My Life Changed with the Unlimited System

The flight to Nemesis Headquarters had been smoother than Ethan expected.

For the entire hour, the sleek black helicopter cut across mountain ridges, cruising above mist-choked valleys and forested peaks that looked untouched by man.

There was no turbulence, no chatter over the comms.

Just silence, broken occasionally by the soft hum of the rotors and the sound of wind brushing the glass.

When the helicopter finally began its descent, Ethan could feel the shift in weight.

Maya, seated beside him, tapped twice on her wrist console.

"We're here," she said simply, her voice calm but with an undertone that suggested the real journey was only beginning.

The landing was soft, precise. The helicopter touched down on a flat helipad carved into the crown of a mountain, hidden by cliffs on all sides.

As soon as the doors opened, a burst of cool air swept in. It was crisp, clean, untouched by the usual industrial haze of cities like Novan.

Ethan stepped out and instinctively took a deep breath.

"Now this," he murmured, "is refreshing. A thousand times better than Novan City."

Maya smirked as she hopped out behind him, adjusting her jacket. "You'll change your mind once the evaluation starts."

He chuckled, only half-paying attention as his eyes wandered.

The scene before him was quietly breathtaking. Tall, jagged cliffs dipped into deep ravines. Mist clung to the edges like a protective curtain, moving gently as though parting for their arrival.

It wasn't just beautiful. It was strategic. Isolated, concealed, and high enough to see everything coming.

Then something caught Ethan's eye.

Roughly a hundred meters away, almost blending into the mountain itself, was a structure. Large, angular, and barely distinguishable from the rocky terrain.

Its outline would've gone unnoticed if not for the subtle shimmer in the air around it. Some kind of cloaking technology, no doubt.

He activated his Divine Eyes.

There it is.

The facility seemed to grow clearer in his vision. Reinforced steel merged with raw stone. Towering walls framed by detection systems. Faint traces of Ascendant energy rippled across its surface like a heartbeat.

"You've seen it already?" Maya asked, mildly surprised.

Ethan nodded. "It's well hidden. I almost missed it."

"That's the idea," she said, a little impressed. "Most first-timers walk right past it."

The headquarters of Nemesis wasn't just a fortress. It was a message. One etched into the mountain itself and radiated power, restraint, and precision.

As they moved closer, Ethan took in the finer details. The entrance was fortified, guarded by a team of operatives clad in matte black suits bearing the Nemesis emblem, an angular insignia shaped like fire.

Their stance was rigid, alert. There was no idle banter. No slackness in posture. These were not normal soldiers but high-level Ascendants.

One of the guards stepped forward, hand up. "Halt."

Maya stopped without flinching. Ethan did the same.

"Identification," the guard said.

Maya reached into her coat and handed over a slim card, her tone businesslike. "Operative Maya Fenn. Clearance Level Seven. Escorting subject Ethan Cole for internal evaluation. Confirmed by Central Command two days prior."

The guard gave a short nod and scanned the ID. His eyes flicked toward Ethan briefly, expression unreadable. Another guard scanned Maya's retina.

As the security checks continued, Ethan used the moment to quietly analyze the guards with his Divine Eyes.

High Three-Star Ascendants, he thought. Back in the Kannan Empire, these people would be Elders. Here… they're gatekeepers.

That alone told him how far up the food chain he was climbing.

After a tense pause, the lead guard returned the ID. "Confirmed. Proceed."

They stepped aside, but their eyes lingered on Ethan, assessing him with the kind of cold precision one might reserve for a newly-forged weapon.

Ethan kept his face calm and unreadable.

Beyond the gate, they entered what felt like a massive outer plaza. This wasn't yet the heart of Nemesis.

It was a wide open space filled with Ascendants walking in purposeful strides. Some trained on open grounds. Others sat under awnings in quiet discussion.

Ethan immediately noticed the uniforms. Sleek combat suits, each marked by the same fire emblem on the chest. Every person here looked efficient, focused. Not just physically strong, but sharpened like blades that had been through fire more than once.

"This reminds me of university," Ethan said absently.

Maya raised a brow. "You had universities like this?"

"No," Ethan admitted, a smile playing on his lips. "Mine had terrible food and worse instructors."

She gave a soft chuckle. "Fair."

Ethan pointed at a group of individuals gathered under a tree, all dressed in pristine white uniforms with metallic linings. "Who are they?"

"Researchers," Maya answered. "They're the backbone of Nemesis's tech and weapon development division. They rarely see fieldwork, but without them, our weapons and pills wouldn't exist."

Ethan nodded. "And the others?"

"Operatives," she said. "Our secret agents. Trained for field missions, high-risk operations, and sometimes… termination assignments. Every one of them is an Ascendant."

Ethan's gaze lingered on a young woman practicing with dual blades. She was fluid and deadly. Her aura placed her at Lower Four-Star. She couldn't have been more than twenty.

"Impressive," he muttered. "She's almost the same age as I am but already a Lower Four-Star."

"How did you know?"

"I've my ways."

Maya gave up as she explained, "She's Maria Faye. One of the most outstanding Junior Operatives. Twenty this year."

Ethan nodded before saying, "She's almost as strong as you guys."

He then looked around before adding another remark, "This place and people... Well, it is unlike anything I have expected."

"I thought you'd say that," Maya said. "Still above or below your expectations?"

"Above," Ethan replied with a low chuckle. "By a long shot."

They continued walking, and something in Maya's tone softened.

"You're not the same Ethan who walked into that first session," she said.

He gave her a curious glance.

"Back then," she went on, "you had that look. The one people wear when they have no idea what's about to hit them."

Ethan chuckled. "I still wear that sometimes."

She smiled. "Maybe. But you've changed. I saw it during training. Even before you formed your core, you pushed like someone who had something to prove. Mark saw it too."

Ethan's smile faded slightly. "Mark… I wonder how is he doing."

"He's still out there," Maya said, voice tightening. "And we're going to bring him home."

Ethan nodded. "We will."

They reached a wide metal door embedded into the cliff wall. It stood nearly ten meters high, sealed tight with lines of light flowing through its surface like veins.

Maya stepped forward and placed her palm on a scanner. A soft chime sounded.

"Retinal scan required," the system said.

She leaned in.

A thin beam of light swept over her eye, and the door gave a mechanical hiss before slowly sliding open, revealing the facility's inner sanctum.

Sleek corridors lined with panels of black glass. Reinforced walls. Ceiling-mounted cameras tracking every step.

"Ethan," Maya said as she led the way in, "I hope you're ready for the evaluation."

Ethan stepped through, his eyes taking everything in.

Clean. Cold. Efficient.

And deep within it… he could feel something waiting.

Not danger exactly, but pressure. Like walking into a chamber where expectations were heavier than the air.

"Whatever test they throw at me," he said, "I'll take it."

Maya looked back, a hint of a smile tugging at her lips. "Good. Because they don't test for fun. They test for truth."

Ethan followed without hesitation.

This was more than a facility.

It was a proving ground.

And Ethan Cole was ready to be proven.