Chapter 240 Chapter238-The First Trait
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Just as he finished slaying a monster, its corpse vanished right before him.
"No, it didn't just disappear; it was absorbed," Ethan realized, taken aback by the observation.
At the same time, he felt a faint sentience emanating from the Blasphemous Spear, a feeling of elation, followed by a clearer message.
[Bloodthirst: Killing an enemy has a chance to convert the enemy into energy and then absorbed the energy.]
"So it's like that!" Ethan exclaimed, brimming with astonishment and delight.
Having the ability to convert defeated enemies into energy and assimilating it for growth would undeniably conserve a vast amount of resources.
His excitement renewed, Ethan mused, "This is just the first trait the Blasphemous Spear has shown. If it continues to evolve, who knows how many more it could manifest?"
"This is only the beginning."
With that thought, Ethan stowed away the spear, setting his sights back on Dark Lord City.
At that very moment, an overwhelming sense of danger struck from behind.
Ethan instinctively sidestepped to avoid the impending threat, casting his gaze in its direction.
Before him stood a young girl in a pristine white gown, just a short distance away.
Her features were strikingly delicate, accentuated by a pair of soft blue earrings, mirroring the hues of the vast ocean.
In the young girl's hand spun a short sword, its radiant glow almost blinding to the onlooker. Clearly, this was no ordinary blade.
Beneath the hem of her flowing gown, she hovered barefoot above the ground, not once making contact with the earth below.
From Ethan's extensive knowledge, this wasn't the mere use of a Levitation Spell, but rather a profound mastery of space magic, potentially even surpassing the prowess of Oberlis.
Who was this enigmatic maiden?
A profound curiosity welled up in Ethan's heart.
At that moment, the young woman spoke.
She walked a few steps closer to Ethan with a gentle smile, sheathing her short sword.
Her voice was crystalline as she said, "Ethan, we meet again. But in truth, this is only our second encounter."
"Our second meeting?" A rush of recognition jolted Ethan, and he exclaimed, "You're Lana Mokos!"
The sight of Lana Mokos here and now was wholly unexpected for Ethan, especially as the image before him contradicted his previous understanding of her.
In his recollection, Lana Mokos was proud.
She stood tall as a confident queen, treating others with a stark, icy detachment.
However, the aura emanating from the young woman in front of him was not of distant coldness but rather, akin to sunlight filtering through a snowy landscape.
Just when one felt the biting chill, she brought warmth.
"Are you truly the Lana Mokos?" Ethan was reluctant to believe this.
Lana Mokos let out a soft chuckle and countered, "Why do you ask? Do I not resemble her?"
"It's not that," Ethan replied, "It's just a bit unexpected for me."
He shook his head, choosing not to mention Lana Mokos's earlier attack.
That assault was clearly just a probe.
"For different people, I've always shown different facets of myself. And you, Ethan, are the only one who has ever bested me. You've earned my respect now," Lana Mokos stated earnestly.
Ethan inquired, "So, Miss Mokos, what brings you here? Aren't you afraid that I might strike you down? The Azure Empire would lose a prodigy, and the war for Dark Lord City would be effortlessly won by us."
"Kill me?" she smirked. "That wouldn't be wise. Besides, aren't you even the slightest bit tempted at the sight of me?"
Lana Mokos stepped closer.
In Ethan's gaze, Lana·Mokos gently slid off her long dress, revealing her porcelain shoulders. As the dress fell away from her body, it revealed her curvaceous silhouette and slender waist.
Every inch of her skin shimmered with a radiant glow, tempting one to touch.
Her expression, with her lips slightly parted, was reminiscent of an innocent kitten, igniting a protective instinct in the onlooker, making it difficult to even think of harming her.
"Hold me," she whispered with a hint of vulnerability in her eyes.
Almost reflexively, Ethan extended his arm to embrace her.
But in a heartbeat, he felt something was amiss.
Concurrently, his Soul Language of Nature quivered, releasing a refreshing aura that brought clarity to his mind.
An illusion!
Everything that just unfolded was a mirage!
A deep sense of wariness surged within Ethan.
He looked up to find Lana Mokos perched on a tree branch, her feet swinging freely in the air.
Resting her chin on one hand, she gave Ethan a playful, teasing glance, inquiring, "Ethan, what did you just see? Care to share?"
Ethan's face darkened, and he remained silent.
Lana Mokos gracefully descended from the tree and approached him.
Ethan instinctively took a step back, which prompted a burst of laughter from her.
Mockingly, she remarked, "Are you afraid now? Didn't you say you were going to kill me earlier? But now, it seems you can't."
"While your power may be formidable, there are times when raw strength isn't necessary."
Ethan gradually regained his composure, pressing, "What do you really want?"
"Didn't I make it clear? I wish for you to surrender, to serve under me. After all, only someone as exceptional as you deserves the chance to be under Lana Mokos's command!"
"I refuse," Ethan stated firmly.
Lana Mokos gave a gentle laugh, suggesting, "Ethan, don't be so quick to refuse. If you join me, I can offer you unparalleled status and inexhaustible wealth. Even those fantasies from the illusion earlier... I can make them all come true."
Admittedly, it was a temptation hard to resist.
Yet Ethan shook his head, firmly declaring, "We are enemies, and will always remain so."
"Is that so?" Lana Mokos mused. "I believe there are no eternal enemies in this world, only eternal interests. Your resistance is simply because the price isn't right. But one day, I assure you, you'll bow before me."
"We shall see," Ethan retorted, leaving his words hanging in the air as he turned and walked away.
Watching Ethan's receding figure, Lana Mokos's gaze grew intense. She whispered to herself, "Mr. Bain was right; he truly is exceptional. But I am no less. One day, sooner or later, he'll bow to me, addressing me as his queen."
These words went unheard.
And none were privy to the knowledge that before the outbreak of the war, Lana Mokos and Ethan had once met in an ordinary valley.
...
In Dark Lord City, Ethan had been back for a while, sitting silently in a chair, lost in thought.
"What's on your mind, Ethan?" A concerned Mia asked as she entered.
With war looming, everyone in Dark Lord City had become more resolute.
Even the typically gentle Mia now radiated the bearing of a knight.
Ethan shook his head slightly, saying, "I took a brief journey outside and ran into Lana Mokos. She wasn't as I had imagined her. I'm not even sure if that was truly her."
"Lana Mokos?" Mia's heart raced, pressing further, "Did she seek you out intentionally?"
"It seems so," Ethan replied, "But I can't discern her true intentions. Moreover, she's a master of illusion. I was nearly taken in by her charade."
This was Ethan's gravest concern.
Had he not mastered the Soul Language of Nature, he might've easily been ensnared by Lana Mokos. And for the others—Mia, Eluna, Khosro—they would have no defenses against such deceit.
The consequences of falling into her trap were too horrifying to contemplate.
Crucially, Little Baal remained in slumber. Endowed with the innate ability to see through illusions, Little Baal's racial gift rendered Lana Mokos's deceptions powerless against him.
Yet, in his dormant state, he couldn't be of any help.
"Don't worry, everything will be alright," Mia said, sensing the weight on Ethan's shoulders and attempting to offer solace.
Ethan nodded slowly, murmuring, "I hope so."
This encounter with Lana Mokos served as a stark reminder to Ethan.
Even though he possessed unparalleled strength, he still had evident vulnerabilities.
If these weaknesses weren't addressed, they could easily be exploited by adversaries.
The silver lining was that there were means to rectify these vulnerabilities.
Among the many Books of Alchemy gifted by the Apothecary, old John, were methods to counteract illusions and enhance the power of the soul.
There were also some methods to fortify the soul's resilience.
As for Mia and the others, Ethan had already devised a plan.
The Dungeon area was secured with a Space Key, creating a sanctuary where they would be protected.
Moreover, the impending battle had been strategically outlined by Ethan — it was destined to be a losing fight.
All that remained was to patiently await the onset of the war.
Subsequently, he intended to seamlessly hand over the reins of Dark Lord City to Lana Mokos.
Once the city grew to a certain magnitude, he would reclaim it using the Heart of the City, effectively saving a significant amount of time in the process.
The source of this c𝐨ntent is freewe(b)nov𝒆l