me?"
"Why wouldn’t it?" Ethan smiled, his voice light but laced with challenge. "Once she awakens, you won’t be able to beat her."
"What did you just say?!"
Isaryne’s face darkened instantly. Flames flared up around her, licking at the air as she glared daggers at Ethan.
"She’s not the only one who’s had a second awakening. I have too. What makes you think I can’t take her?"
"Then why not find out?" Ethan said, still smiling, completely unfazed by the heat radiating off her. "After we push back the Dungeon army, you and Seraphina go one-on-one. A fair fight. No tricks, no interference. Then we’ll see who’s really stronger."
The words slipped out before she could stop herself. She caught it a second later, narrowing her eyes at Ethan.
"You’re trying to provoke me."
"Damn right I am," Ethan said with a chuckle. "My people told me you’ve got a serious pride streak. And now that I’ve met you, I can see it for myself. But here’s the thing—I’ve got absolute faith in Seraphina. Whether I’m provoking you or not, it’ll still be a fair fight. You can’t argue with that, can you?"
Isaryne stared him down, her face unreadable, but her eyes were blazing—cold, proud, and dangerous.
For a long moment, the tension hung thick in the air.
Then, finally, she spoke.
"When she awakens, we’ll settle it. I want to see for myself just how strong she really is—what makes you so damn confident in her. Hmph. No matter what, I’ll be the one standing at the end."
Seraphina’s eyes lit up with fierce determination. Her gaze locked onto Isaryne like a predator sizing up its prey.
"I’m gonna beat you so bad you won’t even be able to crawl," she growled, voice low and wild. "You arrogant Firebird bitch—just wait."
"Alright, now that the duel’s set, can we get back to the real issue?" Ethan said, his tone light again as he turned to Isaryne. "We’ve got a common enemy. And the Dungeon army isn’t exactly weak. Why waste energy fighting them separately when we could crush them together?"
Isaryne frowned slightly, her voice still cold.
"What exactly are you proposing?"
"Simple. An alliance," Ethan said, eyes narrowing slightly.
"You know as well as I do—the real threat isn’t over. The Dungeon Lord? He’s just a mid-tier boss. There’s still the Dungeon King above him. Honestly, I’m not too worried. There’s a top-tier powerhouse hiding in the central region of Sylvanwood. With him around, the Dungeon King might not be able to do much."
"But you? You’re in a different position."
"If he comes after you, what are your chances of surviving? Or are you planning to tuck tail and run? Doesn’t really seem like your style, does it? Someone as proud as you wouldn’t go down like that... right?"
The moment Ethan said that, Isaryne fell silent.
It was obvious—his words had hit her right where it hurt.
He’d nailed her deepest fear.
As long as the Dungeon King was still out there, killing off Dungeon Lords was just a temporary fix. It didn’t matter how many they took down—none of it would mean a damn thing. If it weren’t for that top-tier powerhouse holding the line in Sylvanwood, this war would’ve been over a long time ago.
And not in their favor.
But the real problem? That powerhouse was in Sylvanwood. They weren’t. Out here, beyond his protection, they were exposed.
Which meant that if today’s threat was just a Dungeon Lord, tomorrow it could be the Dungeon King himself.
And if that happened... she’d have no choice but to run.
She was proud, sure. Confident, absolutely. But she wasn’t stupid. And she sure as hell wasn’t arrogant enough to think she could take on a Dungeon King solo. That kind of monster? She’d need tens of thousands of years of growth just to maybe, maybe stand a chance.
Right now? She was light-years away from that level.
"If we form an alliance," Ethan continued, pressing the advantage, "two Crimson Ultimate heroes with second awakenings are better than one. And don’t forget—Seraphina’s not the only one in Emerald Castle. We’ve got more Crimson Ultimates. Even if we can’t win outright, we can at least hold our ground, buy time, keep the pressure off."
He leaned in slightly, voice low and pointed.
"Or what? You planning to go full lone wolf and take on the Dungeon King by yourself?"
Isaryne didn’t answer.
But her silence said everything.
Ethan could see it—her pride was still there, but her defenses were cracking. She wasn’t unreasonable. Pride was fine, expected even, for someone of her rank. But pride without sense? That was suicide. And she didn’t strike him as suicidal.
The stakes were clear. The logic was sound.
She’d make the right call.
Isaryne opened her mouth, hesitated, then finally gave a small nod. Her voice was low, reluctant.
"I’ll ally with you. But only for the fight against the Dungeon army. Don’t get any ideas—I’m not joining you, and I’m not swearing loyalty. So don’t even think about trying to recruit me."
Ethan grinned, completely unfazed. "Relax. I’m not asking for that. But I do need a promise. If we’re going to fight together, you’ve gotta follow orders during battle. No going rogue. Honestly, from what I’ve seen so far, you and Seraphina are about on the same level when it comes to strategy—great at charging in, not so great at leading. So let me handle the command. I won’t screw you over, but you’ve gotta listen. Deal?"
"Of course," he added with a wink, "only during the fight against the Dungeon army. After that, we go our separate ways. Sound fair?"
"Master!" Seraphina immediately snapped, her face flushing red with outrage. "What do you mean we’re on the same level?! I’m way smarter than that feathered lizard!"
Isaryne’s flames flared up in fury. "Excuse me?! Don’t lump me in with this green-skinned idiot! I’m way more intelligent than she is!"
Ethan raised his hands in mock surrender, laughing. "My bad, my bad. Poor choice of words. But, uh, Lady Isaryne, your answer?"
Isaryne hesitated for a long moment, then finally let out a deep sigh and gave a reluctant nod. Follow current ɴᴏᴠᴇʟs on novel•fire.net
She hated to admit it, but she knew her limits. Sure, she could tear through enemy lines and take down elite units like it was nothing. But leading an entire army? Coordinating a full-scale war?
Yeah... that wasn’t exactly her strong suit.