’With everything happening outside, the Rulman Household can’t afford to remain silent. They have to act... or else...’ Souta chuckled inwardly.

He knew this move was forced. If the Rulman Household stayed quiet amid the growing turmoil, it would only draw suspicion. Acting now was necessary. To project strength, to deceive the public, and to mislead the factions watching them from the shadows.

Souta glanced at the main building.

’Well... I’ll enjoy this.’

Inside the main building, the elders had once again gathered for a meeting.

"My son isn’t mature enough to handle a situation like this!" Wresho said, his voice filled with resistance. He was firmly against sending his son out.

"It’s merely a show," one elder replied calmly. "He doesn’t need to do anything. He’ll enter the dungeon, stay for a while, then leave. There’s no need for him to explore it."

"That’s right, Elder Wresho," another elder added. "This is simply to demonstrate that the Matriarch is still present."

They couldn’t allow outsiders to discover the truth. If the Matriarch’s absence were exposed, the Rulman Household would lose the deterrence her power provided and that would invite disaster.

"I understand... but I’m still worried about my son," Wresho said, unwilling to fully concede.

This was the decision reached by the majority. Fadu didn’t need to accomplish anything. His presence alone would serve the purpose. Moreover, with Souta, a fifth-stage powerhouse, among them, their display of strength would appear even more convincing.

No one would suspect that the Matriarch had vanished. At most, other factions would assume she had been injured during the battle against the Kraken Clan and Dihra.

"We can’t remain silent forever," another elder said. "The longer we isolate ourselves, the more likely others will uncover the truth."

"We must grow stronger before that happens... or find the Matriarch," someone else added.

"Give me two to three months."

A deep voice suddenly echoed through the hall.

All the elders turned toward the speaker.

It was an elder with reptilian eyes, scales covering his body, and a long tail.

The Purple Lightning Eel, a fifth-stage monster of the Rulman Household.

A terrifying existence that wielded extreme lightning to annihilate its prey. It usually dwelled in the depths of the ocean, inspiring fear among countless sea creatures. Occasionally, it would rise to the surface, devouring the lightning from raging storms.

"Allocate a quarter of our reserved resources to me," the Purple Lightning Eel said. "I’m confident I can reach the advanced fifth stage within two to three months."

The room fell silent as the elders processed his words.

An advanced fifth-stage monster...

That alone was enough to serve as a powerful deterrent.

If they possessed such strength, other factions would think twice before making a move against the Rulman Household.

"I’ve been stuck at the intermediate fifth stage for two years," the Purple Lightning Eel said. "I’ve accumulated enough power. With the right push... I’m confident I can reach the advanced stage."

Wresho fell silent, contemplating for a moment before turning his gaze toward the eel.

"How confident are you?" he asked.

"Seventy percent."

"Seventy percent..."

That was no small probability.

It was a gamble worth considering.

The elders understood the implications. Even if the Purple Lightning Eel broke through, he would still fall short of Kras’ah’s former strength. However, an advanced fifth-stage existence would still greatly enhance the overall power of the Rulman Household.

And in their current situation... that alone could be enough to shift the balance.

Meanwhile, Fadu had finished his speech.

He looked over the twenty experts of his household. He already knew his role in this mission. To enter the dungeon, remain for a time, and leave. Nothing more.

And yet... he couldn’t suppress the thought of doing more.

Exploring the dungeon. Gaining merit. Bringing glory to his family.

"Let’s move," Fadu said.

The group set off without hesitation.

The moment they stepped beyond the borders of their territory, they drew attention.

Eyes turned toward them, both seen and unseen.

Observers from other factions, who had been quietly monitoring the Rulman Household, immediately detected Souta’s presence. At first glance, he appeared ordinary. But to those with sharpened senses, the truth was unmistakable.

A fifth-stage aura.

They already knew of Souta from the battle against the Sea Fiend Cave. But this... this confirmed it.

He was standing with the Rulman Household.

Fadu, Souta, and the group advanced toward the newly discovered dungeon.

At this moment, the various factions had its eyes fixed on it.

Even the Bodam Kingdom was watching from afar... silent, patient...

Ready to strike at any opportunity.

...

Fadu and his group soon arrived at the dungeon’s location.

The area was crowded with hundreds of people. Some were emerging from the dungeon, their bodies battered and exhausted, while others prepared to descend. Nearby, makeshift stalls had been set up, selling potions, pills, and various supplies.

The place was alive with activity.

"We’re here. Rest for five minutes before we enter," Fadu said.

The experts of the Rulman Household nodded. Their purpose was clear. Like Souta, they weren’t here to explore, they were here to protect Fadu.

Souta stood at the rear, silent.

His gaze swept across the area, calmly observing.

At first glance, everything seemed normal, busy, even lively. But beneath the surface, something else lingered.

A subtle tension.

A hidden chaos.

He could feel it clearly.

Faint traces of bloodlust drifted through the air.

’Some of these people are hunting those who come out with treasures...’ Souta thought.

This expedition was far from peaceful.

Numerous gazes had already locked onto the Rulman Household’s group and most of them drawn to Souta, the lone fifth-stage presence among them.

Five minutes passed quickly.

Without further delay, Fadu stepped forward.

"Move."

And with that, he led the group into the dungeon.

...

Blood Realm.

A violent storm of energy churned across the sky, tearing through the heavens above the land. Crimson lightning flashed relentlessly, splitting the air with deafening force. Each strike carried a terrifying intensity, sending ripples through every corner of the realm.

The sheer pressure disturbed all living beings below.

Everyone could only look up.

Despite the overwhelming display, no one panicked. They recognized the energy, it belonged to Souta.

Still, recognition did little to ease their shock.

They could only stare in awe at its magnitude.

"This... this level of energy... it’s comparable to an advanced fifth stage..."

"The Realm Lord... is truly almighty!"

BOOM!!

A thunderous explosion resounded across the Blood Realm.

The storm shattered, and waves of violent energy burst outward, scattering in all directions like a collapsing sea of lightning.

The violent storm dissipated, leaving Souta suspended alone in the air.

"Finally... it’s done." A faint smile formed on his lips. "Even though it turned out differently than expected, I’ve still mastered the fourth form."

After all this time, he had finally grasped the fourth form of his Archetype.

It wasn’t what he had anticipated. It was different from what he planned. There’s a slight change in the blueprint that he created.

The fourth form of the [Archetype: Great Blood of the End] was called [Fourth Form: Lightning Critical Enhancement]. It was an augmentation-type ability designed to amplify the power of the other forms.

If he wanted to enhance the first form, he had to stack the fourth form on top of it.

However, the energy consumption was astronomical.

Fortunately, Souta possessed three energy sources, allowing him to sustain such a burden.

He was satisfied.

Step by step, he was drawing closer to completing the Archetype.

During this training session, he had also reached level 81. But having just advanced, there was still a considerable distance before he could reach level 82.

Souta glanced at his skill points and attribute points.

"I’ll master the fifth form first... then focus on maximizing my other skills. After that, I’ll use my skill points to enhance my spells and finally, promote my class."

His class had been stuck at Great Battle Mage for a long time. He was still Rank 1, but by his estimation, he could raise it to Rank 3 within a month or two.

After that, he would advance to a higher-tier class.

Something he had never been able to achieve in the game due to its restrictions.

He wondered what kind of class awaited him at that level.

For now, his priority was clear, focus on the Archetype. Unlike his other abilities, it couldn’t be improved through skill points.

Souta lowered his gaze toward the land below. The overall strength of the Blood Realm, excluding himself, was still lacking.

There were powerful individuals, yes... but not enough of them.

Yuko.

Kessa.

Nightmare Conjurer.

Three fifth-stage monsters.

Yuko had only just entered the initial stage, while both Kessa and the Nightmare Conjurer had reached the advanced level.

Among them, Kessa stood out the most.

She was terrifyingly strong, far surpassing the Nightmare Conjurer.

Aside from Souta himself, she was the greatest force he could currently rely on. Over the past few months, her strength had grown at an alarming rate.

As for the humans and demis, Tasman stood unquestionably at the top, an Eight Shackle Realm expert.

Franklin followed closely behind.