With the Board of Directors gone, Ethan finally had the time to read the documents that Master Wu gave him.
The cause of the incident this time remained unknown. However, merely looking at the images of the debris could lead anyone to conclude that whatever attacked the ship appeared to have caused a large explosion that left the ship in ruins.
"Master Wu," Ethan said with a calm expression as he accepted another folder.
"What is this?" Ethan asked.
"These are the things the CEO had been studying before the tragedy," Master Wu replied.
Ethan opened the folder and read its contents. "Is this possible?" he inquired. The contents mentioned that his brother had been studying a relic that could control the rifts and dungeons in the vicinity.
"The Young Master believes so," Master Wu replied.
Ethan nodded and closed the folder before handing it to Jihoon. "Keep it safe," he instructed. The documents didn't contain any critical information, so he deemed it unnecessary to keep them with him. At present, he didn't know the motive behind the attack, so it was best to keep a low profile.
"Young Master, should we discuss what happened earlier?" Jihoon suddenly asked.
"Earlier?" Ethan furrowed his brow as he regarded the older man. Then he sighed. "Well, it seems that I can no longer conceal my Essentia."
"Young Master awakened his Essentia?" Master Wu's eyes widened. "Then the old chairman would have— " He didn't finish his sentence, but the implication was clear: Ethan developing an Essentia would have made his grandfather happy.
"May I know what your Essentia is, Young Master?" Jihoon asked, his eyes gleaming. Why did it seem like this old man was quite excited about Ethan's Essentia? "Does it have to do with strength?"
"Yes," Ethan replied. However, he had no intention of revealing the specifics of his ability. He needed time to study the system more. Moreover, disclosing one's Essentia specifics was akin to revealing a weakness to the world.
For instance, everyone knew Jihoon's arms could turn into steel, but Ethan suspected that the old Butler could turn his entire body into steel and chose to keep it a secret.
"This is good! This is good!" Master Wu exclaimed. "You are indeed the old chairman's grandson!" Master Wu nodded and smiled. Essentia could be considered hereditary, and Ethan's grandfather had a strength-type Essentia. It was surprising that the second young master, whose mother was not an Essentia user, inherited it.
Master Wu had been the old chairman's secretary for over forty years, witnessing all the chairman's experiences and treating him like family. Seeing Ethan, whom he had watched since childhood, made Master Wu genuinely happy.
"I hope both you and Jihoon can keep this a secret," Ethan requested.
"Pardon?" Jihoon immediately asked. In this world, having an Essentia is something very special. Even if one received a lowly Class E Essentia they would never dare hide it.
Moreover, Jihoon had been with the family for years, he had witnessed the bullying that the second young master received when his Essentia did not activate at the age of thirteen!
This would have been a good opportunity to slap those people who look down on his young master!
"I do not want to reveal my Essentia just yet," Ethan explained. He didn't want to reveal his abilities and get stuck managing the company. He wanted to go to the tropics and enjoy the beach, not wear a suit and oversee the business.
"So, the Young Master won't be joining the Academy to train his Essentia?" Jihoon inquired.
"Academy?" Ethan furrowed his brow. He had some memories of an Academy for Essentia users, but since his Essentia hadn't appeared when he was thirteen, he hadn't thought about it again. Instead, he had gone abroad to study human bodies in this world. However, now he had to make some changes to his plans.
"Young Master, the Astralith Academy of Essentia Mastery is the top Essentia School in the region. They've been training Essentia users for centuries. Your grandfather and brother both studied at Astralith," Jihoon explained. "Besides, it's one of the safest places in Hanmiryeong. Their protective shield is robust, even S-Class assassins would struggle to breach it, and creatures from the Dungeons would find it difficult to enter."
The mention of assassins made Ethan frown. He knew that whoever tried to kill him might try again soon. Those people must have already suspected that he had some Essentia, which concerned him.
Wouldn't that mean more trouble is coming his way? He didn't want trouble, after all.
However, going to the Academy would mean revealing his abilities. Currently, Ethan didn't know what kind of skills he would develop in the future. The best way to hide his skills is to stay hidden inside the mansion- something that can be considered impossible.
He sighed inwardly. "I will consider this after my grandfather's funeral." Soon, their conversation shifted to the funeral. This time, the wake would last for seven days, during which several rites would be performed by both the government of Hanmiryeong and other groups. After that, his grandfather would be cremated and laid to rest.
Hearing the specifics, Ethan nodded and pointed out a few more details before heading to the mansion where his grandfather's body was kept.
After a few minutes of driving, they finally arrived at the mansion.
"Young Master," servants and guards lined up to greet him the moment he stepped out of the car. Ethan simply nodded and walked toward the mansion.
After attending the wake and paying his respects to his grandfather with three bows, he retired to his old room. Right now, his priority is checking his stats and abilities.
"Please don't disturb me," he told Jihoon with a serious expression. Seeing this, Jihoon nodded as though his life depended on it. Once Ethan entered his room, Jihoon immediately instructed the servants not to go upstairs to avoid disturbing their grieving young master.
Inside the room, Ethan carefully checked his stats.
**Name:** Ethan Kim
**Race:** Human?
**Level:** Novice Level 1
**Basic Stats:**
**Health Points (HP):** 8/10
**Energy Points (EP):** 20/10 (Initiate's Blessing activated countdown: 13:28)
**Strength:** 20/10 (Initiate's Blessing activated countdown: 13:28)
**Agility:** 20/10 (Initiate's Blessing activated countdown: 13:28)
**Intelligence:** 20/10 (Initiate's Blessing activated countdown: 13:28)
**Charisma:** 20/10 (Initiate's Blessing activated countdown: 13:28)
**Experience Points (EXP):** 9/10
**Reputation:** -4/10
**Abilities:** "Counterstrike"
**Rewards Available. Check now?**
He stared at the abilities, and the details about Counterstrike appeared before him.
Ability Name: Counterstrike
Description: Counterstrike is a formidable physical combat skill that allows the host to turn his opponent's strength and attack against them. This ability can be employed once a day, making it a powerful and strategic move in battles. When Counterstrike is activated, the host can harness the momentum of his opponent's attack and redirect it, turning the attack back upon the assailant. The strength of the counterattack is proportional to the force of the original assault, making it a highly effective defensive and offensive move.
Limitations:
Once a Day: The host can only use Counterstrike once a day.
Physical Attacks Only: Counterstrike is specifically designed for physical attacks. It does not work against non-physical or magical attacks.
Requires Precise Timing: Successfully executing Counterstrike relies on the Host's ability to accurately time his opponent's attacks.
Energy Consumption: While Counterstrike is energy efficient in terms of the Host's own energy reserves, it can be physically demanding and tiring to execute. Moreover, the effectiveness of the counterattack is also influenced by the strength of the opponent's attack. The Host can redirect an attack with a force up to a maximum of 5 times of the Host's current Energy Points (EP), but this consumption of 5 EP per use can leave the Host temporarily fatigued after executing Counterstrike.
Activation:
Can be activated through Mental Visualization.
Ethan frowned when he saw the Energy Consumption required for the ability. 5 EP couldn't be considered a lot, but his total EP was only 10. He pursed his lips and examined his rewards this time.
The rewards for the Diplomacy mission had already been credited. However, what about his daily mission?
Daily Missions for Ethan Kim:
1. Daily Training Regimen:
Objective: Complete a daily training routine to enhance your combat skills and attributes.
Description: Spend 2 hours practicing combat maneuvers, meditation, or healing techniques to improve your abilities. Additionally, dedicate 1 hour to cardio training, focusing on any cardio exercise of your preference.
Reward: Earn 2 Experience Points (EXP) for your dedication and commitment to daily training.
Status: INCOMPLETE
BONUS DAILY MISSION - NO PUNISHMENT ONLY REWARDS
2. Conflict Resolution:
Objective: Identify and mitigate potential sources of conflict or danger within your community.
Description: Actively address issues or disputes to prevent them from escalating into more significant problems. Your intervention can help maintain peace and harmony in your community.
Reward: Earn 2 EXP for successfully resolving conflicts. Additionally, gain 1 REPUTATION point for enhancing your reputation within the community, reflecting your role as a peacemaker.
Status: COMPLETED
**REWARDS CREDITED**
[DING]
**Name:** Ethan Kim
**Race:** Human?
**Level:** Novice Level 1
**Basic Stats:**
**Health Points (HP):** 8/10
**Energy Points (EP):** 20/10 (Initiate's Blessing activated countdown: 13:08)
**Strength:** 20/10 (Initiate's Blessing activated countdown: 13:08)
**Agility:** 20/10 (Initiate's Blessing activated countdown: 13:08)
**Intelligence:** 20/10 (Initiate's Blessing activated countdown: 13:08)
**Charisma:** 20/10 (Initiate's Blessing activated countdown: 13:08)
**Experience Points (EXP):** 12/10
**Reputation:** -3/10
**Abilities:** "Counterstrike":
[EXP Maxed Out! Ready to upgrade?]
"Upgrade?" Ethan beamed. "Of course!"
[Initialization Countdown: 3... 2... 1...]
[Upgrade Protocol Initiated]
[User Access Temporarily Restricted During Update]
[Update Progress: 07:59]
....
A/N: I've just come to realize that maintaining records when writing a system novel can be quite time-consuming. My respects to all male authors who excel at meticulously managing their systems!Wow!