Chapter 50 Enlightenment
When Ethan gently held Sasha, her sweet scent calmed her nerves even more than when Remora had used her ability on him. His mind felt at peace and for the first time after many hours, he felt himself free of any distraction.
He had been thinking about what this 'epiphany' was all about since he got the message but now he finally understood it.
The young girl, Sydney, mentioned listening to the heart. But what exactly was it?
His current state had made him very extreme. His thoughts were sometimes dark, sometimes good, sometimes weird, entangling in a mess that made him feel like his brain would explode.
But now, with a clear mind, he could finally see what his heart wanted.
Similarly to Izora, he also unconsciously wanted hope. A hope that showed him that he could still be a human.
Ethan recalled his father, Clay Dawson's words. Success didn't come from strength or money, but from having a pure heart.
Could someone have a pure heart, untainted by this world? His past few hours of experience made him conclude that it wasn't possible. It was a fact that almost everyone knew but Ethan thought about it more deeply.
A 'pure heart' understood the contrasting nature of the world. It acknowledged the coexistence of joy and pain, as well as brightness and obscurity. Such a heart accepted that human beings were complex creatures with varying degrees of virtues and flaws.
Tools such as methods and ethics were employed to navigate through life. This kind of heart perceived the reality of things, assessing whether something was advantageous or obstructive.
A 'pure heart' understood the contrasting nature of the world. It acknowledged the coexistence of joy and pain, as well as brightness and obscurity.
It recognized that human beings were complex creatures, with a constant interplay of virtues and flaws. The mind, however, could be subject to conflicting thoughts and desires.
Despite these conflicting thoughts, a pure heart strive to choose the path that aligned with its values and principles. Such a heart employed tools such as methods and ethics to navigate through life and make decisions that aligned with its innermost desires, aspirations, and beliefs.
It perceived the reality of things, assessed whether something was advantageous or detrimental, and chose the path that aligned with its deepest values.
In short, Heart was pure only to its desires.
[Hier has leveled up and ascended to the title, Profane Prince.]
[Profane prince created a new skill.]
[Dual Metamorphose]
[On will, the profane prince can change from light to darkness, from evil to good. The profane prince will be able to harness the power of dual and opposing nature for a set period of time. Do note that this skill also affects the personality. Time limit: ten minutes. Arcane points consumption: 50]
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Ethan had kept on surprising Remora. Currently as she looked at the sight in front of her, she was awed by its sheer magnificence.
From who knew where, vibrant light streamed towards Ethan, encircling him in a mesmerizing display. Blue, red, yellow, green, and orange lights shifted gently and changed shape like softly blowing curtains. It looked incredible.
Tears of joy as well as sadness fell down her face, as she extended her hand towards the light. It felt like her mother was embracing her. She missed this feeling for so long.
She knew that what embraced her and all of the lifeforms was the mother Helen. The world protected everyone and treated them as its child.
Sasha and Sara were dumbfounded as they looked at the silently crying Remora. They exchanged glances and chose to keep silent. Suddenly, Ethan moved—and everything changed.
A sword materialized in his hand, pulsating with purple lightning and dark black energy. Crackling with an eerie power, he began a swift and deadly dance that left them all gaping in amazement. The sword sliced through the air like a thunderbolt, each movement precise and sharp enough to make their hairs stand on end.
The purple lightning illuminated everything around them, casting a supernatural glow over the night that left them awestruck. Each of Ethan's movements was accompanied by a trail of purple light, blazing a path that was both beautiful and dangerous.
As Ethan danced, the others watched with trepidation, knowing that the sword was no mere prop. It was a weapon capable of great destruction, and every flash of light sent shivers down their spines.
Finally, with a flourish, Ethan brought the sword down with a swift and deadly strike. The lightning crackled with such intensity that it lit up the sky and sent sparks flying in all directions.
The sword dissipated as quickly as it had appeared, leaving them all standing in stunned silence. They gazed at Ethan with bright, awestruck eyes, each feeling the surge of adrenaline coursing through their veins. They knew that what had just happened was something that they would remember for the rest of their lives.
Ethan closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Because the girls were around him, he didn't unleash the full power of what he imagined. It felt strange but so serene. He felt like he was connected with this world and could understand things he couldn't understand before.
[Martial Genius did it again! A new sword skill is created without the system's help.]
[What should be its name?]
Ethan blurted out a random name, "Nightfall's Fury," and focused on the last remaining inspiration he had.
He took many deep breaths and recalled the feeling of the move, "dark edge". It was really powerful, yes, but it clearly left many injuries on his body. So he wanted something else.
As Ethan opened his eyes, a black light began to glow over his piercing blue gaze. He extended his hand, palm up, and focused his mind. With a sudden burst of energy, a dark, ominous fire materialized over his palm, its eerie flames silently hovering in the air.
Despite its deceptively harmless appearance, Ethan knew all too well the full extent of its capabilities and the devastating destruction it could unleash upon his foes.
[Martial Genius did it again! A new skill is created without the system's help.]
[What should be its name?]
"Abyssal Blaze."
He then asked the system, 'By the way can I upgrade these skills using special points?'
With Nyx absent, the screen had text appear on it.
[Affirmative. But they will require a huge amount of points depending upon what upgrade you will like.]
'Cool,' Ethan nodded to himself and the screen disappeared. He smiled coolly and walked towards the girls.
Ethan let out a laugh, "How was it?"
Sara began clapping with a flushed face, but stopped when she saw no one was joining, her face turning redder. Ethan smiled at her.
Ethan had noticed that Remora was crying so he asked her if she was fine. She pursed her lips and didn't reply. He shrugged and turned to Sasha, asking for some private talk.