7 Chapter 7

Ethan lightly pushed off from his hands, landing back on his feet. Adrail was staring up at him, shock and confusion intermingling in his eyes.

'I fully expected to get stabbed in my ass.'

He stretched a little and turned towards Ithana. Her eyes had grown cold as she watched him, but a bit of curiosity was there too.

'Ah. She wanted me to lose... Hell.'

Ethan extended his hand towards Adrail.

"It's a first to three right? Come on."

Adrail lifted his spear and pointed it at Ethan.

"That kind of strange human fighting will not be able to work again."

He proceeded to pull himself up with his spear, his eyes furious now.

Ethan reset himself a few yards from Adrail as the dark elf lunged.

'Ah. That's why.'

Adrail swung the spear in a wide arc over his head. The blade pierced the ground as he launched himself over it. Ethan's eyes were focused on the impact site, unknowing of Adrail flying over his head, spinning, and launching a full kick against his chest.

Ethan was sent tumbling across the ground. After slamming into a nearby dummy, he finally came to a halt. Pushing himself up, he could see a triumphant smirk on Adrail, who peeked over at Ithana. Ethan could instantly tell what kind of feelings were in his eyes.

"So that's why you want to go with her."

"No need for talk human. We end this here and now. Our village doesn't need trash like you here."

Ethan glared softly, his eyes scanning for a weakness.

'He's definitely taking me more seriously now. His stance isn't loose anymore.'

Shaking off the tumble, he stood ready once more.

"Why do you want to be her escort so badly?"

"Why do you?"

The response was expected on his end. Ethan smiled, lowering his hands.

"I was asked by someone willing to give me a second chance. And I'm using this chance to protect those I wish to."

"Protect? A human wants to protect? Your kind only destroys you dysfunctional bastard!"

Ethan's eyes narrowed slightly.

'Calm down. He's just upset he can't have her as easily as he expected.'

Adrail looked to Ithana, who was quietly laughing to herself as well.

"You humans are all too full of yourselves. Do you really think you have what it takes to protect someone? She'd die before you could even make it out of our forest!"

A vein began to bulge on Ethan's neck. His eyes had narrowed to slits as he began to walk towards Adrail.

"And what makes you so sure I can't protect her?"

A new message had appeared.

'Emotional Skill Learned'

-Fury Lv. Max Passive Skill

---

Ethan looked away from the skill, his anger still rising.

"You're weak human. Protecting those we care for is something we do, not someone like you."

Pity and disgust appeared in his eyes.

'Stage 2'

Ethan launched a full on swing, his arm going wide, giving Adrail time to smile and slam the base of his spear along Ethan's chest. However, this time he latched on. Pain seared into his naked flesh as he began to wrench the spear from Adrail.

"So you're looking down on me because I'm human? The humans of this world have begun to disgust me all the more, but you're just pissing me off!"

Ethan flung the spear away, piercing a dummy straight through.

"Watch where you're going human. At this rate, you'll fall and succeed only at making yourself look stupid. You can't protect even your own family."

'Stage 3'

Adrail shoved Ethan, hard. He hit the ground, his eyes stuck in a dazed expression, but he still launched a counter attack, his leg slamming into Adrail's waist.

Both men hit the ground, Adrail getting up quickly, while Ethan got up slowly.

Ithana stepped forward, her expression somewhat grave.

"Adrail, watch what you say here. Something is wrong now."

Before he could respond, Ethan had sped up to him, his eyes filled with anger and pain. He gripped Adrail by his shoulders and lifted him up high, throwing him away a moment later.

Adrail slid to a halt, landing on his feet. Anger was pouring from his own eyes as well.

"I'll see to it that you can't protect anyone. Your family will watch you fail and abandon you."

Ethan's eyes grew cold.

"They're already gone. I-I couldnt..."

Nearly invisible tears fell from his cheeks as he rushed Adrail again. Adrail nimbly moved between the dummies, forcing Ethan to chase him around until he grabbed his spear once more.

"Admit defeat here, and I'll let you go home to them."

"You think I haven't tried that already!?"

Ethan stared bullets into the ground. His breathing grew heavy as he grit his teeth.

'Stage 4'

Adrail stabbed out with his spear, Ethan catching it subconsciously. His eyes met Adrail's.

"If being here means that I'll be treated like trash for being human, my ability to protect being seen as nonexistent..."

Adrail attempted to pull his spear away, but he couldn't budge Ethan anymore.

"The hell..."

Ethan pulled Adrail in close, the latter stumbling.

"If being human is so wrong, I renounce my humanity!"

A strong wind flew through the training area. Both Ithana and Adrail stood, dumbfounded.

A moment later, a hard fist slammed into Adrail's face, his body going limp as he fell unconscious.

Ethan glared at Ithana.

"If I'm going to protect you for Zylah, I'll get rid of anything I see as a problem. That includes my pride, as well as my humanity."

'Time Out'

Ethan's eyes closed. He swayed for a moment before his body hit the ground.