Then, after a brief hesitation, he added:
"About our wager…"
"You said I won. But that's not true."
"If you hadn't stepped in,
we would've all died."
"…This is my loss."
Ethan admitted it plainly.
But Jackson shook his head.
"No."
"This is your victory."
"You freed everyone from the curse."
"You turned the tide."
"And more importantly—
you proved your worth… enough for me to step in."
"You said you would free us all."
"…And that's exactly what you did."
"Results are what matter."
The moment he heard that, Ethan smiled.
"Then I won't hesitate… since you're the one who admitted defeat."
Seizing the opportunity, Ethan did what he did best—
gathering information.
Gathering enough to construct a real plan—
a path to victory… and survival
within the nightmare known as Old Ashvarn.
"What exactly is happening in this city…?
And where did you come from?
I don't believe there exists a Heart of your strength
that no one knows about."
