" Alright, that's enough."
Selena looked at Ethan seriously, her tone leaving no room for argument. "From this moment on, you need to truly understand what your power is. You're not just an ordinary mage who uses darkness—you coexist with it."
Still frustrated from his previous failures, Ethan frowned. "So what does that mean? Am I supposed to become some kind of dark creature?"
Selena's gaze sharpened. "No. But you're the only one who doesn't just control darkness—you live with it. The difference is that an ordinary mage wields darkness like a tool, but for you… darkness is a part of you."
Luna, who was lounging on the couch, smirked. "So, officially a half-demon now?"
Fayra shot her a glare. "No, idiot. Half-demons are corrupt. But Ethan's power… it's something else entirely."
Ethan ran a hand through his hair. "Alright, then what? How am I supposed to control this ability?"
Selena sighed. "That's what you need to learn. But first, you have to understand that this power is a two-way connection. You don't just summon darkness—darkness senses you too."
Ethan raised an eyebrow. "Senses me? What does that even mean?"
Selena clasped her hands together. "Try it now. Close your eyes and listen to the darkness."
Ethan took a deep breath, shut his eyes, and focused… but felt nothing. Just silence.
"Well? Am I supposed to hear something?"
"Not hear… feel."
This time, he concentrated harder. Instead of seeing darkness as some external force, he tried to accept it as a part of himself. And suddenly—
"Ahh!"
A strange sensation washed over him, like something was trying to communicate with him—not with words, but with emotions. It was as if the shadows were whispering to him, embracing him like an old friend.
He opened his eyes and stared at his hands in shock. "I… I can feel it."
Selena smiled. "Now you understand."
Learning His First Ability—"Resonance with Darkness"
Selena continued, "The first thing you need to master is something called Resonance with Darkness. This ability allows you to hear and sense the darkness around you. You'll be able to detect strong pockets of shadow, determine where your power can be used most effectively, and even—"
Luna grinned mischievously. "And maybe one day, you'll be able to talk to the darkness!"
Ethan's eyes widened. "Wait, so I can communicate with shadows?"
Selena shrugged. "It's too early to say how far you can go. But first, you need to learn how to use it."
Ethan nodded. "Alright. How do I test it?"
Selena gestured toward the corner of the room. "Go there and close your eyes. Try to sense which areas are darker than the rest."
Ethan walked over, shut his eyes, and focused. After a moment, he felt it—a particular spot in the room that was denser with shadow. Without opening his eyes, he pointed toward it. "There. Right?"
When he opened his eyes, he saw his finger aimed precisely at a thick patch of shadow.
Selena smiled approvingly. "Exactly."
Fayra crossed her arms. "Hmph. Well, at least now you're not a completely useless idiot."
Ethan smirked. "Appreciate the vote of confidence."
Controlling the Darkness—Coexistence, Not Struggle
Selena stepped forward. "Alright. Now that you can sense the darkness, it's time for the next step. Your problem is that you keep fighting against it instead of synchronizing with it."
Ethan sighed. "Fine, fine. But how do I sync with it?"
Selena moved closer. "This time, instead of trying to summon the darkness, let it come to you."
Ethan hesitated but decided to give it a try. He closed his eyes again, but instead of pulling the energy outward, he simply stood still and allowed the darkness to find him.
And suddenly, the shadows wrapped around him.
Selena smiled in satisfaction. "Perfect. Now, open your eyes."
Ethan slowly opened them and looked down. Soft, flowing shadows coiled around his body like a living cloak. But this time, he didn't feel suffocated. Instead, he felt… embraced.
"I… did it?"
Selena nodded. "Yes. This was the first step. You're no longer fighting against the darkness. You've synchronized with it."
For the first time, Ethan felt like he was truly beginning to understand his power.
Luna, who had been watching silently, finally grinned and leaned forward. "Well, well, looks like he's actually learning something! But let's see if it's useful in a real fight."
Ethan clenched his fists. Now that he had taken his first step, he was ready to learn more.
A Sudden Visitor
Ethan was still sitting on the floor, trying to recover from the mental exhaustion of training. Working with darkness under the watchful eyes of three relentless dragon girls was no easy task. He took a deep breath when—
BANG, BANG, BANG!
A loud knocking echoed through the apartment.
Everyone froze. An eerie silence filled the room. Still dazed, Ethan glanced at the door, then back at the three girls.
"Uh… were any of you expecting someone?" he asked cautiously.
Fayra shrugged. "If you were, you sure didn't tell us."
Luna smirked and lounged on the couch. "Well, well… let's see who our unexpected guest is."
Selena, however, frowned. "I have a bad feeling about this."
Ethan groaned as he pushed himself up and walked toward the door. Just as he reached for the handle, the knocking came again—louder this time.
"Ethan! Open up!"
He stiffened. No way… it couldn't be.
That voice—he knew it very well. Holding his breath, he prepared himself for what was surely going to be an interrogation.
Slowly, he opened the door, and his eyes widened in shock.
A young woman with light brown hair, sharp brown eyes, and a casual outfit stood in the doorway.
Alice.
Arms crossed, expression stormy, she glared at him.
"Why the hell haven't you been answering my calls?!"
Ethan opened his mouth, but no words came out. How was he supposed to explain that he'd been too busy fighting dimensional demons and training with three dragon girls to even look at his phone?
Alice didn't wait for an answer. Instead, she glanced into the apartment—
And immediately froze.
Three unbelievably beautiful girls were sitting inside. One with fiery red hair, another with glowing violet eyes, and the last with an icy, unreadable expression.
Her gaze darted between Ethan and the girls. Then, in a voice laced with disbelief, irritation, and suspicion, she asked:
"Ethan… who are they?"
Luna, seizing the moment, sauntered up, wrapped an arm around Ethan's, and purred, "Oh, darling, aren't you going to introduce us to your friend?"
Ethan nearly choked. "Luna! What are you doing?!"
Alice's expression darkened. "'Darling'?"
Luna grinned, clearly enjoying the chaos. "Oh, don't worry. We're just… how should I say it? His new housemates."
Alice's eyes narrowed. "Housemates? Three girls? Living in the same place as Ethan?" She took a deep breath. "Tell me this is a joke."
Selena, already tired of the conversation, sighed. "If you think it's a joke, you're welcome to leave."
Alice shot her a glare. "I don't think this concerns you." Then, turning back to Ethan, she demanded, "Well? Are you going to explain?"
Ethan, now caught between Alice and three dragon girls, could feel his blood pressure rising. Damn it, what do I do?!
Truth or Lie?
Ethan now had two choices:
1. Tell Alice the truth and drag her into this dangerous world.
2. Lie and pretend these girls were just normal friends.
He met Alice's expectant gaze. Then looked at Luna, who was clearly enjoying this, Fayra, who seemed ready to explode, and Selena, as unreadable as ever.
Taking a deep breath, he said, "Well… the truth is…"