Half an hour earlier, the atmosphere outside the secret realm was tense and suffocating. Although only thirty minutes had passed, for the guards and observers stationed outside, it felt like half a lifetime. They stood under the blood-red sky, staring at the trembling entrance of the secret realm, waiting for disaster to erupt at any moment. Yet, when nothing happened, the silence itself became a strange kind of relief. Many began to whisper that perhaps the disturbance had finally calmed down.
But that fragile hope shattered when several wounded members of the Dragon Cave Organization came rushing from the nearby forest. Their bodies were covered in gashes, armor torn, and eyes filled with urgency. They had been sent earlier to search for alien forces—but now, they barely escaped with their lives.
The moment they saw Old Wang, the guard commander on duty, they stumbled forward and gasped, "Prepare for battle immediately!"
Old Wang blinked in confusion. "The secret realm?"
"No!" one of them barked, his face pale with blood loss. "The danger isn't from the secret realm—it's from the opposite direction! A massive horde of wild monsters is heading this way!"
Old Wang's expression hardened. After a brief interrogation, he learned the horrifying truth: the aliens had used forbidden techniques—twenty in total—to drive countless wild monsters toward Ravenshade City. These weren't low-level beasts from nearby plains but higher-ranked ones from distant, corrupted regions. Worse yet, alien infiltrators were hiding among them.
Everyone realized this meant a brutal battle was inevitable. And since several dungeons across Ravenshade were already rioting, no reinforcements could come. They were on their own.
The earth began to tremble. A low, thunderous rumbling rolled across the horizon. Smoke and dust clouded the distant hills as the stampede of monsters came into view—massive, shadowy shapes racing forward, shaking the very ground. The terrifying sound of thousands of claws and hooves merged into one endless roar.
Old Wang made a snap decision. "Half of the guards, form a defensive line!" he ordered sharply.
But the Dragon Cave professionals stared at him in disbelief. "Half? Are you insane?" one of them shouted. "Do you know what we're up against? If we want to survive until sunrise, we need everyone fighting!"
Their words fell flat when they noticed the scene behind Old Wang. The entrance to the secret realm was glowing dark red, pulsing like a beating heart, as if filled with blood.
"What the—how did the secret realm change so suddenly?" one of them whispered. "We left just an hour ago, and it was stable then!"
The Dragon Cave members—veterans trained for impossible missions—instantly recognized the danger. They revealed their official insignias and declared, "By the authority of the Dragon Cave, we order you to seal the secret realm immediately!"
Their reasoning was simple: if half the guards died holding the line here, the students inside would be doomed. And if the Scarlet Secret Realm burst open, the horrors inside would only multiply.
"Now isn't the time for pride or protocol," one of them barked. "Seal it! That's an order!"
Old Wang didn't even flinch. He waved his hand, and all the temple guards instantly moved to reinforce the secret realm's entrance instead of closing it. Even his deputy—still bandaged from a previous fight—stood beside him without hesitation.
The Dragon Cave members were furious. "Are you trying to get everyone killed?!"
"If the Scarlet Secret Realm breaks open," one warned, "the entire city will be wiped out!"
Old Wang's voice, though weak, carried surprising strength. His uniform was drenched in his own blood, but his stance was unshakable. "We serve different departments," he said firmly. "But here, I'm in command. You have no right to override my decision."
He looked toward the glowing portal and added quietly but confidently, "And I believe in those students inside. They can conquer this secret realm."
The Dragon Cave leader—a burly, one-armed man known for his reckless bravery—stared at him in disbelief. He wanted to strike Old Wang for his stubbornness, but before he could act, the team's only female member, an auxiliary support professional, grabbed his sleeve.
"Wait," she urged softly. "Let's contact the leader before doing anything rash."
The one-armed man clenched his jaw. He had fought monsters without fear, but right now, indecision clouded his mind. Finally, he pulled on his cracked mask, activated his communicator, and explained the situation to headquarters.
On the other end, amid the chaos of battle, a bearded commander answered. His voice was heavy and commanding, though slightly shaken when he heard the words "Scarlet Secret Realm."
"Damn it," the commander muttered. "The aliens really went all out this time."
After a brief pause, he spoke again, calm and precise: "Ask the person in charge of the transfer temple—a student named Ethan. Has he exited the secret realm yet?"
"Ethan?" The one-armed man blinked. "Who the hell is that?"
He couldn't believe what he was hearing. At such a critical moment, why was his superior asking about a student? Was this kid someone's son? Maybe even the leader's illegitimate child?
Still, an order was an order. Grinding his teeth, he turned to Old Wang. "Hey, is there a student named Ethan inside? Has he come out yet?"
Old Wang immediately shook his head. "No. He's still inside."
The bearded commander's voice returned through the communicator, steady but powerful: "If Ethan hasn't come out yet, then do not touch the secret realm. Focus all defenses on the incoming enemies. Protect the temple and hold the line—no matter the cost!"
The one-armed man froze. "Wait—what? You're telling me to ignore the Scarlet Secret Realm?"
"Yes," came the firm reply. "That's an order. All units, follow Ethan's lead."
The connection cut off, leaving only static.
The battlefield fell silent for a moment. The one-armed man stared blankly at his communicator, completely lost. "Did I hear that right? He said… follow Ethan's lead?"
His teammates were equally dumbfounded. "You mean… that student inside the Scarlet Secret Realm is our leader?"
They exchanged bewildered looks. None of them could comprehend how a student could hold such authority. To them, the Scarlet Secret Realm represented unstoppable destruction. It had once swallowed two entire cities—his own hometown among them.
The one-armed man still remembered that tragedy vividly. Two grand cities—each larger and better armed than Ravenshade—were reduced to ashes in days. He had returned after the war only to find nothing left but ruins and bones.
And now, a student was supposed to protect them from something that powerful?
He looked back toward the trembling crimson portal. Inside, unseen by any of them, Ethan and his classmates were still fighting against forces beyond imagination.
Old Wang met the one-armed man's uncertain gaze. His voice was calm, yet filled with unwavering conviction. "That student you're doubting," he said, "isn't just another kid. He's the one who'll decide whether this city lives or dies."
The one-armed man fell silent. For the first time, he didn't argue. The sound of the monster horde grew louder, shaking the ground beneath their boots.
Old Wang raised his blood-stained blade and shouted, "All guards—defensive formation! Protect the temple! Trust in Ethan!"
And as the horizon exploded into chaos, the soldiers of Ravenshade braced for war, their faith anchored to the unseen hero still inside the Scarlet Secret Realm.
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