Ethan Cole - The Unlimited System

Ethan felt like a storm bottled up inside a glass jar, shaking from the pressure. His whole body buzzed—not just with energy, but with something far more intense. A power that wasn't meant to sit still. It wasn't just strength. It was something deeper.

It felt like evolution.

Like a part of him that had been sleeping was now fully awake—and refusing to be ignored.

He let out a laugh, quick and breathless.

"Seriously?" he muttered, shaking his head. "I'm actually hyping myself up like a cartoon character."

But even as he said it, he knew it was real.

Every step he took across his room felt too fast, too light—like his body was ahead of him. The floor didn't creak, it barely noticed him. The air seemed to hum. The walls, wide and clean and expensive, somehow felt smaller now. Like the room wasn't built to hold this version of him.

He stopped and stared at his hands. His fingers twitched, as if ready to grab something—anything. His legs pulsed like springs, begging to be used. His mind spun with possibilities. His heart beat too fast to ignore.

'Is this what it feels like?' he wondered. 'When you have more power than you know what to do with?'

He ran a hand through his hair, trying to calm himself, but a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. A real one. A wild one.

He needed to move.

No. He needed to run. To break free. Staying still felt impossible.

Without wasting another second, he turned and headed for the door. His feet carried him faster than his thoughts. He was already halfway down the stairs before he realized it.

The house, in contrast, was calm.

In the living room, his parents sat at the dining table, sipping coffee and chatting in low voices. Jacob was on the floor in front of the TV, fingers flying across his controller, completely locked into his game. Lily lounged on the couch, absentmindedly watching cartoons while kicking her feet in the air.

Ethan moved like a blur through the scene.

"Mom, Dad. I'm going for a run!" he called out, grabbing his sneakers from the rack.

Aaron glanced up, eyebrows raised. "A run? Right now?"

"Yeah. I need to get this out of me," Ethan replied, already bending down to tie his laces.

He wasn't lying.

The energy inside him wasn't going away.

It wanted motion. Speed. Action.

Before anyone could ask a question, he was gone, out the door, down the drive, and into the open air of Crescent Ridge Estate.

The door's quiet thud marked his departure, and for a moment, the house seemed to hold its breath.

It was Lily who broke the silence. She sat up abruptly, staring toward the door where Ethan had just vanished.

"Wait a minute," she said slowly, eyes narrowing as though puzzling over something.

Elise looked at her and asked, "Why, Lily? Is there something wrong?"

"Did… did anyone else notice something different about Ethan just now?"

Aaron and Elise glanced at each other. They tried to recall Ethan's appearance just now.

"What kind of difference?" Elise asked, curious but smiling as though she already knew where this conversation was headed.

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Lily's brows furrowed as she searched for the right words. "Taller? Leaner? And…" she hesitated, waving her hands vaguely, "more handsome?"

She paused before adding, "But not, like, regular handsome. It's like his face decided to get an upgrade."

Jacob, without taking his eyes off the television, chimed in with all the wisdom of a boy holding a game controller. "Two possibilities."

Now, everyone's attention was on him.

"One, you've watched too much TV, and it's melted in your brain. Two, Ethan's too successful now, and his whole body is just radiating that vibe."

The parents were laughing after listening to Jacob's analysis. Well, it clearly not his strongest trait.

Lily didn't bother with a retort but she simply grabbed a pillow and smacked him soundly on the side of the head.

"You're impossible," she huffed.

Jacob, unbothered, leaned away, muttering something about how he was treated like an "unappreciated genius."

Their parents, meanwhile, laughed quietly, the sound rich and warm in the room.

Elise shook her head with fond exasperation. "Well," she said thoughtfully, "it's not just Lily. I've noticed it, too. He's been changing over the past week."

"Yeah." Aaron nodded in agreement, his tone calm but thoughtful.

"It's like he's had a second growth spurt," he said. "The way he carries himself, the way he moves, everything is just different."

They both knew Ethan had always been athletic. At least he was good enough at football to stand out. But somewhere along the line, those gifts had been left to gather dust.

Now, though, it wasn't so hard to believe that with the weight of money troubles lifted, their son might have started looking after himself again.

"Genetics. I believe it is because of our genetics," Aaron added as though concluding a logical thought aloud. "Give a body like his the right push, and it doesn't take long to catch up."

Lily slumped back into the couch, arms crossed but eyes still on the door. "If he turns into some superhero while we're stuck here being regular people, I'm going to be mad," she declared, though there was no real bite in her words. Everything was just a hint of pride she wouldn't admit.

Jacob snorted, his attention still firmly on his game. "Speak for yourself. I'm already a superhero."

Lily lobbed another pillow at him, this time missing spectacularly.

Elise and Aaron exchanged another glance, their smiles tinged with quiet understanding.

Whatever was happening to Ethan or whatever it was that had changed their son, it was something to marvel at, not to question.

"Let him run," Aaron said softly, the words carrying a weight of trust. "Let him chase his dream."

And outside, beneath the open sky and the weightless air, Ethan ran because, at that moment, he could.

The morning greeted Ethan with a clarity that felt almost alive. The air was crisp, filled with the freshness of a world untouched by the noise of the day.

Colors around him seemed brighter than usual, more vivid, as though the entire landscape had been sharpened. Even the distant sound of sprinklers clicking across the estate lawns rang out with unusual clarity, drawing a brief pause from him.

He stood still for a moment, breathing it all in. Then, with a quiet exhale, he began to jog. His steps felt light, his movements smooth. It wasn't forced. It wasn't something he had to think about. His body moved like it had been waiting for this very moment.

All around him, Crescent Ridge stretched wide and open. The place looked like a perfect painting come to life. The grass was too green, the houses too large, and every pathway seemed to lead to something worth millions. It was beautiful in its own way, but also a reminder of where he stood now.

Ethan glanced around and allowed himself a quiet smile.

"I can't believe it's come to this," he whispered.

There was no bitterness in his voice. No disbelief. Just an honest acknowledgment of how far he had come. Living among the powerful and wealthy had its comforts, but to him, this wasn't the end goal. It was just one stop along a much longer road.

Up ahead, the clubhouse came into view. It stood tall with clean lines and gleaming windows, the centerpiece of the estate. Inside, he knew, were all the symbols of luxury and discipline—Olympic pools, tennis courts, basketball courts, and football fields that seemed to go on forever.

This was a place built for winners.

"Maybe I'll hit the gym after this," Ethan said with a grin as he jogged closer.

He already knew the outcome. The weights that used to laugh at him in silence would feel light now. But the run came first.

As he rounded a gentle curve, his legs responded on their own. His pace quickened without effort. His body thrummed with energy, and every stride felt like flight.

The path blurred around him. Trees, fences, and people passed by like they were standing still. Yet despite the speed, his breathing stayed calm. His muscles stayed relaxed.

'I should be tired by now,' he thought, glancing at how much ground he had already covered.

But his body felt endless.

The power within him wasn't fading. It kept rising with every step.

Wind rushed past, carrying the faint sound of other joggers and morning conversations. He passed them with ease, barely noticing. No one could keep up, but he didn't slow down.

He didn't need to.

This wasn't just a run.

It was a reminder that something inside him had changed. And the world would catch on soon enough.

"Isn't that the new guy?"

"He's not even out of breath!"

"Faster than the guards," someone muttered in astonishment.

Ethan couldn't help but chuckle, his grin widening. Their awe wasn't what pleased him—it was the confirmation of his transformation. His body had become a perfect machine, every movement efficient and precise.

Then, just as the clubhouse loomed closer, something else caught his eye. To the side, sprawled across emerald fields, a football team was training.

Ethan slowed his pace, his gaze locking onto the green-and-black kits. His heart skipped a beat.

Ridge Rovers FC.