Ethan’s eyes widened in horror. He watched his own attack hurtling towards him in slow motion. The swirling vortex of water vapor, pressure changes, and fireballs that he’d so carefully crafted now bore down on him with terrifying speed.

Shit, he thought, cursing himself. I should’ve realized it would try to change locations with me when I saw it do it with Baron Montague. Fuck!

A cry escaped his lips as the attack closed in. But just as the devastating combination was about to hit, the ground shook. It started as a vibration, which escalated until earth from all around him jutted out of the ground, and then surrounded him in a cocoon.

The vortex slammed into the dome with a deafening explosion. Cracks spiderwebbed across the dome. Ethan swallowed. Holy. How strong had his attacks been? He’d really gotten used to everything that he’d have scoffed at back in Earth, hadn’t he?

The fireballs rapidly exploded against the dome, each impact expanding the spiderwebbed cracks. Then, the dome gave way. Finally. Sadly. Magic rained down around Ethan as he collapsed to his knees, heaving and gasping for air.

“Holy fuck,” he wheezed. “That would’ve killed a fleshy fucking human like me.”

Through the settling debris and dissipating magic, Ethan watched as Baron Montague engaged the crystalline creature. The old man moved with a grace and speed that belied his age. Montague’s fingers danced through the air. Magic. What could he possibly be doing? A flick of his wrist sent a barrage of razor-sharp earth spikes hurtling toward the monster. They sliced through its crystalline form like a hot knife through butter, leaving deep gouges in their wake.

The creature screeched, and retaliated, its arm stretching and morphing into a deadly lance. Montague simply smirked, sidestepping. Ethan looked with wide eyes. The old man made it appear super easy. In the blink of an eye, he was behind the monster, his palm pressed against its back.

For a moment, there was silence.

Then, a pulse of raw mana erupted from Montague’s hand, sending the creature exploding across the battlefield. It crashed into the ground, skidding to a stop mere feet from where Ethan knelt.

The dust settled, the monster’s eyes snapped open, pulsing with that eerie, inhuman light. It began to rise. Weakly. Ethan scowled. This fuck was about to use that skill again. Teleport. Or whatever. Refusing to be caught off guard again, Ethan thrust his hand forward, channeling every ounce of his remaining mana into a single attack.

A fireball conjured before him, and it was more intense and concentrated than any he’d conjured before. A pause. Some buildup, then it erupted from his palm. It slammed into the creature’s face with explosive force, the heat so intense that the air itself seemed to ignite.

The monster went rigid. The crystalline form glowed white-hot. Then, it began to crumble with a sound like shattering glass. Cracks spread across its surface, pieces falling away.

It’s dead. Finally. Holy shit. Ethan heaved. I did it. I fucking did it. Well, Montague had a major hand in it, given that he’d be dead without the old man—but fuck it felt great. Ethan felt a warmth spread through his body.

A notification flashed in front of him:

Your race, [Human], has leveled up — Lvl 3 -> Lvl 4!

Your race, [Human], has leveled up — Lvl 4 -> Lvl 5!

Before Ethan could process it, the scene around him flickered. Blinking, he found Baron Montague standing beside him, as if he’d teleported or moved faster than Ethan’s eyes could track.

Ethan looked at the monster. That teleport skill was terrifying, Ethan thought, then moved his eyes to stare at the grinning old man. But this old man that didn’t even need a skill like that to move that fast is even more of a monster.

Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, Ethan saw Montague offering him a hand. He took it gratefully, pulling himself to his feet and dusting off his clothes.

“I’d heard that you’d become a [Mage],” Montague said, his tone casual as if they hadn’t just battled a crystalline monstrosity, “but I didn’t know you’d progressed so fast already.”

Ethan sighed, frustration evident in his voice. “What do you mean? I couldn’t even fight a level 1 monster. Whatever this was.”

“Oh,” Montague blinked, looking genuinely surprised. “My bad, I forgot to make it clear. It’s a rank higher than you.”

Ethan’s brain screeched to a halt.

“What?”

“You know Ranks, right?”

Montague explained patiently.

“You’re an Initiate [Mage], I don’t know about your race’s rank, however. Regardless, that monster was an Awakened Rank Level 01 Monster, equivalent for [Mages] is Apprentice Rank. You’re an Initiate, and Apprentice is the next step.”

Ethan blinked rapidly. What the fuck? he thought, how the fuck is that possible? A rank consists of 25 levels! I am only an Initiate in [Mage] whereas ‘G’ Rank in race. So, how could I fight a monster a rank above me? I can’t be that strong, so what’s going on?

“Don’t get cocky,” Montague warned, confusing Ethan’s thoughtful expression for something else. “That was an Awakened Monster in its infancy. It’d wipe the floor with you had it not caused a ruckus for a day and let its core consolidate and settle.”

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“Oh, I’m not cocky, don’t worry,” Ethan replied with a wry smile. “Trust me, I’m well aware of how close I came to being crystalline paste.”

“Good.” Montague nodded approvingly. “It’s important to understand the gravity of what you’ve accomplished without letting it go to your head. Now, let’s discuss what happened here.”

Ethan blinked. “What? What do you mean?”

“As I mentioned, it was an Awakened Monster,” Montague explained. “They’re rare and incredibly dangerous, even at low levels. They possess abilities and intelligence far beyond normal monsters of their rank.”

“And I just happened to run into one?” Ethan asked incredulously.

Montague’s expression turned serious. “No, I don’t believe this was a coincidence. Someone, or something, wanted to target this place. Or you, more specifically. Didn’t you notice that it was focused on you more than anyone or anything?”

Targeting him? For what reason? Ethan had only one lead and that led to the Night Whispers. But. “Why?”

“That,” Montague said with a grim smile, “is the question we need to answer. But first, let’s talk about your performance. You showed remarkable ingenuity in your approach to the battle.”

Ethan shrugged. “I got lucky. If you hadn’t been here...”

“Luck had little to do with it,” Montague interrupted. “Your use of elemental spells was creative and effective. And that attack...” He paused, his eyes gleaming with interest. “Tell me, what exactly did you do there?”

Ethan furrowed his brow, trying to recall the heat of the moment. “I... I’m not entirely sure. I saw these threads, like connections between things. And then I just... let one guide me and sever.”

Montague’s eyebrows shot up. “Threads? Hmmm.” He hummed thoughtfully for a moment, then continued. “Regardless, you certainly have potential. More importantly, you have the right mindset. You didn’t freeze up when faced with a superior opponent. You analyzed, adapted, and overcame.”

“Fat lot of good it did me in the end. I still would have died if you hadn’t stepped in.”

“True,” Montague conceded. “But the fact that you lasted as long as you did against an Awakened Monster is remarkable. Most Initiate [Mages] would have been overwhelmed in seconds.”

Ethan nodded slowly, processing this information. Then, as the conversation came to a stop, he coughed. Looking left, then right. People poking heads outside of their houses. Walls. They shrunk under his gaze. Uncomfortable, Ethan cleared his throat. “So what now?”

“Oh, well, anyway. I have a proposition for you, Theodore.”

“Let’s hear it.”

“Very well. But first, let’s find somewhere more comfortable to talk. I have a feeling this conversation is going to take a while.”

Ethan and Montague waited there until some guards took the monster’s corpse under Jack’s guidance. Jack didn’t spare him a glance after exchanging some words, the man appeared busy—and exhausted. I should talk about the mana crystal with Baron Montague... Jack observed the creature for a long moment, frowning. Hard. Very hard. His expression was not a good sight. Ethan didn’t bother him and let him and Leto do whatever with the monster's corpse.

Montague straightened, brushing off his robes with an air of finality. “Well, let’s go finish our discussion, shall we? I believe we have much to talk about.”

Nodding his head, Ethan walked to his manor. The baron followed, whistling. Inside, they settled into their seats, and Montague’s expression turned serious.

“Now, first, returning to your performance in that fight,” he began, his tone critical but not unkind. “Do you want an old man’s critiques?”

“I’m all ears.”

“There are several areas where you need significant improvement. First,” Montague said, holding up a finger, “your initial approach was reckless. Very much so. You expended far too much mana on your opening attacks without properly assessing your opponent’s capabilities.”

Ethan winced, remembering the creature’s rapid healing. “I see your point.”

“Second,” Montague continued, “your control over your elemental spells needs work. The vortex was clever, but inefficient. You could have achieved the same effect with less mana expenditure.”

He went on to detail several more critiques, from Ethan’s defensive positioning to his lack of a backup plan. Each point was valid, and Ethan found himself nodding along, mentally taking notes.

“However,” Montague said, his tone softening slightly, “your quick thinking and adaptability are commendable. The key is to refine these instincts and pair them with more disciplined magical techniques.”

“How do I do that?” Ethan asked.

“Practice, my boy.” Montague grinned. “Constant, focused practice. Start by mastering the basics of each element individually before attempting complex combinations.”

He spent the next few minutes outlining specific exercises and meditation techniques that could help Ethan hone his skills. By the time he finished, Ethan’s head was swimming with new ideas and possibilities.

“Thank you,” Ethan said sincerely. “I’ll definitely work on all of that.”

“See that you do.” Montague nodded approvingly. “Now, shall we return to the matter we were discussing before our crystalline friend so rudely interrupted?”

Ethan straightened in his chair, remembering their earlier conversation. “Right. You mentioned a requirement you had?”

“Indeed I did. It’s quite simple, really. I want you to create a trade route.”

Ethan blinked, not quite expecting that. “A trade route?”

“Precisely,” Montague continued. “There are forests between here and my barony, rivers to cross, challenging terrain. I need you to create a road leading to my lands, complete with bridges where necessary. I will provide you with the manpower. I’ve got some earth [Mages].”

Ethan pondered this for a moment. Bridges, huh. A slow grin spread across his face. “That happens to be my specialty.”

Montague’s eyebrows rose slightly. “Is that so?”

“Absolutely,” Ethan nodded, his confidence growing. “Infrastructure development is kind of my thing. I’ve got some ideas that could make this route not just functional, but a real asset to both our territories. And, going forward, others might contact me to create more routes for them. Of course, there would be a price.”

“Then,” Montague said, a pleased smile playing on his lips, “we have a deal. We need more young men like you, boy.”

“I do have something I need before we proceed,” Ethan said, and the baron looked at him.

“What is it?”

“I’m in need of a few mana crystals.”

Montague hummed, “It can be arranged. Quite easily, actually. However, it’s not something I can give out for free, either.”

“Oh, that is alright. I intend on paying. Eventually. Haha.”

“Sure,” Montague shook his head. “I can arrange some.”

“Thank you.” Ethan stood, extending his hand. “I’ll have a contract prepared. We can hash out the details, timeline, and any specific requirements you might have.”

Montague rose as well, clasping Ethan’s hand firmly. “Excellent. I look forward to seeing what you come up with.”

They shook hands, and Montague’s expression softened slightly. He patted Ethan on the back, his voice taking on a nostalgic tone. “You remind me of your grandfather, a lot.”

Ethan’s eyebrows shot up in surprise.

“My grandfather?”

Montague nodded, his eyes twinkling with some hidden amusement. “He was a lot like you.” He paused, a smile playing on his lips. “Well, is a lot like you.”

“How?” Ethan asked, curious. He knew very little about his—Theo’s—grandfather, and the way Montague spoke of him was intriguing.

“You’ll see.”

With that, Montague gathered his things and prepared to leave. Ethan walked him out. “I need to talk to Sir Thomas about some recent matters. That’s why I initially wanted to come here.” Montague explained. “Until later, then, young Theodore.”

They nodded at each other and as Montague disappeared, Ethan leaned against the doorframe, lost in thought.

Regardless. It was time to get to work.