Chapter 22:
"How…" Chris muttered, his breath trembling with disbelief.
"Ethen!" Lucien called out before Ethen could step into the cave.
Ethen stopped but didn't look back. "Speak," he said flatly.
"That training…" Lucien began.
Before he could finish, Ethen flash-stepped in front of him but only to be stopped and shocked by ucien's reaction.
Lucien's hand was clenched tight, his eyes burning with determination. His lips curled into a fearless grin.
"I won't be going back there," he said.
"What are you talking about?!" Thessaria shouted from behind as the wolves emerged from the arena, followed by Lucas.
"Sir Lucas," Lucien greeted.
"Prince Lucien," Lucas replied with a bow.
"I need your help," Lucien said firmly.
Lucas raised a brow. "With what?"
Lucien took a deep breath. "Until I can step back into that arena, I want all the training possible to increase my physical strength." His golden aura ignited behind him, forming the image of a roaring lion.
Ethen froze. He could only stare, speechless at the power surging from Lucien's resolve.
"I'll enter the training ground again," Lucien continued, "but with how I am now… that's suicide."
He turned and walked away, leaving Ethen standing in silence.
"Shall I assist him, my lord?" Lucas asked.
Ethen blinked, pulling himself together. "Do as you wish, Lucas. If all of you feel the same way, do what you want." He turned back toward the cave.
Solvian followed, smirking quietly. "Looks like our brother has found himself a rival," he murmured.
---
Hours passed. Inside the cave, Jessica slowly opened her eyes, groaning softly. Beside her sat her brother, chewing on roasted meat.
"Oh! Sister...you're awake," he said, smiling.
"Where am I…" she began, then memories of the training ground flooded back. She jolted upright, pain shooting through her body.
"Don't push yourself," he said, gently easing her back down. "You're safe now. Rest. I'll grab you some food."
He left quietly as Jessica stared at the cave ceiling, exhaustion washing over her.
Across the camp, Chris sat beside his sword, torn between picking it up and leaving it be.
"Old habits die hard," Solvian said behind him.
"Is that what all of you are trying to do? Kill old habits?" Chris asked without turning.
"Not exactly," Solvian replied. "A fighter who relies too much on one skill dies first." He turned and walked away, his words hanging heavy in Chris's mind.
---
Flashback: The Knight's Burden
"You must become strong, Chris!" a deep voice thundered.
Young Chris,barely twelve fell to the ground, gripping a wooden sword. "I'm trying, Father…" he said, tears streaking his cheeks.
The shadowed man walked toward him, striking him sharply with his own wooden sword. "Wipe those tears. We are of the Gold Cross. Our strength must be absolute. Now rise—rise and become strong!!!"
[Flashback ends.]
Chris clenched his fists, eyes clouded with that memory.
--
Thessaria and Seraphine were helping Theresa grill meat when Lucien appeared.
"She's awake, ma'am," Lucien said.
Theresa smiled and placed two large pieces of roasted meat on a leaf.
Lucien nodded, "thank you." And ran back toward his sister.
"It's amazing how lively he is," Theresa said warmly.
"I agree," Seraphine said softly. "He's the reason I want to push myself further. The prince truly is… inspiring."
But when Lucien arrived, Jessica was no longer lying down. She was standing beside Lucas.
"I'm begging you," she said, bowing. "Please… teach me how to use magic without a staff."
Lucas smirked. "It's simple, dear." He raised his hand. "Your hand is your staff." Flames burst from his palm, swirling around his fingers before fading. "Learn the fundamentals of magic and it'll obey you, not your tools."
Jessica bowed again, dizzy but smiling. "Thank you…" Her body wavered, but Lucien caught her before she fell.
"You shouldn't push yourself, sister," he said softly. He nodded to Lucas, then carried her away.
Lucas watched them go and sighed. "Their will to improve… it's unbelievable." He looked around. "But where's Lord Ethen…?"
---
Ethen's Awakening
"...1650… 1651… 1652…"
Ethen's voice was steady as he trained shirtless in the clearing, body sculpted like carved steel. He didn't sweat. He didn't breathe hard.
Around him, beasts trembled in the shadows. The aura radiating from him wasn't human,it was demonic, suffocating.
"2000," he muttered.
Above, a blood red energy sphere formed in the sky,massive and burning. With a snap of his fingers, it burst into hundreds of beams, obliterating the beasts in every direction.
His cultivation glowed before his eyes:
Grand Level: 3.1
Skills: 3.1
Energy: 3.1
Abilities: 3.2
(Grand level power = million energy units)
"Still not enough…" he whispered.
He raised his palm. Gold energy swirled and formed a circle. From it emerged his tamed beasts. The Dreadmane, Obsidian Panther, and ten black slimes.
"Two slimes...become shields for my beasts."
The slimes obeyed instantly, merging with the monsters.
The Dreadmane's fiery mane turned black, its fangs dissolved into a more regal form. The Obsidian Panther shimmered like oil over water. Both now exuded a chilling, perfect darkness.
"The rest of you… merge into one."
The remaining slimes combined, forming a single, pulsing mass.
Ethen smirked. "Now… time to make you special."
A magic circle formed beneath them. He bit his hand and let a drop of blood fall. The sigil flared with crimson light, growing blindingly bright and then faded.
Before him now stood three human figures. Each around eighteen years of age.
"Dreadmane…" Ethen called.
A tall, muscular man with long orange hair, its tips black stood straight. His eyes were pitch-black until his new body copied Ethen's clothes.
"Obsidian Panther…" Ethen pointed next.
A dark-haired man, lean and powerful, with eyes just as black, stepped forward his body doing the same as dreadmane's.
Lastly, the merged slime stood. An androgynous figure with a faintly glowing blue mane and featureless beauty. Same followed like how dreadmane and Obsidian's body did.
"Could you change your eyes? You look like demons," Ethen said, frowning.
The Dreadmane's eyes shifted to fiery orange. Obsidian merely smirked. The slime remained silent.
"Can you speak?" Ethen asked.
"Yes, my lord," Obsidian said, kneeling. The others followed.
"Good. Then I want you to use your full power on me."
Obsidian's head rose slowly. "You mean… attack you, my lord?"
"Correct."
The Dreadmane grinned fiercely, cracking his knuckles. "Hahaha… then I won't hold back!" He lunged forward, fist blazing with black flame.
"Wait—!" the slime shouted in fear raising a hand in attempt to stop him.
To Be Continued…