Hayes and the others did not hesitate. They exchanged a single glance, and in that brief moment everything was understood, the same determination burning quietly in each pair of eyes. The fourth layer promised greater opportunities, that much was certain, but it also carried dangers far beyond anything they had faced so far. Deep down, none of them truly believed they could survive it.

Hayes herself had only chosen to follow Ethan because of what she had already seen. Back in the first layer, the place they once called home, nearly two-thirds of her generation had already perished. The constant loss had worn her down, eroding whatever faith she once had in staying there and enduring. Turning back now was not an option. If she retreated, Ginger, Brock, and the others would follow without question, and that would not only close off her own path forward but theirs as well.

There was also something else she could not quite explain, a quiet, persistent feeling that refused to fade. It told her that following this man might not only lead them out of this layered world, but might even bring an end to the Divine Sea Trial itself. That the prison surrounding them would be shattered, and that all of them would finally be free.

Still, uncertainty lingered.

Under Ethan’s watch, they stepped toward the light gate. Their bodies flickered as they crossed the threshold, only to reappear in the exact same place, frozen mid-step as if time itself had rejected them. Slowly, they pulled their feet back.

"No good?" Ethan asked, his brow tightening.

Hayes and the others looked grim, their silence heavy before they gave a small, reluctant nod.

Ethan fell quiet. He already understood what this meant. The gate was a test of potential, and Hayes and the others simply did not meet whatever absurd standard it demanded, the so-called threshold of a "prodigy."

"You should go on," Hayes said at last, her voice flat and drained. In that moment, something inside her broke, something she had carried for years without realizing it. Her pride, her belief in herself, everything she had once held onto so fiercely, collapsed without a sound.

"Giving up already?" Ethan asked.

He could see it clearly, the defeat etched across their faces, and it stirred something in him. It reminded him too much of who he used to be, of the version of himself who had accepted failure without question. Compared to that, these people were far from worthless. In fact, they were stronger than he had ever been back then.

Hayes gave a helpless shake of her head. "That’s just how the trial works. This gate has stopped countless geniuses before us. Even our ancestors—"

"That’s nonsense," Ethan cut in sharply, his voice carrying a sudden edge. "Who decided that someone born weak stays weak forever? Who gave this piece of junk the right to decide that?"

He was angry, more than he expected. Not just for them, but for everyone who had ever been crushed by this place, for all those who had been told they were not enough and forced to accept it as truth.

Since finding the Divine Shard, that suspicion had only grown stronger. Something was controlling this trial from behind the scenes, pulling the strings. The so-called prodigies were likely nothing more than chosen pieces in someone else’s game.

That line of thought inevitably led him to the Divine Realm.

And the ones who ruled it now, the "supreme beings" Hayes had mentioned... were they really the ancient gods of legend?

No.

Morzan had once spoken of his old brothers who were suffering, and the people Ethan had encountered along the way had all come from Earth. If that was the case, then those so-called legendary figures might not be distant myths at all, but real beings who had once stood where he was now.

He thought of the monkey he had met, the one whose presence alone defied reason. If anyone embodied that kind of legend, it was him.

Had that monkey passed through this trial as well? And if he had, what would he have done when faced with something like this?

The answer came to Ethan almost instantly.

His gaze fixed on the light gate, and without another word, he raised his hand.

"Battle Embodiment... Bear Form, Panther Form, Owl Form."

The Twilight War Spear appeared in his grip as all three forms activated simultaneously. Energy surged through him, violent and unrestrained.

"Forbidden: Ancient Demigod."

He had never attempted this before, combining all three forms with the Ancient Demigod state at once. As the power rose within him, a single thought crossed his mind, which of the beast spirits would answer his call this time?

A beam of three-colored light tore through the sealed trial ground and engulfed him completely, its brilliance outshining even the gate to the fourth layer. Hayes and the others staggered back, their expressions frozen in disbelief.

The light faded within seconds. What stood in its place was no longer human.

A massive, towering figure loomed before them, a creature with three heads and a body that seemed to stretch a hundred meters into the air. A bear’s head sat at the center, heavy and imposing, while an owl’s head and a panther’s head flanked it on either side, each radiating its own distinct presence. The sheer scale of it forced everyone to retreat instinctively.

Ethan did not hesitate. He straightened to his full height, gathering power into both palms. The panther’s rend, the bear’s crushing force, and the owl’s arcane energy converged at once, forming twin vortices that resembled miniature black holes.

The entire third layer began to tremble. Cracks spread across the ground beneath the gate, widening as chunks of stone broke free and crashed down around them. Hayes and the others scattered to avoid the falling debris.

"Break."

Ethan brought both palms down. The impact resounded like thunder, and the gate fractured, but it did not fall.

Without pause, he struck again.

This time, the structure could not endure. The stone gate shattered under the force, collapsing into ruin.

A deafening roar rolled across the sky, like the world itself splitting apart. The heavens above the third layer fractured into countless jagged tears, like a mirror shattered beyond repair. From those cracks, an unfamiliar energy began to seep through, cold and alien.

Ethan moved immediately, positioning his massive body over Hayes and the others to shield them. The descending energy struck the blackened ground, detonating into craters that spread in all directions. A few strands hit Ethan directly, making his body tremble slightly, though they did not truly harm him.

"Who... who is this..."

An ancient voice echoed through the fractured sky, heavy with fury at being disturbed.

Ethan felt his heart tighten. The sheer weight behind that voice sent a warning through his instincts, a primal sense of danger that he could not ignore.

Then, suddenly— 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

A deep, resonant sound rang out, like a colossal bell struck at point-blank range. It reverberated through the entire space, so overwhelming that it felt as though they were standing inside the bell itself. Everyone winced, clutching their ears, even Ethan.

"What—"

"AAAGH—"

The ancient voice screamed, its presence collapsing as the oppressive pressure vanished entirely.

"Disciple! Your teacher has come to save you!"

The next voice that followed was loud, almost absurdly so, and unmistakably childish.

Ethan frowned, he recognized it immediately. The sky tore open even further, and a figure forced its way through the rupture.

"Of course it’s you," Ethan muttered, staring upward in disbelief.

It was Vasuki, the little monk.

Lightning surged behind him, chasing him through the tear like a living storm. Some of it struck the void itself, splitting open even more cracks in the sky.

Understanding dawned on Ethan. That earlier bell-like sound had not been a bell at all, it was lightning slamming into the barrier of the Divine Sea and breaking through it by force.

"What are you doing here?" Ethan asked, genuinely baffled.

Vasuki laughed as he twisted through the air, narrowly dodging another bolt. "I felt your presence disappear, so I searched all over Earth. This place was the only thing that felt strange, so I took a guess. Didn’t think you’d actually be here. Looks like we really are connected. And hey, you can turn into a monster too!"

Before Ethan could respond, Vasuki suddenly dropped down, slipping beneath Ethan’s massive form. The pursuing lightning could not adjust in time and slammed straight into Ethan’s forehead.

Several thunderous impacts followed in quick succession.

To Ethan, however, the attacks felt no more significant than static brushing against his skin.

Vasuki grinned, clearly pleased with himself. "I knew it. I’ve mastered something incredible. Judgment Lightning..."

Ethan could only roll his eyes. Of all people, the one sent to rescue him was this insufferable little monk.

Still, as he glanced at the torn sky above, a thought surfaced. With that opening, he could leave this place at any time.

Vasuki, however, showed no intention of leaving. His body began to glow faintly as Soul Energy pulsed outward in steady waves, spreading across the surroundings as though he were searching for something.

"What are you doing?" Ethan asked, watching him closely. The way the boy moved, it was as if he was already familiar with this place.

"Looking for something," Vasuki replied casually. "There’s good stuff here."

"Looking for what?"

Vasuki did not answer right away. Instead, he opened his hand. Resting in his palm were three fragments of purple crystal.