> [Hint: Obtained Baijin-level Lava Staff, Skill Book — "Summon Lava Titan (Gold)".]
[Hint: Obtained Item — World-Extinguishing Lava (One-time Use).]
Ethan's system panel filled with brilliant golden light as the rewards appeared one after another.
Baijin-level Lava Staff:
Spirit +4800
Area of Effect (AoE) Skill Damage +50%
Attack Range +100%
Additional Skills: Lava Drop, Lava Infusion
Limited Equipment (Minimum Level: 35; Mental Power: 4000+)
Skill Book: Summon Lava Titan (Gold)
Consumes mana to summon a Lava Titan.
The Titan's strength depends on the mana consumed.
Item: World-Extinguishing Lava (One-time Use)
When activated, unleashes a devastating eruption within a 1,000-meter radius, dealing damage equal to a full-force strike from a Peak Rank-Four Professional.
Ethan's eyes gleamed as he read through the descriptions. "These rewards… they're insane."
The staff alone could triple his combat potential. The Spirit boost and enhanced AoE power would supercharge his existing spells like Sandstone Vortex and Thorn Imprisonment, extending their range and doubling their lethality.
It was as if this weapon had been tailor-made for him.
The additional skill "Lava Drop" promised destructive power over a wide radius—his first real high-tier damage ability. And "Lava Infusion"? That one made him grin.
It allowed him to coat himself or his summons in molten energy, turning them into burning juggernauts that both resisted attacks and scorched anyone who dared to get close.
"Ha! If I'd had this during the metallic python fight, I could've saved myself a lot of trouble," Ethan muttered, shaking his head.
Then he saw the skill's golden glow.
A golden-ranked skill. His first ever.
It wasn't just rare—it was priceless. Golden skills scaled with spirit attributes, meaning the stronger his mind, the stronger the Titan he could summon.
"I wonder," Ethan thought aloud, eyes bright, "can I summon a Titan as big as that lava monster from before?"
If so, it would be a game-changer.
Without hesitation, he pressed his hands together.
Snap!
The skill book turned to golden motes and merged into his body.
> [You have learned "Summon Lava Titan (Gold)".]
"Perfect," he said, satisfied.
Then he turned to the one-time-use item — World-Extinguishing Lava.
A peak Rank-Four strike… equivalent to the strongest blow just below Legendary level.
Ethan didn't even dare test it here. "This thing could destroy a city," he thought, tucking it away. "Better keep it as my trump card."
He exhaled, overwhelmed by the sheer number of treasures he had gained. "Who would've thought a primary secret realm could yield so much loot?"
He reasoned it must be tied to his near-perfect 99.9% contribution rate. The higher the score, the richer the rewards.
Just as he finished organizing his gains, another prompt appeared before him.
> [Reminder: Scarlet Mist Secret Realm cleared. The realm will close in five minutes. All participants will be forcibly transported out.]
Ethan froze. "What? Only five minutes left?"
His eyes darted downhill. Thousands of treasure chests were still waiting at the base of the mountain—the ones his summoned worker bees had guarded so fiercely.
"Five minutes isn't enough even if I sprint!" he groaned.
Then, he grinned. "Fine. If running won't work, I'll just fly."
He immediately summoned his Queen Bee, a massive golden-winged insect that buzzed into existence beside him.
"Grab me and dive!" he ordered.
The Queen Bee wrapped its claws around his arm and shot downward. The air pressure roared in his ears as they plummeted toward the treasure field.
But halfway down, Ethan realized they wouldn't make it in time.
He switched to his Shared Line of Sight skill, viewing the scene below through the eyes of his sharp-edged worker bees. The timer ticked rapidly—three minutes left.
"No way we'll get there," he muttered. "But if I can't go down safely…"
His lips curved into a reckless smile. "Then I'll drop."
Without a second thought, he commanded the Queen Bee to hover directly above the treasure hill. Then—he released his grip.
Whoosh!
The world blurred around him as he freefell from hundreds of meters up. The wind howled past his ears.
"Faster!" he shouted, bracing himself.
BOOM!!!
The impact shook the ground like thunder. Nearby students screamed, clutching their ears. Dust and pebbles flew in all directions.
"W-What was that?!" someone yelled. "Is there another monster?!"
"It came from the treasure hill! Should we go check?"
"Forget it!" another student cried. "The realm's closing soon! I'm not dying now!"
A few brave souls turned toward the blast site anyway. What they saw made their jaws drop.
A massive crater, over ten meters wide and two meters deep, smoked in the middle of the clearing.
And in the center of it, a lone figure was dusting himself off.
Ethan straightened, brushing the dirt from his cloak as if he'd merely tripped, not fallen from the sky.
Around him, stunned students stared in disbelief.
"Did… did he just fall from up there?" one whispered.
The ground here was harder than steel, reinforced by centuries of magical compression. Even a stone man's fist could barely dent it. Yet this man had smashed a pit deep enough to bury a car.
"Who the hell can survive that?!"
Then someone recognized his face. Their eyes went wide. "Wait… isn't that Ethan?! The top-ranked Beast Master?!"
Shock rippled through the group. They all knew Ethan's name from the rankings—one of the most talented Beast Masters of the new generation. But what kind of Beast Master had the body of a meteorite?
"He's alive?! From that height?!"
Ethan ignored their astonishment. He had no time to waste. The timer on his interface flashed: 02:45 remaining.
He extended his hand, and the sharp-edged worker bees instantly returned to his side, hovering in formation.
With another command, the bees began retrieving the treasure chests at lightning speed. The sky shimmered as chest after chest vanished into Ethan's inventory.
A few students thought about helping—until the bees turned their glowing red eyes toward them. They backed away immediately.
Within two minutes, every chest on the hill was gone.
Ethan exhaled in relief. "Made it just in time."
If he'd missed even one, all his effort would've been for nothing.
He rubbed the back of his neck and chuckled. "Guess that 'falling from the sky' stunt worked out after all."
He glanced at the Queen Bee resting weakly inside his familiar space, clearly injured from the rapid descent. "Sorry, girl. I'll get you healed up soon."
A low hum began to fill the air. Golden circles of light appeared around each student.
> [Teleportation Sequence Initiated…]
The teleportation array shimmered brighter and brighter, wrapping everyone in radiant energy.
"Looks like it's time to go home," Ethan murmured.
As the world blurred, he found himself standing once more at the entrance of the Scarlet Secret Realm, surrounded by the other survivors.
The once-chaotic field was now calm. Most students were cheering, laughing, or simply collapsing to the ground in relief. They had survived.
Ethan looked around for the man who had sent him here in the first place—Old Wang.
He spotted him standing near the gate, smiling faintly. Ethan approached, ready to tell him that the mission was complete and the students were safe.
But then, something felt wrong.
Old Wang wasn't moving. His smile seemed… frozen.
Ethan's heart dropped. He rushed forward and grabbed the man's shoulder.
Old Wang swayed slightly, then collapsed backward into his arms.
His eyes were closed, his breathing still. Blood soaked his uniform from a deep wound across his chest.
In his trembling hand, he still clutched a faded yellow photograph—an old picture of a family smiling under the sunlight.
Ethan stood there silently, his chest tightening.
For a long moment, the world around him was quiet again. The students' voices faded into the background.
Finally, he whispered, "Rest well, Old Wang. You did your duty."
He carefully pried the photo from the man's stiff fingers and folded it into his own pocket.
Then, standing tall beneath the twilight sky, he took a deep breath.
The secret realm was over. But the war outside… was just beginning.
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