Chapter 19: Chapter 19: Newfound Resolve
Upon leaving the prison, they made their way to the inn where Aria and her uncle would drop Ethan off. His heart swelled with gratitude toward both of them.
They traveled in an opulent horse carriage, its luxurious interior offsetting the occasional bumps in the road. Aria's lively chatter kept him engaged, her long silvery hair flowing behind her in the breeze.
Aria and her uncle bore a striking resemblance to each other—their build, eyebrows, and even their smiles were almost identical. Their shared silver hair further emphasized their kinship.
However, her uncle's demeanor toward Ethan was far less warm than Aria's. He observed their interaction with a cold, disapproving gaze, clearly uncomfortable with their closeness. Nevertheless, Ethan's gratitude remained steadfast despite the uncle's stern demeanor.
After a little more than an hour, they reached their destination, where they would part ways.
"Aria, I'm very sorry for refusing your help earlier. Thank you so much. I will never forget your kindness," Ethan said sincerely, looking directly into her eyes.
Aria frowned slightly. "Ethan... that again... Am I no friend to you?" She seemed down as she said that.
"Uh, yes, yes, of course we are friends!" Ethan replied, flustered, not wanting to upset her once again.
Aria revealed a soft smile after hearing his reply.
"Hey, boy, come here," her uncle called out from a distance, impatience evident in his voice.
Ethan hurriedly left Aria to hear what he had to say. From his expression, he could guess it wouldn't be anything good.
Aria stayed where she was, pouting. Her uncle had interrupted their conversation, but she couldn't complain. She had to beg him to help Ethan since her parents had refused outright, insisting she shouldn't associate with commoners, let alone use their precious resources to help one. Fortunately, her uncle had agreed after much persuasion.
"Thank you so much for your help, sir. I am really grateful," Ethan said to her uncle, trying to convey his earnestness through his tone and posture.
"Yeah, yeah," he dismissed Ethan with a wave of his hand, annoyance clear in his voice. "Listen, boy, you should thank my niece. You have no idea how much she had to plead with her parents for your sake. They were furious—all because of you."
As Ethan listened, guilt gnawed at him for the trouble Aria had endured. Her genuine efforts had stirred unfamiliar emotions within him. Was this how close friends felt for each other? He wasn't sure, but he knew he owed her more than just gratitude.
But then her uncle's expression darkened, and his next words made Ethan's mood turned sour.
"Listen, boy, don't try to get closer to Aria. Otherwise, you wouldn't know how you even died. No one would ever accept a romantic relationship between you two because you're just a commoner."
His cold, piercing gaze bore into Ethan as he continued. "Don't ignore my advice, Ethan. Don't make trouble for Aria. It won't be good for anybody. With your meager power, you wouldn't be able to protect yourself, let alone Aria."
Frustration grew within Ethan as he listened to her uncle's condescending words. Are commoners not human? Although he didn't know if he had fallen for Aria, he disliked their belittling attitude.
Perhaps, social classe exists in every worlds. Earth was divided by money and this one was by only sheer power.
Aria and he hadn't even touched hands, let alone any relationship. The thought of a relationship hadn't crossed his mind yet. But he had started to feel closer to her, that was all.
Her uncle continued, "Aria's marriage has already been arranged, though she doesn't know it yet. So, don't get your hopes up. The other party is much more powerful than you can imagine."
"Okay, I've said my piece. Now, you need to decide for yourself, boy."
Saying that, he gripped Ethan's shoulder with overwhelming force, causing his joints to crack. From this, Ethan knew he was a true monster. He couldn't even gauge his strength using his [Appraisal] skill.
Afterward, her uncle released his shoulder and gave Ethan one last warning look. His sharp eyes left Ethan breathless.
Ethan clenched his fists, frustration boiling within him. He hadn't even been in this world for a week, yet it had already shown him there is no peace without power.
If he had enough power today, they wouldn't have dared to look down on him. Power… he wanted more power than ever. He desired overwhelming strength to pave his path forward without hindrances. He would gather enough power to turn this world upside down.
As Ethan stood alone in the silent evening, his determination soared. The setting sun cast long shadows, mirroring the resolve growing within him.
This world would learn to respect him, not for who he was, but for the power he would wield. No longer would he be the one looked down upon—he would rise above them all.
---
Aria and her uncle set off on their journey, crossing the noble district with its towering buildings and extravagant luxuries. The area was a showcase of opulence, with houses and villas designed in a grand European royal style—ornate facades, intricate ironwork, and manicured gardens all spoke of an elite society that was worlds apart from the common folk.
Inside their plush carriage, Aria turned to her uncle with curiosity. "So, Uncle, what did you talk with Ethan about?"
Her uncle dismissed the question with a casual shrug. "Uh, nothing much. Just some routine advice. I reminded him how to stay safe, that's all."
"Is that so?" Aria's tone was light, though her eyes betrayed a hint of concern. She accepted his answer without further question, not knowing that her uncle's seemingly benign words had only ignited a fierce determination within Ethan.
As the carriage rolled smoothly over the cobblestone streets, the rhythmic clatter of hooves provided a steady backdrop to their conversation. The golden light of the setting sun bathed the district in a warm glow, casting long shadows across the luxurious surroundings.
Aria looked out the window, her mind wandering back to Ethan and the troubled expression she had seen in his eyes.
Chapter 20: Chapter 20: Cheat Like Ability
"Mama, look! Big brother Ethan is back," Emily said cheerfully, her voice ringing through the inn.
Innkeeper Greta looked up from her work, surprise lighting up her face as she saw Ethan approaching from the streets. "Ethan, you're back!" she exclaimed. She hadn't expected Ethan to return from prison so soon.
"Yes, Aunt. I'm back!" Ethan replied with a warm smile. Seeing their familiar faces brought him a wave of comfort, a reassuring reminder that he was cared for.
"Did that girl help you finally? I knew she wouldn't leave you alone," Aunt Greta said with a teasing smile. "Now, come inside and have dinner, Ethan. You look so skinny. Emily, sweetie, go and get something good for your brother."
Emily beamed and dashed off, eager to fulfill her mother's request.
As Ethan stepped into the cozy inn, the familiar scents of home-cooked meals and the warmth of the hearth enveloped him. Aunt Greta fussed over him, brushing imaginary dust from his shoulders and leading him to a seat by the fire.
"You must have been through so much," she said, her voice softening with concern. "But you're safe now at least."
Ethan nodded, grateful for her kindness. "Thank you, Aunt Greta. It's good to be back."
Emily soon returned with a plate piled high with steaming food. She set it down in front of Ethan with a proud smile. "I got the best for you, big brother!"
Ethan ruffled her hair affectionately. "Thank you, Emily. This looks delicious. You're the best."
As he ate, the worries and tensions of the past days began to fade.
After having dinner and chatting with the mother and daughter duo, Ethan left the inn for the market specialized in hunters' needs. He couldn't afford to waste any more time. He was far behind his peers and needed to work harder than anyone else.
Ethan entered a hunter's resource shop to find out about mana orbs. Mana was essential for increasing his strength, the only barrier to him getting stronger.
The shop was beautifully decorated with various hunter equipment—swords, spears, shields, skill books, monster body parts, and more. The weapons section looked luxurious, with many high-tier weapons displayed neatly.
The place was bustling with hunters buying and inspecting different items.
"Hello, Sir Hunter. What can I do for you?" A beautiful woman greeted him warmly.
Ethan cleared his throat and asked, "Hello, do you have mana orbs here?"
The shop assistant looked interested and replied, "Yes, sir, we do have a few mana orbs. How many do you need?"
"Can you show me the price list for mana orbs first?" Ethan asked, feeling a bit embarrassed. He didn't have a penny with him; he was just there to gather information.
"Sure, Sir Hunter," she replied professionally and handed him the information.
- "Grade-F Mana Orb – 30 Gold Coins. Mana capacity increase: 20."
- "Grade-E Mana Orb – 50 Gold Coins. Mana capacity increase: 50."
(AN: 100 bronze coins = 1 silver coin, 100 silver coins = 1 Gold coin, )
- "Grade-D Mana Orb – 100 Gold Coins. Mana capacity increase: 120."
- "Grade-C Mana Orb – 220 Gold Coins. Mana capacity increase: 260."
- "Grade-B Mana Orb – 500 Gold Coins. Mana capacity increase: 550."
After carefully looking at the list, Ethan was shocked. "So expensive!"
They had the highest B-Grade Mana orbs in the shop. Grade-A and above must be even more expensive. One Grade-B Mana Orb cost 500 Gold/ 50,000 Silver Coins.
Ethan had only a little more than a few hundred silver coins, which was nothing compared to this.
Now the question was, "How should I earn so much money?"
He could do some guild missions, but it would take months to buy one B-Grade Mana orb. Dungeon loot depended on luck, so that was out of the question as well.
The shop assistant lady looked awkwardly at me, seeing him spacing out. She must have already taken him for a penniless bumpkin already.
But he ignored her completely because he had a more pressing matter at hand. "What to do? What to do?" Just as he was racking his brain, a brilliant idea came to his mind.
"Why didn't I think of this earlier? I am so stupid!" He scolded himself.
He turned back to the shop assistant and said, "I want six silver swords. Can you get them for me, please?"
The shop assistant was dumbfounded by the sudden change. The boy who had wanted to buy mana orbs now suddenly wanted silver swords.
But her professionalism was commendable as she composed herself and nodded. "Sure, sir, I will get them for you."
...
He bought six silver swords for 600 silver coins, afterwards, he left the shop. Then he entered an old alleyway to do something miraculous.
"Synthesis! Synthesis! Synthesis!"
He synthesized all the silver swords, transforming them into 3 titanium swords. All of them were D-grade and sentient, equipped with special skills. They would definitely fetch a good price in the market, as sentient swords were rare.
"Now time to sell you guys. Do forgive me."
He went to a different weapon shop to sell them and got nearly 18,000 silver coins. The shop owner was enthusiastic about buying them from him, so the deal was done quickly.
With the money, he bought a few more silver swords and synthesized them again.
After a few trips at night, selling and buying swords in different shops while wearing a black cloak to avoid recognition, he made a profit of an astonishing amount: a total of nearly 500,000 silver coins.
"Oh my goodness!"
He looked at the coins piled up in front of him in shock. It was like a small mountain of silver and gold coins—a breathtaking sight.
Not even a noble family might be able to take out this amount of money from their treasury at once.
It was truly a cheat-like ability. But because his mana ran low, he had to quit for the night.
Still, it was more than enough for today.
If this continued for a few days, he would become the richest man in city quickly. Not that he had any plans for that. Without strength, staying in the limelight was not a good choice.
He had read similar phrases in the novels many times, so he understood this fact well at least.
Now that he had enough money, it was finally time to buy the mana orbs he really wanted.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
200+ Power
Ranking 
155 Power
stone 
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