Level 1 to Infinity: My Bloodline Is the Ultimate Cheat - Chapter 681

Chapter 681: Nonchalant Avatar

In the midst of the standoff, Ethan’s sudden question cut through the tension like a knife, making everyone turn to him in surprise.

Victor, Leo, and Williams, however, froze. The “God of Arrows,” Feather from the Southeastern Theater. That name carried serious weight in Ethereal. Back in the starter zones, this guy had single-handedly manipulated the economy, driving the gold price in his server to insane heights. And now, Feather was a dominant force in the Southeastern Theater. While he wasn’t a global household name like Ethan’s “Druid God” persona, he was undoubtedly a top dog in his region. The reason was simple: the man was filthy rich.

“How did you know?” The original Alaric, still hiding behind his stone-faced Avatar, blurted out in shock.

“So it is you…!” Ethan’s eyes narrowed to slits.

During the fight, Ethan had grown suspicious. The unnatural footwork, the evasive maneuvers against multiple opponents, the attack patterns—it all felt familiar. Combined with their current location, which fell under the Southeastern Theater’s jurisdiction, the pieces started clicking into place. He’d seen that specific footwork once before, in his past life.

Ethan looked from the original Alaric to the Avatar. The one with the expressionless, stone-like face.

Then, Ethan’s own cold expression shifted abruptly. “Well, if it’s the famous Feather, I won’t trouble you any further,” he declared, already moving to retreat.

The move left everyone stunned. No one had expected such a sudden and complete reversal. Even Regis, who stood protectively in front of him, was a half-step slow to react. He’d been closest to Ethan. When Ethan asked the question, Regis had felt a sharp, clear spike of killing intent emanating from him. The moment the man confirmed his identity, that intent had exploded outwards—only to vanish a heartbeat later. In that moment, Regis was sure Ethan was preparing to fight this tough battle. He’d already begun gathering his own energy, ready to clash with the monstrous Avatar.

And then… Ethan just backed away. So decisively.

Keeping his eyes locked on the Avatar, Regis slowly retreated as well.

Contrary to their fears, the stone-faced double made no move to pursue.

“Hey! What are you doing? Attack them! I want them dead!” It was the original Alaric who reacted, hopping up and down behind his double and pointing a furious finger at the retreating Ethan.

The group tensed again at his shrieking command.

“As long as you remain alive, nothing else concerns me,” the Avatar replied to its creator, its voice flat and utterly devoid of emotion. The response was so blunt it was almost comical.

“You… You dare disobey me?! Don’t think I won’t re-absorb you and erase your consciousness!” Alaric’s face darkened with rage.

“If you believe your pathetic body can withstand the strain, then by all means, try,” the double retorted coolly.

“I…!” The original Alaric’s face turned purple, his eyes burning with pure, impotent hatred.

Ethan, surrounded by his retreating team, overheard this and his eyes lit up with understanding. So that’s how it is, he thought. As long as we don’t threaten the original, that overpowered double won’t lift a finger. It really does seem to only care about its own self.

His gaze flicked meaningfully toward Uncle Jed, who seemed to have the same idea. With a flick of his wrist, Jed tossed over the charred, captive Avatar—the fused entity they had captured earlier.

“What are you doing?!” the original Alaric yelled, his expression shifting to one of panic as he saw the captive Avatar land in Ethan’s grasp. Even with the Third Princess’s bubbles in the way earlier, he’d seen enough of Ethan’s terrifying draining ability. Seeing his other Avatar in that man’s hands filled him with a sense of impending doom.

“Nothing much,” Ethan said, a bright, almost cruel smile spreading across his face. “Just collecting a little interest. Consumption… activate!”

HUMmmmm…

This time, Ethan’s hand clamped directly onto the captive Avatar’s head. The charred figure hung limply in the air, held aloft by Ethan’s grip, looking like a lifeless puppet.

“How dare you!” the original Alaric roared, his fury overriding his fear. He nocked an arrow and let it fly.

SWOOSH!

The projectile shot straight for Ethan’s face. Ethan didn’t even glance at it, his smile unwavering, his eyes fixed on the powerful, stone-faced Avatar across the clearing.

Leo simply shifted his massive, door-like shield into the arrow’s path.

PING!

The enraged shot was deflected with a mere chime. The shield didn’t budge an inch. The arrowhead glowed red-hot the moment it made contact, as if thrust into a forge, melting into molten slag that dripped to the ground. The wooden shaft instantly burst into flames and turned to ash.

“Haha!” Leo’s triumphant laugh echoed from his mech. He’d just discovered this offensive-defensive feature of his shield.

Seeing his attack was useless, the original Alaric flashed in front of his primary double. “He’s going to destroy two of my Avatar’s! And you’re just going to stand there and watch?!” he screamed, jabbing a finger toward Ethan.

“Oh.” That was the Avatar’s only reply, its face a mask of indifference.

Ethan almost laughed. His guess was confirmed. This Acatar truly did not care, so long as its creator’s life wasn’t in danger.

“You… You… Fine! Hah…!” Spitting with rage, the original Alaric actually let out a strangled, humorless laugh. “You won’t help? Then I’ll fight him myself!”

With that, he launched himself forward, a desperate, reckless charge toward Ethan and his group.

“Don’t hurt him!” Ethan commanded quickly.

Leo, at the front, had already grasped the situation. He retracted his shield and sidestepped the lunging Alaric.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh…

Like a well-rehearsed honor guard, every person standing between Alaric and Ethan smoothly stepped aside. Even the heavy hitters—Regis, Uncle Jed, and the Dragon Child—simply shifted their positions, clearing a path.

“AAAH! Hit me! Come on, hit me! FIGHT ME!” Alaric screamed, his eyes wild and fixed on Ethan as he closed the distance, his posture that of a brawling street thug.

But the moment he got within arm’s reach of Ethan…

SMACK!

A loud, crisp sound rang out, echoing in the sudden silence.

Far away, the stone-faced doppelganger’s eyes flickered for a microsecond. Then, they returned to their usual dead calm.

The original Alaric, meanwhile, was spun around a full 720 degrees in the air, stumbling like a top.

Ethan stood firm, one hand still clamped on the captive double’s head, draining an endless stream of energy. His other hand was now raised high in the air. To Leo and the others, the pose looked like a supremely confident, utterly badass victory stance.