Chapter 355: Battle Inside The City
The Conservative Telmarian City stood like a fortress of war beneath the dark sky.
Massive black walls surrounded the entire settlement while towers burned with crimson flames atop their peaks.
Ethan observed the city from the canyon cliff for several minutes.
The atmosphere felt tense.
Even from this distance, he could already hear shouting echoing faintly from inside the city walls.
"…They're arguing?"
Ethan narrowed his eyes slightly.
The front gate suddenly opened as several armored Telmarian warriors rushed outward aggressively. Some appeared furious while others looked panicked.
Something was happening inside the city.
Without hesitation, Ethan moved closer.
The guards near the gate immediately noticed him.
"Halt!"
Several spears pointed directly toward Ethan.
"You're not one of us," one of the guards growled.
Ethan ignored the weapons aimed at him and looked past them toward the city.
"What's happening in there?"
"That's none of your business."
Another loud shout echoed from inside the city walls.
This time, the sound was much clearer.
"You betrayed the tribe!"
"You've gone too far, Elder Varken!"
A loud explosion followed shortly afterward.
BOOOOM!!
The guards near Ethan immediately looked alarmed.
"What the hell is happening?!"
One of them quickly rushed back into the city while the others remained outside nervously.
Ethan slowly smirked.
Internal conflict.
Interesting.
He calmly stepped forward.
"Stop right there!"
The guards immediately attacked him.
SWOOSH!
Several spears thrust toward Ethan simultaneously.
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
Ethan deflected them effortlessly with Bloodblade Ashura before counterattacking instantly.
SLASH!
One guard lost his arm immediately.
Another was cut across the chest violently.
The remaining warriors stepped backward in shock.
Ethan did not even stop walking.
"Move," he said coldly.
The guards hesitated briefly before charging again out of fear.
Unfortunately for them—
"Crimson Slash."
SWOOOOSH!!
The crimson arc exploded through the front gate violently.
BOOOOOM!!
The entire entrance collapsed instantly.
Stone debris scattered everywhere while the guards were blown apart by the impact.
Blood sprayed across the shattered walls.
Ethan walked directly through the destroyed gate afterward.
The scene inside the city was pure chaos.
Dozens of Telmarian warriors were fighting each other openly throughout the streets.
Buildings burned.
People screamed.
Some warriors wore black armor marked with crimson symbols while others carried silver insignias.
Two factions.
Even within the conservative city itself, division had begun.
Ethan quietly observed the battlefield around him.
"So the conservatives are splitting apart too…"
One injured Telmarian suddenly grabbed Ethan's arm desperately.
"You— outsider— help us kill Elder Varken!"
Ethan looked down at him coldly.
"Why should I help you?"
"He's insane…"
The wounded man coughed blood.
"He wants complete extermination… not only the Blood-Cursed Tribe… but anyone opposing him…"
Before Ethan could respond, several black-armored warriors suddenly appeared nearby.
"There he is!"
"Kill the traitor!"
The injured Telmarian's face turned pale.
The warriors immediately charged toward them.
Ethan calmly pulled out Bloodblade Ashura.
The first warrior swung a massive axe downward.
CLANG!
Ethan blocked the strike before slashing across the warrior's neck instantly.
Blood splattered onto the street.
Another attacked from the side.
SLASH!
His body was cut apart at the waist.
The remaining Telmarians froze briefly after witnessing Ethan's overwhelming strength.
"Who the hell is this monster?!"
Ethan walked forward slowly.
"You people destroyed Gor City."
The warriors' expressions changed instantly.
"The Blood-Cursed city?"
"So you came for revenge…"
Ethan's killing intent exploded outward.
"Yes."
The warriors roared and attacked together.
BOOOOM!!
The street shook violently as battle erupted once more.
Ethan moved through them like a demon.
Every swing of Bloodblade Ashura brought death.
Limbs flew through the air.
Blood covered the stone roads.
Screams echoed endlessly.
The warriors attempted to surround him, but Ethan activated Crimson Slash repeatedly, destroying entire groups at once.
Several nearby buildings collapsed from the shockwaves alone.
The chaos inside the city grew even worse.
Meanwhile—
At the center of the city stood a gigantic tower.
Inside its upper chamber, an elderly Telmarian watched the destruction calmly from a balcony.
His long gray robes fluttered gently in the wind while countless corpses littered the streets below.
"Interesting…"
This was Elder Varken.
The true leader of the extremist faction.
A warrior suddenly knelt behind him.
"Elder Varken, an outsider has entered the city. He's slaughtering our forces."
"I know."
The old man narrowed his eyes toward Ethan's distant figure.
"So that survivor from Gor City finally arrived."
The warrior hesitated briefly.
"What are your orders?"
Varken slowly smiled.
"Bring him to me."
The streets had become rivers of blood by the time Ethan reached the central district.
Corpses surrounded him everywhere.
Some belonged to conservative warriors.
Others belonged to civilians caught in the conflict.
The city itself was collapsing into madness.
Suddenly—
Several elite warriors landed directly in front of Ethan.
Unlike the others, these men carried enormous black spears radiating powerful energy.
"The Elder wishes to see you," one of them said.
Ethan narrowed his eyes.
"The elder?"
"Elder Varken."
Ethan slowly gripped his sword tighter.
Good.
The real target had finally appeared.
"Take me to him."
The elite warriors escorted Ethan toward the massive central tower while battles continued raging throughout the city.
Explosions echoed constantly outside.
Smoke covered the sky.
The deeper Ethan traveled into the tower, the heavier the atmosphere became.
Finally—
The large doors at the top floor opened.
Ethan entered slowly.
An old man stood near the balcony overlooking the burning city.
"You're Ethan," Varken said calmly.
"You know my name?"
"I know many things."
The elder turned around slowly.
His eyes were cold.
Ancient.
Dangerous.
"You came seeking revenge."
"Yes."
Varken smiled faintly.
"And now you stand before the man responsible."
The atmosphere instantly grew heavier.
Ethan's killing intent exploded violently throughout the chamber.
"So it really was you."
Varken spread his arms calmly.
"The Blood-Cursed Tribe should never have existed."
"They brought weakness and corruption."
"They deserved extermination."
CRACK!
The floor beneath Ethan shattered slightly from the pressure of his rage.
"You slaughtered innocent people."
"They were necessary sacrifices."
Ethan disappeared instantly from his position.
CLANG!!
Bloodblade Ashura collided directly against Varken's black staff.
A massive shockwave erupted across the chamber.
The old man's strength shocked Ethan immediately.
Despite his age, Varken blocked the attack effortlessly.
"You possess impressive hatred," Varken said calmly.
"But hatred alone is meaningless."
The elder unleashed a powerful burst of energy.
BOOOOM!!
Ethan was blasted backward through several pillars.
The tower trembled violently.
Ethan quickly regained balance before rushing forward again.
The battle exploded across the upper chamber.
SLASH!
CRASH!
BOOOOM!!
Every collision destroyed parts of the tower itself.
Varken wielded terrifying power despite his old appearance. His staff attacks carried enormous force while dark energy spread through the surroundings.
Meanwhile, Ethan attacked relentlessly with sword strikes and Crimson Slash.
The chamber gradually collapsed around them.
At one point, Varken's attack pierced through Ethan's shoulder.
But Ethan ignored the pain completely.
He continued attacking like a madman.
"You destroyed my city!"
BOOOOM!!
Crimson Slash erupted directly against Varken.
The old man blocked it partially, but the explosion still destroyed half the chamber wall.
The tower began collapsing.
Rubble crashed downward onto the streets below.
People screamed in terror throughout the city.
Varken looked around briefly.
"…You've gone insane."
Ethan's eyes were filled only with killing intent.
"You created this."
The final clash erupted moments later.
Ethan poured all his remaining strength into Bloodblade Ashura.
"CRIMSON SLASH!"
SWOOOOOOOSH!!
The largest crimson arc yet exploded across the tower.
Varken attempted to block—
—but the attack tore through his defenses completely.
RIIIIIP!!
The old man's body was split apart violently.
At the same time—
BOOOOOOOOOOM!!
The central tower collapsed entirely.
Massive shockwaves spread throughout the city.
Buildings crumbled.
Fire consumed entire districts.
Countless Telmarians died beneath the destruction and chaos.
The Conservative Telmarian City had fallen.
Ethan stood amidst the collapsing ruins while flames illuminated the night sky around him.
Bodies littered the streets endlessly.
The once-mighty city was now nothing more than a burning graveyard.