As soon as the phone call connected, Ethan heard Ned's loud voice on the other end.
"Ethan, you lazy bastard! Where the hell have you been? I thought you were dead!"
Ethan chuckled. "Thanks for the concern, I'm doing fine. What's up? You finally awakened your power or something?"
"I was just about to ask you that!" Ned replied, his voice full of energy. "Come on, tell me you're finally gonna awaken a badass power and show up to school and kick some ass!"
Ethan smirked, leaning back in his chair. "Well... I'm getting the feeling something's about to happen. Might be close to awakening soon."
"Haha, I knew it! I'm gonna awaken an A-tier talent, I can feel it! Watch out, Ethan, I'll be stronger than all of us combined!"
Ethan laughed. "I believe in you, buddy. You've got this."
"Hell yeah, and once we both get A-tier powers, we'll show that jerk Ged who's boss!" Ned said, full of excitement.
Ethan grinned. "Definitely."
After some more joking around, Ned got back to business. "Hey, by the way, our class is having a reunion tomorrow. You coming? You're the only person I still talk to, so if you don't show up, I'm gonna be bored out of my mind."
Ethan raised an eyebrow. "Lynn gonna be there?"
Ned groaned. "Man, you're really still thinking about her? Are you serious? Look at you! What makes you think someone like Lynn, with her looks, family, and powers, would ever be interested in us?"
Ethan, unbothered, shrugged. "What? I'm not that bad looking, am I?"
Ned didn't respond for a moment, and when he did, it was in disbelief. "Oh, come on, Ethan. Looks don't matter when you're talking about someone like her. She's got a Grade A talent, and we're still waiting for ours to awaken. Don't kid yourself, man."
Ethan grinned. "You're just jealous."
Ned sighed. "Fine, whatever. Just make sure you show up. I can't go there alone. Ged will be there, acting all smug about his B-tier talent. At least we'll get to hear what he's been up to."
Ethan leaned back, thinking. "I don't know, man. I've got a lot going on."
"Oh, stop being so dramatic! Just come for the fun. And hey, I've got something to tell you, something big. You'll find out tomorrow."
Ethan's curiosity piqued. "What is it?"
Ned hung up before Ethan could get an answer. "You'll see," Ned had said before ending the call.
Ethan stared at the phone, grinning. "This guy's probably messing with me."
Still, it seemed like a good idea to attend the reunion. The world was changing fast, and this could be the last time he saw his classmates before everything went sideways.
Later that evening, Ethan sat alone, contemplating the future. He had made some serious progress lately, but there was still so much to figure out. With the changes happening globally, it was hard to predict how everything would unfold.
After a moment of hesitation, he picked up the phone again. It was time to check in with his parents.
"Hey, Dad," Ethan said when the call connected.
"Ethan, you old rascal! How's the city life treating you?" His dad, Albion, always had a hearty laugh. He was a blacksmith from a small town over 100 miles away, living a humble life.
"Not too bad, just the usual. Had some chicken tonight," Ethan said, smiling.
"Chicken, huh? Our chickens still taste better. I made sure to cook up enough to last us a couple of days." Albion chuckled.
"That's good. I'll come visit soon. Maybe this weekend?" Ethan replied.
"You're not too busy?" Albion asked, concern in his voice.
"I'm alright, just taking it easy. I'm doing well, don't worry about me," Ethan said, not wanting to stress his father out.
Albion paused. "You sure? You know, I've been getting more business lately with all the changes. People are asking for weapons—tools, knives, things like that."
Ethan sat up straight. "Weapons? What's going on out there? Is the town seeing anything strange?"
"Well," Albion said slowly, "Some folks have been saying they've started awakening talents. They've even started forming a little guard. I think it's just to protect themselves. Some say even the smithing's getting easier, like the tools are coming out better than before."
"Wait, you've noticed that, too? Has your strength increased?" Ethan asked, his mind racing.
"Yeah, my arms feel stronger. The work's easier now, too. Don't know if it's the talent or just me getting better, but the quality's improving," Albion said casually.
Ethan's heart skipped a beat. "That's definitely a talent, Dad. It's probably a D-tier, but it's still something. You'll be alright."
"Maybe. Anyway, don't worry about me, son. I'm handling it. Just stay safe over there."
Ethan smiled. "I will. I'm always careful. I'll be back soon."
After they said their goodbyes, Ethan felt a weight lift from his shoulders. It seemed his parents were adapting well to the changes, but the world was still unpredictable. He wanted to visit them soon, but first, he had to attend this reunion.
The next morning, Ethan woke up early and started his daily routine: an hour of Thunder Breathing training, followed by an hour each of the Great Strength Bull Demon Fist and Microscopic Movement Technique. He had to stay sharp.
At 8:30 AM, he took a shower, combed his hair neatly, and put on his best suit—a brand-name outfit that had somehow found its way into his wardrobe. He had picked it up on a whim from one of the random items that had dropped when he killed the smaller creatures.
He looked at himself in the mirror, satisfied. If this was going to be the last reunion with his classmates, he might as well make it memorable.
As he headed out the door, he couldn't help but smile. His Ferrari was parked outside—his most valuable "loot" yet. He revved the engine and headed off, the excitement of seeing everyone again building inside him.