I Am Ethan

Alex chose to join the mission and then went to bed. The following day, Alex proceeded to the location where he could enroll for the mission.

Prior to reaching his destination, Alex decided to buy a mask to conceal his identity. He also purchased a new set of clothing, which he specifically chose in dark colors since he preferred them.

Upon reaching the destination, Alex observed a crowd of people queuing up, and at the far end of the line, there were two booths where people were being processed for the mission.

Alex, positioned at the back of the queue, patiently waited for his turn. It took about ten minutes for Alex's turn to come.

The person in charge of processing requests finally looked at Alex. Then asked, "Name, age, and cultivation."

"I am... Ethan."

"I am 23 years old, and I am the First Stage of the Qi Gathering Realm," Alex replied.

"Family name?" the man added.

Alex shook his head and said, "I don't have a family."

"I see." The man nodded in understanding. "Here, take this token. It's imperative that you keep it safe, as losing it would render you ineligible to take part."

The man informed him, "You're now officially enrolled for the mission. Remember to bring the token with you when you show up at the designated location tomorrow at 7 a.m.

"Understood," Alex agreed.

Having completed his registration for the mission, Alex departed to make the necessary preparations for his journey. He was determined not to return to this town and instead continue his training in the forest.

Having purchased numerous QiBoost pills and healing potions, Alex was left with a mere 10 gold coins. Upon returning to his inn, he devoted his time to practicing his sword technique, convinced that it would prove invaluable to him on the following day.

The following day, Alex bathed, dressed in his fresh clothes, and covered his face with a mask. The previous day, he had at last mastered the first step of the sword art.

The technique's name is "Thundering Blade Technique." It had seven steps.

The first step of this technique is called Thundering Energy Infusion in which the cultivator learns to channel their energy into their blade, imbuing it with thunderous power.

Initially, Alex was not interested in learning this particular skill because he believed it was irrelevant to his destruction element.

However, before he could refuse to use the technique, the system spoke in his mind and informed him that the limitations of this technique element did not apply to the host. Alex was initially confused by this statement, but the system continued to urge him to learn the technique.

Alex was compelled to accept it, and since the initial stage did not require the Thunder element, Alex was capable of using it.

Alex finished his breakfast at the inn's restaurant and promptly departed for the designated meeting location. Given that it was already 6:50, he had only a brief window of 10 minutes to make it there on time.

Ten minutes later, Alex arrived punctually at the meeting place, which was situated near the city gate. Upon his arrival, he notices a sizable group of people waiting for something. Some were huddled together in clusters, while others sat alone, occupying various corners of the area, anticipating what was to come.

The man, who looked to be in his 30s, stood at a height of 172 centimeters and had a lean, non-fat build. He sported a distinguished-looking mustache that added to his mature appearance. His hair was unkempt and seemed to have a random pattern, and the color of both his hair and eyes were black.

The man wore an armor that shone and glimmered in the sunlight, giving off an intimidating aura. The intricate design of the armor suggested that he is some sort of noble, which gave off an air of nobility.

As he walked, his steps were heavy and deliberate, suggesting a sense of purpose and confidence. His overall appearance commanded respect and attention from those around him.

Alex was unfamiliar with the person who just arrived, but the group of people around him began to chatter amongst themselves, saying,

"It's Duke Grey."

"What is he doing here? Don't tell me he's going to participate?"

"So that Duke Grey..." Alex thought.

This caused some confusion for Alex, who wondered why the Duke was present at the gathering.

To Be Continued...