[The child had been born with E-rank warrior potential.]
[Reward: Gift*1]
Just as Ethan's lips began to curl into a smile, another chime followed.
[The child had been born with E-rank warrior aptitude.]
[Reward: Gift Package*1]
"What?"
Ethan almost squealed in disbelief.
"My Lord… what happened?" Randall and Oliver asked at once, bewildered by Ethan's sudden scream.
He quickly composed himself, forcing a calm look. "Nothing… I was just nervous."
Before anyone could question further, the air in the inner hall shifted. Excitement and noise grew louder as attendants rushed about. Then Nina appeared, her face glowing, and cried out joyfully,
"Congratulations… They're twins!"
The announcement shook the room. Randall and Oliver froze, staring at each other in stunned silence. Their mouths opened slightly but no words came out.
Ethan chuckled, amused by their expressions. If only they knew the children were born with
E-rank aptitude… they'd probably be dancing in the courtyard by now.
He stepped inside and his eyes immediately softened. Two small bundles rested in the cradle.
A boy and a girl.
The boy resembled Ethan, sharp features already visible even in his tiny frame. The girl carried Sophia's grace, her face was delicate and soft. Both looked so radiant that Ethan's chest tightened with pride.
He carefully lifted them into his arms, holding one child on each side. He bent down, kissing their foreheads with deep affection. "What lovely children…" he whispered, his voice trembling with emotion.
When he looked at Sophia, the joy in his heart turned heavy. She was pale as her body seemed drained after the effort of bringing two lives into the world.
"Sophia… are you alright?" His voice was gentle, filled with worry. He turned to the attendants. "Bring her nourishing food and potions quickly."
Sophia's lips moved faintly.She seemed too tired to speak.
A soft hum was her only reply.
The attendants hurried to her side, carefully feeding her and making sure she was comfortable.
Giving birth to twins had exhausted her completely, so Ethan remained near,refusing to leave her side. He held the babies with one arm while reaching out to brush her damp hair away from her face.
Time passed in quiet care until Sophia's pale expression began to ease. Color slowly returned to her cheeks, and her breathing steadied.
Ethan sat by her bedside, wiping sweat from his own brow. Relief washed over him as he took her hand gently into his. He looked into her tired eyes, his voice soft but serious.
"I think we need to stop having more children for a while."
Sophia smiled weakly but said nothing.
It wasn't that Ethan was against it. He had tried to be careful before. He had used protection, but Sophia disliked it, saying it felt unnatural and tore it away herself. There were also herbal potions that could prevent pregnancy, but Ethan had never been willing to let her use them.
He worried about hidden risks, side effects, or toxins. Without modern knowledge or research, he could not bring himself to gamble with her health.
That choice had led to this moment.
Four and a half years into their marriage, they already had their fourth child. Two children at once this time. Ethan looked at Sophia again, and his heart ached with love and worry. It was time to slow down.
...…..
Only after Sophia was finally able to talk and move, Ethan's heart began to settle. He let out a long breath of relief. The weight that had been pressing down on him eased a little. For the first time since the chaos began, he felt calm enough to focus on himself.
"Alright," he muttered under his breath, rubbing his palms together like a man about to unwrap a long-awaited gift. "Time to see what I've got. Please, heaven, let it be something useful."
He closed his eyes, praying silently for luck, then spoke in a steady voice.
"System, open the package."
[DING]
[Advanced Realm breakthrough card *1]
[Intermediate Breakthrough Potion*1]
[D-Rank Movement Technique *1]
The moment the words echoed in his mind, Ethan felt a flood of information rushing straight into him. A strange light flickered in his eyes as the technique carved itself into his memory.
[Lightning Steps.]
Images of the technique played vividly in his head. He saw himself moving in bursts of speed, each step igniting sparks of light. It wasn't just running. It was like becoming a streak of lightning itself. The more he walked, the faster he became, as if every step was building momentum, turning him into something unstoppable.
"Hiss…" Ethan sucked in a sharp breath. His body stiffened for a moment, his hands trembling. "This… this is incredible."
His heart raced in excitement, but doubt soon crept in. He frowned, narrowing his eyes as he asked, "System… this Lightning Steps, does it require the lightning element to use?"
[Yes, it does. But don't worry. Each time you gain an elemental skill, even if you aren't naturally compatible with the element, you will gain the ability to use it.]
Ethan's face lit up. His lips curved into a grin, and he shook his head in disbelief.
"Damn… That's amazing. It's like a loophole. I can use elements I wasn't even born with. System, you really are something else."
His gaze then shifted toward the second reward.
A card and clear bottle appeared in his hand, its liquid glowing faintly, pulsing as if alive. He turned it over slowly, eyes filled with both awe and hesitation.
"Advanced Realm breakthrough card," he whispered. "It can push me straight to the next stage."
He bit his lip, thinking carefully. "System, I'm at the middle of the Intermediate stage right now. What if I used this now? Can I jump ahead?"
[You can. Using it now will allow you to break through. However, doing so will compromise your foundation.]
Ethan fell silent.
He lowered the card, staring at it carefully. The words echoed in his mind
Compromising his foundation… That was something every cultivator feared.
He let out a deep sigh, his voice quiet but heavy. "I see. That's the price."
It had been almost a year since his last breakthrough. He had pushed and pushed, but the wall before him only grew thicker.
Progress was slow, painfully slow. From what he could tell, it would take him at least another six months before he could advance to the late intermediate stage naturally.
"I can't afford to wait that long," he muttered. His brows furrowed as his thoughts darkened.
"Every day, things keep expanding. The mines are already big enough to draw attention. Now there's popcorn. There are dresses. Tomorrow, there'll be something else. With every step I take forward, the risks grow bigger. Someone is bound to use underhanded tricks against me sooner or later."
He clenched his fists, his jaw tight.
"I should just use mana stones. Even if it's wasteful, it doesn't matter. What's important is reaching the Advanced stage as soon as possible. Once I'm there, no Baron or Count will dare to lay a hand on me."
His eyes sharpened,and his breathing steadied.
"Come on, Ethan. Don't get lazy now. Only those at the very top can afford to rest. For people like us… grinding is eternal."