Dragon's Wrath: The Cursed Returnee

Ethan didn't know if hiding those pieces of information was intentional, but he didn't have time to worry about that. Without wasting any more time, Ethan started the call, and surprisingly enough, Ian accepted pretty soon. Even though there was no telling, who was calling him.

"Oh, hey, Ethan," Ian said. "You took your time to call me."

"… How did you know that I was the one who was calling?" Ethan asked.

"You didn't receive any calls yet?" Ian asked. "Man, you need to increase your circle of friends. I saw your name here; it would be troublesome if the wristwatch doesn't show us some details while making and receiving calls."

"… Anyway, I called for a reason," Ethan said after he furrowed his eyebrows. "From a very different reason, you are thinking about it."

"No, I know why you are talking to me," Ian shrugged. "I just received some interesting intel, and knowing that you just came back a few days ago, it makes sense that you would ask for my help. I also have some friends working in the government, people who owe me some favors. They just told me that your big sis is taking too long to finish her last job, and the higher-ups are starting to worry if something went wrong on the other side."

As expected, Ian was no ordinary guy. One would have to have a lot of nerve to reveal with he revealed without worrying about what it might happen. In a sense, that was the perfect source of information Ethan needed. Still, in another one, it was close to impossible to imagine what Ian might do while having so little concern, given the involved parties.

"Try to call someone called John, that works in the interdimensional embassy located in Washington," Ian said. "You don't need to know his surname to call him if you know this much about him. Anyway, he is your sister's boss, and he probably knows what is going on more than anyone else. I would like to offer you more help, but since we have classes tomorrow morning, I can't go, and I can't show my face in front of miss Lyla without my proper eight hours of sleep."

"That will be enough," Ethan said. "I owe one."

"No worries," Ian smirked. "Consider this a payment for the future. After all, you are going to make me look cool in front of miss Lyla. See ya."

The call ended, and Ethan couldn't help but imagine how he would be able to do that. Still, considering that Ian was a teenager despite being far from a normal one, his modus operandi to make an impression on a lady was probably simple. He would just show off in front of Lyla while trashing Ethan during some spars. Ethan sighed, imagining that as if he would let that happen. Regardless, Ethan started the next call and tried to talk with that John person. Unfortunately, the call wasn't accepted.

"Why this… isn't picking up the phone?" Ethan asked, annoyed.

"I don't know who Hannah's boss is," Michael said. "But I saw a man on the TV alongside her many times. He acts as if he is just a bodyguard, but he is the only one called John among the diplomatic group. Since he looked like a bodyguard, I will bet he isn't one very diplomatic given his position."

"Can I find an easy picture of him on the internet?" Ethan asked.

"Yes, I think so?" Michael frowned, not imagining the point of that.

Ethan quickly found a photo of John. He indeed looked like a bodyguard. He was tall, broad-shouldered, and very muscular. He showed the face of someone who didn't have many friends, and the expression he was always showing was one that would discourage conversation. He seemed a pretty strong man, physically and mentally. Still, Ethan discovered his wound rather fast and decided to apply salt to it.

"Can I send voice messages through the wristwatch?" Ethan asked.

"Yes, you can," Michael replied.

At some point, Ethan began to smile. A smile that made even his worried mother approach him to see what he was planning from up close. Neither his father nor mother approved of bullying, and they probably would lecture him later, but drastic times require drastic measures.

"Hey, baldy. Unless you want to enjoy a trashing that will make your future reincarnations go bald as well, I suggest that you accept my call right now."

"Ethan!" Evelyn raised her voice as soon as Ethan sent the message. "That wasn't a nice thing to say!"

"He was the one who started," Ethan shrugged his shoulders. "Not accepting a call is bad manners."

"Maybe he is busy," Evelyn said. "Either way, you shouldn't have done that."

Ethan also expected some complaints from Michael, but given that he was also very frustrated due to the lack of information, it looked like he thought of calling John many things. Baldy was one of them. Regardless, before even Ethan could make another call, he received one. Surprisingly, it was from John.

"You little brat… who do you think you are?" John said without hiding his anger. "I'm one of the most important men in this country! The president values my opinion more than anyone else! I am-"

"You are a baldy," Ethan said. "My promise still stands. Tell me about the current situation of my sister or that trashing is coming for you. Turn off this call, and I will turn your life into a living nightmare."

Evelyn planned to pinch Ethan's ears slightly, but then she didn't have the chance because Ethan jumped backward. She didn't approve of her son's behavior, but she only did so slightly because it was the only real thing they could do to learn what was going on. Regardless, despite being threatened by a teenager. John took his time to analyze the voice on the other side of the call.

He wasn't very diplomatic himself, but since he was Hannah's boss, he was there for a reason. John had an excellent mind for judging someone's voice and actions. While Hannah worked in plain sight to create amicable relationships, John worked in the shadows studying possible threats. Even though the leaders of other worlds have agreed to work with Earth, there is always someone out there who isn't satisfied with the state of things. John's job was to find them and keep them in check. That was why he could tell that Ethan wasn't spouting empty threats.

Although Hannah seemed really delighted about her little brother's return, she also seemed a bit worried due to his behavior. Not only John heard some things directly from Hannah, but he also read Natalia's report about her opinion of the latest hero who returned to Earth. According to her, Ethan was a young man who had no qualms in telling what he thought and saw through Natalia's acting. Although he lost his powers, he didn't lose his edge, and he might be useful.