Chapter 9: Chapter 9: Invitation

The next morning, after finishing his breakfast, Ethan was having a casual chat with Aunt Greta in her cozy kitchen. The aroma of freshly baked bread and herbs filled the air, making it the perfect setting for a relaxed morning. Their conversation flowed effortlessly, filled with lighthearted stories and laughter.

Suddenly, the door creaked open, and an unexpected visitor entered.

"Hi Blacky!"

It was Lenora, the red-haired girl from the previous day. She was accompanied by a few companions this time—two boys and two girls, all around her age.

Ethan raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Why are you here? And don't call me by that name again, please."

"Sure, Blacky!" Lenora replied with a mischievous glint in her eyes and a soft smile playing on her lips.

Ethan shook his head helplessly. Her persistence was both annoying and oddly endearing.

"Blacky, we are going on a dungeon raid. Do you want to join our party?" Lenora revealed her purpose with an enthusiastic attitude, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

Surprised, Ethan asked, "So, you're here to invite me to your party?"

"Yep," she nodded eagerly.

"But why me?" Ethan couldn't help but feel a mix of curiosity and suspicion.

"Because I know you're special, a perfect fit for our party," she said mysteriously, her tone implying she knew more than she was letting on.

Ethan's heart skipped a beat. "Does she know about my special abilities? But how is this even possible?" He shook his head, dismissing the notion.

Calming his racing heart, he asked, "Where are you planning to raid, Lenora?"

"It's an E-Rank Dungeon, Rock Giant's Cave," she revealed with a reassuring smile. "But don't worry about the difficulty. We will be clearing it with our party after all."

Her confidence was infectious, and Ethan found himself considering the offer more seriously. It wouldn't hurt to go with them, especially since he was stuck in a minor bottleneck.

"Alright, introduce me to your friends," Ethan said, deciding to give her proposal a chance.

Lenora's smile widened as she turned to her companions. "This is Cedric," she pointed to a tall boy with a lean build, his brown hair falling into his sharp green eyes. He nodded at Ethan with a reserved smile. "He's our strategic leader and has a knack for traps."

"Nice to meet you," Cedric said, his voice calm and measured."Lenora had been talking about you a lot."

"And this is Iris," Lenora continued, gesturing to a girl with short, curly black hair and piercing blue eyes. "She's our healer and enhancer."

Iris gave Ethan a warm smile. "I look forward to working with you," she said, her tone kind and welcoming.

"Next, we have Marcus," Lenora pointed to a muscular boy with a confident grin, his dark skin gleaming in the morning light. "He's our front-line warrior, always ready to charge into battle."

Marcus simply nodded, not looking very enthusiastic.

"And finally, this is Yona," Lenora indicated a slender girl with long, velvet hair and striking violet eyes. "She's our scout and archer, with an eye for detail and a steady aim."

Yona nodded at Ethan, her expression serious but respectful. "Nice to meet you," she said simply.

[ Titanium Runic Sword (Sentient) ]

[ Metal Grade: D ]

[ Attack Power: 45 ]

[ Durability: 135 ]

[ Special Effects: Stun ]

The sword had received an impressive upgrade. Its blade vibrated with each motion, as if it could cut through anything effortlessly. It had become a D-Grade Titanium Sword, a highly valuable weapon worth nearly 5,000 silver coins. Such an amount of money was significant in this world; a normal family could live comfortably on that sum for an extended period.

Because of this, not everyone could afford high-quality equipment like this, and not everyone had Ethan's special ability.

Additionally, the sword had gained a special effect: Stun. It could now stun enemies at critical moments, although its activation was random.

Ethan then checked his status:

[ Status ]

[ Name: Aengus Degaro (Ethan Smith) ]

[ Occupation: Hunter ]

[ Race: Human ]

[ Level: 4 ]

[ Class: None ]

[ Age: 18 ]

[ Strength: 17 ]

[ Agility: 15 ]

[ Defense: 18 ]

[ Mana: 120 ]

[ Attribute points: 0 ]

[ Skills: ]

[ Active: Swift Sword Strike - 3 (F), Fire Toad's Leap - 2 (F), Fire Toad's Breath (F), Flame Serpent's Breath (F) ]

[ Passive: Fire Toad's Resilience (F), Fire Serpent's Digestion (F), Fire Serpent's Resistance ]

[ Unique Skills: Appraisal (Basic), Skill Absorption (Mythic), Universal Synthesis (Ultimate) ]

[ Equipments: Titanium Runic Sword (D) ]