Chapter 613: The Sound Of Silence [Part 1]

The countryside was very dark at night.

Even the stars shining in the heavens were not enough to illuminate everything.

The crescent moon that hung right above Ethan's head was like a smiling face, looking at him from the heavens.

For some reason, it made him feel as if it was making fun of him as he walked to the place where his adoptive father was waiting for him.

Back then, he would never dare to go out at night by himself because he feared that wild animals like wolves would attack him.

Now, even if he were to be surrounded by a pack of them, he wouldn't feel the least bit anxious, knowing that he could deal with them easily.

As Ethan walked the familiar trail in the forest, the wand in his hand glowed with a faint light, illuminating everything around him.

A few minutes later, he finally arrived at the clearing where his adoptive father usually took him to go camping.

It was one of their bonding activities—something that he always looked forward to whenever Wallace could stay for a longer period of time.

But, Ethan knew that the other party didn't invite him there to go camping this time.

"You're here," Wallace said with a smile. "It's been more than a year since we last came to this place, and so many changes have happened to you. I didn't have the opportunity to ask earlier, but did you have fun studying at Brynhildr Academy?"

"Yes," Ethan replied. "It was a very magical experience."

Wallace smiled faintly after hearing Ethan's answer.

"Originally, Mother and I planned to send you to Saint Claire Academy so that you could live happily as an Ordinarius," Wallace stated as he stood up from the log he was sitting on.

"But plans can sometimes go wrong, just like what happened in your case. Instead of going to a normal school, you ended up in a magical school, and well… the rest is history." S~eaʀᴄh the nôvel_Fire.ηet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

Ethan nodded his head in agreement because it was true. However, he was still unsure about the reason why his adoptive father specifically chose the forest for their private discussion.

"I would be lying if I said that I wasn't worried when I discovered that you landed in Brynhildr Academy. But, thanks to my connections, I was able to learn about your progress in the academy," Wallace then summoned his wand and held it firmly in his hand.

"I called you here today for just one thing. Show me everything that you have learned in the academy, and don't hold back. Also, activate your Domain so that we don't end up destroying this place."

"Father, are you sure?" Ethan inquired. "Must you really test me like this?"

"Don't worry," Wallace replied. "You cannot threaten me yet."

Ethan didn't know whether he should laugh or cry due to his adoptive father's words.

He didn't want to hurt Wallace, so if possible, he didn't want to fight him.

But after hearing what the man in front of him said, a spirit of competitiveness rose up in the young man's chest.

"Understood." Ethan nodded. "Don't worry, father. I will hold back as much as possible."

"Hahaha." Wallace chuckled. "What a cheeky brat you have become. Fine. How about we make a bet? If you win, you can ask me for anything."

"Then, what about if you win?" Ethan inquired. "What do you want in return?"

Wallace smirked. "Silly boy. Of course, I will win. How can I possibly lose to you? Because of that, I will refrain from asking anything from you because it will not be fair, you know?"

'Hahaha! Your dad's got spunk, Ethan,' Sebastian commented. 'Show him what you got!'

Ethan's Other Half didn't say anything and simply crossed his arms over his chest. He didn't know what kind of Wizard Wallace was, so he refrained from commenting.

"Father, are you ready?"

"I am. Give me your best shot."

Ethan summoned his Sea God's Trident and held it firmly with both hands.

A familiar strength washed over his body, boosting his confidence for the battle that was about to start.

"Grand Aria."

As soon as Ethan activated his Domain, Wallace found himself in a stormy sea, with giant waves about to crash over him.

The handsome man smirked before flying upward, skillfully evading the wave that Ethan purposely summoned as a greeting for him.

Thunder and lightning rumbled in the heavens, but Wallace seemed unfazed.

He was even casually looking at his surroundings as if he were a tourist who was seeing some kind of attraction.

"Aqua Anguis!"

Countless giant Water Snakes rose up from the sea and charged in the direction of the man looking down at Ethan with a faint smile on his face.

When the Water Snakes were about to hit him, Wallace casually waved his wand, and all the Water Snakes exploded as if something invisible slammed into them, shattering their form.

"I told you not to hold back, didn't I?" Wallace arched an eyebrow. "I want to assess your current level of strength. Truth be told, I am not expecting much, so just throw everything you can at me, okay?"

"… Father, I might accidentally kill you if I do that," Ethan, who didn't want to go all out, replied.

He didn't know how strong Wallace was, so he was hesitant to unleash the full might of his Domain.

The last thing he wanted to happen was to accidentally kill the man who had treated him as his son in his own way.

A chuckle escaped Wallace's lips, well aware of why Ethan was being hesitant. Because of this, he decided to get a little serious so that the young man would no longer worry about accidentally killing him.

"Ethan, which kind of magic is stronger?" Wallace asked. "A chantless magic where you can just cast spells instantly, or spells spoken out loud?"

"I think it will depend on the situation," Ethan replied. "Chantless Magic can catch your opponent by surprise, but saying the chant out loud can strengthen the power of a spell."

Wallace nodded. "You're right. Both can be used depending on the situation, similar to how you empower your Water Snake spell by shouting its spell out loud. Words have power, and when spells are spoken, these words increase their efficiency."

Ethan's adoptive father then pointed his wand in Ethan's direction.

"Try not to die, okay?" Wallace declared as the tip of his wand glowed faintly.

"Tacet Mundi."

A ripple effect spread across Ethan's Domain, making the young man raise his guard.

At that instant, the young man noticed something.

The rumbling thunder, the raging waves, and the whistling wind all became silent.

He could still see the lightning flashes in the sky, as well as the giant waves. But, he couldn't hear anything.

Just as this realization hit him, Ethan felt something slam into him, sending him crashing towards the sea.

Wallace, who was still hovering above the sky, smiled faintly because he was about to teach his adoptive son a lesson that he would only learn in his Third Year at Brynhildr Academy.

"If you want to survive in the upcoming war, you should raise your resistance against these kinds of attacks," Wallace muttered as he pointed his wand toward the sky.

The stormy winds all gathered around his wand, sucking up the storm clouds in the sky.

Soon, a giant tornado with lightning bolts snaking around its body formed, causing the Domain to tremble as Wallace imposed his will within Ethan's world, manifesting his Legacy's power.