Chapter 50

Now that Keno clearly realized Ethan had been waiting for him, Ethan didn't see any need to hide his intentions any longer. After confirming Brent's identity and understanding his situation, Ethan stood up and walked outside, positioning himself to block Keno and his group's path.

This time, Ethan was fully armed. He wore his armor, bracers, and carried his longsword and iron rod. As usual, the Book of Inheritance was strapped to his back in its custom holster. But now, he'd also added two fully automatic pistols, holstered on the outside of his thighs, courtesy of his time in the Resident Evil world. He looked like a walking arsenal, ready for battle.

Every precaution had been taken to ensure Keno would die today. And when Ethan noticed the smug look Keno gave him, like he believed Ethan wouldn't dare act against him, it only cemented his resolve.

"Idiot," Ethan muttered.

He didn't waste time with words. Drawing his longsword, he pointed it at Keno. "You know why I'm here. There's nothing more to say."

Keno froze for a moment, shocked at Ethan's directness. Then, as he registered Ethan's youthful face, his surprise turned to disbelief.

"Do we really have such a deep grudge...?" Keno began, attempting to feign confusion and innocence.

Keno knew Ethan's age might influence Brent's perception of the situation. Someone as young as Ethan wouldn't know Brent's reputation, giving Keno room to play the victim. If Brent could mediate on his behalf, he might be able to escape this unscathed.

Truthfully, Keno hadn't expected things to escalate to this point. After hiding at sea for a while, he'd deliberately targeted a few poorly defended vessels, ones he wouldn't normally bother with, to gather intel from his subordinates.

The reports he received had left him both frustrated and worried. Ethan hadn't left State Island. Keno knew better than to assume Ethan was simply enjoying the spoils of his last adventure, growing complacent in comfort. The reality was far more concerning: Ethan was waiting.

According to his spies, Ethan spent his days rigorously training at the guild's practice grounds. His sessions were consistent and steadily increasing in intensity. It was clear that Ethan was preparing himself, waiting for Keno's return to settle their feud once and for all.

Keno knew that if he confronted Ethan on land, without the advantage of his ship or its magic cannon, he'd likely die at the young adventurer's hands.

Initially, Keno had resigned himself to the idea of a desperate fight, but fate had handed him an unexpected lifeline. He'd crossed paths with Brent—the legendary good Samaritan of the Sea of Calm.

Keno didn't know why Brent had returned to State Island, but he didn't care. All that mattered was that Brent's reputation as a righteous and compassionate man was still intact. After sharing a carefully fabricated sob story about how he'd been "forced into wrongdoing" and now sought redemption, Keno had secured Brent's promise to help mediate the conflict.

To his surprise, Brent hadn't even hesitated. He'd firmly believed Keno's tale and immediately agreed to assist him in "resolving this grudge peacefully."

For a moment, Keno had genuinely considered reforming himself.

But the thought was fleeting. While some parts of his story were true, Keno had conveniently omitted the fact that his feud with Ethan had started because of his own malicious actions. Now, he was more focused on staging a performance convincing enough to ensure Brent's continued support.

"With Captain Brent's help," Keno said, keeping his tone conciliatory, "I've decided to turn over a new leaf. Let's end this feud while neither of us has suffered too much."

Ethan didn't even bother to respond. His expression remained cold and unyielding as he raised his left hand and launched a Frostbolt imbued with magic directly at Keno.

Keno hadn't expected Ethan to attack so suddenly, and his reaction was delayed. Then he remembered Ethan's magic projectiles were often enhanced with explosive magic stones. Panicking, he raised his left hand, activating his own magic stone glove to cast a flame spell, aiming to intercept and detonate the arrow before it reached him.

Keno's instincts weren't wrong. The Frostbolt did explode upon contact with the flame, but it wasn't the type of arrow Keno had expected. Instead of the explosive heat of a fire arrow, the Frostbolt unleashed a surge of icy energy. The collision of extreme cold and heat created a massive blast, throwing up a thick cloud of fog that obscured the battlefield.

This was exactly what Ethan had been waiting for. The moment the fog enveloped the area, he charged forward, his longsword in hand. Under the cover of the mist, he quickly closed the distance between himself and Keno, intent on finishing the fight before Brent could intervene.

Ethan bore no personal grudge against Brent. In fact, he held a degree of respect for the man. In a world as chaotic as this, someone who consistently did good was admirable, regardless of their motivations. Whether Brent's actions were driven by genuine kindness or a desire for recognition didn't matter—his deeds had made a difference.

Still, Ethan wanted to avoid a direct conflict with Brent if possible. Brent wasn't just a local legend; he was a man who had crossed into uncharted waters and earned a name for himself even beyond the Sea of Calm. If there was a way to handle Keno without antagonizing Brent, Ethan was determined to take it.

But Brent wasn't so easily bypassed. As soon as the fog rose, Keno instinctively retreated a few steps, positioning himself closer to Brent. This gave the older captain enough time and space to step in.

Ethan's blade was met with resistance not Keno's defense, but Brent's. The seasoned adventurer had intercepted Ethan's strike with his own weapon, his movements calm and deliberate.

"Young man, wouldn't it be better to have a calm discussion? Why act so impulsively?"

Brent displayed a kind smile and promptly lowered the greatsword in his hand, signaling that he had no intention of fighting Ethan.

"Keno has told me about the conflict between the two of you. Of course, I wouldn't base my judgment solely on his words. But for you to hold such deep-seated hatred against him was something stolen from you? Or did you lose loved ones because of him?"

Ethan froze for a moment before denying it. "No."

Brent frowned slightly, a hint of dissatisfaction flickering across his face. "If that's the case, then why are you being so ruthless?"

His words carried a note of criticism. Ethan felt this man's attitude was utterly baffling, and whatever goodwill he had started to develop instantly evaporated.

"If he hadn't been weaker than me, would you still be standing here trying to lecture me?"

Brent was momentarily taken aback, clearly not expecting Ethan's response to be so blunt. It had been a long time since anyone had spoken to him in this manner. After making a name for himself in the Sea of Calm, people were always warm and respectful when addressing him. Even his enemies chose their words carefully.

When he first arrived in the New World, he had encountered some hostility. But as his strength and reputation grew, that treatment vanished, and he once again enjoyed the respect he was accustomed to. It had been years since anyone had spoken to him so dismissively.

Studying Ethan, who didn't even look twenty years old, Brent softened his expression into a fatherly smile. "Young people shouldn't be so angry all the time. You shouldn't always assume the worst about others."

Ethan's impression of Brent worsened further. However, knowing Brent's strength and seeing that he was clearly unwilling to back down, Ethan had no choice but to entertain this pointless conversation for now.

"Assume? No, he didn't hide his filthy actions back then. There was no need for me to assume anything." Ethan took a half step back, putting some distance between them. "And frankly, I'm not interested in debating whether or not I'm too angry. I just want to confirm one thing: are you determined to protect that piece of trash behind you?"

Brent's frown deepened at Ethan's words. He began to suspect that Keno had left out significant details in his earlier account or had intentionally distorted the truth. Still, Brent felt Ethan's attitude was far too stubborn and excessively violent.

"Young man, I understand the desire for revenge, but that doesn't give you the right to insult others."

"Insult?"

Ethan had already anticipated that talking to Brent would go nowhere. Their values and worldviews were miles apart, and he had no intention of befriending someone like him. He wouldn't have even spoken to Brent in the first place if this man weren't standing in his way.

It was now clear that this would not be resolved without a fight.

"I don't insult people," Ethan said coldly, his grip tightening on the sword in his hand. "I simply call garbage what it is. Some people aren't worthy of being called human." He shifted his stance slightly. "This is your last chance, Captain Brent of the Brave. Are you absolutely sure you want to protect the scum behind you?"

Brent didn't answer Ethan's question directly. Instead, he continued trying to reason with him, saying, "Calm down, young man. We can talk this out over a drink. Your grievances don't have to end in bloodshed." Yet even as he spoke, he remained firmly positioned in front of Keno, shielding him without hesitation.

"Understood," Ethan said, exhaling softly as his posture shifted into one of readiness. "I've heard others talk about you. You're a good person. You've done a lot of noble things across these seas. I respect that, and I didn't want to fight you."

"Thank you for your kind words," Brent replied with a modest smile. "But really, what I've done is nothing special. It's what anyone from the Sea of Calm should do."

"That may be so, but that doesn't give you the right to stop me from killing my enemy," Ethan said sharply. He wasn't trying to flatter Brent; his words were merely an observation. In the meantime, he had been adjusting his stance, preparing himself for the inevitable. Brent was undoubtedly the strongest opponent he had ever encountered, this much was clear from the clash of swords earlier.

"Since you've made your choice to stand in my way, I have no choice but to treat you as my enemy too."

Ethan had always been decisive when dealing with enemies, and this time was no different. There was no hesitation in his eyes, no room for compromise.

***

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