Ethan Cole - The Unlimited System

Ethan now stood on a massive floating platform surrounded by swirling clouds of energy. Countless runes floated in the air, ancient and glowing. Far in the distance, broken fragments of temples, battlefields, and dragon bones floated through the mist.

He spun around, disoriented.

"Where…?"

"This," Kaelthor's voice echoed from everywhere and nowhere, "is the Realm of the Eternal Trial."

Golden flames formed the dragon's silhouette in the sky, towering like a living constellation.

"If you wish to form the Dragon Core, you must survive my trial. You must conquer what lies within you… and beyond."

"What kind of trial?" Ethan asked.

"The kind that reveals who you truly are," the dragon answered. "The kind that breaks pretenders and awakens the worthy. You will not be tested with strength alone, but with clarity, instinct, and will."

The floating ground beneath Ethan pulsed.

"Am I going to die?"

Kaelthor let out a low, thunderous growl.

"That depends entirely on you."

Silence followed.

Ethan clenched his fists.

He was afraid.

But it wasn't the fear of failure.

It was the fear of not being enough. Of not rising to what the moment demanded. He looked at the floating sky, the golden clouds, and the world carved from legend.

'I've come this far.'

He took a breath.

'I'm not turning back now.'

He looked up again. "Then let's start."

The clouds parted, and the dragon's voice whispered one final time:

"Good. Show me the fire you claim to carry."

Light engulfed him once more, and the Trial of the Eternal Dragon… began.

A ripple tore through the space in front of Ethan, like someone slicing reality with an invisible blade.

From that tear, a swirling vortex of golden and crimson light expanded, casting long shadows across the study. The air turned thick, vibrating with ancient power. A portal stood before him. It was alive, humming, and whispering.

Ethan stood still, unable to move. Not out of fear, but reverence.

"So this is how it begins…"

Then came the voice. Calm. Powerful. Eternal.

"Ethan Cole."

Kaelthor's voice echoed all around him, not just in his ears, but in his bones and soul.

"The Trial of the Eternal Dragon is not a single test. It is a path. A journey divided into Twelve Trials. Each one will come to you at anytime."

The dragon paused before adding, "Some in your dreams, some in your battles, others in moments of doubt or choice. You must be ready at all times. A dragon does not choose when to awaken. It simply does."

Ethan's brows furrowed. Twelve trials? Will they come without warning? He opened his mouth to ask, but Kaelthor had already sensed the question.

"Yes," the dragon rumbled, his voice tinged with pride and warning. "You cannot prepare for the moment. You must become the one who is always prepared."

The portal pulsed, glowing brighter.

Kaelthor continued.

"The First Trial begins now. If you succeed, you will forge the Dragon Core, the heart of your new self. It will grant you unmatched elemental affinity, unshakable will, and the foundation for everything to come."

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Ethan stared at the portal. His heart pounded. Every instinct told him to step back. Every reason screamed that this was beyond him.

But Kaelthor's voice came again, softer now, like a whisper of fire in the wind.

"Do not fear the path, Ethan. You carry my soul. My strength. My will. Now prove yourself worthy of it."

Ethan clenched his fists.

"Twelve Trials…" he muttered. "And the first is now."

He took a step forward.

The light of the portal wrapped around him like a golden flame, and slowly, he faded into a sea of fire and sky.

When Ethan opened his eyes again, the world around him had changed.

The air was colder here.

A dense forest stretched in every direction, bathed in mist and moonlight. The trees were massive and ancient, their bark twisted like they had grown from a time before names were spoken. Strange chirping echoed from deep within the foliage, and something rustled through the leaves nearby—distant, careful, unseen.

Ethan turned slowly, scanning his surroundings.

There were no markers. No signs. Just endless green and grey.

No Kaelthor. No codex. No guidance.

Then, a familiar chime rang in his mind.

The system.

=====

[New Mission: Trial of the Dragon – Part I]

Objective: Locate the Village of Cahaya.

Clue: Head North. Trust your instincts.

Time Limit: 1 hour.

Reward: 5 Dragon Soul Fragments.

=====

Ethan blinked.

"Village of Cahaya?" he whispered.

He looked around again, but there was no path, no compass, not even the sun or stars to guide him. The forest canopy above was thick, only allowing slivers of dim light to reach the ground. Still, the clue was clear.

North.

He closed his eyes for a moment, calming his breath, then trusted his senses or trusted whatever part of him now carried the instinct of a dragon.

He pointed toward what he believed was north.

Then he started walking.

The leaves crunched beneath his feet as the forest seemed to react to his movement. Every step deeper into it felt heavier, like the trees themselves were watching. Like something was waiting ahead.

But he didn't stop.

After a few minutes, curiosity struck him. He opened his Status Panel.

A new section had appeared near the bottom.

Dragon Soul Fragments: 0 / 100

Ethan's eyes narrowed.

"So I need to collect these fragments…" he murmured. "And only five for this trial?"

It seemed small—too small—until he considered the total.

One hundred.

And he had none.

He wasn't sure what the Dragon Soul would do when completed, but if even fragments were considered valuable rewards, then the full soul had to be something unimaginable.

He kept walking, his senses alert. The forest was not just a backdrop.

It was part of the trial.

And somewhere ahead, the Village of Cahaya waited—or something pretending to be it.

Either way, the first trial had begun.

***

Later that night, Jessica stepped out of the elevator and made her way into the hotel lobby.

The soft hum of music played in the background, and most guests had already retired to their rooms. But her eyes quickly found Jordan, leaning casually against a marble pillar near the far end. His blazer was unbuttoned, one hand in his pocket, posture relaxed. He looked like someone who didn't have to try to draw attention — it came to him naturally.

When he saw her, his expression brightened for a moment — until he caught the look on her face.

Her skin was pale under the warm lights, her steps too quick, too tense.

"Jessica, what's wrong?" he asked, pushing off the pillar and walking toward her. "It is rare for you to see me at this hour."

She glanced around. Steve and the other bodyguards stood near the entrance, keeping watch as always.

Steve gave Jordan a quick nod but didn't interfere. To him, this probably looked like nothing more than a late-night chat.

Jessica lowered her voice. "Come with me."

She didn't wait for a response. She turned and walked briskly to a quieter corner of the lobby, tucked behind a decorative wall of plants and soft chairs. Jordan followed, concern growing in his eyes.

Once they were out of earshot, he asked again, "What's going on? You seem... shaken."

Jessica didn't answer immediately. She pulled out her phone, unlocked it with a trembling thumb, and turned the screen toward him.

"I need you to see this."

Jordan took the phone. His eyes scanned the video. As it played, the lightness in his features vanished, replaced by a cold seriousness.

When the video ended, he looked up sharply.

"That's your father, isn't it?"

Jessica nodded. Her lips were pressed tight, but her eyes shimmered with unshed tears.

Jordan's jaw clenched. "Unbelievable. That bastard. We need to tell Ethan. Right now."

"No," Jessica said, her hand shooting out to grab his arm. Her voice cracked with urgency. "We can't. I don't want him to know."

Jordan looked at her like she had just lost her mind. "Jess, are you hearing yourself? He needs to know. He can help."

"I know he can!" she snapped, then quickly lowered her voice. "But I can't pull him into this. Not again. Not with everything he's already carrying."

"This isn't some small favor," Jordan said, trying to keep calm. "This is Donald. Your father. You think paying him off is going to fix this?"

"I'm not trying to fix it," Jessica said, her voice tight. "I'm trying to buy time."

She took a shaky breath and continued, "I have six hundred thousand. The commission from the headquarters sale. I'll give him that first."

Jordan stared at her, stunned. "You're going to pay him? Like that's going to be the end of it?"

"If it's not enough," Jessica said, voice low, "I'll find more. I can take out a loan. Sell the house. Sell the land. I don't care."

Jordan rubbed his face with both hands. "This is insane. You're going to burn everything you've worked for just to—what? Keep Ethan in the dark?"

"Yes," she said, without hesitation. "Because he doesn't need this. He's building something bigger than any of us. I won't be the reason he falls behind."

For a long second, Jordan just looked at her.

Then, slowly, he exhaled, his shoulders dropping.

"Alright. I won't tell him. Not yet."

Jessica's posture softened. "Thank you."

"But," Jordan added, pointing a finger at her, "the moment anything goes sideways — anything — I step in. No questions. No arguments."

Jessica nodded, her voice barely above a whisper. "Okay."

Jordan said nothing more. But inside, his mind was already turning, already planning. Because even if she didn't want help, he wasn't going to let her face Donald alone. Not for long.

Not when she was walking straight into a storm.