My Life Changed with the Unlimited System

Chapter 102 The Demons

Ethan was running—or trying to, at least. The wind whipped past him, his legs pumping with everything he had, but it felt like chasing after a storm.

Elias, Celia, and Marie moved ahead with astonishing ease, their speed so natural it was almost infuriating to watch. Ethan, on the other hand, felt like an old bicycle struggling to keep pace with motorbikes.

Celia glanced back, her sharp eyes narrowing. "At this rate, Ethan, we might as well stop for tea. We'll never get there on time if we're waiting for you."

Ethan gritted his teeth, the sting of her words hitting harder than he cared to admit. He wasn't one to back down from a challenge, but this was more than just a challenge—it was humiliating. And yet, something deep inside told him that he had a way out.

The System.

The thought came unbidden, but it brought with it a strange clarity. He had Free Attribute Points he hadn't yet used. This was the moment to change the narrative. His hands clenched into fists as he made the decision.

"Alright," he muttered under his breath, willing the points into Speed.

The change was immediate and startling. His muscles surged with new energy, his steps becoming lighter, faster, almost effortless. For the first time, he felt the ground move beneath him in a blur, his pace matching—no, surpassing—anything he thought he was capable of.

Celia's head whipped around again, her eyes wide for a fraction of a second before narrowing into a smirk. "Impressive," she said, her tone laced with dry amusement. "But don't celebrate just yet. You're still too slow to keep up with us. The villagers' lives depend on speed, and we don't have time for you to play catch-up."

Ethan's jaw tightened, but he didn't respond. What was the point of arguing when she was right? Even with his sudden burst of speed, he was still leagues behind them.

He could feel the strain of pushing himself just to maintain this new pace. The gap between them was still painfully evident.

"Celia, don't be so hard on him," Marie chimed in, her voice soft but firm. "They haven't arrived yet. We've got a little time."

"They?" Ethan's mind latched onto the word, but before he could ask, Elias gave a low nod.

"Marie's right," Elias said in his calm, measured tone. "There's still time, Celia. No need to run him into the ground before we even get there."

Celia huffed but didn't argue, though her expression suggested she wasn't entirely convinced.

Ethan, for his part, felt a flicker of gratitude toward Marie and Elias. He didn't need them to go easy on him, but it was nice to have a reprieve from Celia's sharp tongue.

Ethan's mind churned with curiosity, his breath steady but his thoughts anything but. What were they running toward? What was so urgent that it warranted this relentless pace?

He glanced at the three ahead of him, their calm yet focused expressions doing nothing to soothe his unease.

Sensing Ethan's growing unease, Elias glanced over his shoulder and slowed his pace slightly. "I suppose it's time to fill you in," he said, his voice carrying a calm weight. "You'll need to be ready before we face... them."

Marie chuckled her tone light and teasing. "Oh, Elias, I never knew you had a knack for bedtime stories. If I'd known, I would've asked for one back when I was a kid."

Elias let out a deep laugh, shaking his head. "If I don't explain it to him, Marie, he might faint on the spot when he sees what's waiting for us."

Ethan, now more confused than ever, looked between them. "What are you even talking about? What are we going to face?"

Elias took a deep breath, his expression growing serious. "Demons."

The word hung in the air like a thunderclap. Ethan skidded to a halt, his heart pounding. "Demons? What do you mean, demons? Are we talking about something out of Ghostbusters here?"

Marie burst into laughter, her voice ringing out in the stillness. Even Elias cracked a broad grin while Celia let out a rare chuckle.

"Oh no," Marie said between laughs, "we're not ghostbusters, ghost hunters, or shamans banishing spirits. What we're about to face is no joke. These are real demons."

Ethan stared at them, his mind racing. Real demons? The weight of those words pressed down on him, but there was also a spark of disbelief—and a dash of humor.

"Real demons," he muttered under his breath. "Fantastic. What's next, a haunted mansion?"

The group's laughter echoed in the quiet woods, growing louder with each passing moment. Ethan's remark about Ghostbusters had hit its mark, and even Elias, usually the composed one, was wiping tears of laughter from his eyes.

Celia, her chuckles subsiding to a sly smirk, glanced at Ethan. "Just wait until you see one," she said, her tone a mix of humor and warning.

Ethan gulped, his throat suddenly dry.

For the first time, something in Celia's expression—the faint glint in her eyes, the way her smirk didn't quite reach her lips—made him believe they were serious.

Real demons.

His mind reeled, struggling to grasp the enormity of it. Even with his fragmented memory, one thing felt certain: the idea of facing a real demon was absurd.

It was the stuff of books, dramas, or movies—not reality. And yet, here they were, sprinting through the forest with a kind of purpose that told him otherwise.

But then, another thought crept in, sending a shiver down his spine. The System. It was impossible, too. A digital entity that granted him wealth, skills, and strength with just a few taps on a screen. Yet he hadn't doubted its reality.

And what about Elias, Celia, and Marie? Their superhuman speed, the sheer power in their movements, and the way they carried themselves—it all screamed of something far beyond the ordinary. These things, too, should have been impossible.

Ethan slowed his pace slightly, his thoughts tangling together. Since when had he started accepting all of this as... normal?

It was as if, somewhere in his forgotten past, he'd already made peace with the extraordinary.

Ethan's thoughts swirled like the leaves stirred by their rapid movement, but his attention snapped back as the forest began to thin out. Ahead of them loomed a massive mountain, its jagged peaks piercing the gray sky.

The air around it grew heavier with every step, tinged with something uncomfortably dark, as though the mountain itself exhaled unease.

Ethan slowed, his eyes fixed on the imposing sight. "Is that… where we're going?" he asked, his voice betraying a mix of dread and curiosity.

Elias's face, usually calm and composed, turned somber. He gave a single, deliberate nod. "Yes. That's the place."

There was a subtle edge in Elias's voice that made Ethan's stomach churn. For a brief moment, Ethan wondered what was going through Elias's mind. Whatever it was, it couldn't be good. The older man's jaw tightened as he surveyed the mountain, his thoughts a storm of calculations.

'Something's wrong,' Elias thought. The energy around the mountain was thicker, darker than it had been the last time he had been here. 'What rank could it be this time?'

Elias had long since adopted the Ascendant ranking system to classify demons. It provided a framework to anticipate their strength. Demons, while stronger than humans of the same rank, weren't insurmountable threats. Usually.

But this felt different.

Marie's voice broke the tense silence. "Oh, sheesh! Why are there people near here now?"

Her tone was exasperated, but there was a layer of worry beneath it. She scanned the distance, her sharp gaze catching movements that Ethan couldn't yet see.

"People?" Ethan echoed, squinting into the growing gloom.

Celia clicked her tongue. "Of all places, why here? This isn't the kind of sightseeing spot they want to stick around for."

Marie sighed dramatically. "We've got enough to deal with without them wandering into the middle of things. Great. Just great."

Elias didn't respond, his eyes narrowing as if trying to discern how close the threat was. Ethan noticed the subtle shift in his posture—more tense, more alert. Whatever lay ahead was no small matter.

Celia came to an abrupt stop, her gaze fixed on the ominous mountain ahead. Her brow furrowed, and her hand twitched toward the rifle slung across her back. "Five," she muttered, her voice tight. "I can sense at least five demons this time."

Ethan blinked, stunned by her sudden declaration. Five demons? His stomach sank.

Celia's face twisted into an uncharacteristic scowl as she turned to Elias, her sharp tone cutting through the heavy air. "Old man! What's happening now?!"

Elias stopped as well, his expression grim. His usual calm seemed to waver for a moment, but he quickly composed himself. "It's out of my understanding," he admitted, his voice steady but tinged with unease. "But don't worry. Everything is under control."

Celia wasn't convinced. She scoffed, folding her arms and glaring at Elias. "Under control? Seriously? Then why are the demons coming out stronger and faster than before? This isn't normal."

Marie chimed in, her voice softer but no less concerned. "She's got a point. It's like the rules have changed or something."

Celia pressed on, her frustration bubbling over. "It used to take years for demons to rise in rank like this. But now? We're barely keeping up. Last time, they were Soldier Demons. Soldier Demons, Elias! And now we're dealing with Lower Knight Demons already? What's next, the same rank as yours?"

Her words hung in the air like a challenge to the unseen forces lurking ahead. Ethan could feel the weight of the situation settling on his shoulders, his earlier bravado shrinking in the face of their mounting concern.

Elias sighed, running a hand through his graying hair. "I don't know," he admitted, his voice quieter now. "But panicking won't help. We'll deal with them, just like we always have."

Celia paused abruptly, swinging her rifle off her shoulder with practiced ease. Without a word, she reached into a pouch on her belt and pulled out a sleek handgun, holding it out to Ethan alongside a small box of ammo.

"You're gonna need this," she said, her tone sharp but not unkind. "You're weak, but we can't let those demons feast on the humans near here. If anything happens, it's your duty to protect them."

Ethan stared at the weapon, his heart thudding in his chest. "Wait—me? I don't even know how to—"

"Take it," Celia interrupted, pushing the gun into his hand. "We don't have time for doubts. The three of us are going to fight the demons."

Elias stepped closer, his calm demeanor a steadying presence. "Don't worry, Ethan," he said, his voice reassuring. "The ammo's not ordinary. It's made from my own Ascendant Energy. It will work against demons, even for someone who isn't an experienced fighter."

Ethan swallowed hard, the weight of the gun unfamiliar in his hand. "I'm not sure I can even use this," he admitted, his voice trailing off.

But as he turned the weapon over, inspecting its smooth grip and loaded chamber, something jolted in his mind—a flash of a memory, faint but unmistakable.

His fingers knew how to handle the gun and how to load the ammo with swift efficiency. It wasn't just instinct; it was knowledge deeply embedded in him.

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Ethan blinked, his grip tightening on the weapon. It all made sense now—the muscle memory, the sudden confidence. The system.

"You look like you've seen a ghost," Marie teased, her voice cutting through the tension.

"Not a ghost," Ethan replied, his voice steadier now, his eyes on the gun. "Just... remembering something I didn't know I knew."

Celia raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. "Well, whatever just clicked for you, don't waste it. If it comes down to it, we'll need every shot to count."

Elias gave Ethan an encouraging nod, his eyes filled with quiet understanding. "Trust yourself, Ethan. You have what it takes."

And then, a shimmering notification appeared in his vision, interrupting his thoughts.