Ethan Cole - The Unlimited System

Ethan stood in front of Hera's house, his new form cloaked in a brown traveler's robe he had taken from the patrol's remains. The evening light dimmed behind him, casting long shadows across the quiet path.

He had taken his time to move around the Cahaya Village to study more about the layout of the village and about the people here.

Turned out, the people here was nothing like the Elder. They were like normal people back on Earth.

They carried normal daily routines. It was the same. Only in a different world.

After a few hours outside, Ethan believed it was time for him to get some rest and because he was worried that Elder Harran might already sent someone to order Alden to see him, being captured to become the sacrifice for the ritual.

He raised his hand and knocked twice on the wooden door.

Inside, Alden peered cautiously through the small window beside the frame. He squinted at the unfamiliar man standing outside. His brows furrowed, unsure.

"Do you… know this guy?" he asked, turning to Hera, who was standing by the bookshelf, arms crossed.

Hera didn't hesitate. She stepped closer to the window, her sharp eyes scanning the figure once. Then she nodded.

"That's him," she said. "Let him in. Quickly."

Alden blinked, still confused, but trusted her judgment. He unlatched the lock and pulled the door open.

Ethan stepped inside without a word. The moment the door shut behind him, his form shimmered faintly, and within seconds, he returned to his original appearance.

Alden's eyes widened. "That… that's crazy."

But Hera only gave a small smirk. "Impressive. You're improving fast."

Ethan chuckled as he stepped deeper into the house and said, "Well, I don't really have the luxury of taking my time. I need to improve fast… I need to go back to my world."

Alden looked at him, brows tight, but said nothing. Hera, however, took a step forward and asked, "What did you find?"

Ethan let out a long sigh. He walked toward one of the chairs and dropped himself onto it slowly. His muscles still ached from the tension, from the weight of the sword, and from the performance he had just given.

Alden hovered nearby, fidgeting, before suddenly turning to Hera and whispering, "Wait, shouldn't you cast something on the house first? What if one of Elder Harran's men—or worse, Vareth—comes knocking?"

Hera arched a brow at him but said nothing.

Ethan smiled faintly and looked up. "You don't have to worry, Alden. Everything's been taken care of."

Alden stared at him. "What do you mean… 'taken care of'? You mean the people watching us?"

Ethan gave a small nod.

Even so, Hera casually tapped her umbrella three times on the floor. A faint ripple moved through the air, and an extra layer of translucent energy settled across the windows and doors.

"I've done it," she said, her voice calm. "Happy?"

Alden breathed out. "Yeah. Yeah, just being careful…"

"Good," Hera said, taking a seat. "Now talk, Ethan. I want to hear what you learned."

Alden sat too, still visibly tense.

Ethan nodded, then leaned back. His fingers tapped the armrest slowly as he spoke. "The Council Hall was clean. Too clean. The Elder's Library, too. Not a single document or item that could serve as proof. I thought I might find a letter or record, but… nothing."

Alden frowned. "Well… that makes sense, doesn't it? Everyone high up uses a storage ring. He probably keeps everything important inside it."

"Exactly," Ethan muttered. "I should've expected that."

He paused for a moment, then said, "But I did hear something. I wasn't supposed to… but I heard them talking."

"Who?" Hera asked.

"Elder Harran and someone from the Eastern Sea Empire. He's called Lord Qiren."

Alden stiffened. Hera narrowed her eyes.

"They're planning something," Ethan continued. "Something dangerous. Elder Harran is preparing to plant spies and traitors from the Velharis Empire into Kannan's ranks. Quietly. Over time. All under the Council's nose."

Alden's throat moved as he swallowed. "So he's… really betraying the Empire?"

"That's not all," Ethan said, his voice lower now. "They were talking about a ritual."

Both Hera and Alden went still.

"A ritual to summon demons," Ethan said. "I didn't catch everything, but they need someone specific for it. Someone with certain… conditions."

Alden leaned back, hands on his knees, eyes wide. "Summoning demons? What even…? Elder Harran being a traitor is already bad enough, but this? This is insane."

Ethan didn't argue.

Ethan turned to Alden, his expression darkening.

"There's something else," he said. "Something you need to hear."

Alden looked up slowly, already pale from everything he'd heard so far. "What is it now…?"

Ethan hesitated for a second. Then he said it plainly, "They mentioned you, Alden. Elder Harran… he's planning to use you as one of the sacrifices for the ritual."

The room went silent.

Even the air seemed to hold still.

Alden blinked. Once. Twice. "Me?"

Ethan nodded. "They'll come for you. Sooner than you think. They didn't mention an exact date, but they said by this moon."

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Alden's lips parted, but no words came.

He looked like he'd just been punched in the chest.

"You're serious?" he finally managed to say. "Me? But… I'm no one."

Hera's expression grew tense. She placed her umbrella gently on the table and looked toward the window where the evening light was beginning to dim.

"By this moon," she said slowly, "they must be referring to the Full Veil. That's what we call it in Anterra."

Alden glanced at her, confused. "Full Veil?"

Hera nodded. "It's the first full moon after the seasonal shift. Every kingdom and Empire in Anterra recognizes it. The barrier between realms grows thinner for a single night. Some say the stars whisper louder. Others say the gods sleep lighter. But to those who deal with dark rituals…"

She looked at Ethan and Alden, her voice firm.

"…it's the best time to summon something that doesn't belong in this world."

Alden swallowed hard, his hands trembling slightly. "And that's in… how many days?"

Hera didn't blink. "Three."

Just as Hera's words faded into the heavy silence, Ethan's mind pulsed with a familiar chime.

He blinked.

A floating window appeared before his eyes, visible only to him.

=====

[New Mission: Break the Chains of Blood]

Objective: Prevent Alden from being taken as the sacrifice for the Full Veil Ritual. Stop the ritual before it begins. Uncover the location where the ritual is planned to take place.

Reward: +50 Dragon Soul Fragments

=====

Ethan narrowed his eyes as he read through the mission. It was clear. No ambiguity. This wasn't just about gathering proof or playing spy games anymore.

It was about saving a life.

And stopping a disaster.

He let out a breath and looked at Alden, who was still visibly shaken.

'I won't let them take you,' Ethan thought. 'I've no other choice.'

Hera's eyes narrowed slightly as she observed Ethan. She sensed something but chose not to ask anything.

Alden, meanwhile, was pale. His fingers trembled, and he couldn't sit still. The words ritual, sacrifice, and demon echoed too loud in his mind.

He turned quickly to Hera, voice unsteady.
"What should I do now? Should I run? Should I leave the village?"

Before Hera could answer, Ethan finally shook his head.

"No. You'll be going," he said, his voice calm but firm.

Alden stared at him in disbelief. "Going? What do you mean going? You want me to walk into that ritual and offer my head like a lamb? Are you out of your mind?!"

Ethan chuckled, not offended by the panic in Alden's voice. "Yes, I said you'll be going. But not really you."

That made both Hera and Alden freeze.

Ethan leaned back, that familiar confident smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "Don't forget what I can do. I just need your blood, and I can become you."

A beat of silence.

"I see," Hera breathed. "So you're planning to go and ruin this ritual?"

Alden blinked, and everything clicked into place.

Without another word, he reached into his storage ring and pulled out a small ceremonial knife. Without hesitation, he sliced a shallow cut across his fingertip and let the blood drip down.

Ethan raised an eyebrow, amused. "Can't even wait to rescue yourself, huh?"

"I'm terrified, Ethan," Alden admitted.

Ethan touched the blood and closed his eyes. The glow of the skill activated, and before their eyes, his body shifted. Bones restructured, muscles reshaped, even his aura transformed.

In just a moment, two Aldens stood facing each other in the room.

Hera crossed her arms, her sharp eyes scanning both versions of Alden.

"So… what's the plan then?" she asked, her tone level but edged with tension. "You obviously have something in mind."

The Alden on the left which was Ethan in disguise, smiled calmly.

"I do," he said. "The first thing is to make them think they've won. That they have their sacrifice."

Hera raised an eyebrow. "You're planning to walk right into the ritual?"

"Not right away," Ethan replied. "They'll come looking for Alden soon, and when they do, we let them take me. I'll act shocked and tried to resist, just like Alden would."

"Being too calm will only make them suspect things, especially in front of Elder Harran and Vareth," he added.

Both Alden and Hera nodded.

Ethan continued, "Once I'm in, I'll find the location of the ritual itself and figure out how they plan to activate it. If we know how it works, we can stop it. That's the key. It's not just about saving Alden. It's about making sure the ritual fails completely."

He looked between the two of them and added, "And if we pull this off, it won't just be Alden's life we're saving. We'll be one step ahead of whatever Elder Harran is planning with Velharis."

He leaned back slightly.

"That's the rough plan and idea. The rest is what I need to think later."

Alden leaned forward, brows furrowed in confusion. "What do you mean by that? Ruining the ritual is already a huge risk. What comes after that?"

Ethan didn't answer right away. He stared at the floor for a second, then looked up and said,

"I need to be ready. The moment I sabotage the ritual, I'll either have to fight… or run."

Alden looked pale.

"Are you confident? You really think you can go against Elder Harran? Or Vareth?"

Ethan nodded slowly.

"I can take Vareth," he said without arrogance, just clarity. "He's strong, but nothing more."

He paused, looking at his hands as if wondering if what he was going to say later was supposed to be said or not, "Elder Harran though… he's already at the level of a Higher Three-Star Vessel. I don't know exactly how powerful he is. That's something I'll have to figure out, to test, if it comes to that."

He fell silent for a moment.

'Right now, I can only place myself somewhere in the middle of the power scale when compared to a Higher Three-Star. With the Flame Dragon Sword and my Strength stat reaching 750 during the boost… I'm strong, but not invincible.'

His gaze turned distant for a breath, heavy with the weight of what was coming.

'This isn't just about power anymore. It's about how I use it.'

Alden tilted his head slightly and asked, "Are you okay?"

Ethan blinked and smiled faintly. "Sorry… I was just thinking."

Alden didn't respond right away. He leaned back on the chair, eyes fixed on the floor. He could sense it—Ethan had too much going on in his head right now. Too much to carry alone.

A moment passed before Alden spoke again, voice a little softer than before.

"I wish I was strong enough to help. I really do. But… I started late. Becoming a Vessel, I mean. So my progress has been slow for someone my age."

He didn't say it to gain pity. It was just the truth. A quiet truth that made him feel smaller in the presence of someone like Ethan.

However, Hera didn't seem to like the way Alden said it. Her expression hardened as she looked at him.

"Don't talk like that," she said firmly. "Things happen for a reason, Alden. Your path isn't late. It's just different."

Alden didn't reply, but he lowered his gaze, as if trying to absorb her words.

Ethan, meanwhile, was watching them both in silence. Something about what Hera said stirred a question in his mind.

'Things happen for a reason…'

Why was Alden chosen as one of the sacrifices?

He remembered what Elder Harran and Vareth said earlier. Alden wasn't just a random target, they had his name on a list. But why him?

'What exactly happened in Alden's life?' Ethan wondered. 'What made him… suitable?'

He frowned slightly.

Up until now, he had been so caught up in planning escapes, infiltrations, and missions, that he hadn't taken a proper moment to really understand these two people who had been helping him.

Hera. Alden.

They had offered him trust, support, and even risked their lives… and yet, he barely knew their stories.

And maybe, that needed to change.

Suddenly, Ethan's stomach growled.

It wasn't subtle either.

It was loud enough to make Alden blink and then chuckle softly. Hera raised an eyebrow, amused. Ethan rubbed the back of his neck, a sheepish smile on his face.

"I guess… I haven't eaten in days," he admitted.

He hadn't even realized it. Between the excitement of awakening as an Ascendant, being dragged into Anterra's trial, running infiltration missions, escaping death, and impersonating powerful people, he'd completely forgotten something as basic as eating.

Only if he knew by becoming Ascendant, he could go on days without eating, drinking or sleeping.

"I'll cook something," Hera offered, standing up with confidence.

But Alden froze. His face paled slightly. He glanced at Ethan, then quickly turned back to Hera.

"No, no, let me!" he blurted out, waving his hands.

Ethan was about to ask why, until he caught the look in Alden's eyes.

It was a silent plea. A warning.

And Ethan understood right away.

'She's a terrible cook.'

Ethan chuckled under his breath and stood up. "How about I do it instead?" he offered.

Hera narrowed her eyes. "Why? You think I can't cook?"

Ethan kept his smile polite. "Not at all. I just thought maybe… it's time you both tried something from my world."

Hera tilted her head, considering.

Meanwhile, Ethan was already thinking ahead.

'I'm not exactly a top chef back on Earth… but if I cook now, maybe I can unlock the Cooking skill. I'll just unlock everything all the way to the Master-tier. At the very least, it'll help me let off some steam.'

He needed that.

Because once this brief moment of peace passed, he knew the storm would return.

At most, he had a day or two before Elder Harran or Vareth came knocking, expecting to see Alden.

And Ethan had to be ready.