Level 1 to Infinity: My Bloodline Is the Ultimate Cheat - Chapter 639

Chapter 639: The Price of Ingratitude

Ethan glanced at Blackie, who had shuffled closer, and patted his shoulder.

“You… you’re going to keep towing the yachts when we go back.”

“Uh…” Blackie froze mid-grin, his jaw hanging open.

“Dragon Child, and the City Lord, how about you two come with me?” Ethan said, turning toward them.

“I couldn’t ask for more. I was hoping for a change of scenery,” Regis replied with a hearty laugh.

Emery Shaw’s expression tightened, uncertain. With a single casual question, Ethan had singled out two people whose Strength levels were completely beyond comprehension. Dragon Child and the elderly ‘City Lord’ looked like ordinary folk, harmless even. Yet the fact that they could soar through the air without effort proved they were anything but ordinary.

The only explanation was that both possessed extraordinary strength, perhaps even at the legendary Apex State.

Emery had only heard of that realm back in the Abyssal City. Even among the Noble Eight Lineages, talk of the Apex State was rare and almost mythical.

“Count me in.”

The voice came from a distance, deep and powerful. Emery’s heart gave a nervous jolt. Great. Another Apex State powerhouse had just volunteered to join them.

He recognized that voice all too well. He had seen what this man could do on Ascension Isle—how, when six Wyrms had transformed into white-robed figures, they had barely appeared before a colossal hand had blotted out the sky. With a single motion, that hand crushed the six Wyrms like insects.

But that wasn’t even the most disturbing part.

When the battle was over, the man had flicked his wrist, shrinking the corpses of the mighty Wyrms until they were no bigger than strips of jerky. Then he had tossed them into his mouth, chewing contentedly as if snacking, even muttering how “satisfying” they were. Emery still had no idea what kind of creature that man truly was.

Ethan turned toward the voice. ‘Well, he’s certainly eager’, he thought. Volunteering before anyone even asked.

Starfall Caelum was approaching at an unhurried pace.

‘Let’s see who’s got the nerve to mess with my daughter-in-law’, Starfall mused to himself. ‘I’ll just swat them dead and be done with it.’

“Thank you Sir. May I ask your name?” Ethan asked. He had seen the man a few times before, though no proper introduction had ever been made.

“Sir? Heh… my name is Starfall Caelum.”

“So it was you!” Ethan’s eyes brightened in recognition.

He remembered that name clearly. They had crossed paths once in the Silverwood family’s Hidden Territory, in a secret tomb beneath its ruins. Back then, Starfall had reeked of necromantic energy, his aura wild and unstable, nothing like the calm, self-possessed man standing here now. He had been half-crazed, his words filled with arrogance, speaking as if he alone stood above everyone else.

Ethan had even wondered at that time, the coincidence that the had the same surname, and had envied his overwhelming presence.

“You know me?” Starfall’s eyes lit up, clearly pleased by the recognition.

“I met you once, in the Silverwood family’s Hidden Territory, Sir,” Ethan said politely.

“Oh.”

Starfall’s eyes dimmed, and that single, flat word was all he offered. He went silent again.

“Uh…?” Ethan blinked, caught off guard by the abrupt change in attitude. He rubbed his nose awkwardly. Had he said something wrong? The man was definitely eccentric.

He quickly brushed it off. Well, it seemed he was a necromancer once. People who dabble in that sort of thing were bound to be.. strange. With that thought, he let the matter drop.

Ethan turned his gaze across the island. The matter here was finished. There was nothing left to stay for.

He raised his hand, his voice cutting through the sea breeze.

“Prepare to board the ships. We’re heading home!”

A roar of cheers erupted across the island. Thousands of people shouted in joy, relief washing over them after what felt like an eternity of fear and uncertainty.

But just as the excitement reached its peak, a single voice pierced through the noise.

“The ships are so far away! How are we supposed to get there? We can’t fly! Couldn’t they have come closer to the shore?”

Ethan turned toward the sound. The speaker was a thin man with glasses, his posture timid but his tone laced with sarcasm.

Before he could say more, someone nearby grabbed his arm.

“Jean, shut up. This isn’t a port. The ships can’t just dock on the beach. Besides, guild leader came all this way to save us. Show some respect.”

The friend’s voice was hushed but tense, clearly embarrassed. Around them, most people nodded in agreement. To them, survival itself was enough. Even those who couldn’t swim would have crawled through the waves if it meant getting off this cursed island.

Still, not everyone shared that gratitude. A handful of people remained silent, their eyes sharp and calculating, waiting to see where the moment would lead.

Jean jerked his arm free. “Why should I shut up? We got dragged into this whole mess because of him! Shouldn’t I have the right to speak? It’s his job to save us! Why should we be grateful?”

His words spread through the crowd like a spark hitting dry grass.

A few others stepped forward, voices rising in support.

“Exactly! We were just collateral damage!”

“I’m canceling my contract with Renegade

Alliance and demanding compensation!”

“Yeah, cancel the contract and pay us back!”

“This won’t be settled for less than a million!”

“Count me in! I want to cancel my contract, keep my gear, and get a payout!”

A chorus of angry shouts followed. Some began trying to stir up the rest of the crowd, their faces red with false righteousness.

Ethan laughed.

It wasn’t loud, but the sound carried clearly through the air. The tone was light, almost amused, yet every person who had shouted felt a chill run through their chest.

Jean flinched too. Still, he forced himself to take a step forward, his defiance trembling at the edges.

“What are you laughing at? You think you can just silence us because we’re stranded here? You owe us an explanation!”

Ethan smiled faintly. His voice was calm, almost lazy. “Are you finished?”

Jean blinked. “Huh? F-finished!” He stammered, caught off guard. His thoughts raced. ‘Why isn’t he angry? Why isn’t he arguing? What does that even mean?’

Ethan’s gaze shifted to Kiara, who was standing quietly below him.

“Kiara,” he said, “are these the people you mentioned earlier?”

Kiara tilted her head slightly, her voice clear and light. “No. There’s also him, him, her, and her…”

As she spoke, she pointed into the crowd. One by one, her finger landed on more faces. By the time she was done, over a few dozen people had been marked.

Confusion rippled through the onlookers. Even Blackie and the others exchanged bewildered looks.

Only Ethan and Kiara understood.

And the ones she had pointed at—those several faces—understood too. The instant her finger settled on them, their eyes went wide with panic. They knew why.

“W-what do you mean?” Jean asked, his face draining of color.

Ethan’s smile didn’t fade. “It doesn’t mean much. If you hadn’t spoken up, I would’ve handled it quietly. Maybe kicked you out of the guild, sent you back to the Starter Zone. Something simple like that.”

His tone was casual, but every word struck like a hammer.

“But since you decided to step forward,” he continued softly, “we’ll settle it here and now.”

As the last syllable fell, Ethan’s aura surged. A ripple of Soul Power burst outward, invisible yet suffocating, locking onto every person Kiara had pointed out.