ID Chapter 28: First Element

Ethan tossed a key in the air, standing before a locked room. He unlocked the door and turned on the lights. A shelf standing beside a small bed, a closet, a table, and a chair. His mother's taste lay in minimalism.

He slid the bookshelf's door and a musky scent wafted from a row of books lying inside. His mother was quite the book lover.

A black book stood out with its edgy color. He grabbed it and inspected the cover.

[Soul Aspect: The foundation of Universe]

The 'Aspect' part caught his eye. He opened it. Everything on the first page was handwritten in English.

[Soul, also called the basic requirement of a living being, is the home of all Aspects. The odd thing I observed is the nature of a Soul. Despite being a product of fourteen Aspects, it can create new Aspects with a little help from Cosmic life energy. After years of endeavor, I finally derived the magic to transfer souls.]

“Fucking hell. She is involved with Avalon.”

Or some shitty cult fooled her with this. The latter held no credibility since his mother never prayed, nor went to the church. The mention of Aspects wasn’t a coincidence.

Ethan plopped on the bed and rested his face in his hands.

Why is she doing this? Whose soul does she want to transfer?

Question after question piled up, thickening the mystery surrounding Claudia.

Ethan threw the book on the bed and scoured the bookshelf for any clue. The other books turned out to be the cultural guides of several countries.

I never thought Mother would fool me like this.

The image of his warm-hearted lady slowly crumbled in his heart. A cunning woman replaced her. If everything was true, then his mother wouldn’t be less evil than Marienne.

He pushed the bookshelf and the chair out of the room.

“Onii-sama!”

Ethan swiveled his head. Mio brandished a vacuum cleaner with a wide smile.

“Done cooking?”

“Aye, I came to clean.”

“Be my guest.”

“Before that.” Mio threw herself at him, kissing his cheeks. “Keep up the good work.”

Her kiss poured cold water on his burning anxiety. The pressure on his shoulder vanished.

Did she see my sullen face and wanted to cheer me up?

He grasped Mio’s hand and pulled her.

“Ah?!”

Arms around her waist, he leaned down for her lips. Mio’s tense body relaxed and she gazed back into his eyes. The pink sparks returned, filling his vision. He took the cue to end the kiss.

Mio breathed through her nose as blush crept up her neck. “S-Sneak attack.”

This woman voiced her intention at his confession. A surprise kiss bothered her this much.

He pulled Mio’s red cheeks and chuckled. “Mio is cute.”

She straightened herself and thumped her chest, being prideful at his praise. “Of course, I am.”

“Okay, you can go now.”

“Eh? Is that it? What happened to ‘Mio, you are beautiful. I can’t resist you anymore.’?”

Celia and her… both had a habit of misinterpreting things when it came to him.

Is Celia also a yandere?

Ethan’s throat dried. It was a lie… he reassured himself and pressed the shelf against the wall.

“Onii-sama, please help me out.”

“Coming.”

I might awaken the daydreaming Aspect at this rate.

—x—x—x—

3:30 PM.

The doorbell rang. The visitor arrived. Mio and Celia were immersed in beating the living life out of each other in a game. It was better if they vent their anger like this. His life will be peaceful. Ethan peeled off his headphones and went for the door.

“Is anyone home?” Regina’s calm voice chimed on the other side.

Ethan opened the door with a smile. “Sorry to trouble you.”

Regina pulled down her straw hat to cover her face. “I don’t mind.”

“This way.” Ethan locked the door behind and guided her to his mother’s room now vast enough to hold a party.

“Tina told me about your… request. Are you only interested in unarmed or some weapons?”

“You can teach weapons too?”

Regina tugged at her hat. “I might be rusty but I still remember the training my mother drilled into me… at least most of it. She excelled in polearms such as spear and halberd.”

Spears…

Stab, thrust, swing. A spear could do all three types and excelled in piercing hard defense. It could be better than the axe he swung around.

“I want to learn it.”

Regina looked up and her purple eyes widened as if she hadn’t expected him to agree.

He rubbed the back of his neck. “Miss… Regina.”

She remained in a daze, staring at his face.

Oh fuck.

He forgot to put on his disguise—deadly for any woman with weak willpower. The incident with Valentina lowered his guard, a little too much.

Ethan coughed, twice at that. Regina broke out of her stupor and once again guarded her face behind her hat. “I am sorry… you looked like someone I knew… a long time ago.”

This isn’t a flag… is it?

He rejected it. What were the chances for a beauty like Regina falling for him?

“Sorry for bringing it up… let’s start the training!”

“Sure.”

“I need to check your endurance. Start with some pushups.”

“Eh. Okay.”

Regina settled on the bed with arms crossed around her waist and observed him warming up with some stretches. He got into the position for traditional pushups and began the grind.

Several reps later.

“Is it easy?”

Ethan pushed himself off and sat on the cold ground. His body remained in top condition without breaking a sweat. “Kinda, yes.”

“It’s enough for today.”

“Enough?”

Regina kept looking at the ground. “Yes, your body is already in excellent condition. We can start directly with the spear training. The problem is… the spear. I will have to ask my old friend to craft one.”

“Is it okay?”

Regina took off her hat and smiled. “It’s measly compared to your help... I am eternally grateful to you.”

“I already said it to Valentina, that I did nothing to help you.”

“You helped plenty by existing…” Regina muttered and tapped her cheeks. “You are calling Valentina by her name and using Miss with me. Ain’t that unfair?”

Her request made him wary. He gave a curt nod. “Yes… Regina.”

Valentina tugged at her hat. “Then I’ll excuse myself.”

Ethan trailed her to the door.

I am thinking too much…

—x—x—x—

Ethan returned to his mother’s room and opened his status.

To use a spear, I need every bit of agility to evade the attacks.

He still had eight more slots for Aspects, so he unlocked the Wind, Swift, and Void Aspect at once.

A jolt crept up his spine and melted into his heart. A gust bellowed out of him, rocking the curtains at the window.

[You acquired the Wind Element.]

[Wind Elemental Force unlocked.]

[+10 Prana for gaining your first element.]

[-Wind (I)

The air around you can be controlled by your intentions.

Consumes Wind Elemental Force.]

Wind Elemental Force…

He rechecked his status to find a new stat under parameters.

[Wind Elemental Force - 10]

It was pitiful 10. He raised his palm and concentrated. A breeze trailed across his face and brushed his bangs off his face.

Isn’t it too easy?

He opened the ‘Swift’ Aspect’s description, which he hadn’t done until now.

[-Swift (I)

Wind favors your movements.

1% reduction in Wind Resistance when moving.]

One percent at Rank 1. Wouldn’t he become Flash if he maxed it out? Leveling up Aspect was hard though. His magnanimous love for Mio and Celia only increased the rank by one.

Well, I have another thing left to unlock.

The ‘Sprint’ skill was nowhere to be found in his status.

A quick call to Alyssia gave him the answer.

“Show Sprint.”

[Conditions fulfilled to gain passive skill Sprint.]

[Do you wish to consume 2 Prana to unlock the skill?]

[Yes / No]

“Of course.”

Sprint Skill unlocked.

A new skill popped up under the Passive Skills.

[-Sprint (Rank 1)

Rank: Common

Sprinting consumes less stamina and puts less strain on your legs.]

Common…

It didn’t have any skill proficiency in front of it. He raised his brow and checked the other skill Survivor’s Vigor. It also lacked a percentage bar.

“Inherent Skills are different.”

[Ethan Carter]

Level 4

Prana Available - 23

Parameters:

Health - 320/320

Stamina - 278/280

Will Power - 158/158

Strength - 21 (+5)

Vitality - 32 (+5)

Endurance - 28 (+6)

Agility - 27 (+6)

Intelligence - 20 (+4)

Wisdom - 18 (+3)

Wind Elemental Force - 10

Active Skills:

-None

Passive Skills:

-Survivor's Vigor (Rank 1)

-Sprint (Rank 1)

Inherent Skills:

-Magic Eyes of Limitless Wisdom (7.81%)

-Sealed

Aspects:

-Tenacity (I)

-Charm (I)

-Robust (I)

-Affection (II)

-Void (I)

-Wind (I)

-Swift (I)

The Source Points of the Iron-ranked Goblin gave him a decent stat boost. His Spirit Beast army did a splendid job of helping him. His chest swelled with pride.