Ethan sat up in bed as the first light of dawn crept into the room, casting golden streaks over the chaos of his restless night. The sheets were tangled, a pillow lay abandoned on the floor, and his thoughts felt just as messy—scattered and impossible to untangle.
He rubbed his temples, sighing deeply. His dreams had been bizarre, a mix of threat and triumph. Dark, faceless figures had loomed around him, their intent menacing.
Yet, somehow, he had fought them off with moves that belonged in an action movie, swift and effortless.
"Great," he muttered, running a hand through his hair. "Now I'm not just paranoid."
He let out a heavy breath. "I'm officially living out delusions of grandeur. Next thing you know, I'll be ordering a cape."
The humor barely lifted the unease that had settled over him. He still had the feeling that he was being watched.
"It's just my feeling, I guess." He let out a heavy sigh.
"I should be thankful," he muttered, more to himself than anything. "No ominous knocks, no strange messages. Everyone's fine… for now."
He paused, the silence in the room almost mocking.
"I'm up early again," he added with a faint, wry smile, "it's only seven. Still, plenty of time for things to fall apart."
Shaking his head, Ethan forced himself to focus. Worrying wouldn't help. What he needed was clarity and maybe a little reassurance. With a swipe of his hand, he summoned the Status Panel.
The soft glow filled the room, steady and comforting, like a quiet hum from a power greater than anything he understood. Every time he saw it, it amazed him.
It wasn't magic exactly, but it wasn't far off—beautiful and utterly strange.
"I wonder," he murmured, staring at the floating interface. "Am I the only one with this? Or are there others out there walking around with their own secret system, living lives no one else could imagine?"
He was imagining the meetings they could have.
'Hi. I'm Ethan. I have this Unlimited System. What's yours?'
The thought made him chuckle, but only briefly. The idea of others like him was intriguing, yes. Still, it also opened a door to possibilities he wasn't sure he wanted to face just yet.
For now, he had enough to deal with. Turning his attention back to the panel, Ethan scanned it carefully.
Whatever—or whoever—was out there, he intended to meet it head-on, preferably with a plan and a few surprises of his own.
=====
[Status Panel]
Name: Ethan Cole
Level: 2
EXP: 2500 / 3000
Ascension Points: 4
Wealth: Unlimited
Attributes:
Strength: 10
Speed: 10
Endurance: 6
Intelligence: 16
Charisma: 6
Free Attribute Points: 0
Skills:
1. Krav Maga [Basic]
2. Close Quarters Combat [Basic]
3. Tactical Firearms [Basic]
=====
Ethan's eyes scanned the glowing Status Panel, its soft light casting faint highlights across his tense expression. He studied the numbers carefully, the results of choices made just before bed still fresh in his mind.
Every free attribute point had been spent—pushed into strength and speed without hesitation.
Now, looking at the changes, he wasn't sure if it was bold… or reckless.
"I wanted balanced stats," he muttered with a wry smile, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. "This is nowhere close."
The truth was, balance hadn't been an option. Not really.
If things went south—and some instinct deep inside told him they would—he'd need speed. He'd need strength. Anything else could get him killed.
He leaned back slowly, the chair creaking beneath him.
'But how do I compare to others?'
Ethan had been thinking about that for the whole night and, of course, a few other things. Was he strong for someone with access to a system like this, or was he just scraping the surface of his potential?
Worse still, was there someone out there who was leagues ahead of him, someone he didn't even know about yet but without this kind of system?
He let out a frustrated sigh, ruffling his hair as his eyes narrowed at the screen. It wasn't as if he could ask someone for tips on leveling up or how strong he was supposed to be now.
Not exactly a dinner conversation.
For now, guesswork was all he had, and in a world where he had no idea who—or what—he might be up against, one thing was certain, he wasn't strong enough. Not yet.
He exhaled sharply.
"First I was paranoid. Now I'm stressing over power levels," Ethan muttered, rubbing his temples. "This is getting ridiculous."
But even as he said it, he knew it wasn't nothing.
Not anymore.
Ethan's gaze dropped to the Endurance stat on his panel. Lower than he liked. Lower than he needed. It gnawed at him, but he brushed the worry aside.
"Focus on what you can control," he told himself, voice steady.
Speed. Power. Without those, endurance meant nothing.
'I need to level up—fast.'
The thought struck with force. More EXP. More Ascension Points. With that, he would become stronger.
Just as his resolve settled in, his phone buzzed.
He'd left it on the far side of the desk. It was a part of a habit to force himself to get up and move when turning off alarms.
He blinked, rising to grab it. The soft glow of the Status Panel dimmed as reality crept back in.
A new message lit up the screen. It was from David.
David: Morning, Ethan. The registration for Nova Tech is officially complete.
Ethan's chest swelled with pride. A grin broke across his face, the weight of the morning lifting slightly. That was one less thing to worry about.
Another message from David buzzed through, and he read it eagerly.
David: Forgot to tell you. Charles contacted me. The company's current account will be opened today. Seems like someone's been using his connections wisely.
A chuckle escaped Ethan's lips.
"Well, if by 'connections,' you mean my billion-dollar secret, then yes, I suppose I have," he murmured to himself.
Still, it was good news. Things were moving forward. He typed out a quick response.
Ethan: Great! What's next on the list?
The reply came almost immediately, as though David had been waiting for it.
David: Office space and team. I have a few ideas for both, but we should discuss the office first. Any thoughts?
Ethan frowned thoughtfully, his fingers hovering over the keyboard. He was about to reply when a familiar chime filled the air.
The sound sent a shiver of excitement up his spine, and his phone screen faded as the translucent glow of the system appeared before him.
"Well, well," Ethan said, sitting up straighter, his heart pounding.
"It must be a mission related to Nova Tech."
He swiped open to see the new notification. He was pretty much excited to see what it has for him today.
=====
[New Mission]
[4. Hire a Team]
Objective: Hire at least 20 people for Nova Tech.
Rewards:
1. 2,000 EXP
2. 10 Ascension Points
=====
Ethan's eyes widened as he stared at the glowing notification.
"2,000 EXP?" he whispered to himself, the number almost too large to process.
That was massive—far more than he'd ever earned at once.
But his awe quickly turned into trepidation as he read the rest of the mission. Twenty people. The System wanted him to hire twenty employees.
"Twenty?!" he muttered aloud.
He had only ever worked with small groups before—never more than five people on an assignment.
Now, twenty employees?
That was an entirely different thing altogether. His thoughts swirled with doubts. '
'How am I supposed to manage that? That's… chaos.'
But then another thought, slightly more comforting, crept in. '
That's what David is for, right?'
Ethan exhaled, leaning forward again as the glow of the system reflected in his wide eyes. David had far more experience in these things. Surely, he would know how to assign roles and positions, right?
That's what partners were for—to fill in the gaps, to know what you didn't. Ethan's confidence flickered back to life.
Still, the reality gnawed at him. He wasn't blind to his own shortcomings.
Assigning the right people to the right positions? Building a team?
These were all tasks far beyond his current capabilities.
He could barely decide what shirt to wear in the morning. How could he be expected to build the foundation of a company?
'I'll let David know about the twenty people,' he resolved since he had no other choice. 'He'll know what to do. It's his area of expertise.'
Before he could even grab his phone to update David, the system's soft chime interrupted his train of thought. Another notification popped up, cutting through the air like a bell at a monastery.
Ethan froze, staring at the new message.
"You're not done with me yet, are you?" he muttered, bracing himself as he tapped to open it.
Whatever the system wanted next, it clearly had no intention of making this journey easy.
=====
[New Mission]
[5. Build a Grand Office]
Objective: Find and furnish an office space that reflects the grandeur of your new company.
Reward: Rewards will be unique and based on the grandeur achieved.
=====
Ethan leaned back in his chair, a slow grin spreading across his face as he reread the system's notification.
"Unique rewards?" he mused.
He believed the system would never hand out vague promises lightly. Whatever it had in store would undoubtedly be worth the effort.
His mind raced with possibilities, the thrill of the challenge igniting his imagination.
'Should I buy an entire building?' he wondered, his grin widening.
It wasn't an entirely absurd thought. After all, if the system rewarded grand gestures, why not go as big as possible?
A sleek, towering office space that screamed success could only boost his mission rewards. And when the system gave rewards, they were bound to be extraordinary.
Feeling a rush of excitement, Ethan picked up his phone and typed out a quick message to David, his fingers flying over the screen with newfound urgency.
Ethan: We're going big. I want at least 20 people hired. Can you get me a list of the necessary positions?
Miles away, David Turner, comfortably settled at his kitchen table, almost spilled his coffee as he read the message.
"Are you alright?" Annie, his wife, asked, glancing up from her book.
David chuckled, shaking his head in disbelief. "It's Ethan. The young man I told you about. He's... ambitious."
Annie raised an eyebrow, amused. "Ambitious? But... I think he was the kind of person you need. You seem more spirited when talking about him or Nova Tech."
David paused, her words lingering. She was right. It had been a while since he felt this energized about something.
But still... twenty people? That was a stretch.
David: Twenty? Ethan, 5 or 6 people would be enough to get started. Are you sure about this? That's a lot of hires at once.
Ethan read the message, a grin tugging at the corner of his lips. He could almost picture David's incredulous expression. With practiced confidence—though his heart was racing—he quickly replied.
Ethan: Yeah, I'm sure. List all the positions needed. Hire the best talent only.
He sent another message.
Ethan: Don't worry about the money. I've got that covered.
David was staring at his phone's screen in disbelief. 'How rich is this kid?'
However, he understood Ethan's point of view. Well, that was what people thought. Actually, Ethan only had the mission in his mind. But to David, he thought that Ethan was thinking about the company.
Building a solid, talented team from the start could give the company the edge it needed to soar.
David: Alright, if you're serious about this, I'll get on it. But 20 is the max. Just don't go overboard, alright?
Ethan chuckled at the reply, feeling a thrill of satisfaction. With the system, he started to like the feeling of pushing boundaries, of doing something no one expected.
Because right now, he felt that nothing his money couldn't settle.
Ethan: Don't worry, David. I've got everything perfectly covered. Let's do our best.
Sliding his phone into his pocket, Ethan turned his thoughts to the day ahead.
First, he needed to find an office—something modern and grand, a space that radiated power and ambition as well as aligned with his company's vision and mission.
He could already picture it; sleek glass walls, state-of-the-art interiors, the kind of place that would make every visitor sit up and take notice.
As he made a mental checklist, another thought crept into his mind. The priority, his family.
He needed to move them to a safer, more upscale neighborhood. He had seen glimpses of elite housing options in his online 'research'—places where security was as solid as the walls themselves.
"Maybe one of those could work. Who knows, right?" Ethan said aloud, a wry smile tugging at his lips.
The idea of his family living in a place with pristine lawns, gated security, and houses so big they echoed seemed almost surreal. Yet, the thought warmed him.
They deserved better—much better. No more creaky floors or peeling paint, no more worrying about rent or late utility bills.
The world was now his oyster, and he could give them everything they had only dreamed of. But the problem wasn't the money. No, the system had seen to that. The real issue, Ethan realized with a sheepish grin, was his complete lack of experience in handling such wealth.
He could buy anything, but knowing what to buy and how to make the most of it? That was another matter entirely.
"Well, I guess I'll figure it out as I go," Ethan muttered, a wry chuckle escaping his lips.
After all, it wasn't like someone had handed him a manual titled How to Be a Billionaire Overnight.
He knew this was only the start of a much larger journey. Mistakes were inevitable, lessons would come the hard way, and maybe—just maybe—he'd eventually learn how to manage it all with wisdom and grace.
But for now, he'd take it one step at a time, driven by a blend of determination, curiosity, and the occasional leap of faith.
Author's Note:
Hi everyone,
I just wanted to take a moment to thank you all for your incredible support and thoughtful feedback. I have read all your comments, and they mean a lot to me. It's amazing to see how invested you are in this story—it really keeps me going!
That said, I've been going back through the earlier chapters and realizing there's room for improvement. So, I'm in the process of editing and polishing things up.
Don't worry, though—this won't affect the daily releases. The story will keep moving forward while I work on making the earlier chapters even better.
I'll be making adjustments, fine-tuning details, and even rewriting parts where necessary to ensure the story flows as smoothly as possible. If you happen to revisit the earlier chapters, you might notice some of these changes.
Thank you for sticking with me and for being part of this journey. Your feedback and encouragement make this all the more rewarding!
Cheers,
Noah Caelum