While Ethan and Miles were still talking, Fallen Star City was hit with multiple arrivals outside the walls—several batches of Void Realm creatures showing up almost at the same time.

There were Stoneborn Ethan recognized, along with several races he’d never seen before. All told, there were over forty thousand of them.

The moment they saw the massive compound—and the dense mass of people gathered in front of it—the Void Realm creatures’ eyes lit up.

"So it really is humans," an old man with green hair said, voice dripping with satisfaction. "Looks like the human remnants weren’t completely wiped out after all."

An expert from the Stoneborn snorted. "Old tree-bark, leave these humans to us. Your Sylvans don’t need to stick your noses in."

"Leave them to you?" the Sylvan elder shot back. "Your Stoneborn appetite is getting a little too big. There are so many races here, and you still want to swallow everything?"

"It’s not that we want to swallow everything," the Stoneborn said coldly. "It’s that our people came to this world before—and now there’s nothing left of them but bones. They were probably killed by these humans. I’m avenging my kin!"

"Please." Someone laughed. "Trying to make it sound righteous. You just want to monopolize the human secret."

"With this many races here, there’s no way we’ll let you take it all."

"Then what do you suggest?" the Stoneborn demanded.

"Simple." The Sylvan elder’s eyes narrowed. "There are plenty of humans here. Each race relies on their own ability. Whoever captures them keeps them."

"Fine."

Just like that, they divvied up the humans of Fallen Star City like merchandise, talking loudly and shamelessly—like no one below them even counted as a living person.

Fallen Star City was surrounded by zombies. For these Void Realm creatures to reach the walls, they’d obviously fought their way through. After that, seeing a bunch of humans at the gate... it was only natural they looked down on them.

But the guards below didn’t show much reaction.

Up on the wall, the captain in charge called out toward the approaching Void Realm crowd.

"Seems you’ve come too late. This place is already Azure Nereids territory. We’re under Azure Nereids protection. If you lay a hand on us... you might find the Azure Nereids’ experts won’t agree."

Ethan and Miles had made it crystal clear: if more Void Realm creatures showed up, throw the Azure Nereids’ name out first and see if it scared them off.

Fallen Star City didn’t do charity.

If the Azure Nereids wanted to enjoy the food and comfort here, they could help absorb some of the trouble too.

Sure enough, the moment "Azure Nereids" came out, a ripple ran through the invaders. Faces tightened. A few of them instinctively stepped more carefully.

Azure Nereids clearly had weight in their region.

"Those Nereid women moved fast," the Stoneborn leader muttered, frowning darkly. "They already got their hands on the humans?"

A voice beside him scoffed. "Are you an idiot? They say it’s Azure Nereids territory and you just believe it? Do you see a single Azure Nereid out here?"

The Stoneborn leader’s expression changed. Then rage flooded his face.

"Oh—holy shit. They’re playing us!"

He surged forward, ready to strike.

And that was when the gates inside the compound opened again.

A large group of Azure Nereid women walked out in an unhurried line, blue hair catching the light, eyes calm and cold.

The moment they appeared, the expressions of every race present shifted.

The Stoneborn leader stopped so hard it looked like he’d hit an invisible wall.

Nerissa stepped to the front, gaze sharp as a blade.

"What?" she said, voice flat and dangerous. "Your Stoneborn have gotten so bold that you don’t even put Azure Nereids in your eyes anymore?"

"I wouldn’t dare!" the Stoneborn expert hurriedly clasped his hands, posture instantly respectful.

"We didn’t know this was Azure Nereids territory. We meant no offense."

High above, on the roof of a nearby building, Ethan and Miles watched, both of them a little surprised.

They hadn’t expected these "delicate-looking" women to carry this kind of intimidation.

Nerissa hadn’t been exaggerating. Azure Nereids really did have status in Eldoria.

Nerissa’s eyes didn’t soften.

"Now you know." Her voice turned even colder. "So get the hell out—now."

In that moment, she was nothing like the Nerissa who’d been laughing over dinner.

Even Ethan had to look at her again.

"Nerissa—humans are the common enemy of Eldoria’s ten thousand races," the Sylvan elder suddenly said. "Are you planning to shelter them?"

Nerissa turned her cold gaze on him. "The Azure Nereids don’t need to report our decisions to you."

"Of course you don’t," the elder said, voice smooth. "But if you do this, aren’t you afraid of provoking Eldoria’s races?"

He lifted his chin slightly, eyes sharp.

"The Azure Nereids are strong, yes. But are you strong enough to stand against every race here at once? And if word of this reaches Eldoria’s other regions, do you really think your people can withstand the pressure when their powers come asking questions?"

Nerissa’s eyes narrowed. "Are you threatening me?"

"I’m stating facts."

The Sylvan elder’s tone stayed calm, like he was reciting the weather.

"Besides, you only brought a few thousand people. If this turns into a fight, I doubt you’ll come out ahead."

Nerissa gave a quiet, icy laugh. "Seems the Sylvans have been getting bold lately."

The old Sylvan’s expression finally flickered.

"Nerissa—if this escalates into inter-race war, word that the Azure Nereids are protecting humans will spread across Eldoria immediately."

"Protecting?" Nerissa asked, voice colder than before. "And where, exactly, did you see us protecting anyone?"

Her eyes swept the crowd like a blade.

"Everyone here knows why we came. If your races can claim humans... why can’t the Azure Nereids?"

The Sylvan elder’s brows jumped. "Then your appetite is enormous. There are millions of humans here."

"This world is huge," Nerissa said, waving a hand like she was shooing flies. "Humans are everywhere. The Azure Nereids are taking this place. You want humans—go somewhere else."

The Void Realm crowd looked at each other.

Faces tightened. Teeth clenched.

And then, one by one, they chose to retreat.

The world really was enormous. And they believed there were other humans out there. There was no need to die on this hill just to fight the Azure Nereids.

None of the races here, alone, could match them.

Sure—if everyone truly united, they wouldn’t have to fear the Azure Nereids.

But that was the joke.

They were competitors, not brothers. "Unite" was a pretty word people used when it cost them nothing.

For a bunch of humans? Not worth it. Not yet.

Up on the rooftop, Ethan and Miles watched the mass of Void Realm creatures turn and leave. They looked at each other—and both saw the same thing in the other’s eyes.

Shock.

They’d been bracing for a full-on war.

Instead... it was done. Just like that.

They’d underestimated the Azure Nereids.

Miles let out a breath and grinned. "Boss, that was a power move." He gave Ethan a thumbs-up. "You borrowed the Azure Nereids’ name and sent a whole crowd packing."

Ethan snorted. "Don’t praise me. I didn’t know it’d be that effective. I was trying to bait in some free muscle."

He glanced toward the gates where Nerissa stood, calm as a queen.

"Turns out we really did underestimate them."

Miles’s eyes sharpened, calculating. "If that’s the case... then the Eldoria side might not be as terrifying as we thought."

"Don’t get cocky," Ethan said, but his tone wasn’t harsh. "Still—make sure the people down there treat them well. I want them so comfortable here they forget what ’going home’ even means."

"Don’t worry. I’ve already arranged it."

"Good." Ethan’s gaze stayed on the street for a beat. Then he turned back to Miles. "With them here, Fallen Star City should be stable for a while."

Miles’s expression shifted. "Captain... you’re leaving?"

He said it like he already knew the answer.

"Outside is full of Void Realm creatures. If you head out now—won’t it be too dangerous?"

"Danger or not, I have to go," Ethan said simply. "If I sit inside Fallen Star City, how do I grow? I need to hunt Void Realm creatures that drop crystal cores. That’s the only way for us to power up fast."

His eyes were steady.

"We can’t live off someone else’s protection forever."

Miles nodded slowly. "You’re right."

Then he leaned in a little, voice lowering like he was sharing a secret.

"Perfect timing. I’ve been collecting intel on some Outland Beasts that came through the rifts. They should all have crystal cores."

Ethan laughed. "You little fox. You had this ready before I even said anything, didn’t you?"

Miles raised both hands, innocent. "Not like that. I was just thinking about how to get stronger fast. Crystal cores are the shortcut, so I gathered some mutant beast info in advance. Figured it might come in handy someday."

"Not bad," Ethan said. "You use your head more than those guys do."

Miles chuckled. "That’s not fair. They’ve been following you the whole time—they never need to think. That’s why it feels that way. But they’re smart too."

Ethan waved him off. "Alright. Send me everything you’ve got."

He glanced toward the basement entrance.

"As soon as they finish making the thralls, we move."

"Got it," Miles said, already pulling out his phone. "I’ll send it now."