Ethan now had 15 days to go to the Association martial hall to get his quasy martial warrior certificate from there.
Now that he had time to for himself, Ethan sat before his sleek terminal screen, browsing through articles and forums. His mind was buzzing with curiosity.
Are all martial artists the same once they step into the Martial Realm? he wondered to himself. Do they all have the same level of strength?
But it didn't take long to find the answer.
No.
The universe was never fair,not in his past life, and certainly not in this one. Equality was a myth when it came to strength.
While martial artists might share similar foundational strength at the same realm except for some geniuses, that was only part of the equation.
Skill played an enormous role,be it weapon techniques or barehanded martial arts. Mastery over these skills could multiply one's combat effectiveness many times over.
But mastery required something special: comprehension.
Even if two people learned the exact same skill, the way they applied it in battle could differ drastically. Understanding, talent, instinct,these factors set them apart.
Then there was a game-changer which were Innate Talents.
Upon unlocking their gene and stepping into the Martial Warrior Realm, some individuals awakened unique talents. These talents could be elemental in nature like fire, ice, lightning manipulation in a special manner or physical traits like enhanced strength, speed, or defense. Others awakened more specialized abilities like healing, long distance vision etc.
However, not everyone was gifted with talent.
All martial artists might not have a talent, but every genius had one.
As Ethan absorbed this knowledge, a fire lit within him.
"What if I awakened a talent too?" he thought excitedly. "Combined with the power of the system... I'd be unstoppable."
That night, he went to bed early, his heart brimming with ambition.
The next morning, sunlight streamed through his window. Ethan stretched lazily and brought up his attributes with a thought.
[Master: Ethan Hunt
Physique: 0.2
Spirit: 0.2]
He blinked, feeling sharper, more focused than ever. His vision seemed clearer, his body felt lighter.
"Is this the effect of the spirit attribute?',he wondered.
After freshening up, he headed out for breakfast. It was Sunday,a free day. With nothing scheduled, he decided to explore the city a little.
He drove his car.
His first stop was a shopping mall. He needed training clothes which were something the previous Ethan would've never bought unless absolutely necessary.
As he sifted through racks of gear, his gaze landed on a girl nearby. His breath caught instantly.
She was stunning, porcelain skin, about 170 cm tall, and a figure that could rival any model. She wore a stylish violet trench coat over a fitted turtleneck with black boots that hugged her calves.
Ethan's heartbeat surged inexplicably.
" What the hell? Am I a simp or what? Can't I even control my lower body just by looking at a beautiful girl? No, I should not be this pathetic. This girl looks very familiar to me.", he thought in his mind.
Then he understood,it wasn't his emotion. It belonged to the original Ethan. That girl was Rose Leslie, his classmate and long-time crush.
She excelled in literature and martial arts and dreamed of entering the Aurora Martial University. Though from she came from a modest family, she was very focused in her life,spending her days studying and practicing martial arts at the gym.
Today, she wasn't alone though. Beside her stood a younger girl, maybe her sister. She shared the same beauty as the Rose.
Unlike the old Ethan, he wasn't a shy person at all. His instict was already reacting this way, so he walked toward her and greeted her.
"Hey, Rose."
Rose turned toward him and was startled a little bit. Her eyes widened in recognition. "Ethan?" she asked with a surprised tone.
She knew him as the quiet boy who barely spoke to anyone except Ryan.
Still, she smiled politely. "Hi"
The younger girl, Zara, peeked at Ethan curiously. He was handsome, and her sister seemed to know him. Ethan smiled gently and greeted her as well. Zara hid behind Rose's coat like a startled kitten.
"What are you doing here, Rose?" Ethan asked.
"Just buying clothes for myself and Zara," she replied.
Ethan nodded and offered casually, "Want to grab some coffee?"
Rose hesitated. "Maybe another time…" she declined gently.
Ethan didn't press further. He gave a small smile and waved them goodbye.
After leaving the mall, Ethan made his way to a nearby martial gym,the Tiger Fang Martial Gym.After entering through the front door, a warm-looking receptionist greeted him.
"Looking for something?" she asked.
From her, Ethan learned that the gym's owner was a powerful Level 9 Martial Master. Many aspiring students trained there before awakening their genes. It was a respected place to start the martial path.
Ethan considered joining here.
But then he shook his head. With the system, his strength would grow far too quickly. If he trained here, it would be hard to hide his unnatural progress. Better to stay low-key for now.
He spent the rest of the day strolling through various parts of the city before finally heading home.
As he stepped into the house, Ethan paused.
They're home…
A flicker of nervousness hit him before he composed himself. In the kitchen, his mother, Elina, was humming a tune while preparing dinner. Tall and graceful, she carried an aura of warmth. His father, Jack Hunt, sat on the couch.
"Hey Mom,hey Dad," Ethan greeted.
Elina turned to him and smiled . "Welcome back. Where did you go by the way?"
"I went out shopping," he said casually.
Her brows rose a little bit. "Shopping? That's rare. What did you buy?"
"Training clothes.",Ethan replied.
"Training clothes?" Elina blinked, genuinely surprised. "What for?"
"I want to take the Quasi Martial Warrior Certificate exam in fifteen days. I need to train."
Jack looked up from the TV, startled.
His son, who always seemed uninterested and unambitious, was talking about martial certification?
"Why the sudden rush, Ethan?" Jack asked, his voice filled with concern but also curiosity.
Ethan felt the warmth in his father's tone. It wasn't suspicion,it was care.
"I want to get into a top university, Dad. I'll need that certificate for admission."
There was a long silence.
Elina's eyes softened and Jack leaned back to think. It was really a surprise for him today.
Their son seemed to be a little changed.He wasn't the same shy, withdrawn boy anymore. There was fire in his eyes. He sounded more confident.
They exchanged a glance to each other and smiled.
Elina turned back to him with a smile. "Alright then. What do you want for dinner?"
Ethan grinned. "How about black pepper grilled beef with garlic rice?"
"You got it," she laughed.
As Ethan headed to his room, he couldn't help but smile.