3. Another Dimension

As Ethan savored his breakfast, engaged in conversation with the system, he suddenly heard a voice from behind.

"Yo, look who's here. I thought he went to the forest yesterday," remarked a man clad in jeans and a T-shirt, sporting a smirk.

"Boss, maybe he chickened out."

"Who knows, but he looked quite manly yesterday. Who knew he would get scared?"

Ethan chose to ignore their taunts and focused on his meal.

Seeing him brush off their attempts to provoke him, Delas, as Ethan had learned his name, grew visibly annoyed.

"Punk, I'm talking to you."

Ethan remained silent, but the system didn't hesitate to speak up.

"Why are you staying silent? Why don't you teach him a lesson?" the system urged in his mind.

"And what do you suggest I do?" Ethan retorted with a mocking tone.

"Just beat him up."

"Do you think I have the strength to beat him up?"

"Now all the other systems will make fun of me when they find out."

The system sighed in frustration at its misfortune.

After finishing his breakfast, Ethan stood up, paid the bill, and headed in Delas's direction.

Everyone present anticipated something interesting to happen, but Ethan simply walked past Delas, paying him no attention.

This act fueled Delas's anger, and he was about to confront Ethan when his lackey intervened. "Boss, this isn't the right place. Why don't we find him alone somewhere and teach him a lesson?"

Delas, a young man who liked to portray himself as an underground boss, roamed freely in the slum area, engaging in activities such as fighting and stealing. During his college days, his ability to transform and increase his body size earned him admiration. However, disappointment followed when it became evident that his strength remained unchanged post-transformation, rendering him as useful as an ordinary person.

After leaving college, he found himself relegated to a life as a small-time troublemaker in the slum area.

"Don't worry. I'll make him pay when I catch him alone," Delas vowed before leaving with his group.

Ethan headed directly for the forest after finishing his breakfast. On the road, he asked the system, "Can you tell me now?"

"Are you sure you want to know?" the system asked in response.

"Yeah, don't tell me you were just spouting bullshit."

"Fine, have it your way. Don't blame me later."

"You know about the test flight, right?"

"Yes."

"And you also know about the huge explosion," Ethan nodded.

"But do you know what happened afterwards?"

"What happened?" Ethan asked, becoming interested.

"After the explosion, no one knows, but it opened a different dimension," the system paused to build suspense.

"What is a dimension?" Ethan asked, showing confusion. It was the first time he had heard the term, and even the federation had never mentioned it.

"It's normal that you don't know because no one on your planet knows yet."

"So what about this different dimension? Is it dangerous?" Ethan asked, feeling a little shaken.

"Dangerous? Heh... If it were only dangerous, you wouldn't need to fear. A different dimension is like a different world with different rules, creatures, air, and plants. Just imagine what would happen if they tried to invade your world."

Ethan pondered for a moment and then asked, "But how do you know they are dangerous? They could be weaker than us, right?"

"Heheheh... weaker, you say?"

"What are you laughing about?"

"I'm laughing at your ignorance, fool. Always remember, whenever something happens, consider the worst-case scenario first."

"But if I think like that, doesn't it mean our world is in danger?"

"Of course, it's dangerous. Why do you think everything changed so suddenly?"

"What should we do then?" Ethan was genuinely scared this time and began to tremble on the spot.

Observing Ethan's behavior, the system let out a long sigh.

"I warned you, but you didn't listen."

"Who knew you would tell me a horror story?"

"But you don't have to worry, you know."

"Even after everything, I shouldn't be afraid? Why?"

"Because the different dimension isn't fully opened yet," the system reassured him.

"You're saying that even though it caused so much damage and half of the population is gone, it's not fully opened yet? What will happen when it fully opens?" Ethan was starting to regret listening to him now.

"Relax. Your world suffered so much damage because it was going through a transition. All of this happened because energy leaked out into your world. For now, there is only a crack, so you don't have to worry that something will come out and kill you. From this crack, energy, or you can call it mana, leaked into your world, giving your world supernatural beings. So, if it's dangerous, it's also a blessing. If you work hard and use your power wisely, when the dimension fully opens, you will not face any difficulty. So for now, just relax and work hard to become stronger. Strong enough to topple anyone and anything. We will help each other."

Hearing this, Ethan finally relaxed. He had thought he was at death's door just now. "Stronger, huh? I will become stronger," Ethan thought to himself.

"So, what do you think? How much time do we have?" Ethan asked, thinking that if it's 10 or 20 years later, he will invade himself; they don't need to come.

"Oh, that... According to the data I've collected after checking the thickness of the mana in the atmosphere, I would say one or two years maximum."

Hearing this, Ethan stood there speechless.

"You bastard! And you think I shouldn't be worried? How am I supposed to become stronger in just two years?"

"This... You'll have to work even harder, I guess," the system replied.

Ethan didn't know what to do. Was this my end?