Ethan could understand why Tony would suddenly say something like that.
After becoming a god, Ethan had once again created a distance between himself and the people around him.
Compared to Logan, who often stayed by his side, Tony couldn't help but worry whether Ethan had changed in some way.
When someone suddenly gains great wealth, their personality and mindset tend to change significantly, not to mention Ethan, who had gone from being human to becoming a god. That transformation was far more drastic than simply becoming rich overnight.
So, when Tony confirmed that Ethan hadn't changed and was still the same "person" he had always known, he let out a quiet sigh of relief.
Tony wasn't trying to judge Ethan or steer him back onto some "right path." He was simply relieved.
"So, how do you plan to use the techniques for this Cosmo power?"
"Maybe I'll need to recruit a lot of warriors in the future. Or maybe not. I'll bring them out when I need them and put them away when I don't."
Tony didn't think that kind of behavior was wasteful. Whether it was mages or scientists, they all did their share of excessive, even pointless things. As someone who was both, Tony pushed that to the extreme. Plus, he was a super-rich man, so he could afford to be wasteful without restraint.
"Before that, let's entertain our unexpected guest."
Ethan and Tony were chatting in the courtyard. A large estate like this should normally have many staff members and a certain number of security personnel.
But the situation at Ethan's place was special. The staff would come during the day to clean and prepare meals, then leave after completing their tasks.
As for security personnel, not a single one had been hired. Although many companies in Star City had enthusiastically pitched their security services and equipment, Tony simply ignored them.
Seriously? With the people living here, do we still need ordinary security guards?
Not to mention the Green Arrow's secret base was here. Hiring too many guards would only cause unnecessary trouble.
Of course, the downside of this choice was that it attracted the occasional petty thief, but today's visitor was no petty thief.
Looking at Malcolm Merlyn, dressed in black and fully equipped, Ethan wasn't surprised to see he was still alive. What did surprise him was that this guy had come here.
"Looks like you have some skill, to be able to detect me."
Malcolm stepped out of the shadows, then frowned, visibly surprised as he looked at the two men sitting calmly not far away.
Dressed in black and concealed by the night, combined with the stealth skills he'd learned from the League of Assassins, Malcolm was confident he could sneak into most places undetected.
In his eyes, these two—one who looked somewhat strong but mostly like a rich middle-aged man, and the other a spoiled rich kid—should not have been able to spot him. Clearly, he had miscalculated.
"Malcolm Merlyn, what brings you here?"
Ethan didn't even rise from his lounge chair. Tony was the same, still semi-reclined. He casually picked up a drink and took a sip.
"Oh, you know me."
"Of course. Everyone in Star City knows you. The lunatic who tried to destroy the Glades." Ethan set his cup down. "I'm curious. Why didn't you stay 'dead'?"
"You knew I faked my death?" Malcolm gripped the bow and arrow in his hand. "Looks like you know quite a bit."
"I know more than you think." Ethan repeated his question. "You still haven't answered me. Why are you here?"
Malcolm stared at Ethan coldly for a while, then suddenly drew a custom arrow and pulled the string. "I heard you've been training Thea. I want to see if you're qualified to teach her."
"Thea?"
Ethan immediately understood. So Malcolm had already discovered that Thea Queen was his daughter. Most likely, this handsome older man, often mistaken for "Tommy's brother," had already made up his mind to take his daughter away and personally train her.
As for how he found out Ethan was training Thea?
That wasn't hard to guess. Aside from attending school, Thea had been visiting Ethan's place regularly for the past year. While she hadn't bulked up into a muscular warrior, her physique and movements had noticeably changed, clearly showing signs of professional training. It wasn't strange that someone like Malcolm would catch on.
He had probably contacted Moira too. Considering Moira still misunderstood the nature of Ethan and Thea's relationship, Malcolm's visit was likely not just to "test qualifications."
"So that's how it is."
Ethan stood up and walked to within five meters of Malcolm, facing him directly, completely ignoring the arrow pointed at him.
Malcolm had been watching Ethan's expression closely. He noticed that the young man showed no tension at all while facing a drawn bow.
Was this due to complete confidence in his own strength, or just blind arrogance? He could judge for himself. With a release of his fingers, the special arrow flew out. At this range, even Green Arrow himself would have trouble avoiding it.
But the next second, Malcolm saw something unbelievable.
Ethan simply extended his index finger and tapped the tip of the incoming arrow. The specially made arrowhead, which could pierce almost any defense, was stopped cold by a single finger.
The arrow clattered to the ground in front of Ethan. Malcolm narrowed his eyes and looked closely at Ethan's finger, wondering if there was any special equipment or hidden device—some glove that could block a blade?
"Keep going, Malcolm. If you can make me raise a second finger, maybe I'll give you a reward."
Defeating Malcolm, even killing him, was no more difficult for Ethan than crushing a bug. He hadn't killed him right away not because he was Thea's biological father, but simply because Ethan had been bored lately and Malcolm happened to show up.
What followed was exactly what you'd expect. Malcolm used every technique he could think of, but no matter what he tried, Ethan countered it all with one finger.
Even when Malcolm rushed up and attacked with a weapon in close combat, Ethan still blocked and parried with a single finger. When his full-force blade strike couldn't even nick Ethan's finger, Malcolm knew it was time to run.
In fact, he realized this a bit too late. He felt that right after he shot that arrow, he should have turned and run.
Not that it would have mattered. Even if he had fled the moment the arrow left the string, he wouldn't have escaped if Ethan wanted to stop him.
Finally, Ethan flicked his finger and struck Malcolm's forehead directly, sending the infamous Dark Archer flying five meters back. The force knocked him out cold, ending this little game.
"Was it fun?"
"It was alright."
The difference in strength was far too great. Even Tony, who didn't have a divine body like Ethan, could physically overpower Malcolm if needed. Not to mention, both of them had far more tools than just brute force.
"What do you plan to do with him?" Tony walked over, looked at the unconscious Malcolm on the ground, and casually cast a few small spells to heal the worst of the damage—mainly the concussion. "Also, I'm really curious about his connection to Thea."
"Biological father and daughter."
Ethan looked down at Malcolm still lying on the ground.
"I know you're awake. Get up. Don't disgrace the Merlyn name."
One reason he hadn't killed Malcolm on the spot was related to that. The Merlyn surname had influenced Ethan a little. Although this Malcolm had no connection to the one who had helped him countless times, the name still held weight.
Malcolm suddenly sprang to his feet and looked at the two men in front of him. He didn't show any frustration at his defeat. He knew full well that this outcome was his fault for misjudging the enemy. The only thing to blame was inadequate reconnaissance.
He had already realized that these two were far from ordinary. They weren't just investors or rich eccentrics. The power Ethan had just displayed clearly wasn't something humans could possess.
"Who are you? What are your intentions toward Thea?"
Ethan paused slightly and looked at Malcolm again.
"You know what? Because of that question, I'll let you suffer a little less."
He had been debating whether to kill Malcolm Merlyn right away.
In Ethan's eyes, Malcolm was a major villain who had tried to destroy the Glades and kill countless innocent people. Though he had failed, the damage and casualties were real.
And even before launching that plan, Malcolm had done plenty of terrible things. Ethan wouldn't feel guilty at all for killing him.
But Malcolm genuinely cared about his daughter. In this world, Thea was his only remaining family. The man before him was deeply emotional, and that was also why he had done such crazy things to avenge his wife.
Because of his deep concern for Thea, Ethan considered sparing him unnecessary pain and giving him a quick death.
Malcolm, who had already accepted the possibility of his death, now only wanted to know who Ethan was and what his true motives were in approaching his daughter. In the eyes of someone like Malcolm, filled with schemes and suspicion, these two had to be part of some grand conspiracy, one that involved his only daughter.
(To be continued.)
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◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 200 Power Stones.
◇ You can read the ahead chapter on Pat if you're interested: p-atreon.c-om/Blownleaves (Just remove the hyphen to access normally.)