My Life Changed with the Unlimited System

The battlefield was a smoldering ruin, the air thick with the acrid scent of charred earth and ash. The only sound cutting through the stillness was the labored breathing of the combatants who had witnessed the fiery clash between Lucan and Reynard.

Lucan stood amidst the wreckage, his aura blazing with the remnants of his Knight Ascendant power, his gaze fixed on the scorched ground where Reynard LaRue had fallen. His chest heaved with exertion, but his presence radiated unyielding dominance. He had won—but at what cost?

From across the battlefield, three voices broke through the silence in unison. "Reynard!" The LaRue Elders' anguished cries echoed, their faces twisted in shock and disbelief.

They had watched the impossible unfold—their leader, a Knight Ascendant, brought low by Lucan's unleashed fury. Now, without Reynard, they were not just vulnerable but utterly outmatched. Yet, rage and grief burned in their hearts.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

"Lucan!" one of the Elders shouted, stepping forward with trembling fists. "You'll pay for this! Do you think you can kill the head of the LaRues and walk away unscathed?"

The other two Elders moved to flank him, their expressions a volatile mix of fury and fear. But even in their anger, they hesitated, their instincts warning them against rash action. Lucan's display of power had been overwhelming—more than they could hope to match.

Lucan turned his gaze toward them, his expression cold and unyielding. Flames flickered faintly around his hands, a silent reminder of the devastation he had just unleashed. "Do you really want to test your luck?" he said, his voice low but carrying a weight that made the Elders falter.

The trio froze, the realization sinking in that Lucan wasn't bluffing. They had been left to carry the LaRue family's honor, but charging at a Knight Ascendant in their current state was nothing short of suicide.

Amid their indecision, Liam stood to the side, his usual smugness replaced with a stunned expression. His mind raced to process what he had just witnessed. Reynard LaRue was gone—burned away by a man who had only recently ascended to the Knight Ascendant rank.

It wasn't just the loss of Reynard that left Liam reeling. It was the implications. If Lucan could rise to this level in such a short span, he could become a threat to the LaRues and the entire balance of power within Novan City. And Liam himself—confident in his Petrova lineage—felt the faintest stirrings of unease.

'He won't dare to touch me,' Liam reassured himself, though his grip on his talisman tightened unconsciously. He was from the Petrova family, one of the most powerful families known across the region, and even someone like Lucan wouldn't risk provoking them. Would he?

Lucan's gaze shifted briefly to Liam, his eyes narrowing. Despite the man's feigned composure, he could sense the Illusionist's fear. Liam's Petrova connection was a factor to consider, making Lucan hesitate.

But Lucan's mind was clouded by fury, frustration, and loss. Ethan's absence loomed large in his thoughts, and Liam had been instrumental in making that happen.

Still, Lucan's logical side held him back—for now. He understood their precarious position. One wrong move could drag the Cole family into a far larger conflict with the Petrovas, a war they could not afford yet.

Lucan slowly stepped forward, and his gaze landed on the three Elders. His presence was commanding, his aura crackling with residual energy from his ascension. He raised his head, his voice steady but carrying a weight that silenced even the faintest whisper.

"I'll allow you all to live," Lucan said, his words cutting through the silence like a blade. The Elders stiffened, their faces flickering with confusion and disbelief. Even Liam, ever the smug Illusionist, faltered at the unexpected declaration.

"But hear this," Lucan continued, his tone sharper now, his eyes boring into each of them. "You will return to the Great Families and declare what happened today. You will tell them exactly how the LaRue's Head, Reynard, met his end—burned and broken by my hand."

His voice grew colder, his words deliberate. "And from this moment on, none of you—or anyone aligned with the LaRues—will dare interfere with the Cole family or those under their protection. You'll heed my warning if you wish to stay in power in this city."

The Elders exchanged uneasy glances. Lucan's raw power made them question whether they could even consider defying him. They had seen Reynard, one of the strongest forces in Novan City, fall before this man. The threat Lucan posed was real, and they knew it.

Liam, however, raised an eyebrow, his smirk slowly returning. "Bold words," he said softly, though he made no move to challenge Lucan directly. "Let's hope your reach matches your ambition."

"Do you wish to join Reynard?" Lucan's words and piercing glare snapped toward him, and Liam's confidence wavered momentarily. But the Illusionist kept his composure, stepping back subtly. He had no intention of testing Lucan further.

Unbeknownst to Lucan, however, the events on the battlefield were not going unnoticed. Hidden at a safe distance, representatives of several other Great Families watched in silence, their expressions shadowed by intrigue and unease.

These families had sent observers to monitor the growing tensions between the LaRues and the unknown Cole family. What they witnessed instead was something far beyond their expectations; Lucan's ascension to the Knight Ascendant realm, Ethan's unexplained surge of power before vanishing, and the decisive fall of Reynard LaRue.

The balance of power in Novan City was shifting, and the observers knew it. Lucan's words and actions had set the stage for something far greater than a single battle—it was a declaration of defiance, a challenge to the Great Families themselves.

As they retreated into the shadows, the representatives carried with them the weight of what they had seen, ready to report to their families the rise of a new force in Novan City.

***

The air shimmered unnaturally, crackling with an eerie energy as a tear in space formed high above a vast forest. From the rift, Ethan's unconscious body was ejected violently, hurtling through the air like a ragdoll. He plummeted toward the earth, colliding with the ground in a resounding crash. The impact sent him tumbling across the forest floor, the underbrush flattening under his weight as he skidded to a stop several meters away.

The forest's silence enveloped him, broken only by the rustle of disturbed leaves and the faint crackle of dissipating energy. Ethan's body lay motionless, his chest rising and falling faintly—a fragile sign of life amidst the stillness.

He had landed in the heart of an ancient forest, the towering trees casting long shadows over the dense foliage. The air was thick with the scent of moss and earth, and the calls of distant creatures echoed faintly in the distance. The scene was serene, almost tranquil, yet it carried an air of mystery and danger.

In front of him stood a sight that commanded awe and curiosity. A massive mountain loomed in the distance, its jagged peaks reaching toward the sky, partially obscured by swirling clouds. A monumental gate stood at the mountain's base, unlike anything he—or anyone from Novan City—had likely ever seen.

The gate was an imposing black and gold structure, its intricate design radiating grandeur and an unsettling aura. It was divided into multiple sections, each a gate within the gate.

The smallest segment, situated at the center, seemed appropriately sized for a human to pass through. Surrounding it were progressively larger gates, each larger than the last, with the outermost gate towering high enough to allow a giant to pass.

The tranquil stillness of the forest was abruptly shattered by a low, metallic groan. The smallest segment of the colossal gate creaked open, the sound resonating through the dense woods like a sinister herald. The gate moved slowly, reluctant and ominous as if it resented revealing the horrors within. A dense, black mist poured forth, curling and writhing like living tendrils. The mist clung to the ground, saturating the air with a suffocating, oppressive aura.

From the darkness of the gate stepped three figures, their forms bathed in the swirling mist. They were humanoid in shape but unmistakably demonic, their presence exuding an air of hostility that seemed to drain the vitality from the forest around them. Their physiques were lean and powerfully toned, each muscle defined with unnatural precision, and their skin was pallid, ashen gray.

Jagged horns curved back from their foreheads, dark and gleaming like obsidian. Wicked fangs jutted from their snarling mouths, and long, whip-like tails swayed behind them, tipped with sharp, blade-like protrusions. Their glowing red eyes pierced through the mist, surveying the forest with predatory intent.

As the last of the three emerged, the smallest gate behind them slammed shut with a resounding clang, sealing off whatever horrors lay beyond. The black mist continued seeping outward, curling around their feet as if tethered.

The demons paused, their expressions twisted into sadistic grins. They exchanged glances, their glowing eyes narrowing with cruel delight as their focus shifted to Ethan's prone form.

"Well, well," the first one hissed, its voice a deep, guttural rasp that seemed to vibrate through the air. "It seems the human world has prepared a welcome feast for us."

The second demon chuckled, its laughter cold and mocking. "A human… fresh and helpless. How fortunate that our first steps here come with such a delicacy."

The third demon leaned forward, its sharp claws flexing as its tail lashed the air. "The flesh… the soul… all ours to devour. Let this weakling mark the beginning of our reign."

Their voices, layered with a guttural echo, filled the forest with an ominous weight. Their powerful frames moved slowly toward Ethan, their movements calculated and deliberate, like predators savoring the hunt.