As Ethan walked away from the football field, he rode a wave of adrenaline. The game's excitement and the players' admiration had sparked something inside him.
He smiled as he went to the estate's gym, feeling a new sense of strength and power.
Ethan was in high spirits and felt energized. However, just as he was about to enter the gym, a thought suddenly stopped him.
"I forgot to invite the team and staff to tomorrow's event."
Shaking his head, Ethan couldn't help but find humor in his oversight. It dawned on him that it wouldn't be fair to invite only Theodore and not include everyone from Ridge Rovers FC—the entire team and staff deserved to be invited.
Ethan quickly pulled out his phone and dialed Jessica's number. As soon as she answered, he got straight to the point.
"Hey, Jessica," he greeted. "Can you do me a favor? I sent an invitation to Theodore Graves, but I forgot to invite the whole Ridge Rovers FC team to the event tomorrow."
Jessica paused for a moment, clearly surprised. "Wait, the Ridge Rovers FC? You're inviting a football club? Why?"
Ethan couldn't help but laugh, knowing his plan sounded slightly out of the blue. "I'm thinking of buying the club," he revealed.
Jessica was silent for a moment, obviously shocked. "You're what? Ethan, NovaTech isn't even fully up and running yet, and you're diving into buying a football club?"
Ethan just laughed it off. "Relax, Jessica. I'm not planning to run the club myself. I'll get the right people for that. It's more about investing, positioning NovaTech, and boosting our brand. Plus, I've always wanted to be involved in football. Why not start now?"
Jessica let out an exasperated sigh. "You're impossible sometimes, you know that? I wonder how David's going to react."
Ethan grinned. "David will come around. He'll see the potential. Trust me, I've got this under control."
Another sigh from Jessica, but there was a hint of amusement in it this time. "Alright, alright. I'll take care of the invites. You're lucky I'm here to deal with your wild ideas."
"Thanks, Jessica. You're the best," Ethan replied, his smile growing wider as he ended the call.
After that, he turned his attention back to the gym, pushing the doors open and stepping inside. He was immediately greeted by the smell of metal, sweat, and determination. The background was filled with the sounds of weights clanging and treadmills humming.
A few people were scattered in the gym, each absorbed in their own workout. But Ethan wasn't there to mingle. He had a clear objective for the day: to test his strength and see how much progress he had made.
Before getting started, he quickly checked the status panel to review the latest rewards from his football mission.
=====
[Status Panel]
Name: Ethan Cole
Level: 4
EXP: 6500 / 7000
Ascension Points: 70
Wealth: Unlimited
Attributes:
Strength: 42
Speed: 42
Endurance: 40
Intelligence: 45
Charisma: 37
Free Attribute Points: 10
Skills:
1. Krav Maga [Basic]
2. Close Quarters Combat [Basic]
3. Tactical Firearms [Basic]
4. Heightened Senses
=====
His gaze then shifted to the weights section at the back of the room. Clutching the dumbbells, he excitedly said, "Let's see what I'm made of now."
Ethan started his workout with lighter weights to warm up. The exercises felt surprisingly easy, almost like the weights were lighter than he remembered.
As he gradually increased his weight, Ethan noticed people watching him. He could sense their eyes on him and hear their whispers as he moved from one set of weights to the next.
The whispers grew louder when Ethan picked up the heaviest dumbbells in the gym—68 kilograms each. These weights were typically only used by the most seasoned lifters, who still found them challenging.
However, lifting them seemed as effortless for Ethan as picking up a pair of toys.
He began doing bicep curls with smooth, controlled movements. His muscles flexed with each curl, but his expression remained calm and unbothered, signaling how easy it felt for him—almost as if he wasn't pushing his limits.
As Ethan worked out in the gym, everything around him seemed to pause. Other gym-goers stopped their exercises mid-way, staring in disbelief. They quickly took out their phones to capture the moment, murmuring in shock.
"No way… Who the hell is this guy?"
"How is he lifting that much?"
Ethan, however, hardly paid any attention to the commotion around him. He was utterly focused on his workout, pushing himself to his limits.
Even with the impressive amount of weight he was lifting, it still felt too easy for him. He was looking for a real challenge, something that would truly test his strength.
After finishing with the dumbbells, Ethan headed over to the barbell area. He carefully added weight plates to the bar, one by one, until it held nearly 230 kilograms—a weight that would make even the most experienced lifters think twice.
The gym fell silent as Ethan approached the barbell. Everyone's eyes were on him, filled with anticipation. Taking a deep breath, he bent down, adjusted his grip, and lifted the weight.
Despite the barbell bending under the heavy weight, Ethan seemed unfazed. His muscles showcased extraordinary strength as he lifted, making it seem like gravity had no effect on him.
Gasps and whispers spread through the room, a blend of shock and admiration.
"Is he even human?"
"There's no way that's possible…"
As Ethan placed the barbell back down, a look of satisfaction appeared in his eyes.
'Finally,' he thought, feeling a rush of exhilaration. However, he realized the weight wasn't as challenging as he expected. His body had become much stronger, making the heavyweight seem manageable.
More and more people stopped their workouts to watch Ethan, the lean young man who appeared to surpass the limits of ordinary human strength.
Some people were recording, while others whispered among themselves in disbelief. Ethan, however, ignored them all. He wasn't looking for attention; he was doing this for reasons.
Ethan's gaze shifted to the treadmills, sparking an idea. 'Perhaps going faster will help me push my limits,' he thought as he approached one. He set the treadmill to its maximum speed, and the belt started moving quickly under him.
With a quick jump, Ethan landed on the treadmill and sprinted at full speed.
His legs moved perfectly with the treadmill's fastest setting, effortlessly matching the pace. The gym seemed to blur around him as he kept up with the machine's speed. Moving this fast felt exhilarating and natural, almost like he was made for it.
Yet, Ethan did not immediately break a sweat, even at the highest speed. His body was just too efficient, too strong. It was only after twenty minutes that a slight sense of fatigue began to emerge.
Ethan's breathing became heavier, and his muscles started to tense, but it wasn't enough to slow him down.
Finally, after a few more minutes, he slowed the treadmill and stepped off. A light sheen of sweat glistened on his skin, but he wasn't even close to being winded.
Around him, the gym was abuzz with awe-struck faces, some whispering in disbelief, others openly gaping at him.
With a wry smirk, Ethan thought, 'I could still feel tired, after all.'
Despite not being completely worn out from the earlier football match, he appreciated the subtle signs of tiredness.
It served as a reminder that he wasn't invincible. Even though his endurance was much greater than most, his body still had its limits.
And that was good. Ethan needed that reminder—complacency was dangerous, especially in the world he was entering.
As Ethan grabbed a towel and headed to the locker room, his mind was racing with thoughts. He knew he was solid and fast, qualities that set him apart, but he also realized that wouldn't be enough in the elite circles he found himself in.
"Theodore's warning... the Great Families..." he mused, wiping his brow. These words echoed in his mind, a reminder of the complex power dynamics in Novan City he hadn't yet fully grasped. But one thing was clear: he might already have enemies he wasn't aware of.
"I need to hire bodyguards," Ethan concluded, his mind shifting to strategic thinking. "But where to find one? I need to consult David and Jessica on this."
It wasn't just about his own safety. His family and the key figures at NovaTech also needed protection.
The recent incidents involving Zidan and Mark were a stark warning of the dangers lurking around any corner.
With this realization, Ethan threw the towel into a basket and left.