The moment that title was spoken,

Raiden’s eyes lit up.

"I’ve heard that name before...

one of the clan’s legends—

they said he came dangerously close

to the level of the ancient heroes."

"Yes... he did," Jackson replied,

before turning his attention back to Ethan.

"The Knight of the Golden Dawn attempted to clear the dungeon...

and went to confront the boss."

"There’s no need to explain the rest, is there?"

Jackson had said enough.

Ethan already understood—

and his fist clenched unconsciously, tension overtaking him.

"He went to fight the boss...

and became the boss."

"...Damn it."

Ethan cursed, pressing a hand against his face.

The situation was far worse than he had imagined.

He remembered that golden knight—the one who had crushed Matthius effortlessly—

and instantly realized that was the man Jackson was referring to.

If that knight was now the final boss...

then this was a catastrophe beyond measure.

"We need the Elders to intervene...

no—Asterion himself."

Ethan spoke, abandoning the idea of clearing the dungeon on his own.

After all, no plan could bridge a gap that vast—

a monster whose power far surpassed the King stage.

Raiden, who had followed everything, understood as well.

"I get what you’re saying...

if the enemy is the Knight of the Golden Dawn, then this is a real disaster."

"But the Elders can’t fight in cursed lands—

they’d turn into monsters themselves!"

If Asterion—or even someone like Kevin Heart—entered this place,

they wouldn’t even reach the boss’s chamber.

They would transform halfway through.

Not to mention—

there was no way to contact them in the first place.

"Do you understand now, boy?" Jackson said,

staring up at the cold ceiling of his prison.

"Do you see why I chose to remain here?"

"I’m nothing but a coward afraid of death...

a coward who chose to survive

by doing nothing."

At the beginning, Jackson had held hope—

hope that help would eventually come.

But as the years passed,

that hope withered.

In the end, he became nothing more than a caged beast—

fighting to entertain monsters.

Seeing Ethan unleash that overwhelming power earlier

had stirred something within him—

but only briefly.

Despair still lingered.

There was no way to conquer a legacy dungeon like this—

not one overflowing with powerful monsters,

and a final boss of absurd strength...

an immortal entity untouched by time.

Old Ashvarn had evolved—

year after year—

into something far worse than it once was.

To the point where even the flames of Lord Vassel

could no longer keep it buried beneath the earth.

"If this continues...

the city will rise again—

and swallow New Ashvarn with it."

Ethan spoke, contemplating the worst possible outcome.

If that happened,

the world would face one of the most dangerous legacy dungeons in history.

"We have to do something...

before it’s too late."

"How?" Jackson asked mockingly.

"We cannot defeat the Knight of the Golden Dawn."

"And from what you’ve said...

perhaps there is someone outside who could fight him—

but you can’t even contact them."

"And even if they entered...

they would become a monster themselves—

no different, or perhaps worse."

"There is no path to victory here, Ethan."

Jackson said, his serpent-like eyes opening slightly.

"The only thing we can do...

is wait."

"Wait until this becomes a disaster great enough to threaten the continent—

so that they send an Emperor-class warrior...

or someone who has reached the level of a God."

Raiden shot to his feet the moment he heard that,

rage clear across his face.

"By the time that happens...

the Hearts will already be wiped out!"

What Jackson described was the worst-case scenario—

yet, to someone who had waited for centuries,

it was the only realistic one.

"Calm down, Raiden. He’s right."

Ethan spoke evenly, gesturing for him to sit.

"You can’t be serious!"

"You’re telling me we should just sit here—

rotting inside these cages?!"

Raiden’s shout echoed through the prison.

Chai, Alicia, and several other hunters

who had been listening nearby

felt their fear deepen at what they had heard.

Ethan, however, remained composed—

despite his friend’s outburst.

"I never said we should accept this."

"But losing control won’t change anything."

"What Jackson said may not be acceptable to you...

but it’s the reality of someone

who has waited this long without seeing any change."

"...But I won’t wait."

"There has to be a way."

At those words,

a faint light flickered in Jackson’s eyes.

"And what way would that be?"

Silence followed.

Because Ethan—

had no answer.

"Say something, Ethan..." Raiden said desperately,

clinging to the hope that his strange friend

would produce a solution as he always did.

But Ethan rose quietly—

and walked out of the cell before their eyes.

"I need some time alone."

"We’ll discuss our next move... after that."

"Ethan..."

Before the eyes of Raiden and Jackson, Ethan left in silence—

walking past everyone without a word,

until he isolated himself within one of the distant cells.

It was obvious—

he had no solution to this dilemma.

And that realization dragged most of those present

into the depths of despair.

Seeing this, Jackson let out a mocking laugh.

"Look at yourselves...

you collapse the moment you see him falter."

"Are you nothing but puppets—

unable to move unless that boy pulls your strings?"

"What did you say?" Raiden snapped, turning toward him, anger blazing across his face.

But Jackson continued,

spitting harsh truths without restraint—

not just at Raiden,

but at every hunter present.

"It was the same before—

when you were imprisoned and cursed."

"You relied on him completely,

clinging to him as if he were some kind of god."

His words were cruel—

but they were true.

"That boy is capable.

Talented."

"But he is not invincible."

"There will be moments like this—

where he stands before a dead end."

"And in those moments...

he must overcome it alone."

"Because the people around him are worthless—

incapable of thinking for themselves." 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

"How pathetic."

Jackson laughed loudly, provoking Raiden further—

until Raiden lunged at him,

twisted fury etched across his face when he could no longer deny it.

But he forgot—

the being before him was a monster wearing human skin.

Jackson struck once—

and Raiden was sent crashing to the ground effortlessly.

The moment that happened,

Chai and Alicia stepped forward immediately, ready to fight—

but neither dared to move

when Jackson released his killing intent,

freezing them in place.

"I pity that boy," Jackson said coldly.

"Being forced to fight...

with people like you at his side."

"The fact that he left just now—

to be alone—

is proof enough."

"You’re nothing but a burden."

"Completely useless."

Slowly, Jackson turned—

and walked out of the cell.

"I alone...

am more than enough to replace all of you."

He forced them to face reality—

reminding them that Ethan...

was just one human.

A boy who, not long ago,

couldn’t even fight.

Jackson left—

choosing solitude as well.

Ethan Heart was extraordinary.

He had performed miracle after miracle

before their very eyes.

And so...

they began expecting more from him each time.

Until they relied on him—

far more than they should have.

And now—

faced with a problem even Ethan could not solve...

they stood frozen in place.

It was a truly hopeless situation.

...

...

...

Far from the arena—

deep within the inner regions of Old Ashvarn—

the remaining hunters continued their relentless battle.

The strongest unit—

the First Squad, led by Gustave Heart—

remained free.

They had been joined by Moon Heart and Luna,

who had separated from their Third Squad.

As a result,

the free hunters’ force

was far stronger than those trapped within the arena.

Gustave Heart was a formidable knight—

one who had reached the Elite stage.

The flow of his Aura Armor

far surpassed that of those in the Advanced stage.

Wielding a massive greatsword over two meters long—

a slab of molten iron—

he cleaved monsters in half with every strike.

Alongside two knights of his squad—

and with Moon Heart fighting beside them—

they carved their path forward through sheer force.

Moon Heart, in particular,

was exceptionally gifted.

The flames of the phoenix ignited—

enhancing her Aura Armor

and coating her blade in fire.

At the same time,

she wielded magic—

making her a complete combatant,

capable of handling anything before her.

This knightly formation

was supported from behind by mages and archers—

most notably Luna Heart.

She cast spells relentlessly—

her mana restoring itself

the moment it neared depletion.

Massive fireballs incinerated monsters,

reducing them to ash.

Bolts of lightning struck with terrifying speed—

ambushing anything that dared approach.

She even altered the terrain itself—

turning the ground into mud

that trapped the monsters,

making them easy prey for the knights.

Just like her sister,

Luna was a hunter of absurd talent—

to the point that the First Squad

felt the hunt had become several times easier,

despite the strength of their enemies.

Slowly—

but steadily—

they advanced deeper...

toward the heart of the city—

where the most terrifying monsters awaited.