Criminal

Ethan doesn't understand what she is trying to say. His heart feels heavy, his throat feels dry as he keeps swallowing the air, his lips are continuously parting and closing but no words are forming out…

What he should ask…Why does this to him? What he did wrong? Is she some sort of misunderstanding? Should he just let her kill him? It's hurts…It's hurts…more than anything he ever felt…

"…I can tell that you still haven't figured it out. Cool your mind for a second and try to look back at everything from start."

He doesn't understand it himself but he still did as she told. Maybe…he just doesn't want to believe she betrayed him…or try to kill him. His heart was burning in his chest as it beats with audible heart beats.

Raven sighed at him. She can tell that he has hard time in controlling his emotion. Ethan has always has his guard up against her yet her action had left him in this state…

Raven walks forward and stand in front of him.

"Look up."

She used her skill to forcefully raise his head. Raven can easily have him dance on beam if she wanted to with her skill. Not to mention, he is not in his mind right now.

His unfocused and trembling eyes looked at Raven who looked back straight into his eyes while using her skill.

"Calm Down."

Ethan felt his unstable heartbeat slowing down as it sound becomes dim. His chest was still trembling because of panic from before but he was recovering from his state.

Raven was not too surprised by it. She knows Ethan felt it as a betrayal to his trust toward her. She also knows that he is not emotionally great in first place but she didn't think it will affect him to this extent.

'…Betrayal was never something to digestible in first place…'

Ethan calms down significantly and remembers her last word. He looked back at everything that happens. She cuffed his hands with mana restraint, cutting off his mana. Ethan was pushed away and she fired bullets at him which he dodged with quick draw…

"…How did my skill worked?"

"…Finally figure out it. Relax yourself for now. I will explain it to you. You had a panic attack now, so it will be better for you to not strain your mind now."

"…Ra-Raven, I-I am sorry, I d-didn't m-mean it…no, I misunders-stand you just now…I should have thinks calmly…I let you down."

Ethan was still panicked slightly as she was looking at him with solemn expression. Ethan covered his face with his hands, lowering it slightly and looked up again. His expression relaxed and it didn't carry any hint of panic, nervousness or pain from before…like they never existed in first place!!

"…Did you notice what I was talking right now?"

"…Hmm, I understand. I didn't used mana at all yet I used my skill…do you know something?"

Raven closed her lips and looked at him. She raised her brows at his mood swing. He clearly had difficulty in breathing just a moment ago yet now it felt like his previous self never existed…

"…Raven."

"...I was saying that you are using your mana as a trigger."

Ethan just looked at her silently without saying anything. He wants to tell her to remove handcuff on him but he doesn't want to cut her speech so he waited for her continue.

"…You had heard about a innate ability, people born with, Oh, your memorizing ability is one of them, some have high calculation ability that can even do math of seven-digit numbers, while there are other sense related ability where people are able to differentiate taste, smell, sound at microscopic level. In visual prowess…, the former Supreme Commander had movement predicting eyes. He was able to predict movement of any projectiles without trouble- Stop grinning disgustingly…"

Ethan looks away to hide the grin on his face. His grin almost cross his cheeks and reached his ear. He doesn't need to be a genius to understand what she is implying. She is comparing his skill, which was created on whim, to legendary figure like Former Supreme Commander.

Former Supreme Commander was known to be strongest swordsman in Human History and he had similar…no he is able to see things at slow speed, so it is actually better than his.

He can see a bright future ahead of him already. Anyone feels good when there are compared to great beings like them…

"I am still talking here!"

Raven scolded him and Ethan stops his thought about great future yet the grin refused to leave his face.

"Your ability can be barely considered that though…"

Ethan raised his head and looked at her with a frowned. He was considering if she said it because of his reaction…but it's unlikely as she is too aloof and noble to do something so petty.

"…You used mana to do it…but it should come as natural as breathing. I understand your ability to some extent by your explanation…Ethan, your ability is similar…no, greater than him but currently you are unable to use it to full potential."

"…So…What I should do?...I mean, how can I use it to full of its potential?"

"…That's something you need to figure it out yourself. I will only tell you what I know. You need to change your trigger first…no, you need to get rid of it completely…"

"So, you are telling me I need to use this handcuff behind him and try to dodge bullet just like this?"

"…Feel free to try it but you won't be able to use it more than once because you will die right after first time. It was only because of heat of the moment that you are able to dodge bullets."

Ethan looked at her, waiting for her to tell a solution to his peril. Raven looked at him while thinking about any way to help him. In the end, she just shakes her head.

"…Ethan, it's your ability… you need to explore it yourself. I already told you. You should start with getting rid of your habit to use mana to use it. Your current trigger is the easiest one but also inefficient and you know that better than anyone else…"

Ethan looked down while grabbing his chin. It is indeed as she told him. If he is able to use quick draw without mana and for extended time…then he will be undefeatable in close combat!

"Photographic Memory, High Kinetic Vision, High Recovery Speed and amount of mana inside his body is also better than average…you got all the traits that are so great that even one of them gives you potential to become one of the strongest human yet…What a waste of talent…"

Ethan turns his head instantly as she finished her last words. He was frozen stiff at her last words. She was looking right at him when she said that. Ethan can't read her emotion by her facial expression but…her words…it cuts deep…deeper than any blades…

Raven circles around him while he lowers his head, pressing his lips against each other in frustration. She unlocked the handcuff and leaves the training room from elevator.

Ting.

Ethan was still standing there without moving, trying to get rid of her words… but like a broken record, her words keeps repeating in his mind again, telling him, blaming him, cursing him…

*

Elevator opened and Raven comes out of it. She looks around and finds Ethan practicing with his sword.

She already gave up in persuading him for focusing on one of them. She already told him once and that was enough from her. His sword practices and muscle training was also clumsy and inefficient. It would have done more harm to him than benefit. She helped him with few books she had on her. It took time but he finally figured it out his way.

Ethan noticed her and stops swing his sword. He put the sword back in its sheathe and pick a water bottle to cool himself up. His training was not complete but he always puts her priority above his.

Raven stands few meters away as he drink the water and spill the rest above his head, letting from his face to his chest down.

Ethan looked down slightly and noticed that his chest seems to be puffed up slightly. It won't be too long when Lucas will look like a child in front of him.

"…I can bring you a mirror if you want."

"…"

"…Raven, if it's to investigate firearm deal, then you need to give some information about it. I had done everything you ask of me but I can't just keep doing things blindly from now."

"…I do remember telling you not to ask me something unnecessary."

Her expression turns cold as she told him. Her voice was carries clear threatening tone behind it.

"…It's not unnecessary. I am not going to ask about your motives but I do need to know your end game."

"…"

"I am after a man. He sells weapons to small time criminal organization and guild for his funds."

"…By selling enhanced weapon?"

"Hmm, He sells enhanced firearms. It's hard to follow his track as they are too thin and branched. I am using you to track him down."

"…Why you aren't doing it yourself?"

"…"

"I do think it's related to me. So, I have right to know that."

"I am getting on their suspect list so my moves are restricted. If they found out about what I doing to, then they will get rid of me."

"Get rid of you? Are they stronger than you?"

"Alone? No. But these people never come alone in the first place. You need search them down to their roots…to get rid of them one by one."

"…You really have no qualm in killing people, do you?"

"…I don't want to die so I am killing them first. I remember telling you that you either chose or other chose for you. How do you have this memory but you keep forgetting things."

"…Raven…Are you a criminal?"

Ethan knows the answer to it all already. He still asked because he wants to hear it from her lips. She answered without much thought.

"…I am. A famous one if you are interested in knowing."

"…I understand."

"…you're not going to ask me any further question? I thought you will be interested in my criminal life."

"…I am but you're only going to tell me half-truth so I am not interested."

Raven found his response amusing. He always gave people unexpected surprise by reading unexpected thing about them. She already got used to it but it's still hard to not react on it.

"…Am I really person you can trust for it? I mean, there are lots of people who are more qualified than me in any way you see it."

"…It's not actually an honor if you asked me. It will be someone's bad luck if they get afflicted in this matter."

"…So I am the unlucky one."

"You guessed it correct but I can't reward you for it."

Ethan turns silent as he finished asking everything. He has more questions for her but he still doesn't have enough of her trust to ask more of his questions.

Raven sees that he is not asking anything else and talk why she came here. She sends him some information on his I-Link. Ethan opens it and check through it.

"If you have fulfilled your queries, then go to this location and stole some files from this office. You won't have trouble you will be able to find."

"…Papers?"

"Hmm…Leave in an hour. You need to take bath before anything else. You stink."

Ethan smells his armpits and instantly regretted it. He put things back in his storage and leave for elevator. Raven didn't follow him and watch him from training room as he was standing inside the elevator. Elevator doors closed and it went up.