Chapter 37: Yes, It Is Because Of Us.

’After that, I will start training to improve my body physically because only Mana affinity is not going to help me win in fights.’ He said inwardly as his fingers curled into fists.

Ethan’s eyes closed as he lay on the couch. The exhaustion from the fight against the orcs weighed heavily on him. His muscles ached, his body screamed for rest, and his mind was too drained to think. Sleep claimed him quickly, and for the next few hours he remained motionless, his breathing steady but shallow.

Five hours passed. The sun had already begun to set, painting the sky in hues of orange and crimson. Shadows stretched across the chamber when Ethan finally stirred. His eyelids fluttered open, and he sat up slowly, his body stiff from the strain.

He noticed immediately that both Athena and Isolde were still there, patiently waiting for him to wake. Their presence was steady, unwavering, and it made his chest tighten with a mix of guilt and gratitude. He looked at them, and a thought surfaced in his mind. I have to ask them... I need to know if this was because of them or not.

His voice was soft but direct. "Please don’t mind me asking this, but... is someone trying to assassinate you?"

The words hung in the air, heavy with worry. Athena’s gaze shifted toward Isolde. Isolde was rubbing her thumb over her palm, her blind eyes turned slightly downward. Athena took a small sigh before opening up.

"We don’t know," she admitted. "But all of this surely does seem tempered and pre‑planned. We have a lot of enemies who might be trying to take advantage of our situation. We expected them to come for us eventually, but never expected it to be so soon. We were living in seclusion, without contact with the outside world."

Ethan listened patiently, not interrupting. When she finished, he took a few seconds to process her words. His chest tightened, his jaw clenched. "I... I did expect it before, but I wasn’t prepared to hear a confrontation in favor of this."

A sigh left his lips as he continued. "If B‑Rank monsters came today, tomorrow something even more disastrous might come. Something that will put your lives, mine, and everyone living here in danger."

He looked down at his fists, clenching them tightly. "I don’t want to play hero for others. But at least... I have to be strong enough to protect myself and you both."

A gentle smile appeared on their faces, though the worry behind it was unmistakable. Their expressions carried warmth, but also the weight of fear.

Silence fell over the chamber, thick and suffocating. Athena was the first to break it. Her voice was calm but firm. "You should consume the mana through all the B‑Rank cores first. I can sense that the cores of the orcs are kept in the subspace pouch."

Her words made Ethan glance at the pouch resting beside him. He had almost forgotten about it in his exhaustion.

"With this," Athena continued, "you might be able to reach the pinnacle of B‑Rank affinity. And then you should start training your endurance, stamina, and strength. We will help you do that. Because if you try to grow them in normal ways, it will take months before you see any significant difference."

Ethan’s eyes softened as he looked at her. "You’ll... help me?"

Athena nodded firmly. "Of course. You’re not alone in this. We’ll make sure you’re prepared."

Isolde tilted her head slightly, her blind eyes reflecting faint light. "Your aura feels unstable, Ethan. You’ve pushed yourself too far. But if you channel the cores properly, it will stabilize. And with training, you’ll be able to withstand more than you think."

Her words carried a quiet strength, and Ethan felt his chest tighten again. He looked at both of them, his lips parting slightly. "I don’t deserve this treatment from you both..."

Athena’s brows furrowed, but her tone softened, which felt out of character for her. "It’s not like that, Ethan. We know you’re Reckless, but at least your heart is in the right place. But you need to learn control. That’s what we’ll teach you."

Ethan nodded slowly, his fingers brushing against the pouch. The thought of consuming the cores filled him with both anticipation and dread. He knew the power they carried, but he also knew the toll it would take on his body.

His gaze drifted toward the window, where the last rays of the sun painted the horizon. If this really was an assassination attempt... then I can’t waste time. I have to be ready. I have to protect them.

He clenched his fists tighter, determination flickering in his eyes. "Alright. I’ll consume the cores. And then... I’ll train. I’ll make sure I’m strong enough to face whatever comes next."

Athena’s lips curved into a faint smile. "That’s the spirit."

Isolde’s hand reached out; at first, she hesitated before touching him, but then gently touched his arm and started brushing lightly against it. "You’re not alone in this, Ethan."

The chamber fell silent again, but this time it wasn’t suffocating. It was filled with resolve, with the quiet strength of three people bound together by trust and love. Ethan leaned back slightly, his body still aching, but his mind sharper than before.

Ethan’s fingers brushed against the pouch again, the faint hum of the mana cores resonating inside it. He could feel their presence which was dense. His chest tightened as he thought about what Athena had said. Consume them first... reach the pinnacle of B‑Rank affinity.

’If I do it as I did without the other cores, I can reach the second layer of Aetherblade Ascension Art. Also the pinnacle of B-Rank, potentially A-Rank.’

His fingers curled into fist; his gaze remained fixed at the pouch as he sat in a position to cultivate mana. His legs were crossed, elbows rested over knees, eyes were closed.

He took a very deep breath and exhaled it once lightly before letting his mana pass through his meridians once again.

Soon, he began repeating the process of mana cultivation through cores in order to increase his affinity.

A/N: I’m going to try and do 4 more, 6 in total... give some power stones and golden tickets for motivation.