He suddenly stopped, stood firmly, and his demeanor shifted dramatically, speaking like a true gentleman: "Distinguished guests who have traveled from afar, might you be here to seek the scholar Victor?"
"It seems that's him, no doubt about it."
Noticing the shift in Victor, the so-called drunken scholar, as well as his words, Ethan was certain.
Ethan approached, stopping a couple of steps away from Victor.
He lifted the bottle of liquor in his hand, saying, "I am indeed here to see you. I have questions, and if you can provide useful answers, this bottle is yours. Moreover, if your answers are satisfactory, I might even gift you a distillery."
"Is that true?" Victor asked eagerly.
"Of course! Ethan never bluffs," Veronica interjected, coming forward.
Victor glanced at Veronica, recognition flashing in his eyes.
He seemed surprised as he said, "Miss, I've seen you in Stone Rock Harbor before."
He extended his dirt-covered hand, attempting to shake Veronica's hand.
Veronica, clearly repulsed, did not respond.
"That's enough, Victor," Ethan interjected. "I didn't come here for small talk. I have important matters to discuss, and I expect satisfactory answers from you."
Ethan then walked towards a nearby ruined house.
Victor, trailing behind, quickly added, "Of course, sir. As long as you provide me with fine liquor, I'll tell you all the tales and knowledge I possess."
Moments later, Ethan stopped by a wall of the dilapidated house, a secluded corner.
"Do you know Sean?" Ethan began.
"Yes, he's one of the wealthy men in Stone Rock Harbor, owns a large mansion, always has an endless supply of fine wine, and beautiful young girls at his beck and call," Victor said.
"That's not what I'm asking about," Ethan said, his gaze sharp and displeased.
Pretty much everyone in Stone Rock Harbor knew of Sean's exploits.
Unfazed by Ethan's cold demeanor, Victor leaned casually against the wall, saying with ease, "Of course, I knew that's not what you were asking. But to gain something, you must give up something. If you hand over that bottle, I might provide more valuable information."
Ethan, clearly irritated, nevertheless handed over the bottle.
"You'll find my answers satisfactory," Victor assured him.
Victor took the liquor with a grin, gulped down a large mouthful, a satisfied look flashing across his face.
He then began, "Sean is a merchant, but not just any merchant. He's connected to the Elder Council of Blackstone. As for information on the Elder Council of Blackstone, that comes at a different price. One bottle won't be enough."
"Just keep talking, I'll handle the liquor," Ethan retorted, his tone sharp.
Several gold coins slipped through his fingers and fell onto the dark soil, catching Victor's attention immediately.
"Go on!" Ethan pressed further, an imposing aura radiating from him.
Victor, sensing he might have gone too far, didn't ask for more incentives but replied straightforwardly, "When the Elder Council of Blackstone began, nobody truly knows. They've been around perhaps even longer than Stone Rock Harbor itself."
"Why they exist, is another mystery," Victor continued, "But based on various rumors and scattered notes, their existence seems tied to life itself."
Victor shrugged and took another sip from his drink.
"What does that mean?" Veronica inquired curiously.
"Well..." Victor set the bottle down, his hands falling to his sides and voice heavy with melancholy, "We all know that life is the universe's greatest wonder. It gives us thought, emotion, and sensation. But the end of life is always death, an inescapable fate."
"Even elves and dwarves, with lifespans far beyond humans, have their end."
"Even those legendary creatures of rumors."
"No one can escape it! What a tragic fate!" Victor suddenly shouted, finishing off the bottle, growing even more inebriated.
But his words never faltered, "The existence of the Council seems centered around this. They seek the truth of life, longing for eternal lifespans, and perhaps even aiming to uncover the secrets of the gods!"
Gods. A synonym for power.
Among many clans, deities are omnipotent.
They can create and destroy, possessing unparalleled power and eternal lifespans.
Even in death, if someone calls upon their names, they can be resurrected from the void.
Such an incredible force!
Obviously, such beings are incredibly powerful even among gods.
Ethan, currently just a Rank S Hero, is seemingly one step away from the divine realm.
But in reality, it's an incredibly long journey.
"So, how did you come to know all of this?" Brushing aside his thoughts, Ethan interrogated Victor once more.
Upon hearing Ethan's question, Victor burst out laughing, "Me? You're asking how I know? Sir, while I might look like a drunkard to you, I'm also quite learned. Isn't it normal for me to have such knowledge?"
"You sure you want to answer like that? I don't appreciate being lied to!" Ethan's tone turned increasingly menacing.
He could tell that Victor, the supposed drunkard, had never intended to give a straight answer.
"Are you threatening me?" Victor raised his head to meet Ethan's gaze, a look of disdain evident on his face.
"And what if I am?" Ethan admitted candidly.
"You're asking for trouble! I kindly revealed some truths to you, that was already a gesture of kindness. Yet you want to know even more? You're insatiable!" Victor smirked, a sudden, overpowering aura emanating from him.
Veronica, standing beside Ethan, turned pale instantly.
Overwhelmed by Victor's sudden show of strength, she felt as if she was staring death in the face.
Thankfully, Ethan stood protectively in front of her.
"Step back," Ethan instructed Veronica.
Once she was at a safe distance, he focused on Victor, his expression growing more serious, "It seems everyone in Stone Rock Harbor has been deceived by you. How could a mere drunkard possess such power? And this disguise of yours... Perhaps you have ulterior motives? Or are you actually a member of the Elder Council of Blackstone?"
"Boy, don't lump me in with those rats from the Elder Council," Victor sneered, apparently holding a deep-seated grudge against them.
"Also," Victor continued, "What I hate most are the arrogant ones. You think that with a bit of strength you can threaten anyone carelessly? Let me tell you, boy, there are many stronger than you. If you remain this conceited, you'll find yourself meeting an untimely end at someone's hands. Perhaps I should teach you a lesson now!"
"Oh really? I don't believe you're stronger than me," Ethan replied with a grin.
Ethan did not immediately draw the Dragon Slayer Spear.
Even though Victor exerted some pressure on him, and could even be the most formidable opponent he had ever faced, Ethan still felt confident that he could overpower Victor with ease.
"Foolish and arrogant buffoon!" Victor exclaimed angrily.
A powerful surge of energy suddenly erupted from him, and in a flash, he was in front of Ethan, aiming to send him flying with a swift palm strike.
However, things didn't go as planned.
As Victor lunged, Ethan deftly sidestepped and, with a swift motion, delivered a powerful kick to Victor's chest, sending him crashing heavily into the wall of a decrepit building.
"So, that's all you got?" Ethan shook his head, looking at Victor with disdain.
"You dare to humiliate me like this?!" Victor roared, his aura shifting once again.
This time, arcs of silver-white electricity danced around Victor's body, crackling and colliding, filling the air with sizzling sounds.
Even his eyes turned a silver-white hue, glowing intensely with electric energy.
"What kind of power is this?" Ethan mumbled to himself, clearly taken aback.
The power of thunder was immense and wild, not something an average person could wield.
Even in the knowledge bestowed upon him by the legacy of the Sacred Dragon, there wasn't much on harnessing thunder power.
Of course, the Golden Divine Dragon itself was an entity of immense power, so it might not have felt the need to seek out other sources of strength.
"Boy, brace yourself for the baptism of thunder!" Victor laughed maniacally, as if he had already envisioned Ethan's imminent doom.
With a thunderous roar from Victor, the surging electricity emanating from him began to take form in mid-air, solidifying into a massive silver-white war hammer.
The frenzied energy of the thunder writhed on its surface, as if it yearned to obliterate everything in its path.
"Hammer of Thunder!" As Victor lifted his hand, the Hammer of Thunder levitated under his command.
"Go!" With another shout from Victor, he directed the Hammer straight towards Ethan, and then slammed it down with force.
Ethan's face became extremely grave at that moment.
This Hammer of Thunder was incredibly potent and was honing in on him. Evading was not an option; he had to stand his ground and face it head-on.
"Let's give it a shot!" Filled with fighting spirit, Ethan stared at the descending Hammer of Thunder.
Yet, through Veronica's eyes, it appeared as though Ethan was completely enveloped by the blinding lightning radiating from the Hammer of Thunder.
The disparity in their powers was evident.
Watching the Hammer of Thunder plummet, Veronica couldn't contain herself and cried out, "No! Stop!"
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