I Am a Hero With A Hundred Abilities-Chapter 41: Ch 40. Ascendant and Overlord families

"I was just about to call you—your girlfriend came to visit."

Ethan shot Lisa a glare sharp enough to cut steel.

He didn't say anything. He didn't have to.

He was used to her antics already.

Sophia, for her part, gave the faintest smirk at the exchange but didn't rise to it.

Ethan's gaze returned to her, taking in the casual yet graceful way she sat, her demeanor composed yet undeniably radiant.

The way she carried herself, calm but commanding, would make most guys stumble over their own names.

Before he could speak, she finally did.

"Remember how you promised to assist me earlier?" she said, tone smooth.

Ethan blinked. Promised? He distinctly remembered her asking for help.

Still, he didn't bother arguing. He knew Sophia's personality well enough.

She continued, calmly but firmly:

"I need that assistance now."

Ethan let out a low sigh. Of course she did.

He walked further into the room, brushing a hand through his slightly messy hair.

"Fine," he muttered, glancing from Sophia to his sister.

"Let me eat first after all I cant help you on an empty stomach."

****

As they sat around the table, the warm aroma of the meal still lingering in the air, Sophia took another bite of the dish and, almost unconsciously, muttered, "This is so good."

Ethan chuckled. "Don't you guys have five-star chefs living in the main house? Pretty sure their food tastes even better."

Lisa's eyes narrowed as she turned to him. "What do you mean by that? Are you trying to say I'm a bad cook?"

Ethan raised his hands defensively. "No, no, that's not what I meant—"

Before he could finish, Sophia chimed in, cutting the tension. "Yes, we have great chefs... but this just tastes different."

Ethan paused, watching the way her blue eyes gleamed each time she brought another spoonful to her lips.

She looked genuinely captivated by the food—an honest reaction. And honesty, he'd come to learn, wasn't something Sophia wasted on sparing someone's feelings.

Once they'd finished eating, Lisa stood and gathered the plates, heading toward the kitchen to clean up. That left Ethan and Sophia alone at the table.

"So," Ethan started, leaning forward slightly, "what do you need my help with?"

Sophia's gaze sharpened. "It concerns the Drexel family."

Ethan blinked. "Huh?" Confusion settled on his face.

Sophia frowned slightly, noticing his reaction. "You can't be serious… You mean to tell me you don't know about the Drexel family?"

"Am I supposed to?" he replied with a raised brow.

That answer made Sophia hesitate. Doubt flickered in her eyes, as if she were beginning to question whether she made the right choice coming here.

But after a moment, she let out a breath and met Ethan's gaze.

"I'm only going to say this once, so make sure you pay attention."

Ethan nodded, posture straightening as he gave her his full attention.

"There's more than just the Hero Association when it comes to power in this world," she began. "There are elite bloodlines—families who pull the strings from behind the scenes. They're split into two categories: Overlord families, and above them, Ascendant families. Each one produces at least one powerhouse of terrifying rank."

"You're from an overlord family right?" Ethan asked.

"Yes. The Lancaster family is classified as an Overlord family because of my father's rank." She tilted her head. "I'm actually surprised you knew he was an Overlord. For a second, I thought you were living under a rock."

Ethan shot her a mildly annoyed look. "I have to know about the family that took me in."

Sophia smirked. "At least you're smart."

Before Ethan could fire back, she continued, "My family is one of the nine Overlord families in City X. We hold tremendous authority. But above us are the Ascendant families—each one capable of leveling an entire city through just one of their champions."

Ethan wasn't shocked—he'd seen enough of the world to know what the high-ranked heroes were capable of.

Even Sophia, who downplayed herself, was a Level 6 Master—no joke by any measure.

He thought silently, I still have a long way to go.

Sophia pressed on. "There are three Ascendant families in the city. The Drexel family is one of them."

Ethan's brows lowered in understanding. "So… what do you want from me? Don't tell me this has something to do with offending the Drexels?"

Sophia looked at him with a straight face—but in her eyes was a flicker of guilt.

Ethan groaned. "I was really hoping I was wrong…"

He let out a sigh, folding his arms. "Alright, let's hear it. Just don't say you want me to fight an Ascendant."

Sophia shook her head. "No. I wouldn't ask you to do the impossible. I only want you to fight… one of their champions."

Ethan blinked, then let out a quiet laugh. "Well, that's definitely less impossible. But let me remind you—I'm a newly awakened Level 1 novice. You can't seriously expect me to fight a Level 5 champion without a damn good reason."

"You'll be helping me," she said plainly.

"…What?"

"You asked for a reason. That's it—you'll be helping me."

Ethan stared at her. "That's not a reason. That barely counts as an excuse."

"But you promised to help."

"I did." Ethan exhaled slowly. "As long as it doesn't bring harm to my family. And this? This smells like trouble. Big trouble."

He looked away for a moment, brows furrowed. If it was just him, he might've considered it.

But he had a sister. And risking her safety for someone else's wasn't something he could do lightly.

Sophia seemed to notice the weight of his silence. Her voice softened just a little. "You have my word. No harm will come to your family if you help me."

Ethan looked back at her. "And why are you so confident in that?"

She hesitated… then answered, "Because the person you'll be fighting is the family's outcast."

Ethan raised an eyebrow. "Outcast?"

Sophia nodded. "The black sheep of the Drexel family. He's strong… but he's fallen out of favor. Taking him down won't start a war."

Sophia sat back in her seat, her expression firm but slightly weary. "Jonathan Drexel," she began, "was born out of wedlock. Because of that, he didn't receive the same attention—or resources—as the other children in the Drexel family."

Ethan listened quietly, arms folded.

"While his siblings were breaking records and achieving breakthroughs, Jonathan was left behind. Ignored. Overlooked. And that resentment… it grew. He developed a foul attitude. He didn't respect anyone and he used the Drexel name to get away with whatever he wants."

Ethan leaned forward slightly. "So… what problem does he have with you?"

Sophia's lips pressed into a thin line. "He's my fiancé."

Ethan blinked. "Oh. So it's him."

Sophia squinted, suspicion flaring in her gaze. "What do you mean by that?"

"Nothing," Ethan said quickly, waving it off. But inwardly, he cursed himself. I really hope I didn't make it obvious I went through her diary.

Sophia stared at him for a few seconds longer than was comfortable, clearly studying him. Then she let it slide with a subtle exhale.

"That's why I need you to fight him," she said.

Ethan tilted his head. "And how exactly does me fighting your fiancé help the situation?"

"In Ascendant and Overlord families, there's a rule," she explained. "Power makes right. If there's a disagreement, it's not settled with words—it's settled with fists. A fight determines who's right."

Ethan nodded slowly. "Okay… but why don't you fight him? You're strong enough."

"I can't," Sophia replied, crossing her arms. "Not when it's my fiancé. It's part of the tradition—if someone objects to the union, someone else has to fight in their place."

Ethan blinked, eyebrows raised. "So I'm the secret boyfriend challenging the arranged marriage, huh?"

Sophia didn't laugh.

The silence stretched just long enough to make Ethan cough awkwardly. "Right… not funny. Got it."

He shifted in his seat. "Okay, but how am I supposed to fight this guy? First, will your family even allow this? And second—what about the massive level gap?"

Sophia smirked, tilting her head. "Leave my family to me. I'll handle them."

She then looked him up and down, assessing him silently for a moment. "As for the level gap... with a little training, you'll be able to handle him."

Ethan frowned. "Seriously? You think I can just train and catch up?"

Truth was, Sophia had already seen enough to believe it. From the moment Ethan survived the Duality Den—a Trial that should've killed him—and the way he faced down five Level 3 villains and lived to talk about it, she knew he wasn't ordinary. But she wasn't about to feed his ego.

Instead, she said simply, "Yes. I do."

"…Okay, then. Who's supposed to train me?"

She raised an eyebrow, like the answer was obvious. "Me, of course."

Ethan stared. "…Of course it's you."

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A/N I will release an extra chapter if I get 90 power stones or 30 Golden tickets.

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