Ethan stood up slowly, every muscle still aching from the previous night’s events. He walked toward the window, gazing at the quiet, pristine streets of the elite residential area.
There was no sign of the bustling city life here, just the stillness of luxury and privilege. The peaceful atmosphere outside contrasted sharply with the storm of thoughts raging in his mind.
‘Is this really safety?’ he wondered. ‘Just because I’m here, away from the chaos of the city, does that mean they won’t come for me?’
His mind drifted toward his family, and an uneasy knot formed in his stomach. If the Great Families saw him as a threat, would they also go after his loved ones?
Lena had warned him about their ruthlessness, about how far they would go to maintain their power. The thought of his family being dragged into this new world of danger was unbearable.
Lena mentioned that his abilities were nothing for the Great Families to worry about. The higher-ups and heads of the families would simply ignore him.
However, the heirs and lower-ranked family members might have different plans. They could try to gain favor with Anton, hope to rise in rank and status within their own families, or even join the Petrova family.
“I might be safe for now,” Ethan mused. “My strength would be enough to go against them for now. But still, I need to do something about my family.”
Turning away from the window, Ethan sighed deeply. His life had already changed so much since he got the Unlimited System. Still, now, with the revelation of the Ascendants, it was clear that everything was about to become far more complicated.
Lena’s words about the realm of the Ascendants echoed in his mind. He hadn’t noticed it last night, but as he thought about it, he pulled up his Status Panel, and something had changed.
=====
[Status Panel]
Name: Ethan Cole
Level: 6
Rank: Lower Star Apprentice
EXP: 11500 / 15000
Ascension Points: 53
Wealth: Unlimited
Attributes:
Strength: 44
Speed: 44
Endurance: 42
Intelligence: 47
Charisma: 39
Free Attribute Points: 30
Skills:
1. Krav Maga [Master]
2. Close Quarters Combat [Master]
3. Muay Thai [Master]
4. Tactical Firearms [Basic]
5. Heightened Senses
=====
‘Lower Star Apprentice,’ Ethan thought, eyes scanning the words. ‘So the Ascension Points are tied to this “Ascendant” thing.’
He muttered to himself, “What is really going on? Why did the system choose me? And what’s my grand mission here?”
Everything had shifted so suddenly. He was just launching a cutting-edge tech company. But, he was now thrust into a world of hidden power, with ancient families ruling in the shadows. He didn’t just have to worry about competition anymore; now, there were people with abilities far beyond the norm.
He glanced back at the Status Panel. The numbers showed his current limits, but the Ascension Points promised more. ‘I need to grow stronger,’ he thought. ‘But how far does this go? And why me?’
Shaking off the doubts gnawing at him, Ethan decided to take immediate control over the one thing he could—his strength. He needed to push himself higher and fast. Too many unknowns were swirling around, and he had to be prepared for whatever came next.
Without hesitation, he accessed the system and chose to allocate his Free Attribute Points. A familiar sensation flowed through his body as the system adjusted his physical and mental attributes.
=====
[Status Panel]
Name: Ethan Cole
Level: 6
Rank: Lower Star Apprentice
EXP: 11500 / 15000
Ascension Points: 53
Wealth: Unlimited
Attributes:
Strength: 50
Speed: 50
Endurance: 48
Intelligence: 53
Charisma: 45
Free Attribute Points: 0
Skills:
1. Krav Maga [Master]
2. Close Quarters Combat [Master]
3. Muay Thai [Master]
4. Tactical Firearms [Basic]
5. Heightened Senses
=====
Ethan stared at the panel, expecting something to change—his rank, perhaps. But nothing happened. He had hit the 50-mark for Strength and Speed, but there was no upgrade, no promotion to “Low Star Apprentice” as he had hoped.
‘So that’s not it,’ he realized. ‘The system must be stricter with me. It probably wants me to hit 50 in all attributes before my rank changes.’
His mind flashed back to Anton. The man hadn’t seemed particularly bright or skilled, yet his strength had been on par with Ethan’s. It made Ethan think that for others, their rank might only depend on physical attributes—Strength, Speed, and Endurance—but for him, it seemed like every stat mattered.
‘Maybe the system is holding me to a higher standard,’ Ethan mused, ‘or maybe it’s preparing me for something more.’
Ethan was about to open the Shop Panel when his phone buzzed, interrupting his thoughts. Glancing at the screen, he saw that David was calling. He did not hesitate for a second before answering.
“Hey, Ethan. How are you holding up?” David’s voice was filled with concern, a hint of guilt weighing down his tone.
“I’m alright,” Ethan replied, leaning against his desk. He could sense what was coming next.
“I… I just want to say I’m deeply sorry for everything that happened,” David continued. “If I had known what the Great Families would pull, I would’ve limited the invitations and kept it to people I knew were, well… normal.”
Ethan sighed but smiled faintly. “Don’t worry about it, David. It’s done, and there’s nothing we can do now. Besides, didn’t you see how I fared last night?”
David burst out laughing. “Who would have thought that you’re a fighter too? It looks like you could easily beat Anton.”
“Easy? I was caught off guard at first. It was so sudden that I couldn’t believe people still act like barbarians from the old days,” Ethan replied, trying to keep the mood light.
“I agree. But somehow, Anton’s words struck a chord. We humans have always acted this way. We have armies, weapons, and… wars,” David said, his tone becoming more serious.
He added, “It’s just that with wealth, we can have better of those things.”
Ethan paused for a moment, reflecting on David’s words. Everything he said was true. It wasn’t strange for them to act this way. What could even the wealthiest people in the world really do?
They would likely build up their armies and strengthen them to the maximum, ensuring that others wouldn’t run off with their riches.
“I believe you are right, David. When we put things that way, it was not weird at all.”
As Ethan spoke, his mind wandered. ‘It was impossible to avoid this,’ he thought. ‘The system wanted me to have the grandest office possible. It was bound to attract the attention of the Great Families, no matter what. The system is pushing me to face them sooner or later.’
David’s voice snapped him back to the conversation. “You know what? Charles was furious. He tore into me for my negligence. I mean, I really should’ve seen this coming.”
Ethan couldn’t help but chuckle. “Charles is always on top of things. Don’t take it personally.”
He remembered the first time he met Charles at the bank. Now, he wondered about Charles’s role in his life. The system recognized Charles and David as influential figures who significantly impacted him during one of his earliest missions.
They talked for a few more minutes, the conversation lightening as they drifted away from the heavier topic of the Great Families. Eventually, David wrapped up the call. “Alright, go get some rest. See you on Monday, Ethan.”
“Yeah, see you then,” Ethan replied, ending the call and placing his phone down.
As he sat there, his mind returned to the tasks at hand. He had something far more pressing than the incident with the Great Families—the mission for NovaTech’s first project.
It was still ongoing, and although it wasn’t difficult, he hadn’t yet dedicated the time to complete it.
Ethan rubbed his temples, feeling frustrated for being so easily distracted. Although he knew the prototype should be his main focus, he couldn’t help but split his attention.
On the one hand, he wanted to enjoy the system’s benefits. On the other hand, he was too preoccupied with moving his family into safety and completing the other missions first.
‘Time to fix that,’ he thought.
The system had given him a clear path, and if there was one thing Ethan knew, it was that preparation was key. He couldn’t afford to be reactive, especially when he suspected the system would eventually give him missions to generate profit, expand NovaTech, and increase its influence.
He needed to stay ahead of it.
With renewed focus, Ethan settled in for the weekend. He dove into the work, tweaking and perfecting the prototypes for the upcoming projects.
Each idea was carefully designed to positively impact the community while driving profits for NovaTech. Ethan had planned everything meticulously, from the initial designs to how they would be introduced to the market. He wanted to ensure that NovaTech’s rise wouldn’t be temporary—it would be revolutionary.
With his recent increase in Intelligence, the work flowed smoothly. His mind processed complex equations and design elements faster, and everything clicked effortlessly. What would have taken days of trial and error now took mere hours. He could feel himself growing sharper, more efficient.
A small sense of satisfaction settled over him as he finalized the last of the prototypes. He was back on track, preparing not just for the success of NovaTech but for whatever challenges the system—and the world—would throw his way.
Now, he just needed to hand over the prototypes and plans for the team to work on improving it.
