I Am a Hero With A Hundred Abilities-Chapter 34: Ch 33. Worries

Ethan stood beside the hospital bed, peeling off the pale-blue gown he'd been wearing for two days straight. The sterile scent of antiseptic still lingered in the room, but the advanced monitors and sleek glass panels gave the place more of a sci-fi lab vibe than a hospital.

His new clothes—a dark t-shirt and black jeans—were neatly folded on a chair, courtesy of his sister, Lisa.

She sat across the room, legs crossed, watching him unapologetically as he changed. Ethan shifted uncomfortably. Does she not understand the concept of privacy? Or is this just how the old Ethan and Lisa were?

Just as he reached for the shirt, Lisa's voice cut through the silence.

"You seem different."

He froze, one arm halfway through the sleeve, and forced a casual smile despite the alarm bells in his head. "What do you mean?"

Lisa tilted her head, thoughtful. "You just feel... different. And I think I know why."

What the hell is happening? Ethan tensed internally. Was she a secret telepath or something? She didn't have abilities last I checked. I might just be overthinking—but I should ask to be sure.

"So... what do you think changed?" he asked.

She leaned back, smirking. "You're happier. More confident. It's obvious. You finally got over Emily."

Emily...? Relief washed over Ethan's face like a wave. Thank God... I thought she'd figured something out.

Lisa grinned, catching his expression. "See? That look confirms it. You're finally over that bitch. I never liked her anyway. What did you even see in her?"

Ethan blinked. Wait... who is Emily?

"Who's Emily?" he asked aloud, genuinely confused.

Lisa stared at him for a moment—then burst into laughter. "Exactly! Who is she!" she gasped between giggles. "You really did move on. God, that's hilarious!"

Truth was, Ethan really didn't know. Whether it was due to his reincarnated memories or his rejection of anything useless from his past life, the name Emily had no weight in his mind anymore.

As Lisa's laughter echoed off the pristine walls, the door slid open with a soft whoosh. The nurse from earlier stepped inside, holding a tablet. "Mr. Ethan, you have a visitor."

Lisa's laughter stopped instantly, her expression tightening. Ethan raised an eyebrow, curious.

A visitor? Now who the hell would come see me... now?

****

A few minutes after the nurse left, the automatic doors slid open once more with a soft mechanical hiss. A presence entered before the man even took a step inside—Ethan felt it in his bones.

His instincts screamed danger, but not hostile it was controlled, precise and overwhelming. Like a blade kept in a silk sheath.

The man who stepped in wore advanced battle armor that shimmered subtly under the artificial lights. The design was sleek and refined, laced with golden lines of energy coursing through blackened alloy, more advanced than anything Ethan had seen.

Draped over his shoulders was a flowing navy cape with silver trims, swaying slightly with each step.

He was tall, well-built, and carried himself with the calm, refined intensity of a seasoned warrior. His hair was a neatly combed mane of gold, and though his face bore a few lines of age, there was a youthful sharpness in his ice-blue eyes that refused to dull.

A man in his prime—Radiant Striker.

The nurse had informed Ethan beforehand who the visitor was, but he had already felt him long before that.

As soon as the man approached the door, his battle instincts flared.

This guy is strong, Ethan thought.

Striker's voice was calm but held power in every syllable.

"You never stop amazing me," he said, eyeing Ethan from head to toe. "You have unnatural strength for battle... and your recovery speed is exceptional. It makes me wonder—if you really are an E-rank?"

By now, Striker had confirmed that Ethan hadn't lied about his rank when he'd spoken to Dante. And still, what Ethan had accomplished in the den couldn't be ignored—his feats rivaled or even surpassed those of some S-ranks.

Striker narrowed his eyes slightly. Ethan was clearly hiding something, but there was no hostility in it.

It wasn't the deception of someone with something to gain—it was the caution of someone with something to protect.

And after what he'd witnessed, Striker wasn't about to disrespect that.

Ethan smiled faintly, shrugging. "I guess I've got good genes."

What a load of crap, Striker thought silently, amused but respectful. He didn't say it aloud.

Lisa, still seated in the room, was growing more curious by the second.

Extraordinary strength? What are they talking about? Her mind raced.

Wait... I never did ask about what exactly happened in that den. I was just too happy he made it out alive.

I'll ask him when we get home.

Then Striker's tone shifted. He turned serious, glancing briefly at Lisa.

"Ethan... can we speak in private?"

Ethan looked at Lisa, then back at Striker.

"No. She's family. She stays."

Striker studied him for a moment, then gave a small nod. He understood the weight behind Ethan's words—and chose to respect it.

"Very well. We've figured out what happened in the den," Striker began. "Why the Guardian mutated. It was orchestrated... by a villain named Mireveil."

Ethan tilted his head slightly. "Mireveil?"

The name meant nothing to him. He had been unconscious when the villain appeared. This was the first he'd heard of it.

Striker explained everything—the manipulation, the corruption of the den, and how Mireveil had planned to eliminate Ethan after his interference.

Lisa's eyes widened the longer he spoke. Her brother had nearly died, and she hadn't even known why.

Striker concluded, "That's why we need your help."

Ethan's voice was calm. "So... you want me to lure him in."

Striker nodded.

Lisa's voice snapped through the air, sharp and concerned.

"Won't that be dangerous? My brother is still an E-rank. Isn't that too risky?"

Dangerous? Striker nearly scoffed inwardly. There's no one more suited for this than him.

It amazed him how even Ethan's own sister didn't realize the power he carried.

Ethan turned to her with a soft smile. "Don't worry, Lisa. The villain's not that strong. If they were... I wouldn't be standing here right now, would I?"

Lisa paused, then nodded, convinced. "That's true. If they couldn't even kill you while you were unconscious, they must be weak."

Striker's lips twitched slightly. Bullshit, he thought, amused at the sheer absurdity of that logic—but impressed at how smoothly Ethan sold it and how easily Lisa bought it.

After they discussed the operation further and laid out the preliminary plan, Striker finally turned and exited the room.

As he walked down the pristine hospital corridor, another hero—one of the observers assigned to monitor Ethan—fell in step beside him.

"Sir," the hero asked, "why didn't you recruit the young hero when you had the chance? Did his rank change your mind?"

Striker didn't answer at first.

"I know talent when I see it," he finally said. "I'm not foolish enough to judge someone based on rank alone."

The hero frowned. "Then why didn't you offer him a spot?"

Striker's voice lowered, and his eyes sharpened as he answered:

"Because I felt it."

"Felt what, sir?"

"The will to be unbound. The will to dominate. I felt it the moment I stepped into that room."

Striker exhaled, voice almost reverent.

"Our clan could never raise someone like him. His nature won't allow it. All we can do is partner with him... and hope we're not left too far behind."

The hero was stunned silent. Striker was one of the veterans—respected, wise and powerful. For him to say such a thing meant only one thing: Ethan was a storm waiting to break.

"And what will you tell the clan leader?" the hero asked softly.

Striker smiled, calm and resolute.

"Don't worry. I'll handle it."

And with that, the two heroes disappeared around the corner, the sound of their footsteps echoing down the hall.

****

After Striker left, the room felt noticeably quieter. The weight of his presence lingered like the echo of a storm. Ethan and Lisa, both cleared for discharge, began gathering their things.

The hospital staff had already prepared everything, and now, it was finally time to leave.

As they stepped into the parking area under the soft glow of evening lights, Ethan glanced at his sister.

Lisa was unusually quiet, her brows slightly furrowed, lips pressed into a faint line. She was deep in thought, troubled.

Ethan nudged her gently with his elbow.

"Hey, Lisa," he said with a soft voice, "don't worry, alright? I'll explain everything when we get home. No more secrets. Just... trust me a little longer, okay?"

Lisa blinked, then turned to him, her gaze softening.

"Okay," she said with a small nod, though concern still lingered in her eyes.

Ethan offered a faint smile. Having a sister like her... someone who cared this much, who stuck by him even without knowing the full story—it was a feeling he hadn't realized he missed.

It felt good.

As they walked toward the edge of the hospital zone, Ethan raised his hand to flag down a hover taxi.

But before one could respond, a sleek, black hover car suddenly glided in front of them, descending smoothly with a low hum.

The passenger-side door lifted upward with a hydraulic hiss, revealing the interior.

Ethan's eyes widened in surprise when he saw who was in the driver's seat.

Lisa's jaw dropped slightly, not from recognition, but admiration.

"She's... really pretty..." she whispered, momentarily stunned.

Behind the wheel, with casual grace and a confident smirk, sat Sophia Lancaster—the rising star among heroes, and one of the most talented prodigies in the entire city.

Sophia arched a brow and smirked as she leaned slightly toward the open door.

"Stop staring and hop in," she said coolly. "We have a lot to talk about."

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A/N I will release an extra Chapter if I get 90 power stones or 30 Golden tickets.

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R𝑒ad lat𝒆st chapt𝒆rs at free𝑤ebnovel.com Only.

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