Chapter 5: A parallel universe
When Ethan opened his eyes, he found himself inexplicably inside a small, unfamiliar house. He stared blankly at the television in front of him, utterly confused.
"Three hours ago, a large-scale pirate uprising erupted once again along the southern coastal regions of our country! Coastal cities suffered heavy losses. However, Scarlet Queen, the Guild Leader of Scarlet Legion—one of North America's top ten guilds—personally took action. Leading an army consisting of 600 Royal Griffins (Tier 6), 400 Medusa Queens (Tier 8), 100 Arcane Archers (Tier 9), and 6 Druid Elders (Tier 10), she single-handedly took down Pirate King Pete Girly, one of the six great pirate lords of Somalia! Her overwhelming strength has once again proven itself to be at the pinnacle of the world's elite."
"Meanwhile, in the Denmark-England war, the Viking King—one of the three Nordic powerhouses—made a dominant move, dealing a devastating blow to Alfred, the top-ranked stronghold leader of England. Reports from the battlefield indicate that an 11-Tier Wyvern was spotted during the fight. If true, this suggests that the Viking King's power has reached an even greater level! As of today, fewer than five people in the world possess an 11-Tier unit."
"Recently, the world of Ashan has once again been engulfed in war, causing drastic shifts in territorial control. These changes have directly triggered real-world border adjustments. The laser boundary walls that have suddenly appeared along national borders have now been recalibrated to reflect the latest developments in the war, reshaping the global geopolitical landscape. In response to this major shift, the United Nations has officially released an updated world map today..."
"According to high-ranking officials from Holy Concord Guild, their Guild Leader—Xavian Serpentis, currently ranked second on our nation's Monarch Leaderboard—has received an extremely rare A-Rank quest in the capital city of Unicorn Duchy, Dunmire. If completed, this quest could potentially reward him with an 11-Tier unit. This might mark the first-ever 11-Tier unit in our country's history. Will Xavian Serpentis succeed? The world is watching!"
"And finally, the highly anticipated 'Ashan Martial Grand Tournament' has officially begun! In the first round, an 8-Tier Crusader from England effortlessly defeated an 8-Tier Ogre Mage, securing a dominant victory and advancing to the next stage!"
...
Ethan's expression at this moment was nothing short of spectacular.
Pirates?
Scarlet Queen? Pirate King Pete Girly? Viking King?
What the hell is all this?