Level 1 to Infinity: My Bloodline Is the Ultimate Cheat!-Chapter 905: The Core That Walked Away

Ethan heard Blackie shouting and looked up as his voice echoed down the tunnel.

"Hang in there! Almost there, maybe six or seven miles left. Remember to slow down on the way in. There’s no cushion down there at all. Don’t go splatting on me!"

Ethan snorted and tossed back a quick joke, then refocused. His eyes locked onto the man standing ahead of him, a man who looked exactly like him.

Whoosh.

His claws finally lost their grip on the rock wall, and Ethan dropped into the underground world. The fall from the cave entrance to the ground below stretched nearly half a mile, but that barely registered in his mind. Falling that far was nothing to him.

WHAM.

A dull shock rang out as his body hit the ground. A brief sting shot up his legs, sharp enough to make him notice. The ground was absurdly hard. His feet didn’t even kick up dust, as if he had landed on solid metal instead of stone.

Another rush of air followed right after he touched down. Ethan didn’t need to look to know Blackie had burst out of the tunnel too. If even his body felt that sting, Blackie was going to have it worse.

Still, Ethan kept his eyes on the man nearby, the one who mirrored him perfectly. He raised his hands and pushed upward, sending a controlled force toward Blackie, who was still accelerating in freefall. Flying clearly wasn’t allowed here, so Blackie had been dropping straight down. The doppelganger didn’t interfere at all.

Blackie landed safely, though he staggered, blinking and breathing hard as he took in his surroundings. His gaze eventually fixed on the pitch-black cave ahead.

"Boss!"

Ethan didn’t turn, but he understood what Blackie was asking. "Go on. Watch yourself."

"Got it."

Blackie took a cautious step forward, then lurched and nearly fell flat. The gravity here was nothing like the surface. Ethan estimated it had to be at least a hundred times stronger than normal. That explained the terrifying acceleration out of the tunnel and why even that massive drop had stung.

Blackie steadied himself and pushed on, one heavy step at a time, toward the cave entrance.

Just as he reached it, a thunderous roar rolled out from within. "ROAR... Elder, you’ve arrived!"

The word hit hard. Elder.

A massive surge of energy followed, erupting from the cave in seven-colored light that matched Blackie’s own. The radiance flooded the entrance and spilled outward.

Blackie froze. Ethan’s attention snapped to it as well.

"Come in. I’ve waited a long time for you."

The voice sounded ancient and worn, weak yet unmistakably authoritative. It was calling Blackie elder. Ethan didn’t know what that meant, but he knew it mattered.

After a moment’s hesitation, Blackie stepped forward. His figure disappeared into the darkness, and the seven-colored light faded with him.

Ethan didn’t stop him. Whatever waited inside was Blackie’s path to walk. Good or bad, that was his choice. As for what Ethan himself had come here for, it was standing right in front of him.

The copy of himself hadn’t moved or spoken this entire time. Ethan had been observing him closely, and now he finally understood what he was dealing with. This wasn’t flesh and blood. It was condensed energy, vast and oppressive, shaped into a human form. The power contained inside it was enough to make even Ethan wary.

"You’re..." Ethan began.

"I am your Energy Core. Manifested."

Everything clicked at once. So that was it. He hadn’t lost his Core. He’d never truly had one. Without a Core, he couldn’t store energy or fight for long stretches. His mother had taken it from him back then and separated it entirely.

He remembered her warning about his strange body, about how dangerous it would be if others discovered it. This had to be the reason. A Core that could be pulled out and gain physical form was beyond abnormal.

"So what, we just..." Ethan tested the waters. The hostility pouring off this thing was obvious. Taking it back was never going to be simple.

"I am what I am. When Mother tore me from your body, I gained my own consciousness. I am my own person now. You want to erase me and reclaim me? Not happening. How about I take over instead?"

The voice was firm and final, shutting down any room for negotiation. And Ethan couldn’t deny the truth in it. This thing was alive in its own way.

The problem was, Ethan wasn’t particularly attached to the idea of reclaiming it anymore. After learning the Primordial Forging Art, he no longer depended on a Core. That technique created energy vortices inside the body, functioning just like one. Better yet, anyone could use it. With enough ambient energy, even ordinary people could practice it. There was no special talent required.

More importantly, Ethan preferred fighting up close. Fists, bodies, and impact. He never cared for long-range tricks.

Still, that last suggestion made him laugh. He’d already dealt with a Heart-Devil that wanted his body. Now his own Core had the same idea.

"You serious? I was just thinking of letting you off easy and now you wanna ride your Master like a pony?" Ethan shot back.

"But I want to leave this place," the Core said, blinking at the sudden verbal barrage.

"Then leave."

Ethan had already lost interest. He turned his attention to the surroundings, scanning the area as if hoping there was something worthwhile he’d missed.

"Only if we merge. Then I can leave." The Core’s eyes narrowed when Ethan ignored him.

"Not my problem."

Ethan meant it. It felt like he’d come all this way for nothing.

"I’m merging with you. I’m taking over."

Energy surged violently as the Core flared with anger. A nine-tiered tower formed behind him, radiating pressure that made the air itself feel heavy.

Ethan finally looked straight at him. The power spike was no joke, enough to demand attention, but it didn’t shut his mouth.

"Oh? You wanna do this the hard way? Guess you’ve never caught these hands before. Looks like your Master needs to teach you a lesson."

While he spoke, he moved. One step closed the distance completely. His hand flickered, vanishing for an instant.

SMACK.

The sound cracked through the space. Ethan’s hand reappeared, and the manifested Core stood there stunned, fingers brushing his own face in disbelief.

"Not bad," Ethan said. "Youve got a solid chin."

The slap was unavoidable, a technique refined to the point where even something like this couldn’t react in time. What caught Ethan’s attention, though, was the result.

He had used half his strength, but the Core’s head barely moved.