I Am a Hero With A Hundred Abilities
Chapter 78 - 78: Ch 77. Soulbound

Ethan stood at the center of his room, a calm storm of purpose brewing behind his golden eyes. On the table before him were the six materials laid out with deliberate care that he had "painstakingly" acquired:

Voltherium Ore, a pale blue metal that hummed faintly with electric resonance; Wyrmscale Alloy, forged from tempered drake scales, prized for its near-unbreakable durability;

Celestine Quartz, softly glowing with a crystalline brilliance that amplified energy flow; Voidthread Fiber, rare and elusive, spun from the essence of creatures found in Abyss dens, perfect for channeling abilities with finesse;

Aethersteel Shards, fragments of a meteoric alloy that shimmered in response to the meta essence in the air; and the Crimson Ignis Core, a volcanic gem pulsing steadily with raw, contained heat.

He paused for a moment, hands hovering above the arrangement, and allowed himself a thought.

"This ability... it's somehow similar to Sophia's Blade Summon."

The comparison was inevitable. Her ability allowed her to summon a blade from a personal dimension, forged and refined to suit her style.

"But mine... mine is on a different level. She summons what she's stored. I create what I imagine."

A smirk ghosted across his face.

"I wonder how I compare to her now..."

He had defeated Guardian Angel, a Level 6 hero, and though it hadn't been easy, he won.

Sophia was strong—undeniably so—but unless she had been hiding something, the gap between them had already shifted in his favor.

Still, Ethan knew that power wasn't just numbers—it was application. He'd need to spar with her soon. Not out of arrogance, but because he wanted to know.

"Feels like yesterday I arrived here, clueless and unranked... and now I'm climbing toward the top."

His eyes darkened slightly as he thought of the voice and the warning it gave him of an unknown enemy. One he would only learn about once he was strong enough.

"But that's later. First… I have to win this tournament. Sophia's father isn't going to heal himself."

He tightened his jaw, the weight of purpose anchoring him.

"And after that… it's back to grinding."

With everything in place, he took one last breath and reached out. His hand hovered over the Primorite Heart, still pulsing like a living organism of crystallized energy.

Then he uttered—his voice low and clear—

"{Manifest Armament}."

As Ethan activated the ability, a low hum filled the room. As a glowing circular rune spread out beneath the arranged materials, forming a complex lattice of interlocking symbols that shimmered with crimson and silver light.

The materials responded instantly—drawn in like offerings to an ancient forge god—including the matured Primorite Heart, which floated to the center with reverence.

A surge of connection formed between Ethan and the rune—a mental link that flooded his senses with raw potential. He blinked once, then smirked.

"So this is how I design the weapon… interesting."

He focused, diving fully into the forging link. Every fiber of his being honed in as he manipulated the essence of each material, blending their traits with delicate precision.

The Voltherium Ore formed the internal conductors, ready to channel electricity like nerves in a living arm. Wyrmscale Alloy wove into the external structure, making it nigh-indestructible.

Celestine Quartz formed inner lattice nodes to amplify energy surges, while Voidthread Fiber etched itself into the lining, allowing the gauntlets to adapt to spatial shifts and power fluxes.

Aethersteel Shards added volatile responsiveness to meta essence, and the Crimson Ignis Core served as the stabilizer and hidden furnace.

At the center of it all, the Primorite Heart pulsed—providing not only raw power, but a kind of intelligent resonance while also raising the potential of the other materials.

An hour passed in deep concentration before the link snapped. The rune pulsed, taking on a rhythmic thrum like a heartbeat.

"Now we wait," Ethan said, sinking onto his bed.

Five long hours crawled by.

The rune glowed steadily as Ethan, eyes sharp, never left its side—paranoia or not, he wasn't letting anyone take what he had crafted from his own ambition.

His stomach growled but he ignored it. When the rune began to dim, Ethan sat up.

"Did something go wrong?"

A flash burst from the rune—and something small was ejected. Ethan caught it instantly.

"The Primorite Heart?" he muttered, inspecting it. It was pale, drained—its vibrant energy completely spent.

Before he could process further, the rune flared. The air shimmered as energy condensed violently above it—then the room fell silent as two gauntlets materialized, hovering in the air like relics of a forgotten war god.

They were sleek, intimidating, and beautifully forged. Colored a deep obsidian black, they shimmered subtly under the light with crimson circuit-like etchings that pulsed in sync with meta essence.

The design was angular, almost draconic in shape, with thin, flared fins along the forearms resembling wing spines. Each gauntlet extended from fist to just below the elbow, molded to fit with anatomical perfection, as though they were grown rather than built.

The knuckles were reinforced with jagged ridges, and the palms bore an intricate emblem that resembled a stylized eye of lightning split by a blade.

Veins of molten red pulsed beneath the black outer shell, faintly illuminating as if something alive breathed within the weapon.

Ethan's lips curled into a grin.

"Now that's what I'm talking about."

Without hesitation, Ethan stepped forward and slid his hands into the gauntlets.

The moment he did, an overwhelming surge of energy rushed through him—so sudden and immense that it felt like his skull might shatter.

His vision went white, his body frozen in place as his consciousness was violently pulled into an unknown space.

Darkness surrounded him. An endless void. Then—

It blinked.

A colossal, slit-pupiled dragon eye, larger than mountains and blazing with ancient intelligence, opened before him.

Its golden iris burned like a sun in the pitch-black emptiness, staring directly into his soul.

Ethan was paralyzed—not by fear, but by the sheer weight of its presence.

Then a voice echoed.

"You are worthy to wield me."

It was not spoken aloud—it reverberated through the marrow of his bones, a voice that carried the tone of judgment, command, and timeless knowing.

And then—

The void shattered.

Ethan gasped as his senses snapped back to his room. He was standing where he had been, the gauntlets securely bound to his arms, now pulsing softly with inner light.

He steadied himself, exhaling slowly.

"That was... weird. Was that the soul of the gauntlet?" he murmured, but he pushed the thought aside.

Instead, he closed his eyes and reached inward—not to the core he shared with Gray, but deeper. There, bound to him like a second heart, was a new presence: the gauntlet's soul.

A sharp ping sounded in his mind as a system interface materialized before his eyes:

---

[Soulbound Armament Interface Activated]

Name: No Name

Description: A weapon forged by mortal hands that dared to mimic the divine. Infused with a matured Primorite Heart and constructed from rare materials enhanced by the Primorite heart, this gauntlet possesses a soul of its own—an echo of something far greater. It recognizes only those worthy to ascend beyond mortality.

Traits Unlocked:

— [Power]: Greatly enhances the user's strength, striking force, and physical resilience beyond standard capacity.

Traits Locked:

— [Mind]: Locked

— [Soul]: Locked

— [Reality]: Locked

— [Space]: Locked

— [Time]: Locked

Evolution Progress: [0 / 10,000]

---

Ethan's eyes narrowed with satisfaction.

"Everything is how I made it to be."

The Power Trait alone was more than enough for now. The others—Mind, Soul, Reality, Space, and Time—would awaken only when the gauntlet evolved further.

To evolve it, he needed to kill.

More specifically, he had to slay with the gauntlets themselves—bloodshed was the catalyst for its growth. Brutal, yes. But necessary.

"Good thing," he said darkly, "there are enough dreadbeasts for me to hunt."

Then his gaze flicked to the top of the interface again.

Name: No Name

He tilted his head.

"What should I call you?"

The gauntlets pulsed in response. Not violently—but warmly. As if awaiting his answer, as if it, too, wanted a name. Ethan felt the bond deepen for a brief instant.

He smiled.

"I've got it. I'll name you—"

.....

A/N I know this is late to ask but how are you enjoying the story so far.

If you have any ideas for the story in the long run you can put it in the comments. Thank you for reading