The Last Human Returns.
Chapter 9 - Level 1!

Ethan stands on the balcony of the 2nd Floor, looking at the Austin Residence which is currently being renovated into a Guild Base. As the situation became very noisy soon, Ethan had the Trouble Guild members bring their Family members to this Guild Base.

"Eye." Jun comes and attaches a cold canned coffee to Ethan's face.

Ethan glanced at him with an annoyed face. "What's? You want to be slaughtered in the game again?"

Jun laughed at Ethan's words. "Stop bringing up those traumatic feelings. Also, stop worrying. Everything should be fine, right? You've worked hard."

What Jun said was not empty entertainment. Ethan worked very hard. Alone, Ethan conquered more than 50 Spirals outside Java in less than 20 days. The achievement was very remarkable, considering that it took a long time to move from one Spiral to another.

In addition, Ethan voluntarily distributed Basic Swordsmanship on the Sistube, helping the Hunters become more accustomed to using weapons. With the help of Ethan, the Hunter that died in the Spiral was significantly reduced. He was like a protagonist in the story.

Ethan sighed and drank the coffee Jun brought. He looked at the extremely beautiful Dieng sky with a hint of clouds. Then, he asked Jun about the Tower.

"Do you want to go to the Tower, Jun?"

Getting an unexpected question, Jun nearly chokes on his coffee. He looked at Ethan with glaring eyes.

"Tower? Are you crazy? Not even the military has returned."

Jun's surprise is based. It was no secret how dangerous the Tower itself was. None of the people who entered the Tower and came out since one month ago.

"If so, I'll go in by myself for this time. Tell the others to prepare their mentality because someday, they will definitely enter the Tower if, they still want to continue to be in the Players Industry." Ethan throws his coffee can into the trash and leaves after saying something disturbing.

Jun grabs Ethan's shoulder to stop him. "wait. Are you serious? If you say it's because we don't want to go, it's really childish, Ethan."

"Hah .." Ethan sighed and turned Jun again with a serious expression. "Have I been sulking like that all this time? I want to go to the Tower because there's something to do there. Moreover, it is more effective if I enter alone because with your current level, you guys will only get in the way. You're the most aware of that, right?"

Jun was speechless unable to reply to Ethan's words. All the Trouble Guild members were aware that Ethan was on a different level than all the other members. However, they always thought that they could catch up to Ethan one day. Only Jun who always does sparring with Ethan knows that Ethan is really sky-high. Man will not always look at him and never reach for him.

Jun removed his hand from Ethan's shoulder. He bit his lower lip in frustration. "... At least, say that to Erica and Nina. They'll probably worry."

"Don't worry. I'm meeting Erica tonight." Ethan smiles a little and leaves Jun.

***

Ethan and Erica watch a TV show in the room. Ethan seems confused as to how he told Erica about his journey to the Tower.

"Is there anything you want to say, sir?" Erica looked at Ethan sleeping on his thigh.

Ethan glanced at Erica. Seeing Erica's smile, Ethan increasingly felt heavy saying his departure towards the Tower. He didn't want to worry Erica.

"Erica .. I want to go to the Tower."

Erica stops her hand stroking Ethan's head. He froze for a moment with a stiff face.

"... Do you have anything to do in the Tower?"

Ethan was glad Erica quickly understood. "really. This I need for future plans."

Erica looks worried. However, seeing Erica who does not directly prohibit, makes Ethan a little hope more Erica will give permission. Ethan couldn't imagine he'd leave secretly if Erica didn't give him permission.

After thinking with a complicated expression, Erica finally nodded. "... Doesn't matter. Brother can go. It's just, please take good care of yourself and don't push yourself, okay?"

Ethan felt his heart was greatly healed by looking at Erica's face. Ethan reflexively grabbed Erica's face and pulled her closer in a gentle way.

Both lips touched. Their breaths hunting each other filled the silent room. When the eyes of the two met, they knew, they missed each other and worried about each other. This makes them more intense.

Erica was, for the first time, a retreat from such a fierce fight. He looked at Ethan with a mischievous smile on his lips.

"... Fufu. You're really good at it like you weren't the first time you did it."

Ethan wakes up and pushes Erica who is not fighting into the bed. The two look at each other.

"... If so, should I teach Miss Saintess, this one of us?"

Erica showed a defiant smile. "If you do, sir, I can no longer be called Saintess. However, you're lucky I've long wanted to give up this title."

***

"Erica! Lothawat! I want to go to the Tower!"

Just when the sun had just risen, Nina came to Ethan and Erica's room. He entered without even knocking on the door.

However, when she entered, Erica who usually woke up early, was still sound asleep with a messy mattress. Nina was surprised to see the messy condition of the room. Wet mattress as if the roof had a leak. The smell of pandan is smelling all over the room.

Erica who heard Nina's noisy voice woke up. When she woke up in a semi-conscious state, Erica was unaware that her upper body no longer had any defense even a single strand of cloth on her body.

"Nina. You're so noisy in the morning." Erica spoke with annoyance as she rubbed her still sleepy eyes.

Even for Nina, she did not know how to speak and respond to the current awkward situation.

"A– Ah. Good morning, Erica. No, you can continue to rest. Come down if you've tidied up the room." Nina closed the door quickly and quickly went to cover her merry face.

Erica tilted her head confused by Nina's actions. However, when she realized how her room and body were, Erica's face turned red to her ears and neck.

"Ap– What have I done!?"

In the end, Erica decided not to come down from her room due to being too embarrassed. In addition, he was also too difficult to walk because of pain and his limp legs were not powered.

***

Ethan, who was gone in the morning, walked in a pitch-black place. A place with a worn red carpet and walls full of moss. It really feels like a medieval place that often appears in horror movies.

"Although it's old, this place is still pretty good. Just need a little repair."

After walking around for a few hours, Ethan arrived at a large room. In the middle of the room, there was a throne that looked worn out. Ethan walked closer to the throne. However, his steps came to a halt when a flash of black smoke appeared and formed a humanoid silhouette.

"The intruder .. must die. No one touches God." The Knight's humanoid silhouette blocked Ethan and brandished the sword towards Ethan.

Ethan was not surprised. Without saying anything, Ethan pulled the jet-black sword from its sheath.

[Sword of Fanta.

Rank: Rare.

Durability: 220/220.

After staring at each other for a few seconds to judge each other, Ethan and the Black Knight kicked the ground and accelerated closing the distance between them.

Klang's!

The sound of the impact of the two swords resounded. In that one exchange, both of them could obtain a huge amount of information. One of them, the level difference between them was too far away.

"Ugh." Ethan started to push back. He had even only climbed ten levels after completing 50 Gate. That's too low.

Focusing the Mana on his feet, Ethan kicked the ground to retreat keeping his distance. However, as expected, the Black Knights chased after Ethan and did not allow Ethan to escape.

"!?"

Ethan is forced to survive. He tried as much as possible to avoid fighting with swords. If it is impossible to dodge, Ethan attempts to shift the direction of his attack with the side of his blade.

A black aura enveloped the Black Knight's sword. Ethan's cheeks twitched at the attack that came impossible to avoid.

"Invader ... die!"

A pitch-black, semicircular aura attacked straight towards Ethan at a speed almost equivalent to that of a race car.

Bam!

The explosion followed with a cloud of smoke billowing over where Ethan had stood before.

"Huh .. Hah …." Ethan manages to timely create a barrier to protect himself.

When Ethan thought he was safe and able to breathe, the Black Knight seemed to have expected Ethan to survive his massive attack, emerging from the smoke and thrusting his sword towards Ethan.

"Kuh, shit!" Ethan desperately tries to dodge.

A slash!

"Ouch." Ethan grimaced in pain as his right hand was scratched quite superficially. Ethan actually managed to dodge the attack from a very close distance.

[Mission requirements to duplicate completed.]

[You will gain skill when killing enemies.]

When the system message appears, Ethan smiles a little. His aura began to change. Ethan only appears to be a swordsman with extraordinary killing intent. However, now Ethan feels like the ruler of Han stepped on everything beneath him. The intimidation it generated even made the body of the Black Knight freeze.

"Now, let's start round two–"

"!?" The Black Knight was shocked when Ethan suddenly disappeared from his sight.

Ethan in a split second appeared in front of the Black Knight. He unsheathed his sword towards the heart of the Black Knight.

Feeling that it was impossible to hold him back, the Black Knight chose to slightly back down while slashing at Ethan's back. The Black Knight wanted to be convinced of the superiority of his status, feeling he would be more superior to Ethan if it exchanged injuries.

Ethan grinned. He paused exactly a few inches from the tip of the Black Knight's sword. Then, Ethan coated his sword with a gray aura and increased the distance of his attacks.

Jem!

Ethan's extended sword aura managed to pierce through the Black Knight's left chest and destroy the purple core that was there.

"Invader ... must .. die–" The Black Knight disappeared in the wind spreading in all directions.

Ethan wipes his sword with a handkerchief before putting it back in the sheath.

[You get the skill .]

[Intuition (Passive)

Grade: A.

Enhance the user's sixth sense.]

Ethan stared at the system with a smile. "It's a good skill to have in the beginning."

Ethan turned his gaze toward the throne again. Ethan's main goal is, the Throne. As he approached, Ethan used his [Monarch Eyes].

[Guilty Throne.

Grade: Legendary.

A Throne owned by the Count of Albert II during his lifetime.

Skills:

Noble Charm: When sitting on the Throne, it intimidates weaker enemies into submission.

Guard Sacrifice: Creating a Guard made of shadows to guard the Lord.

Charity: Accepts all the damage that the subordinates receive.

]

Ethan stretched his body and sat on the throne, smiling with satisfaction at his loot.

"With this, I should be able to proceed to the next plan."