My Life Changed with the Unlimited System

The soft chime of a message notification broke the silence.

Ethan stirred. His eyes blinked open, adjusting to the dim light in the room.

"Is it morning already?" he muttered.

Above him, the ceiling displayed a projection of the sky. It was still dark, with scattered stars twinkling faintly across a deep blue canvas. A soft violet hue lined the horizon, hinting at a dawn that hadn't arrived yet.

He turned to look at the time on the screen. It was 0400.

He sat up slowly, rubbing the back of his neck.

He then saw the message.

=====

[REMINDER]

Subject: Ethan Cole

Status: Vanguard Candidate – Provisional

Report to: Arena V-13 (Vanguard Training Ground)

Time: 0430

Instructor: Assigned upon arrival

Note: Full gear required. Be prepared.

=====

Ethan let out a quiet breath. He swung his legs off the bed and stood up, rolling his shoulders to loosen the stiffness in his body. He felt a little heavy, probably from everything that had happened yesterday.

Still half-awake, he walked into the bathroom and splashed cold water on his face. The mirror turned on by itself, showing the time and a simple status display in the corner.

[04:00]

'I've thirty minutes. That should be enough time for me to get ready.'

Ten minutes later, he stepped out, fully dressed in a fresh Nemesis training suit. It was black, sleek, and designed like a hooded sports uniform. The fabric hugged his body in a way that felt snug but comfortable, light enough for movement, strong enough for training. The hood rested behind his neck, untouched.

He grabbed a small energy bar from the drawer and took a few bites.

"This tastes way better than I expected," Ethan muttered, a little surprised. "I can actually feel my body waking up."

As he chewed, he paused to think. For a long time, he had always associated technology with apps, weapons, advanced suits, and machines. But now, he realized that tech went far beyond that. Even something as simple as food could be upgraded.

The bar didn't just taste good, it worked. It was designed to boost energy almost instantly. That kind of detail impressed him more than he thought it would.

'Technology isn't just about building things. It's about improving life in every corner.'

His thoughts drifted for a moment. In a few days, the deal to buy Ridge Rovers FC would be complete. If he could understand more about this kind of nutrition tech, maybe he could help his future players perform better with stronger bodies, faster recovery, and fewer injuries.

He smirked at the idea.

'Looks like I've got more to learn than just fighting.'

While he was entertaining his thought, he checked the screen on the wall again.

This time, the map of Nemesis HQ appeared.

Arena V-13 was located deeper inside the complex, just a straight path from The Haven through one of the lower eastern corridors. A glowing line showed the exact route he needed to take.

'This place is pretty big. I wonder if this is the only HQ or there are more.'

Ethan then stepped out of the room.

The hallway was quiet. The lights along the ceiling were dimmer than usual, casting a soft blue glow. It felt peaceful. The floor barely made a sound under his steps. He passed a few people, some walking in the opposite direction, others returning from their night duties.

No one stopped him. A few looked his way, but no one said anything.

All of them were wearing the same training uniform.

'This place is really something else,' Ethan thought. 'Everyone moves like they have a purpose.'

After a few minutes of walking, he reached a wide hallway that led straight to the training sectors. Above a large metal door, glowing white letters read: Arena V-13.

"This is the place," he muttered as he stepped closer to the door.

Two scanners blinked on at the sides of the door. As soon as they scanned his ID, the door opened with a soft hiss.

Ethan stepped inside.

The arena was massive, way bigger than he expected. It was shaped like a dome, with high walls that curved upward. The ceiling was filled with small lights that looked like stars, dim but still glowing. The floor was made of silver-gray panels that could change shape or function depending on the training.

He saw several setups ready for use. Combat dummies, flying drones, a wall of weapons, and control stations for changing terrain. Everything looked high-tech and serious.

But then, his eyes landed on the people already there.

A few operatives were present, but two stood out the most.

That was because the rest of them were at the Lower Three-Star to Higher Three-Star, but the two were at the Lower Four-Star.

One of them was a young woman around his age. Her long brown hair was tied back, and she was moving fast with two short blades in her hands. Every move was clean and sharp. She looked focused, her expression calm but fierce.

Ethan recognized her right away.

'That's Maria Faye. The girl I saw training yesterday morning.'

Standing near her was a guy with fiery red hair. He wasn't training. He was just watching Maria while doing a few light stretches, like he had all the time in the world.

Ethan slowed his steps as he walked further in.

'So I'm not the first one here.'

He headed toward the center of the arena, his boots making soft echoes on the floor. Neither Maria nor the red-haired guy looked his way, and he didn't say anything either.

That was fine with him.

He looked around one more time, taking in everything.

The arena was quiet.

He had about ten minutes before training began.

'Let's see what this place is really about.'

Not far from where Ethan stood, a few operatives were gathered near one of the equipment racks. Their voices were low, but not too low to miss.

"Hey, who's that guy?" one of them asked, nodding toward Ethan.

"New face," another replied. "Never seen him before. Probably the recruit they mentioned last night."

"Looks too calm for someone new," the third added.

They didn't sound hostile, just curious. The way they spoke reminded Ethan of students eyeing a transfer who walked in mid-semester. Nothing threatening… but enough to know they were watching.

Ethan kept his gaze forward, pretending not to hear. But inwardly, he sighed.

'Figures. I stick out.'

What none of them knew yet was who he really was. Red hadn't said a word to anyone else. Only Maria knew the truth that Ethan was a Golden Ascendant.

And if that fact got out, this quiet buzz would turn into something else entirely.

Ethan stayed where he was, calm and silent. For now, he didn't mind the stares. He had no intention of showing off.

He would just let them talk and he would let his actions speak for him when the time came.