NOVEL NEXT Chapter 88: 100 Points
Ethan spent the entire day inside Nova Tech's private gym.
It wasn't a typical way for a company Chairman to spend working hours, especially not on launch week. But that didn't matter to him. Not anymore. There were no meetings on his schedule. No press appearances. No boardroom drama that could pull him out of the one place where his mind could breathe.
He had more important things to focus on.
The gym was one of his own ideas, part of Nova Tech's wellness initiative. Floor-to-ceiling glass panels framed the skyline outside. Bright white lighting reflected off sleek chrome equipment. Cardio machines, resistance trainers, a combat zone in the center, it was the kind of place that could impress any investor.
But today, it wasn't about appearances.
Today, it was his battlefield.
Ethan stood at the edge of the training zone, breath heavy, shirt soaked. His hands gripped the barbell in front of him. Chalk dust clung to his fingers like war paint. His muscles burned with every rep, but that pain, at least, made sense. It was something real. Something he could push through.
'If I can't fight beside them… then I'll make sure I'm strong enough when the time comes.'
He pulled again. The steel bar creaked under the weight as he lifted. Every fiber in his body strained, but his mind stayed locked in place—on Mark, on Maya, on the war that hadn't even started yet.
There were eyes on him. He'd noticed them earlier, his employees pausing at the glass, whispering among themselves.
Some were surprised. Others confused.
Why was the Chairman of Nova Tech, the man who just gave the most important speech of his life, spending hours lifting weights like a man possessed?
He didn't owe them an answer.
'I'm not doing this for them.'
Another rep. The bar rose, slowly, trembling.
A thin bead of sweat rolled down his jawline.
'Mark walked into hell without hesitation. Maya's barely holding together. And I'm still here, still trying to understand what it even means to carry this title.'
He locked out the rep at the top.
Ding.
A soft chime echoed, not from a machine, but from somewhere deeper. The System. Always quiet. Always watching. Another notification.
Another step forward.
Ethan lowered the barbell, breath ragged. The weights hit the mat with a dull thud that echoed in the silence.
He stared ahead for a moment, letting the tension settle.
Then a faint smile tugged at the edge of his lips.
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[Strength +1]
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"I see now… If I want to grow, I have to push myself the way everyone else does without the System."
Ethan muttered the words under his breath, voice low and steady as he stepped back from the bench. The familiar burn in his arms wasn't pain anymore. It was proof.
He smirked to himself.
The rush of progress lit something inside him. A quiet fire. With every lift, every sprint, every drop of sweat, he was edging closer to that impossible goal of 100 in every attribute. Strength. Speed. Endurance. Each stat rising, inch by inch.
The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
But he hadn't come just for numbers.
His eyes shifted subtly toward the far end of the gym, where a small group of employees had gathered near the stretching area. They didn't realize he could hear them from here. But he could.
"Is that really Mr. Cole? He's a beast…"
"Look at the speed on that treadmill. I didn't even know it had a max setting."
"I thought he was just some rich kid with good ideas, but this? He's insane."
Ethan didn't react. Not openly.
But a hint of amusement flickered in his gaze.
'Let them talk.'
Admiration had its own weight. Not the kind you lifted with your hands—but the kind that added pressure to every step, every choice.
And still, he welcomed it.
Every glance. Every whisper. Every nod of quiet respect.
Each one carried something else.
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Charisma +1
=====
He didn't need the notification to know it had happened. He could feel it. His presence was changing.
'Good.'
He wiped his hands on a towel, took a slow breath, and stepped back toward the center.
There was still more work to do. Still, he took a peak at the progress.
=====
[Speed +1]
[Endurance +1]
=====
Ethan picked up a towel before wiping the sweat from his forehead and other exposed parts of his body. He was trying his best to control his breath. Pushing his limits in every set made his almost a hundred points of Endurance seem like nothing.
A few of his staff, who were working out, too, watched him with a mix of disbelief and admiration.
"Mr. Cole," a young man from the marketing team said, "you are amazing. I've never seen anyone push themselves like that."
Ethan chuckled, slinging the towel over his shoulder. Thanks to the effect brought by unlocking Public Speaking and Leadership, he felt he needed to say something here.
Who knows if he could increase his Charisma more.
"Thanks. I believe in this, 'It's not about competing with others. It's about improving yourself compared to who you were yesterday'," Ethan said.
The crowd murmured in agreement, clearly inspired by his words.
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[Charisma +3]
=====
Ethan's smile widened. His earlier theory was proving true, every time he impressed or inspired someone, his Charisma grew. And in this environment, where he was both a leader and a motivator, the potential for growth was immense.
As the day went on, Ethan moved through different exercises; squats, pull-ups, and battle ropes. Each activity pushed him further, and each time he felt the limits of his body, he dug deeper, drawing on a determination that seemed limitless.
The gym staff, initially hesitant about their Chairman monopolizing the facility, had quickly become his biggest supporters. They offered tips, cheered him on, and even adjusted the equipment to help him push his limits safely.
By the time Ethan finished his last set, the gym was abuzz with energy. Employees were talking excitedly about his performance. Some felt motivated to work harder in their own workouts. Ethan took his water bottle. He took a long sip from it.
He leaned against the wall, thinking about the day's progress.
=====
Name: Ethan Cole
Level: 6
EXP: 31,000 / 46,500
Ascension Points: 61
Wealth: Unlimited
Attributes:
Strength: 105
Speed: 105
Endurance: 105
Intelligence: 93
Charisma: 120
Free Attribute Points: 0
Skills:
1. Krav Maga [Master]
2. Close Quarters Combat [Master]
3. Tactical Firearms [Master]
4. Stealth [Master]
5. Tracking [Master]
6. Heightened Sense [Passive]
7. Eidetic Memory [Passive]
8. Public Speaking [Intermediate]
9. Leadership [Intermediate]
=====
Ethan let out a satisfied sigh. "It's paying off. I'm getting closer to completing the core forming mission," he muttered under his breath.
The hours of pushing his body to its limits had borne fruit, and now he was seeing the results. His Strength, Speed, and Endurance had broken past the 100-point threshold, a milestone that left him feeling both proud and slightly awed.
Yet, his gaze drifted to his Intelligence points. At 93, it was still trailing behind the others. He knew what needed to be done, reading, studying, learning, but that kind of progress required a different kind of effort.
It wasn't something he could achieve here in the gym.
"I'll tackle that later," Ethan murmured, already envisioning himself in his home library, pouring over books or research papers available online and absorbing knowledge with the efficiency his Eidetic Memory provided.
But his thoughts didn't stop there. He began to wonder if he was nearing a limit.
Could there be a limit to how far he could push himself?
After all, his recent gains were extraordinary. Few people, even those at their physical peak, could achieve what he had.
Was the system offering him an easy path, or was there more to uncover?
Unlimited System. The name itself hinted at infinite potential, but was that really the case?
Ethan's lips quirked into a faint smile as he wiped the sweat from his brow.
"Guess I'll find out eventually," he muttered.
He couldn't deny that the strength gained from his own blood, sweat, and effort felt far more fulfilling than anything the system had given him outright.