Dragon's Wrath: The Cursed Returnee

Although Emily left, the smirk didn't disappear from Ian's face. He was really asking to be punched, and there was no better moment to punch someone, after all. However, Ethan wouldn't fall for such an obvious taunt.

"What?" Ethan asked.

"Hehehe, so you are aiming for Emily, huh," Ian said. "Most of the warriors that I know aim for the more experienced woman who has big assets, but I guess you aren't at that level."

"… No wonder you are so unpopular," Ethan sighed. "I assume we can go now to see your little sister."

Ethan couldn't really say that since he was guilty of the same crime a few hours ago, he just complimented Lili, saying that she had a great body. Regardless, there was something that Ian didn't have to hear.

"Yeah," Ian said. "Let's go."

Just as Ethan had expected, a rather big chopper was waiting for them at the plaza. Although Ian could go home using the wristwatch, he decided to accompany Ethan. His goals were obvious: he wanted to say some more nonsensical things. Still, Ethan ignored his attempts to talk about Emily and then decided to tell him the tips she gave him.

"Emily explained all this to you?" Ian frowned. "Those words don't sound much like hers."

"She is a good teacher, but I translated even more to the point where even someone like you can understand," Ethan said. "Anyway, try to put it into practice."

"It is cool, dude," Ian said. "I bet Emily will get furious if she hears that you helped me soon after she helped you."

"You sure have a low opinion of her," Ethan said. "Regardless, it doesn't matter. I want to repay the debt for yesterday as fast as possible. Helping you reach the next rank should be enough."

"You are so calculative," Ian laughed. "You and Emily are a perfect match."

Ethan sighed. Ian was beyond weird. Most assassins don't think too much about anything. Still, he was a hero who had an assassin style, but his head was filled with romance all day. That being said, Ian ended up following Ethan's tips, and after four hours, he learned Mana Orb.

"You can laugh if you want," Ian said.

Although that was depressing more than funny, Ethan was more interested in the fact that Ian managed to practice the spell for four hours straight without using potions. It was hard to believe that someone who sucked at magic would have so much mana. Ethan had no idea if the rules of his system could apply to normal people, but even if that were the case, it wouldn't make any sense. The only way to increase mana was to increase MAG or RES, and it wouldn't make sense for an assassin to have high resistance against magic. So, the only plausible explanation was that Ian had a high MAG, but he was holding back and playing dumb.

Ethan looked at Ian, trying to understand why he would do that. Considering his skills and vocation, it would make sense to try not to stand out, but given his goal, holding back all that much wasn't a good idea. In the end, Ethan decides to give up, and he will have to find another way to pay his debt.

"Aren't you going to continue?" Ian asked.

"There is no point if you don't try seriously," Ethan said.

"But I am trying. I just suck at magic," Ian shrugged. "I just a have a decent mana pool because my of my little sister's potions."

That usually would make sense because MAG increases the power of mana and the user's control over it. However, when the mana of someone increases, their perception increases as well. It isn't that efficient, but they also become better at sense and use mana the more mana one has. Regardless, Ethan will have to endure how annoying Ian is until he finds another way to pay his debt.

Fortunately, it didn't take long for them to arrive at Ian's home. Still, Ethan couldn't help but think that he perhaps was missing something. Ian's home was one hell of a mansion. The garden was as green as a forest and just as massive. They also had an Olympic pool. As for the main building, it was big and stylish, even more like the presidential residence of some countries.

"It is the first time I see someone frowning while looking at my home," Ian forced a smile. "I can understand the feeling, though. I also think that my father exaggerates too much, trying to show off."

As if things weren't weird enough, Ethan felt something passing through his body while the chopper was landing. He quickly recognized that feeling… it was a magic barrier. There were no guards to protect all that place, but there was a high-level magic barrier protecting everything, and it was at the same level as the one he had a hard time breaking in the past before he finally killed that lich of the demon king's army.

Weirdly enough, after leaving the chopper, Ethan and Ian crossed the mansion in total silence. Although Ian looked to be the type of a guy who would brag about living in such a luxurious place, he didn't. In fact, he behaved like an average person while numerous maids and butlers greeted them. Although it wasn't that surprising that he would find one in such a place, Ethan couldn't help but frown when he saw an elevator that could lead them to underground floors.

"My little sister is in her laboratory," Ian said. "On the last underground floor."

"Laboratory?" Ethan frowned. "How old is she?"

"Twelve," Ian replied.

"A twelve years old kid has a laboratory, where she uses monster's parts to create potions," Ethan said. "Am I the only person who thinks that a disaster may happen at any time here?"

"You can relax," Ian said. "She has been playing around there for the last six months, and nothing even close to an accident happened. In any case, she is a bit difficult to deal with, and she is also a kid. So be patient."

"It must run in the family," Ethan said. " The capacity of being hard to deal with."

Although Ethan wasn't really interested, Ian explained to him what he could find on the underground floors. On the first, some magic relics were stored there, and on the second, it was the actual floor where he, his father, and his little sister lived. Ethan got curious about why he didn't mention their mother, but he didn't ask anything for obvious reasons.

Weird enough, they even had an entire floor that was a basically a giant simulator. No wonder Ian never showed any interest in the simulators at the school. His family was so rich that he could afford even one of those.