The morning sunlight crept through the blinds, casting soft rays across Ethan's face as he stirred. Every muscle in his body ached, a reminder of the battle from the night before. He sat up slowly, the exhaustion from the previous night still clinging to him.
His mind flashed back to the rooftop—the fight with Anton and the Petrova Elder's sudden appearance. It felt like a blur, but its weight still lingered.
Just yesterday, Ethan felt strong and confident. He had been growing in power, with the system providing new skills and abilities. But last night was a harsh lesson—there were forces much stronger than him.
No matter how far he had come, Ethan was reminded that the world he had entered was far more dangerous than he'd realized.
The image of the Petrova Elder surfaced in his mind. The old man had appeared out of nowhere, and Ethan hadn't sensed him until he was right there.
