"Ethan—what did your Innate Ability evolve into this time?" Chris asked.
Ethan's grin turned a little smug. "Heh. This one's actually pretty fun. Silencing Gaze."
Everyone leaned in.
"I can lock down their mental energy," Ethan said, tapping his temple. "For a short time, they can't use skills."
"…They can't use skills!?" Big Mike's eyes went wide. "Even someone stronger than you?"
"Yeah." Ethan nodded. "Duration depends on the target's strength. If they're stronger than me, I can still silence them—just not for long."
"Holy shit," Sean breathed. "Boss, that's disgusting."
Ethan waved it off like he wasn't secretly thrilled. "It's about time. My Innate Ability rolled so many garbage effects—finally got something worth keeping."
He looked down at his hands, then up again, confidence sharpening in his gaze.
"With everything I've got now… even if I run into a Tier 39, I'm not scared."
That wasn't empty swagger.
