It had been a month since Ethan awakened, and a lot had changed in this short time. He diligently trained his Telekinesis, accumulated willpower, and achieved enlightenment in his innate cultivation technique, further boosting his progress. He had also created his martial arts technique, Darvohin—a comprehensive system that combined the fundamentals of various martial arts, parkour, and more, perfectly suited to his Weapons' Constitution.
Tomorrow marked his first battle, where he would also have to read an apology letter to Clara for accidentally kissing her.
Currently, it was morning, and Ethan was deep into his workout routine. He was running up and down a small hill, carrying a large rock the size of a bus tire and weighing 100 kg, while checking his progress bar.
2. Do 100 Push Ups [Done]
3. Do 100 Sit Ups [Done]
4. Do 100 Squats [Done]
5. Run Up And Down A Slope 10 Times While Carrying An Item Weighing 100kg. [5/10]
6. Stay Focused! [0%]
After 20 minutes, he finished his workout and checked his stats.
- Rank: Novice (Peak)
- Affinity Energy: 90
- Current Form: [Mixed Human]
Ethan had reached the peak of the Novice Rank remarkably quickly. His classmates, including Trevor, Clara, and Emily, were at mid-level, despite their wealth and resources. They were talented, but Ethan had a system that pushed him to the limits, honing his abilities through relentless training. He was determined to keep a low profile, especially since many mocked him for his low level and the size of Angitia, who, despite her true potential, was still underestimated.
Today was crucial; he had a practical exam where he would demonstrate his skills against a pack of beasts in a simulation. Ethan sprinted home to prepare for school, heart racing with anticipation.
Lying down in the pod, he closed his eyes and found himself in a vast green meadow with a small river to his left and a forest to his right. This was the simulated world, and the countdown for the examination began. He had to survive an attack from a pack of 100 beasts, led by a Silver Rank leader, for one hour.
Suddenly, screeches filled the air. Looking up, he saw huge birds circling above, the Galeclaw Sparrows—aggressive, wind-affinity beasts, with one particularly large bird in the center. Ethan recognized them immediately.
"Galeclaw Sparrows? These guys are a pain," he muttered, scanning the ground for rocks. He made a gesture with his hand, lifting several small stones, and launched them at the nearest sparrows, the blue light of Telekinesis enhancing his attacks. Three beasts fell to his strikes.
"They're weaker than those in the Beast Plane. This is too easy. Let's just aim for a pass."*
Ethan summoned Angitia and shared his strategy with her. As his attacks drew the attention of the pack, the beasts retaliated with wind-infused assaults. He dodged, got clipped by a few attacks, and managed to take down five more before retreating into the forest to regroup.
In the end, he successfully killed 15 beasts, leaving the AI with the impression that he was exhausted. He passed the exam and received a permit to prepare for his duel the next day.
Later that day, as he walked through the hallways, he encountered Leon, the notorious bully.
"Look. Isn't it Weakly Ethan?" Leon sneered.
"Oh, hi there, Tyrant of Simps. How was your day?" Ethan replied, feigning indifference.
"You dare act arrogant in front of me? Kneel and lick my boots, and maybe I'll go easy on you…"
"Meh. Your boots aren't worth my tongue. You'll have to pay for that privilege. Besides, I'm not a SIMP."
"What? Angry already? Picking on someone because of a girl? That's your excuse? You're just a low-level coward, a tyrannical simp."
Leon was speechless. "Wha…"
"I don't have time for chit-chat. Good luck tomorrow and give me a good fight…" Ethan scoffed, leaving a dumbfounded Leon behind, along with a crowd of onlookers.
With that, he headed to the cafeteria for a meal, then went home with Trevor. His goal was to boost his mänə accumulation to 100 and raise his willpower to around 80-85 before the battle.
That night, Ethan immersed himself in cultivation, preparing not just for a duel, but for a battle that would define his legacy.