Ethan went to bed peacefully. After all, he wasnât the kind of protagonist who needed to grind day and night to grow powerful.
All he neededâwas time.
The next morning, Ethan checked his status:
> [Master: Ethan Hunt
Physique: 0.4
Spirit: 0.4]
As expected of his mighty system, his attributes had doubled once again. He now possessed 400 kg of force in both body and spirit. A surge of vitality coursed through himâhe felt lighter, sharper, and more alive than ever.
After freshening up, he walked out to see breakfast already laid on the table. A note rested beside the plate. It was from his mother:
> "Honey, we need to go to the office. You eat before going to school, okay? Love you."
Reading the simple note, warmth bloomed inside his chest. This kind of simple careâthis motherly affectionâwas something Ethan had never known before. And it hit him harder than he expected.
Smiling softly, he sat down and enjoyed a hearty meal before heading to school.
Inside Class 10â
Ryan was grumbling about his insomnia, as usual. Heâd gone to sleep late again and now spent the entire day feeling like a walking corpse.
Suddenly, he looked at Ethan with squinted eyes.
"Hey, Ethan, you look different. What happened, man? Got yourself a little wife or something? Waitâdid little Miss Rose finally agree to bear your child, huh?" he teased with a perverted grin.
Ethan rolled his eyes and smacked Ryan on the head.
"I wish that were true," he said, half-laughing.
Ryan rubbed the back of his head, still smiling like a fool.
"No, seriously, broâyou look healthier. Fresher. What gives?"
Ethan thought for a moment, then replied, "Iâve been doing some martial arts training lately. Maybe thatâs why?" His voice was thoughtful, like even he wasnât quite sure.
Ryanâs eyes widened. "Martial arts training? Seriously? Didnât we promise to be slick-pants young masters forever? Why the hell would you start training now? Trying to get into Aurora Martial University to impress your little crush?"
Ethan didnât argue. He just chuckled and said, "Yeah... something like that."
Ryan grinned and clapped him on the back. "Then Iâll just have to stick to your thick thigh in the future, oh future martial prodigy!"
Before the banter could continue, Teacher Arnold walked into the classroom.
"Attention, everyone. We have an announcement today," he said, scanning the room. "Previously, I told you the Quasi-Warrior Certification Test would be held on July 15th. However, due to some urgent circumstances, the date has been moved forward. The test will now take place on July 7th. Be ready."
The classroom erupted in gasps. Some were excited. Others panickedâthey didnât have enough time to prepare or build up their strength.
Ryan groaned, "Damn it, my old man was nagging me to join a gym yesterday,I was even planning to visit a gym. But now do I have enough time even if I wanted to?"
Ethan, on the other hand, remained calm. He wasnât too surprised. At his current pace, he would surpass the required threshold by tomorrowâand still have four days to spare.
After class, Ethan and Ryan went to grab lunch together in the canteen. While waiting in line, someone suddenly shoved Ethan from behind, trying to cut in front of him.
Without thinking, Ethan grabbed the personâs wrist and twisted it behind their back in one smooth, instinctive motion.
A squeal pierced the air.
"Aaah! Let go! Let gooo!"
It was Markâa minor school tyrant. Hailing from a wealthy family, Markâs grandfather was none other than the renowned martial master, Eric Silva.
Ethan didnât care about any of that. He was simply returning the favor for being shoved.
Mark struggled and yelled, "You idiot! Do you know who I am?! Iâm Mark Silvaâgrandson of Eric Silva himself!"
Ethan smirked:.
"Huh. Good for you. I just go by Ethan."
The students nearby burst into laughter.
Mark turned beet red from the humiliation. Wherever he went, people scrambled to curry favor with him. But this guyâthis Ethanâdidnât play by the rules.
"Youâll regret this!" Mark snarled. "Iâll make you regret ever touching me!"
But before things could escalate, a calm, commanding voice rang out.
"Thatâs enough, Mark."
It was Roseâthe class president. Beautiful, composed, and universally respected. Despite not coming from a well-off family, her charisma gave her a status no wealth could buy.
"You tried to cut in line and now youâre openly threatening someone? Maybe I should report this to the principal," she said sternly.
Markâs bravado evaporated. He paled and backed down. Not only did he fear the principal, but he also had a huge crush on Rose.
Gritting his teeth, he stomped away without another word.
Ethan watched him go, eyes narrowing. That look in Markâs eyes... it was dangerous. He might become a thorn in Ethanâs side. Maybe, Ethan mused, it would be better to remove him altogether.
He turned to Rose and gave a sincere smile. "Thanks for stepping in."
Rose returned the smile. "Youâre pretty impressive, Ethan. I didnât know you had it in you. You stopped Markâs hand without even looking. Looks like youâve been training hard in martial arts."
Ethan scratched the back of his head sheepishly. He hadnât trained in any martial arts at allâit had been pure reflex, born from the rise in his spirit power.
Back at the table, Ryan was already back to teasing.
"Man, youâre on a roll! Even our future sister-in-law praised you. Good for you, bro~"
Ethan smacked his head again, grinning as he sat down.
Getting recognition from his crush... it felt pretty damn good.
When Ethan got home that evening, his parents were still out.
He lay on his bed, thinking back on the dayâs events.
He had humiliated Markâsomeone who, in typical novels, would stop at nothing for revenge, even if it meant destroying entire families. Ethan decided to keep a close eye on him. If Mark did anything reckless...
Heâd kill him. Without hesitation.
Four days passed in the blink of an eye.
July 7th.
Ethan stood in the school courtyard along with the other students. Today, they were going to the Martial Associationâs branch to get their Quasi-Warrior Certificates.
He opened his system panel:
> [Master: Ethan Hunt
Physique: 6.4
Spirit: 6.4]
In just four days, both his attributes had reached 6.4âa total increase of sixteen times.
And more than that, he had broken through the iron rule: no one was supposed to exceed 1000 kg of force before unlocking their gene lock.
Now, Ethan had over six tons of force coursing through both body and spirit.
And something else had awakenedâmental energy just after his spirit had crossed the 1 point mark.
He could now move objects from afar using sheer will. At 6 point, he could control up to 6 tons in total, but only up to six individual objects at a time. Even if the total mass was within limits, he couldnât manipulate more than six things at once.
Still, Ethan wasnât worried. Heâd figure things out as he went.
His eyes swept across the courtyard and landed on Mark.
Strangely, Mark hadnât made a move over the past four days. That surprised Ethanâbut he didnât dwell on it.
Mark, however, was seething with venomous rage. He had gone to his father about Ethan, but was told to hold back until after the certification. Once he had that certificate in hand... Ethan would be nothing more than a bug to squash.
Mark had also taken a body-strengthening fluid. His current strength had surpassed 700 kg. He was confident heâd pass with flying colors.
He glared at Ethan and muttered under his breath, "Just wait. After today, Iâll show you what hell really means."
---
Teacher Arnold stepped forward, gave a short motivational speech, and ushered the students onto the bus.
Ethan couldnât help but feel excited.
He had a strange feeling.
Today... he might awaken a talent.
Letâs see what the future holds.