Halo's sharp remark made Ethan bristle for a moment, irritation flickering across his face. But he quickly swallowed it down and snapped, "Enough. Just give me the skill already."
He couldn't wait any longer. Stealth, the name alone thrilled him.
The panel buzzed and a prompt appeared.
[Are you sure you want to purchase the skill Stealth for 100 EP?]
[No Yes]
"Yes," Ethan answered without hesitation.
[Skill purchase confirmed]
[Skill will now be embedded]
[Initializing embedding process…]
[10%…
20%…
40%…
65%…
80%…
100%]
[Embedding complete]
The instant the final notification lit up, a strange shiver coursed through Ethan's entire body. His mind flooded with sensations, knowledge of what Stealth was, how to activate it, how to control it, as if he had known it all along, as if it had always been a part of him.
The panel updated again.
[Host: Ethan Wolf]
[Balance: $9,999,979,899,995,160]
[Physique: Ordinary]
[Body: 0]
[Mind: 0]
[Skill:
Stealth – Lv.1]
[EP: 44]
Ethan's lips curled into a grin, a low chuckle escaping him. "This feeling… Is it really this easy to learn a skill? If I keep spending money to rack up EP, I can master as many as I want."
Savoring the moment, he whispered, "Alright… let's try this Stealth."
He closed his eyes and willed his entire existence to fade, picturing himself dissolving into nothingness.
And then...
it happened.
His body vanished from sight, as though he had never been there.
Ethan looked down where his hands should have been. Nothing. He strained his ears.
"I… I can't even hear my own heartbeat."
Taking a few steps forward and back, his jaw dropped in awe. No sound followed. No footsteps echoed. Nothing.
"Amazing…" he breathed, his voice tinged with exhilaration.
"I should put this skill to the test… but how?" Ethan muttered, deep in thought.
[You could always sneak into the girls' bathroom.]
Halo's dry, mischievous voice echoed in his mind.
Ethan's eyes twitched. "Were you always a system to begin with? Or were you actually a human once and then turned into a system? How else can you be this much of a pervert?!"
[What's there about being a pervert here? If we don't enjoy beauty then what's the use of being beautiful?]
Halo's confident voice echoed in his mind.
"What?!" Ethan's eyes widened in disbelief. He was utterly baffled by the system's shameless statement.
"Whatever. Forget I even asked." He waved it off with a sigh and began thinking again.
Let's go downstairs. If I move through the crowd, I'll know for sure by everyone's reaction whether this skill really works.
With that thought, Ethan pushed open the stairwell door and started heading down.
As he descended, he turned a corner and froze for a split second.
There, in the dimly lit corridor, a boy and a girl were locked in a heated embrace. The boy had pulled her close, pressing his body tightly against her as his crotch was grinding between her thighs and their lips intertwined in a desperate kiss, tongues exploring as if searching for hidden treasure.
Ethan quickly tore his gaze away and slipped past them, careful not to make a sound. Even though he was in Stealth mode, he wasn't one hundred percent certain that it would really work, as this was his first time using this skill.
His heart pounded hard against his ribs as he edged by. Step by careful step, he crossed the hallway.
Once he was clear, Ethan exhaled a long, shaky breath, and relief washed over him.
"It really works…" His lips curved into a grin, his excitement soaring. He was over the moon.
A spark of confidence flickered in Ethan's chest.
"Let's see what else I can do with this."
With that thought, he began walking more boldly. Students bustled all around him; some were just walking around, others were talking, and some, even if not making out, were speaking romantic words that could be understood just by seeing the girls' pinkish cheeks or the boys' soft confidence. He wandered freely through the crowd, brushing past people here and there, yet not a single head turned. No one noticed him.
His lips curled upward. "I was right to choose this skill first. This is just mind-blowing."
Deep down, he knew peeking like this wasn't right. But the adrenaline rush drowned out that thought, leaving only exhilaration as he savored the thrill.
Then, just as he passed by a classroom, a familiar voice reached his ears.
"Dad, what are you saying? Someone became a new trustee and paid even more than you? And he wants Ethan to stay?"
The moment he heard it, Ethan instinctively peeked inside. He couldn't hear the reply, but Lucas's face was enough, his expression twisted with rage, veins bulging, eyes burning. Lucas's blood was practically boiling.
"That shameless bastard, he stole my girlfriend, tried to kill me which I somehow survived, and now he's scheming to get me expelled. I wish I could teach that piece of shit a lesson," Ethan thought, anger flaring through him. "But he's too strong for me right now." A helpless knot tightened in his chest.
"Wait... What if..."
A sudden idea sparked in Ethan's mind.
Without making a sound, Ethan slipped into the classroom. He then quietly turned the lock behind him and scanned the room for something he could use to vent his rage.
But there was nothing, no stick, no rod, nothing solid enough to satisfy the storm building inside him.
With a frustrated sigh, he crept closer and stopped at a safe distance in front of Lucas, who remained oblivious to his presence. Lucas was still fuming at his phone, cursing under his breath, before finally cutting the call and shoving it into his pocket.
And then he moved, ready to turn and storm out of the classroom...
And that was the moment Ethan took action....
He put every ounce of strength into his leg and drove it mercilessly into Lucas's crotch.
Thud!
Lucas's face instantly contorted in agony. His mouth opened wide, but no sound came out at first, just a strangled gasp, like his lungs refused to work. Then, a hoarse scream tore from his throat.
"Arghhh! Haaahhh.... damn it!"
Meanwhile Ethan... "This is only the beginning, you asshole." He cursed inside.