Ethan Cole stepped outside into the warm hush of morning, the summer sky brushed in soft blue and streaks of golden light. The sun hung low but bright, casting long shadows across the quiet street as a gentle breeze stirred the leaves.
"It's going to be a really good day today," Ethan said, taking a deep breath.
Though the air wasn't fresh because he lived in the city's lower parts, it still felt good to be outside.
He looked around. Novan City was just starting to wake up but the streets were already crowded with the usual rush of people.
Ethan adjusted his backpack and started walking to the bookstore, but his mind was not on the day ahead.
'The Unlimited System... I haven't really explored the system yet,' Ethan thought.
It had been less than a day since his life changed completely. A billion dollars. And not just once—a never-ending supply of money.
No matter how much he spent or moved around, his account always returned to that unbelievable amount. His balance never went below $1,000,000,000.
'I wonder how the system keeps the balance without the bank noticing. Or maybe they haven't noticed yet.'
It was as if some unseen hand was refilling his account, again and again, without fail or delay.
Magic?
That seemed too unlikely, even for something as strange as this. Ethan thought it must be advanced technology—much more developed than anything people in this world had created.
It had to be.
How else could it operate without triggering alarms at the bank or raising red flags somewhere along the line?
Ethan had already spent more before he got ready for work—$12,000 on clothes and gifts as small tokens of care for his family.
He put aside the idea of explaining his purchases. He had reminded himself once again, with confidence, that he did not owe anyone an explanation.
Not anymore.
His parents had believed him well enough after that morning—reluctantly, yes, but they had believed. That was all the permission he needed to spend as he wished. And spend he would.
'Can I be listed among the richest men now?'
Ethan laughed aloud at the thought, the sound echoing faintly down the quiet street. Here he was, barely a day into this new reality, already entertaining wild dreams of being listed among the richest men in the world.
It was ridiculous, of course. And yet… was it?
Shaking his head, Ethan decided not to think too much about the how. This was his new reality. The system had chosen him—why or how he didn't know, but it had.
There was no point in questioning what was already done. The only thing to do now was figure out what the system was capable of, and what, if anything, it might want in return.
He unlocked his phone, and the same screen appeared, clear as day, as though mocking his disbelief.
"Unlimited System," he whispered to himself, the words tasting strange and unfamiliar. That was when something strange happened.
"What's happening?" Ethan murmured, his voice barely audible above the faint rustle of the waking city. He stopped as his eyes stared at the system interface that had appeared.
No. This time, it was not on his phone. But, it appeared before him. This was something else entirely. Something far beyond the bounds of what he understood to be possible.
Ethan blinked, half-expecting the image to vanish, to flicker out like a faulty projection. But it didn't. It remained as solid and present as the ground beneath his feet, its sharp, clean lines glowing faintly against the soft morning light.
Yet here it was, undeniable and immediate, as though the system itself had decided to step out of fiction and into his reality. It hung there in the air as if to say, 'Go on. Touch it. See what happens.'
Ethan was stunned. He looked around to see if others could see it, too. 'I think it is just me.'
'Let's see... Mission Panel.'
He lifted his fingers, and before he could reach it, the panel changed. It was not because of his touch but his thought.
The icons shifted, rearranging themselves with a smooth, effortless precision as though they had been waiting all along for the silent command.
He stumbled back a step, his breath caught in his throat.
"This... this is amazing," he whispered in amazement.
The system seemed to pulse faintly as if acknowledging his presence. Ethan stared at it, the questions swirling in his mind too many to grasp at once.
'How is this possible? What else can it do?'
No answers came. The system remained silent, its glowing numbers and symbols holding all the secrets Ethan had yet to uncover. Each icon seemed alive with promise, hinting at possibilities he could only guess at.
He flipped through them with a thought, the selections gliding smoothly under his invisible command.
But as he walked, a small, nagging worry crept into his mind. The panel hung openly in front of him, unseen by anyone else but impossible for him to ignore.
What if someone happened to notice his odd behavior?
A young man staring into space or making tiny, unconscious gestures wasn't the strangest sight in the city, but it was unusual enough to draw attention.
'Perhaps I can move the display back to my phone,' Ethan thought, his brow furrowing slightly. 'It would look more natural there.'
No sooner had the thought crossed his mind than the panel flickered. It reappeared on his phone's screen.
"Well," Ethan murmured, his lips curving into a faint smile. "That's more like it."
He clicked on his Status Panel. He needed to learn more about the system.
=====
[Status Panel]
Name: Ethan Cole
Level: 1
EXP: 0 / 1000
Ascension Points: 0
Wealth: Unlimited
Physical Stats:
Strength: 4
Speed: 5
Endurance: 4
Intelligence: 15
Charisma: 5
Free Attribute Points: 0
Skills: [None Unlocked]
=====
Ethan gazed at the Status Panel, its neat rows of text displaying his physical attributes with a clarity that left little room for interpretation.
Strength, Endurance, Intelligence, Charisma—each measured, each quantified, each a reminder of his all-too-ordinary state. He sighed softly, his breath misting in the cool air.
"Damn... It seems the system considered me as this weak," he murmured, half to himself, half to the panel.
The numbers didn't lie, and they weren't flattering.
'But what are these attributes even for? He wondered, frowning slightly. 'I thought this system was just about spending money—or am I supposed to protect it, too? That would be… inconvenient.'
He shook his head, a wry smile tugging at his lips. He knew well that he was not capable of protecting anything right now, let alone to protect a billion dollars.
His Strength and Endurance, as the system had so helpfully informed him, were average. He believed they were good enough for lugging groceries or jogging across the street to catch a bus, but little more.
His Intelligence, at least, was slightly above the norm, whether thanks to long hours of studying or a touch of natural talent he'd never given much thought to. But even that small comfort was overshadowed by the pitiful number assigned to his Charisma.
"No surprises there," Ethan muttered with a rueful grin.
Charm and sociability had never been his strong suits. He wasn't the sort of person who lit up a room or effortlessly drew others into his orbit. His eyes then stopped at something just below his name.
Level 1.
This felt like something from a game, and the more Ethan thought about it, the more curious he became. He believed that this meant he could improve himself with this system.
What could leveling up make possible?
What hidden features are waiting for him to find?
These ideas sparked his imagination, tempting him with thoughts of what might happen. Ethan noticed another tab in the corner of the display. It shimmered lightly and had a clear label: Mission Panel.
=====
[Missions Panel]
[1. Mission: Improve Your Status]
Objective: Utilize the system's resources to better your life and those around you.
Reward:
1. 1,500 EXP
2. 10 Ascension Points
=====
"How do I complete this mission?" Ethan murmured, his voice soft in the quiet of the room.
The mission statement hovered before him, broad and open-ended, offering no clear instructions but suggesting endless possibilities.
From what Ethan could gather, it involved improvement, but improvement of what, exactly?
Was it as simple as upgrading his apartment?
Buying new clothes?
Perhaps even moving his family to a better home altogether?
The vagueness of it both frustrated and intrigued him.
"Security and home…" he mused, running a hand through his hair.
His mind swirled with ideas, a jumble of things he longed to do for his family. And yet, as he considered them, a small frown tugged at his lips.
This was a new experience for him, filled with challenges he hadn't faced before. He had never hired a security agency, and the thought of bodyguards watching their small apartment seemed a bit silly.
It felt like putting a fancy lock on a cardboard box.
Ethan thought about buying a new house. This felt overwhelming. He could pay in cash, which was the easy part. However, the logistics, paperwork, and size of the decision all seemed big to him.
Ethan didn't know where to begin, but the idea stayed with him, quietly urging him on.
"I'll start small," he said aloud, the decision settling like a stone in his chest. "Maybe the things I bought will do at first. Then, maybe replace a few things around the apartment."
He didn't want to overwhelm his family with a transformation too sudden or dramatic. His thoughts shifted to the panel once more, his eyes narrowing on the phrase that had puzzled him from the start: Ascension Points.
They remained a mystery, glowing faintly in the corner of the display like an unopened gift. What did they mean? How could they be used?
"What does it really mean…" he wondered aloud, his voice trailing off as he checked on the Shop Panel.
=====
[Shop Panel]
Available Items:
[+] Lower Grade Strength Potion (1 Ascension Point)
[+] Lower Grade Speed Potion (1 Ascension Point)
[+] Lower Grade Endurance Potion (1 Ascension Point)
[+] Lower Grade Charisma Potion (1 Ascension Point)
[+] Lower Grade Intelligence Potion (1 Ascension Point)
[Locked Items – Level Up Required]
=====
"This is just like a game…" Ethan murmured.
His voice tinged with a mixture of disbelief and quiet amazement as he stared at the Shop Panel. Before him was a list of items that enabled upgrades and boosts gleamed invitingly on the screen, each one promising some new way to transform himself.
All of them required Ascension Points. He now understood where these points played their role. It acted as the currency, or so he believed in this system.
Ethan scanned the descriptions, his eyes widening as he began to understand.
"I could become a superhuman with this," he chuckled, though the laughter felt hollow in the stillness around him.
"Ascension Points, EXP… I believe it is all connected," Ethan mused aloud as he resumed his walk toward the bookstore.
Just then, a faint chime echoed in his mind, soft but unmistakable, like the tolling of a distant bell. Ethan froze mid-step, instinctively glancing around, though he knew no one else could have heard it.
Another notification from the system appeared on his phone.
=====
[New Mission]
[2. Expand Your Network]
Objective: Forge meaningful connections with influential individuals. Establish a network to boost your status.
Number of connections (0/2)
Reward:
1. 2,500 EXP
2. 10 Ascension Points
=====
"Expand my network?" Ethan stopped in his tracks, reading the mission notification again.
The words hung in his mind, their meaning both clear and unsettling. Until now, he believed the system's tasks would be practical, and focused on self-improvement. Things he could handle quietly, on his own.
But this was different. The system was urging him to reach outward, to build connections with others, and to step beyond the careful boundaries of his world.
"Influential individuals…" he murmured, considering the phrase.
He thought of the people in his life. His family, a few close friends, and Mr. Parker, the boss of the bookstore.
None of them could be called influential in the sense the system seemed to mean. The task wasn't just unfamiliar; it was uncomfortable.
Ethan had never sought out powerful people, and the idea of doing so now felt daunting.
'Why does the system care about this?' Ethan wondered.
The mission felt deliberate, purposeful in a way he couldn't yet understand, as though it was steering him toward something larger than he had imagined.
There was no question of refusing—it wasn't that sort of arrangement. The system wanted him to grow, to reach, to act.
Ethan adjusted his backpack as the bookstore came into view, his mind buzzing.
One thing was becoming clear; his life was no longer his alone to control.
The system, with its strange logic and endless possibilities, had its plans for him. And it was only just beginning.