I Am a Hero With A Hundred Abilities

Chapter 90 - 90: Ch 89. Statement

As the storm settled and Ethan stepped down from the ring, his breath steadying, Sophia approached him with sharp eyes and a mind full of questions.

"What was that you did out there?" she asked, her voice low and direct. "I didn't know you had more than one ability."

Ethan turned to her with a calm smile, one corner of his mouth twitching upward.

He could see it—the curiosity burning behind her composed expression.

She wasn't just surprised—she was analyzing him, breaking down every move he made during the fight. She knew his ability was related to Force, and what she saw in the arena went far beyond that.

Lightning. Wind. A transformation that altered his physical form.

None of it lined up with what she understood of his ability.

In her head, a string of thoughts unraveled:

'Was the transformation responsible for the new abilities? Or were those powers separate? Could he be some kind of hybrid?

Or… is that transformation a catalyst?'

She needed answers.

Ethan met her gaze, the smirk still lingering.

"I experienced a Rank Surge last month," he said casually. "In the Duality Den and managed to cultivate another ability successfully."

Sophia blinked.

"…"

She didn't respond immediately—but she didn't have to.

Her silence was telling.

A Rank Surge? That was something whispered about in elite circles—a myth, really.

Rumored to grant those lucky enough to survive it an increase to their current rank. Her family, powerful as they were, had only ever heard of it in theory.

But now, here Ethan stood, using multiple abilities in perfect synergy—Force, Lightning, and Wind—while transforming his body. It was too clean to be luck.

"If you don't believe me," Ethan added, folding his arms, "me using more than one ability should be proof enough."

Sophia narrowed her eyes, studying him.

He had a point. She couldn't refute that logic.

She knew how hard it was to survive a Rank Surge. If Ethan truly experienced it, then everything he'd accomplished so far—his growth, his power, even surviving that matchup—it all made sense.

She stared into his eyes,

A ripple shimmered through the air where Kairo stood—then he vanished.

Immediately, Sophia activated {Sword Spirit}, her Meta Essence flaring like a brilliant aura. Her power surged, and her senses sharpened to the extreme.

"Cute," a voice echoed around her mockingly.

Suddenly, ripples bloomed across the arena, forming a dome around her. Sophia's eyes widened. She tried to move—but she was stuck. Trapped in his ability.

Then came the onslaught.

Blow after blow rained down on her from every angle, hammering her body and pushing her back to the edge of the ring. Blood spilled from her mouth and one of her knees hit the ground.

Kairo stepped forward from the shadows, casual and cruel.

"I'm surprised you survived that," he said, eyes gleaming.

Sophia kept her head down, breathing hard, avoiding his gaze. Then, without warning, she charged, a glowing sword forming in her hand. Kairo stepped aside with ease, and she struck again—and again—and again.

Each swing was sharp and skillful.

Each dodge from Kairo was frustratingly effortless.

But despite her injuries, Sophia never looked him in the eye.

Kairo, unimpressed, continued to harass her with his ripple attacks, each one a slow grind on her endurance. Until at last, Sophia dropped to both knees, bloodied and seemingly finished.

He appeared in front of her once more, tilting her chin up with a finger.

"Just give up," he said with a sneer.

"I've won."

Their eyes met.

Ethan, watching from the stands, clenched his fist.

As Kairo's ability flared to life.

But Sophia vanished.

Not from his ability—but from her own design.

He stumbled back, confused. Then something truly unbelievable happened:

The figure he'd been battling—shattered.

A sword taking her place as it cracked and fell.

"What…?" Kairo muttered.

From thin air, the real Sophia appeared, barely injured—her eyes sharp, her breathing steady.

She lunged.

Her sword aimed straight for his eye.

Kairo's instincts kicked in, and his ability flared to teleport—

But too late.

Her blade connected, cutting across his face just before he vanished completely.

From the stands, Ethan shot to his feet, pumping his fist.

"That's my Sophia!"

He understood it all now.

Sophia had used one of her abilities—Sword Substitute.

She had weaponized her own identity, crafting a sword imbued with her essence, allowing it to act as a decoy. The one Kairo had fought all along wasn't even her. It was a ruse.

She had waited for the right moment—when Kairo triggered his ability, which had a cooldown period—to strike with the real her.

Ethan could barely hold back his admiration for her battle IQ.

In the ring, Sophia calmly pointed her blade at Kairo, who now clutched his eye, a stream of blood running down his face.

"You… you made me bleed!" Kairo screamed, the calm gone from his voice.

Sophia didn't flinch. Her expression was cold as steel.

This was no longer just a match.

It was a statement.