The arena was quiet after the attack in the hallway. Damon's body was tense, every muscle recalibrating with the system's adjustments. His mind buzzed—not with fear, but with awareness.
[Tier 1 Progression: 72%]
[Combat Acceleration Trait: Active]
[System Alert: Hidden Mode Available]
A flicker of light appeared in his vision—a prompt, almost imperceptible:
[Hidden Mode: Unlock Candidate Permission? YES / NO]
The system's tone was neutral, but the text pulsed insistently. Damon didn't hesitate.
Yes.
Instantly, warmth spread through his skull and down his spine. Not pain, not fear, but connection—like his nervous system had been unlocked, threads of data weaving into his every motion.
[Neural Enhancement: Partial Offensive Integration]
[Micro-Prediction Algorithms Activated]
[Physical Output: Optimized for Combat]
The world slowed—slightly, subtly—only for him. Every attack, every potential strike in the arena, became visible before it happened. It wasn't magic. It was calculation, prediction, and instinct fused by the system.
He tested it on the nearest training hologram. It moved faster than anything human should, but Damon already knew where it would strike. He sidestepped effortlessly, countered with a precision strike, and shattered the construct in one motion.
The system confirmed:
[Hidden Mode Efficiency: 21%]
[Potential Growth: Exponential]
From across the arena, Lira noticed the subtle difference in his stance—the calm precision, the confident timing.
Her brow furrowed. "Damon… you're moving differently," she said, eyes wide. "Faster. Sharper. Did something happen?"
He didn't answer aloud. Not yet. The system whispered internally:
[Advice: Maintain Low Profile Until Stage Completion]
Damon nodded subtly, letting Lira see only what seemed like careful awareness, not the full extent of his new capability.
Another round of holographic enemies appeared—more aggressive, more unpredictable. Speedsters darted in zigzags, heavy-hitters crashed toward him, and elemental constructs launched flames and shocks.
The system guided him silently, enhancing prediction and response, but never acting without his consent. Damon moved like water—each motion conserving energy, striking only when necessary.
[Threat Prediction: 87% Accuracy]
[Damage Avoidance: 92% Success]
One by one, enemies fell—not in flashy bursts, but with perfect timing and precision. Each strike left him calm, controlled, and learning.
The system recorded everything. Patterns, weak points, environmental opportunities—all stored in a growing, invisible library inside his mind.
Suddenly, a system warning appeared in red:
[Alert: Hidden Rule Triggered — External Monitoring Detected]
[Threat: Unknown Entity Accessing Exam Data]
Damon froze—just for a heartbeat. Someone had breached the exam's monitoring protocols.
[Recommendation: Prepare Countermeasures]
He smiled faintly, crimson eyes glinting. The system had unlocked more than he expected, and now he had the tools to survive even unseen enemies.
Lira glanced at him, confused but trusting. She didn't know the full depth of his power.
But Damon did.
And he knew one thing clearly:
In Ethereal, surviving wasn't enough. You had to outthink the world itself.