Time dragged on in a haze of ichor, screeches, and grinding battle. Each passing minute saw Ethan's summons become sharper, stronger, and more coordinated.

His slimes, once slow and defensive, now moved with a surprising speed and dexterity, their gelatinous forms rippling as they adapted to pin and restrain any Zither Wing they could get.

Grug and Snarl, initially bruisers with brute force, evolved into seasoned warriors.

Grug's strikes carried a calculated precision that sent insectoids crumpling with single blows, while Snarl weaved through the battlefield like a hulking monstrosity, his jagged blade finding every exposed joint and weak spot.

Ethan himself was no longer the hesitant fighter he had been at the start of the chaos. His movements were deliberate, his dagger striking with better efficiency. Each kill brought a familiar cascade of notifications, punctuating his progress with a steady rhythm of accomplishment.

In the blink of an eye, he was already at level 16. If the insectoids were higher leveled he could have leveled up even more but this was good too. He was able to fight at a comfortable level without risking his life too much and at the same time expand his army by leaps and bounds.

Every single one of his minions had at least gained 5 levels. Even Lia had gained 6 levels, bringing her to level 8. To make things better slightly higher leveled zither scouts and zither wings had started to show up.

He just needed a few more hours with these insectoids and this single portal could become monumental in his new life!

Without taking a single moment's break, he sent his new army of ten zither wings to lure more insectoids when suddenly a strange wave of energy rippled in the area. Ethan looked up in awe to see a pillar of mana shoot up into the sky in the distance.

The pillar of mana surged into the heavens, its light searing against the darkened battlefield. Ethan's heart pounded in his chest as he gripped his dagger tightly. "Isn't that where the portal is?"

His eyes stayed fixed on the blazing pillar of mana that tore through the sky. Its sheer magnitude seemed to bend the very air around it, saturating the battlefield with an oppressive aura of power.

"Yes," Lia said breathlessly, her voice trembling with both awe and fear. She clutched her hand tighter, her knuckles white. "That… that's the portal's epicenter." She glanced at Ethan, her hazel eyes wide. "What does it mean? What's happening? Is something stronger coming out?"

Ethan looked at his small army that was steadily growing. He had gained a lot today but maybe it was time to pack up and leave?

Just as he was mulling over his decision, the pillar of mana disappeared and in its place a gigantic circle of glowing runes materialized in the sky. The circle pulsed with a deep crimson light. The oppressive aura intensified, as if the world itself were holding its breath.

Ethan's stomach churned as he stared at the colossal symbol. It was unlike anything he had ever seen—a complex web of intersecting lines and arcane symbols radiating an almost primal energy.

The gigantic circle flashed brightly for a moment and then the next moment everything stilled. The sky cleared out. The giant circle of runes vanished and so did the ominous portal that was sputtering and spitting out creatures moments ago.

The battlefield fell eerily silent, the oppressive mana dissipating as if sucked into a void. The insectoids that had been pouring forth from the portal stood frozen, their glowing eyes dimming slightly. For a brief, surreal moment, it felt as if the entire world had exhaled.

Ethan gripped his dagger tightly, his gaze flicking between the now-empty space where the portal had been and the still-standing insectoids. "What the hell just happened?"

He had a bad feeling and he instantly dismissed all of his minions. Thankfully, it was just in time as the next moment, a cloaked figure flew up into the sky.

Ethan couldn't see the face. He could only see the long silver hair that flowed freely beneath the hood of the cloaked figure, glowing under the moon light. The figure hovered with an air of otherworldly authority, their movements impossibly smooth, as if gravity itself dared not restrain them.

That person was actually flying… were they responsible for the portal closing? Did that single person stop a catastrophe which an entire adventurer's guild was struggling to handle?

Ethan absent-mindedly stared at the figure when suddenly the person snapped to look back at him. Though he couldn't see their face, he felt the weight of their gaze, as if it pierced through his very being. A shiver ran down his spine, and his instincts screamed at him to flee.

The next second the person turned away and flew back down. Ethan was once again able to breathe.