Chapter 7: Logan’s Move
Ethan walked home with a steady pace, his mind calculating. The system had given him new tools, but now he had to use them wisely.
Logan wasn't the type to let things go. Losing to Ethan in front of the entire school had shattered the image he built for himself. If Ethan had to guess, Logan would try to restore his dominance as soon as possible.
Which meant one thing.
A confrontation was coming.
The only question was when.
As he approached his apartment complex, a soft chime echoed in his mind.
[New Mission Generated]
[Survive an Ambush]
[Objective: Successfully defend yourself against an unexpected attack.]
[Reward: 100 SP]
[Failure: Severe Injury or Worse]
Ethan stopped walking.
His fingers twitched.
An ambush?
His instincts sharpened. The system never gave random missions. If this had appeared, it meant the event was already set into motion.
He scanned the area.
The street was mostly empty. A few run-down buildings, an old car parked near the alley, flickering streetlights barely holding onto life.
Someone was watching him.
His breath remained steady, but his muscles tensed.
He activated Analyze.
[Scanning area...]
A faint red outline flickered in his vision.
Two figures. Hiding near the alleyway.
He didn't recognize them, but their stance was familiar. Thugs. Probably not from school.
So Logan had decided to use outside help.
That was smart. It kept his hands clean. If Ethan got beaten here, it wouldn't be traced back to Logan.
But Logan had underestimated him.
Ethan didn't panic.
He simply adjusted his backpack straps and kept walking.
Toward the ambush.
---
The moment he passed the alley, one of the men moved. A broad-shouldered guy with a shaved head stepped forward, blocking his path. The other circled behind him.
Ethan didn't react.
The system had already given him the necessary information.
[Target: Unidentified Thug]
[Condition: Normal]
[Physical Strength: Above Average]
[Agility: Normal]
[Endurance: High]
[Weakness: Slow reaction speed]
Ethan's lips twitched.
Slow reaction speed? That was all he needed.
"Yo, kid," the thug in front said, cracking his knuckles. "Got a second?"
Ethan looked at him blankly. "No."
The man let out a small chuckle. "Tough guy, huh? See, someone told me you needed a little reminder of your place."
Logan's name wasn't mentioned, but it didn't have to be.
Ethan exhaled slowly. "And what, exactly, are you planning to do?"
The thug smirked. "Depends. You gonna make this easy, or am I gonna have to hurt you?"
Ethan's eyes flickered to the second guy behind him.
He had ten seconds before they tried something.
Nine.
Eight.
Seven.
The thug in front took a step closer. "Well? Say something."
Six.
Ethan smiled. "Alright."
Five.
Four.
He dropped his backpack.
Three.
The thug barely had time to react before Ethan moved.
Fast.
Too fast.
His agility boost had kicked in, and before the thug could even blink, Ethan was already inside his guard.
A sharp elbow slammed into his throat.
The man choked, stumbling backward. His hands instinctively went to his neck—leaving his ribs wide open.
Ethan didn't waste the opportunity.
A vicious kick drove into the thug's side, sending him crashing against the alley wall.
One down.
The second thug cursed, pulling a knife.
Ethan's mind reacted before fear could even set in.
Analyze.
[Target: Unidentified Thug]
[Condition: Armed]
[Physical Strength: Normal]
[Agility: High]
[Endurance: Average]
[Weakness: Hesitation when attacking]
Hesitation.
That was all he needed.
The thug lunged—sloppy, too emotional.
Ethan sidestepped with ease, his footwork sharp. He grabbed the man's wrist and twisted—forcing the knife out of his grip and sending him to his knees.
The man barely had time to look up before Ethan's knee crashed into his face.
Blood splattered against the pavement.
Silence.
Ethan stood over them, breathing evenly. His fists clenched, but not from fear.
From something else.
Something deeper.
The fight had felt good.
[Mission Complete: Survive an Ambush]
[Reward Earned: 100 SP]
He exhaled.
One hundred points. That was enough to—
Another chime.
[New Hidden Mission Completed: First Step Into the Abyss]
[Objective: Deliver a decisive, overwhelming victory in combat.]
[Reward: +1 Strength, +1 Agility, +1 Endurance]
Ethan froze.
A hidden mission?
So the system had been watching. Judging.
And it had rewarded him for not just winning—but for how he won.
He stared at the two unconscious men.
They had come to teach him a lesson.
But in the end, he was the one who taught them.
Ethan wiped his hands and picked up his backpack.
Logan had miscalculated.
If this was his move, then he was already losing.
Ethan stood over the two unconscious thugs, his breathing steady. His fists loosened as the rush of combat slowly faded, leaving behind something colder. Calculated.
He had won. Not just survived, but dominated.
And the system had recognized that.
A notification appeared in his vision.
[You have defeated an opponent.]
[Reward: 25 SP]
[You have defeated an opponent.]
[Reward: 25 SP]
Fifty SP. Added to the one hundred from the mission, that brought him to a total of one hundred fifty.
Ethan rolled his shoulders, feeling the slight ache settling into his muscles. The system was rewarding combat. Not just missions, not just social victories—direct confrontation.
That was dangerous.
Because if the system encouraged violence, then it meant it wanted him to keep fighting.
And if that was the case, then Logan had made the worst mistake of his life.
Ethan crouched down and grabbed the knife the second thug had dropped. The blade was cheap, worn from use, but still sharp. He turned it over in his hands before slipping it into his pocket.
A weapon was a weapon.
The first thug groaned, shifting slightly. Ethan didn't even hesitate—he slammed his foot into the man's ribs, knocking the air out of him. The thug wheezed before going still again.
Weak.
Ethan turned and walked out of the alley, hands in his pockets.
His next move was already forming in his mind.
Logan had outsourced the fight instead of handling it himself. That meant he wasn't confident enough to face Ethan directly.
So what would he do next?
Try to rebuild his reputation.
He would gather his group, spread rumors, make sure the school saw him as still in control.
Ethan couldn't let that happen.
By the time he reached his apartment, his mind was set.
Tomorrow, he wouldn't just defend himself.
He would go on the offensive. War.