Ethan formed a seal with his palms together.

A vast circular pattern unfolded in front of him, layer upon layer like revolving rings. Starlight poured into it from all directions, gathering with terrifying density, as if fragments of the night sky had been forcibly dragged down into his hands.

The pattern rotated faster and faster.

"Star Reaching Hand!"

Ethan struck forward.

At the center of the pattern, the starlight suddenly collapsed inward, compressing into a colossal blue palm engraved with star power. The giant palm descended from the sky, carrying a crushing pressure as if the firmament itself were falling, and slammed straight toward the swamp below.

Boom—!

The swamp exploded.

Mud and black water were torn apart, shooting into the air like a torrential rain curtain. At the same time, a colossal shadow burst out from beneath the swamp, its massive body lifting the water level several meters in an instant.

A huge mouth opened—black as an abyss.

It swallowed Ethan's Star Reaching Hand head-on.

The collision produced no deafening explosion.

Only an intense flash of light.

For a moment, the world seemed to turn white.

Kara, Elara, and Risa instinctively raised their arms to shield their eyes. Their mental senses trembled violently under the pressure, and even their breathing became disordered.

When the light finally faded, they hurriedly looked forward.

Ethan, however, remained unmoved.

With the Heaven-piercing Mind Eyes open, his gaze was sharp and unwavering, locked firmly onto the monstrous figure in front of him.

The behemoth had fully emerged.

It was enormous.

Its body was smooth and gray, mottled with irregular dark spots. Long whiskers extended from its mouth, swaying slowly like steel whips, slicing the air with faint hissing sounds. Its eyes were enormous, golden pupils rotating sluggishly, filled with a cold, ancient indifference.

And in its mouth—

Ethan's Star Reaching Hand.

The monster exposed two rows of terrifyingly sharp teeth and bit down.

Crack.

The giant palm shattered like fragile glass, fragments of starlight swallowed directly into its throat.

"Gulu."

The behemoth swallowed.

A low burping sound followed.

A wisp of hot smoke drifted out from the corners of its mouth.

"…?!"

Ethan's pupils narrowed slightly.

That palm strike was enough to annihilate Zeph and his group several times over—yet this monster had eaten it as if it were nothing more than a mouthful of snacks.

Ethan's expression grew serious.

"Burst."

With a thought, he detonated the remaining starlight sealed within the monster's body.

The power exploded from within.

Yet the expected scene of flesh tearing apart never came.

Instead, the monster's abdomen bulged outward, swelling like an inflated leather bag. Its massive body floated slightly upward in the air, its golden eyes blinking slowly, looking almost dull and harmless.

The swollen belly gradually shrank, returning to its original proportions.

Even so, the creature was still terrifyingly huge—over twenty meters long, and thirty meters wide.

Ethan exhaled softly, his gaze deepening.

"So the internal defense is no weaker than the external skin."

"Interesting."

Very interesting.

His holographic vision unfolded seamlessly, lines of information flashing before his eyes.

[Name: Giant Catfish (Mutated)]

[Race: Demon Race — Possessing Thin Dragon Bloodline]

[Realm: Inferior Demon Lord, Peak Stage]

[Origin: Training Trial Secret Realm Special Species]

[Characteristics: Rough skin, thick flesh, sleepy temperament]

[Ability: Forms a small world within its body; can swallow and store energy, refining it over time for its own cultivation]

"So it's a mutated giant catfish…"

Ethan narrowed his eyes.

"The dragon bloodline explains it."

The dragon bloodline granted it terrifying physical strength, abnormal vitality, and that absurd swallowing ability. No wonder this swamp was devoid of life—everything that entered had simply become nourishment.

"Junior Brother, your attack didn't even injure it," Kara said grimly. "What kind of monster is this?"

Elara's expression turned pale.

"…Dragon Leviathan Fish."

Ethan glanced at her.

"Dragon Leviathan Fish?"

"Yes." Elara nodded slowly.

"Our Sky family's ancient records mention it. The Dragon Leviathan Fish carries traces of ancient true dragon blood. Its growth is unnatural, its body nearly indestructible."

She swallowed lightly.

"And it can devour all forms of energy. Spiritual power, demonic energy, even divine techniques—it can swallow them all."

"If you encounter it in the Training Trial Secret Realm, it means one thing."

"A peerless treasure is nearby."

"But at the same time, it means disaster."

"Because this thing has almost no weaknesses."

Ethan studied the creature once more.

Smooth skin. No exposed vital points. Even its eyes were protected by layers of translucent membranes. Every part of its body was optimized for survival.

A perfect predator.

"I see." Ethan nodded slowly. "No obvious weakness."

Kara frowned. "Then what do we do? Retreat?"

"This thing is a Demon Lord. Our realms are suppressed—if it goes all out, we'll be in serious danger."

Ethan shook his head.

"We can't leave."

The three women turned to look at him.

"This swamp is already its domain," Ethan said calmly.

"We've stepped into its small world. Retreating blindly will only make things worse."

"And according to Miss Elara—"

"When the Dragon Leviathan Fish appears, a treasure must appear as well."

A faint, dangerous smile curved Ethan's lips.

"That is precisely why we came."

Before anyone could respond—

"They're here."

Ethan turned his head.

Several streams of light tore through the air from behind, accompanied by sharp whistling sounds. One by one, figures descended onto the surrounding rocks and ancient trees.

The people of the Palace of the Four Cycles.

Their gazes immediately locked onto the colossal monster floating above the swamp.

Then, almost simultaneously, they turned toward Ethan and his group.

Ethan met Lunara's eyes and gave a slight nod.

Lunara's pupils shrank.

Through the jade token's faint resonance, she had already confirmed it.

The one who killed Zeph.

Mr. Aether.

It was him.

The same man who had forced his way into the Training Trial Secret Realm under everyone's gaze.

No wonder.

Everything made sense now.

Sorrel sucked in a cold breath.

"…Dragon Leviathan Fish."

Eryon's expression darkened. "So the rumors are true."

Even Ember's usually cold gaze flickered slightly.

As demons, they knew exactly what this creature represented.

A calamity.

And an opportunity.

The massive body of the Dragon Leviathan Fish drifted slowly, golden pupils sweeping over everyone present. Its whiskers swayed lazily, yet the pressure it emitted made the surrounding air heavy and suffocating.

The swamp trembled faintly beneath it, as if acknowledging its absolute dominion.

Silence spread.

Then Sorrel spoke in a low voice, filled with unmistakable gravity.

"It is rumored that whenever the Dragon Leviathan Fish appears in this world, a valuable treasure or inheritance must be nearby!"

A/N:

Extra chapters

100 power stones - 1 Extra chapters

200 power stones - 2 Extra chapters

Massage Chair - 1 Extra chapters

Luxury Car - 2 Extra Chapters

Dragon - 5 Extra Chapters

Magic Castle - 15 Extra Chapters

...

Thanks for the Magic Castle: @Chuckalotapus

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.