Chapter 32: The Lesson - 2
After exchanging a couple of blows with Max, Ethan glanced at his system interface with a faint sneer.
Basic longsword mastery – 99% Mastery (Intermediate).
These clowns aren't even trying.
Max stood there, panting heavily, his breath ragged and shallow. His arm hung at an unnatural angle, throbbing with sharp, shooting pain. The metallic tang of blood mixed with sweat clung to the air around him. Inside, panic churned fiercely. Damn it. Damn it all. He'd thought Ethan only killed goblins because he was weak. Now? This was a nightmare unfolding in slow motion.
Max glanced at Alex—pale, grimacing, his legs trembling as he barely stayed upright after a single hit. Max's earlier pride in having him around—because he "matched his vibe"—felt like a cruel joke now.
Ethan's voice sliced through the tense silence, cold and razor-sharp.
"Take your time patching up that brittle frame. I'll wait. But don't come back crying because you couldn't use all your 'fighting' equipment."
Max gritted his teeth, his jaw tight as grit scraped between his teeth. Venom thickened his voice.
"You're going to regret this." Without hesitation, he downed a healing potion in one gulp, the bitter liquid burning down his throat, desperation blazing behind his eyes.
What followed was nothing short of utter decimation.
Ethan's sword mastery hadn't budged from its plateau, so with a casual, almost lazy motion, he stabbed his sword into the dirt. The blade bit deep, humming faintly as it steadied into the earth like an immovable pillar. He shifted effortlessly into hand-to-hand combat, muscles coiling with lethal precision.
Max, still lunging forward with reckless desperation, didn't see the trap until Ethan's iron grip snapped onto his wrist like a vise, the sudden pressure causing a sharp crack to echo. A sick pop sounded as Ethan twisted sharply, wrenching Max's arm behind his back. The sharp sting of joint strain radiated painfully through Max's shoulder, a flare of agony that tightened his face—but he refused to cry out.
Before Max could react, Ethan swung him sideways like a ragdoll, slamming him hard against the rough ground with a wet thud. Dirt exploded in a dusty cloud, mingling with the sharp scent of sweat and blood. The air was forced from Max's lungs in a harsh whoosh.
Max tried to push himself up, fingers clawing at the dirt, but Ethan was already there—grabbing him by the collar and slamming his face into the grit again. Gritty blood mixed with soil in Max's mouth. He tasted iron and dirt as he struggled, but Ethan's grip was relentless.
With a brutal grin, Ethan caught Max's other arm, spinning him violently before slamming him face-first into a jagged rock. The impact reverberated through the arena with a sickening crack. Max's legs buckled beneath him like broken branches.
Max's eyes glazed over, utterly blank now—his body broken, his spirit shattered.
The crowd's reaction was instantaneous: a roar of cheers and jeers crashing like thunder.
"Lose your bets, fools! It's over!"
"They'll never recover from this humiliation!"
"E-rank trash humiliated two supposed C-rank pros—what a joke!"
The air was thick with the mix of sweat, dust, and tension, none of the spectators showing a shred of sympathy. Max's arrogant reputation had made him many enemies, and now they reveled in his downfall.
Max tried to crawl away, clutching his ribs, each breath a harsh rasp in his chest, but Ethan's boot slammed down hard on his back, pinning him like a crushed insect.
"Argh..."
"Stay down. You're finished."
Max gasped sharply, eyes wide with panic and pain.
Ethan delivered one last crushing blow with his fist to Max's gut, the heavy thud vibrating through Max's body, winding him completely.
Max collapsed, out cold.
"Getting absolutely destroyed by an E-ranker? That's a disgrace. But losing 2v1? They won't stand upright again. Hahaha… This one's going down in the stories."
Ethan turned to Alex, who looked like he'd seen a demon itself. Panic seized him in waves, cold sweat beading on his forehead. He dropped to his bum, voice trembling wildly.
"You… you're a monster! Someone—anyone—stop this demon!"
Alex's bravado evaporated entirely. As Ethan closed in, cold and relentless, Alex lost control, his body trembling uncontrollably—and then the humiliating warmth spread down his legs. He wet himself right there on the ground.
Nearby adventurers frowned, disgusted.
"Tsk. What a pathetic display. Where's your arrogance now?"
Ethan's expression was merciless as he advanced, each step heavy, like a hammer pounding down humiliation.
His voice cut through the heavy silence, cold and commanding.
"So? Need more beating, or are you finally going to apologize?"
Alex scrambled to his feet, trembling violently, eyes wide with desperation.
"H-heek! I—I will! I will apologize! Please, don't kill me! I'll say it right now!"
Ethan let out a disdainful tsk.
"So unsightly. I can't waste my time on pests like you anymore. Oh, and by the way—you two will be paying the party disband fee. One gold piece each. You understand that?"
Max and Alex exchanged a horrified glance, nodding frantically.
"Y-yes! We'll pay it! Whatever it takes!"
Without another word, Ethan sheathed his sword and turned, walking toward a nearby tree. He dropped down heavily, the rough bark scratching his back as he rested, the distant murmur of the crowd washing over him.
From afar, Max and Alex's pitiful apologies echoed through the clearing.
"T–To the spectators," Max stammered, voice breaking, "we—we're s-sorry for the trouble and humiliation."
Alex nodded vigorously, swallowing his pride like bitter medicine.
"To our party members," he added, "we failed you. We'll make it r-right."
Murmurs rippled through the crowd—a mixture of satisfaction, schadenfreude, and disbelief.
"He took them down like they were nothing!"
"Serves them right for acting so cocky."
"No pity for arrogance—it's what you get when you bite off more than you can chew."
The people who supported Max and Alex melted away like shadows at dusk, leaving only whispers behind.
Meanwhile, some spectators whispered among themselves about the growing reputation of this "E-rank" fighter who'd just humiliated two supposedly superior opponents.
Ethan closed his eyes, the warm afternoon sun filtering through the leaves above, a soft breeze rustling through branches.
Another lesson delivered. Nothing more, nothing less.
They wanted a fight, thought they were untouchable.
Good. Let them remember who's really got the edge.
He let out a quiet breath, the earthy scent of moss and bark filling his nostrils as he leaned back, already thinking about what to train next.
Well… at least they were useful for one thing, he thought, eyes narrowing slightly.
His system interface flickered in his mind.
[System Quest] – Stand Above the Rest
Objective: Become the most notable contributor in the raid.
Progress: 96%
What more can I do to push it higher? Ethan mused. Wait... don't ask me. I still have to kill the king too. Damn.
Just then, footsteps approached, light but steady.
He looked up and saw three figures—Lirael, Aina, and Maya—walking toward him.
The girls offered polite thanks and gratitude, voices tinged with relief.
Ethan cleared his throat and asked, "So, what will you do now that your party's disbanded?"
His eyes flicked toward Lirael. He recalled her earlier words about not leaving until the other girls had found a good spot.
Aina spoke up before Lirael could answer, "We received an offer to join a party—even before registering officially. It seems they want us."
Ethan was about to suggest Lirael join his party—system recommendation flashing in his mind—but he held back.
Better for her to stay with people she knows… not with some stranger like me.
Lirael opened her mouth, maybe to say something, but the memory of Ethan's overwhelming display of power seemed to stop her.
Aina noticed something and opened her mouth to speak.
"Well, if you're good with it then—"