25. Observations

'.....'= Thoughts 

"....."= Conversations 

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The cub regarded him with solemn eyes, and Ethan could almost sense the understanding that passed between them. In that moment, a silent pact was forged between man and beast, a bond that transcended the boundaries of language and species.

'I am just thinking too much as I had no one to talk to for the past year,' Ethan sighed and shook his head.

Ethan continued on his journey through the dense forest, the bear cub nestled securely in his arms. As he traversed the rugged terrain, he couldn't shake the feeling of responsibility and protectiveness that had surged within him at the sight of the orphaned cub.

After traveling for a considerable distance, Ethan finally came upon a secluded and serene area of the forest. The soft rays of setting sunlight filtered through the tall, ancient trees, casting a warm and gentle glow upon the forest floor. It was in this tranquil haven that Ethan decided to make a temporary home for himself and the bear cub.

With a determined set to his jaw, Ethan set about constructing a sturdy shelter. Drawing from his deep reserves of strength and resourcefulness, he gathered sturdy branches, thick vines, and large leaves to fashion a protective dwelling amidst the tranquil beauty of the forest.

The shelter began to take shape under his skilled hands, its structure sturdy and secure. As he worked, the bear cub watched him with curious eyes, occasionally letting out a playful and endearing yawn. Ethan couldn't help but smile at the cub's innocence and resilience.

Once the shelter was complete, Ethan carefully settled the bear cub inside, creating a comfortable and cozy nest for the little creature. He fashioned a soft bed of leaves and moss, ensuring that the cub would be warm and protected from the elements.

As night descended upon the forest, Ethan sat by a crackling fire, the warm glow casting dancing shadows upon the walls of the shelter. The bear cub nestled close to him, finding comfort and security in his presence. The flickering flames painted a serene picture of tranquility, and Ethan felt a deep sense of contentment and fulfillment as he watched over the innocent creature in his care.

As the sun began to dip below the horizon, Ethan and the cub settled into their new abode, nestled against each other for warmth and comfort. The forest was alive with the sounds of the night, the hooting of owls and the rustling of small creatures providing a soothing backdrop to their solitude.

Lying in his temporary home, Ethan willed the system panel to appear.

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Name: Ethan Hunt

Age: 23 years

Tier: 9-B (Wall Level)

Striking Strength: (Wall Level)

Talent: Ability Copy (Level 1)

EXP (0/100)

Abilities:

1) Infinite Lifespan {Level. Max)

2) Travel {Level. Max)

(Locked)

3) Enhanced Physique (Level 1)

EXP (85/100)

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After he had copied Victor's ability two new titles had appeared in his system panel stating his Tier and Striking Strength.

Moroeover the training he had done in the last year had borne fruit as he was not far enough from upgrading his 'Enhanced Physique' to level 2. Although the ability had not yet been upgraded to level 2, he still could feel how strong he had became as compared to before.

'Maybe the breakthrough to Level 2 will bring some significant changes,' Ethan could only draw out this conclusion as he gently petted the baby bear who was squirming beside Ethan.

If he had to compare his current physical strength to some plot characters of the movie, then he could surely say that his physical strength was even weaker then that of Edward.

He had first thought that Victor was quite strong, but after copying his ability he could tell that Victor was amongst the weakest vampires based on his physical strength.

If he didn't have the ability to level up the copied abilities, he would have been quite sad by the situation. However, it didn't matter how weak the copied ability was, as he could increase their level with sufficient training.

If the Vampires could be divided in four levels bases on their physical strength, then Victor would be on the 'low tier'. Vampires like Edward, Charlie, etc. would be on the 'middle tier'. Strong vampires like Emmett would be on the 'high tier'. Whereas the 'top tier' would be occupied by the newly converted vampires or 'newborns' and Felix from Volturi. Although newborns only retain such a strength for a couple of months before going back to normal.

Of course this distinction was purely based on the physical strength of the vampires. If the abilities and skills would have been taken into consideration then the table would have to be re-adjusted.

*Huuuu* Ethan let out a gush of air as a smile appeared on his face. He had a feeling that once he reached Level 2 in his ability, he could advance to the 'middle tier'.

'How strong would I be, if I reached Level 5? What about Level 20? What about Level 100?' Ethan wondered but he knew that the higher the level of his ability, the tougher and longer it would become to raise it.

'Well, time is the least bit of my worries now. As for hardwork and willpower, I don't think I would fall behind in that either,' Ethan concluded.

The system had not given him any specific information on how he could increase the level of his abilities. So, Ethan could only do the best he could as he worked his physical body to its limit while training over the year. And, as a result, he was rewarded with increased experience points and strength.

He had also tried to search different ways to increase exp, but after trying out everything, he came to a single conclusion that exp could only be increased by training his abilities and nothing else. There was no shortcut in increasing the level of his abilities and Ethan was okay with that.

After all, Ethan was quite familiar with the saying, 'Easily obtained things lose their value over time.'

Moreover, Ethan had also tried using his talent on various life forms over the past year. He attempted to use it on animals, plants, fish, insects, and more, but the talent didn't activate at all.

He also tried the talent on the tribal people present in the forests, while they were sleeping at night. The result was quite disappointing as the abilities generated from them were downright terrible. The abilities generated ranged from cooking, hunting, scouting, snoring and many others which Ethan didn't even want to talk about.

The hunting and scouting were comparatively good abilities, but he didn't want to waste his two remaining precious slots for them. He had not yet found the way to his increase the level of his talent. Without increasing the level of the talent, he couldn't get more ability slots.

So he was very cautious and decided to copy only good abilities, which could considerably contribute his strength.

The one ability which Ethan was very keen to copy was the 'Mental Shield' of Bella. He didn't want Aro and Edward to read his mind afterall. The secrets he possessed were fare more valuable. Moroeover 'Mental Shield' was quite useful and powerful against mental attacks and Ethan wondered how powerful it would become once he level it up.

Well he had to wait close to 200 years for that as Bella wasn't even born yet.

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