Anne watched Ethan's reaction closely, her sanguine eyes searching for even a flicker of doubt. "I thought you might be disappointed," she said softly. "To find out that after all your struggle, you are still only at the base of the mountain and not the summit."
"Hahaha!" Ethan's laughter erupted, echoing through the cold industrial vault with a vibrant, manic energy. "Depressed? Anne, I'm motivated! If flattening a mountain range is just a light warm-up for my fists at this level, what happens when I reach the top? Can I shatter a continent with a single strike? I'm not disappointed—I'm hungry. I can't wait to get out there!"
Anne smiled, a rare expression of genuine approval crossing her face. "I knew my evaluation of you wasn't wrong. You truly are an interesting variable. So, what do you say? Will you come with me to the Crimson Heaven Kingdom?"
