Ethan Cole - The Unlimited System

The soldiers listened, stunned.

Some clutched their weapons without raising them. Others simply stood in place, pale and wide-eyed.

"I did not come here to conquer. I do not wish to rule. But I will not stand by while your own leaders trade lives in secret rituals to gain power from darkness."

He turned slightly, raising a hand toward the scorched remains of the altar and the shattered symbols beneath it.

"That man, Elder Harran, was willing to sacrifice you. Willing to betray your people. Willing to invite destruction to your empire, all for power he did not deserve."

Ethan's voice dropped lower, but it gained strength.

"I want you to remember this day. I want you to carry this truth with you."

He looked each of them in the eye.

"Tell your generals. Tell your cities. Tell every soldier and noble and commoner in the Kannan Empire that one of their own, trusted, honored, powerful, sold you out."

He pointed to the ground.

"His blood is still here. Let it remind you of what he tried to do."

Ethan took one more breath.

"If you choose to fight for your people, protect them. Expose those who invite evil in secret. And if one day we meet again... I hope it's as allies, not enemies."

He let the words settle.

The silence that followed was thick, uncertain.

But none of them moved.

Because in that moment, even if they didn't know who he truly was…

They believed him.

Ethan took a breath and willed for the second scroll to appear.

The parchment shimmered faintly, as if it had been waiting for this moment. Without hesitation, he unfurled it.

A burst of light flared at his feet.

A portal opened before him—tall, circular, and swirling with soft blue and gold light. It cast a gentle wind that stirred the loose ash and scorched dirt around him. The abandoned observatory where Hera and Alden were waiting lay just beyond.

None of the soldiers dared to move.

They stood still, silent, their faces torn between reverence and guilt. There was no more fight in them. They understood now. They had something greater to do—spread the truth, expose the betrayal, and warn the Empire of the demonic threat hidden in its veins.

Ethan took a step toward the portal.

But a voice stopped him.

"Wait!"

He paused.

Turning, he saw Renshir, wounded but still steady, walking quickly from the shadowed doorway. Behind him were Malika and the other two former captives. They had been hiding—watching, listening, hoping.

Renshir's face was firm, but there was something pleading in his tone.

"We... we don't have anywhere to go," he said.

Malika stepped forward, brushing dust off her arm. Her voice was quieter, but clear.

"Not after what we've seen. Not after what we know."

The other man, looking more worn than before, added, "We stayed back because we thought there might be more enemies. Stronger ones. We waited to make sure this place was truly safe."

Ethan stayed silent, watching.

Renshir took another step forward. "Can we come with you?"

Malika nodded. "We're not strong enough yet. But I know how to plan, how to gather supplies. I've worked as a tactician before in border camps. I can help."

One of the soldiers near the altar suddenly raised his hand.

The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

"If you'll allow it… I'd like to go, too."

Then another.

"We can't stay here. We can't go back to the Empire either. They might silence us before we speak."

"We'll follow your orders. We'll work. We just want a place to fight for."

Ethan blinked.

He wasn't ready for this.

He had only wanted to stop a ritual, break the symbols, and escape. Yet now, a handful of soldiers and survivors were looking at him not just as a swordsman or a killer.

They looked at him as a leader.

He opened his mouth to speak, but a chime echoed softly in his ears.

The system responded before he could.

A glowing screen appeared in front of him, lines of text forming with calm precision.

=====

[New Mission Unlocked: Build Your Own Empire – Part 1]

Objective: Begin the foundations of a future empire. Every great empire begins with a single spark, a place to gather, survive, and grow. Find a suitable location and build your first settlement in Anterra.

Rewards:

1. +250 to All Attributes
2. 20,000 EXP
3. Unlock Feature: Settlement Core – a system interface to manage growth, defense, resources, and policies of your future Empire.

=====

'Damn. Why is the system seems like it had prepared everything?'

Ethan stared at the notification.

Then he slowly looked back at the group in front of him.

Renshir. Malika. The others.

They were still waiting.

Still hoping.

Ethan turned toward the four former captives—Renshir, Malika, and the other two who had been standing close to them.

His expression softened as he gave them a small nod and said with a steady voice, "You four. Come with me."

Relief flooded their faces. Malika let out a quiet breath she didn't realize she was holding. Renshir gave a solemn nod, while the others hurried behind, ready to step through the portal without hesitation.

Then Ethan looked to the rest of the soldiers still standing near the shattered altar.

"But for the rest of you," he continued, raising his voice just enough to be heard over the quiet crackle of dying flames, "I can't take everyone."

Several soldiers flinched as disappointment crept across their expressions. A few exchanged looks, some visibly disheartened. Ethan understood the weight in their eyes. After all, what awaited them in this village now?

"I still need you here," Ethan added quickly, his tone firm but not unkind. "You've heard what I said earlier. The betrayal of Elder Harran. The ritual. The signs of demons coming to Anterra. That message needs to reach every corner of the Kannan Empire."

He paused, then gave them one more chance to think it through.

"If you have family here, stay. Protect them. Warn them. Be the first line of defense when the time comes."

His gaze swept over them.

"But if you have nothing left, no one waiting for you, no home to return to, then you can follow me."

A few heads lowered. Some turned away, fists clenched. One or two looked toward the portal again but stepped back on their own. Many had families. Some had sworn oaths to protect the region. Others were simply afraid.

But Ethan smiled, lifting their spirits in a way that was unexpected.

"Don't worry. I'll come back."

His voice was lighter now, carrying an ember of promise.

"And when I do, I'll take all of you with me."

The tension broke. The disappointment melted away into cautious hope. Some soldiers gave him a short nod. Others managed a smile. One even saluted.

"Thank you, sir."

"Safe travels, sir."

Renshir was already halfway into the portal, urging the others to follow. Ethan gestured for the ones he accepted to make it quick. The swirling light pulsed gently, a reminder that it wouldn't stay open forever.

The last one, a young soldier with a scar across his brow, paused right before stepping in. He turned to Ethan.

"Wait! What's your name?"

Ethan blinked.

For a second, he hesitated. Should he keep up the disguise? Should he give another false name?

But looking into their faces, he decided there was no need to hide, not from them.

He straightened and gave the answer clearly.

"Ethan."

The name echoed in the quiet air.

And then, with a final step, he walked through the portal.

***

The observatory was quiet, dusty beams of twilight leaking through the cracked stone walls, with bits of broken equipment lying forgotten in corners. The air smelled of age, damp moss, and a lingering trace of something metallic. Perhaps the scent of old magic.

A soft pulse of light shimmered in the middle of the observatory. The portal flared open like a wound stitched with light.

And Ethan stepped through.

The very moment his boots touched the ground, Alden ran to him. However, he was hesitating because Ethan was not in his real face and appearance.

"Ethan?" he called out, not even trying to hide his worry.

Ethan raised his hand, signaling that it was him, but in another face.

"What happened? Why are the soldiers here? Did something go wrong? Did you fail the mission?"

Hera followed close behind, her pace graceful but urgent. Her eyes swept over Ethan, noting the faint scuffs on his clothes, the ember-glow of the Flame Dragon Sword still in his hand, and the four unfamiliar faces trailing behind him.

Ethan chuckled, the kind of laugh that came from exhaustion and a small bit of relief. He glanced at Alden, then at Hera.

"If I failed," Ethan said casually, "those soldiers would've killed all of us the moment I stepped through."

Alden's eyes widened, and he immediately swallowed hard. "So... you completed it?"

Ethan gave a small nod.

The words had barely left him before Alden let out a loud, half-laugh, half-sigh of joy. "You actually did it?" he said, throwing both arms in the air. "You actually did it! That's insane!"

Even Hera, who rarely showed much expression, allowed herself a rare smile. It was brief, but there was warmth in her eyes, a kind of approval Ethan hadn't seen before.

But that moment didn't last long.

Because a second later, Alden's brow furrowed again. He turned slightly, sensing the tension behind them.

The soldiers.

Their boots had settled on the old stone floor. Most were quiet, glancing around the observatory with uncertain awe. But their eyes didn't wander for long. Soon enough, nearly all of them focused on one man.

Alden.

He shifted uncomfortably, clearing his throat. "Uh, Ethan… why are they staring at me?"

Ethan tilted his head and raised an eyebrow.

Then it clicked.

Right.

His disguise.

Now, to the soldiers, the man who had slaughtered enemies like a flaming whirlwind and stood over Elder Harran's corpse… was also standing right here.

Ethan looked back at Alden with a sly grin.

"Ah. That. Don't you remember that I went there as you?"

Alden nodded. That was when it clicked.

He groaned. "Now they're going to think I'm some ancient war god."