There was a distinct undertone in Morzan's words.
Ethan asked directly, "What do you mean?"
"Do you think you're all that powerful now?"
The question made Ethan think of the time he'd sliced a mutant into five pieces with a single strike. He nodded and said, "I'm decent, I guess. Not bad."
"Good. Keep that humility," Morzan said, completely ignoring Ethan's self-satisfied tone.
He continued, "Your Core has just formed, and the roots of the sprout within it haven't fully taken hold yet. It can't draw energy from external sources. Didn't you notice how it almost withered after you used that move?"
Ethan was stunned. He hadn't noticed—mostly because he'd spent so long as an ordinary person that he'd never developed the habit of internal observation. But if Morzan said so, he wouldn't lie. Ethan quickly asked, "How do I fix it? How do I make it draw energy?"
