Let's Make it Grand

Ethan sat up in bed as the first rays of dawn stretched across the room like golden fingers, illuminating the chaos of his restless night—rumpled sheets, a pillow on the floor, and a tangle of thoughts in his head that was proving far harder to straighten out than the bedding.

He sighed deeply, rubbing his temples. His dreams had been a strange blend of menace and triumph; shadowy figures closing in, their intentions unmistakably hostile, and yet somehow—quite inexplicably—he had turned into an action hero, dispatching them with moves that would have impressed even the most seasoned martial artist.

"Great," he muttered, shaking his head at the absurdity of it all. "Now I'm not just paranoid—I'm also delusional. What's next? A cape and theme music?"

Despite his attempt at levity, the unease hadn't left him. That prickling feeling of being watched was still there, hanging in the back of his mind like an unwelcome guest who refused to leave. 

It was maddening, like an itch he couldn't scratch, and it had been growing worse with each passing day.

He cast a wary glance at the window, half-expecting to see a figure lurking outside. Of course, there was nothing but the quiet of dawn and the occasional bird flitting by. 

Still, he couldn't shake the sense that danger was just out of sight, waiting for him to lower his guard.

"I should be thankful," he said aloud as if trying to convince himself. "No strange knocks at the door, no creepy messages. Everyone's safe. For now."

He paused, letting the quiet fill the room for a moment. "Then again," he added with a wry smile, "it's only seven o'clock. Plenty of time for things to go horribly wrong."

With a shake of his head, Ethan forced himself to focus. There was no point in spiraling. What he needed now was clarity and, perhaps, a little reassurance. Raising a hand, he swiped at the air, summoning the Status Panel.

The glow of the panel filled the room, soft and steady, like the hum of something far greater than himself just beyond the edges of understanding. It still amazed him every time.

 It was like magic but with the precision of science—beautiful and utterly baffling.

"I wonder," he murmured, tilting his head as he studied the glowing interface. "Am I the only one with this? Or are there others walking around with glowing panels and secret lives?"

"Imagine the meetings we could have. 'Hi, I'm Ethan, and my life is powered by the unlimited system.'"

The thought made him chuckle, but only briefly. The idea of others like him was intriguing, yes. Still, it also opened a door to possibilities he wasn't sure he wanted to face just yet. 

For now, he had enough to deal with.

Turning his attention back to the panel, Ethan scanned it carefully. 

Whatever—or whoever—was out there, he intended to meet it head-on, preferably with a plan and a few surprises of his own.

=====

[Status Panel]

Name: Ethan Cole

Level: 2

EXP: 2500 / 3000

Ascension Points: 4

Wealth: Unlimited

Attributes:

Strength: 10

Speed: 10

Endurance: 6

Intelligence: 16

Charisma: 6

Free Attribute Points: 0

Skills:

1. Krav Maga [Basic]

2. Close Quarters Combat [Basic]

3. Tactical Firearms [Basic]

=====

Ethan's eyes flicked over the numbers displayed on the glowing Status Panel. The screen's soft light illuminated his furrowed brow as he studied the results of his decisions. He had used up all his free attribute points, prioritizing strength and speed.

"Not exactly what you'd call a balanced approach," he muttered to himself with a wry smile, though there was no humor in it.

In truth, there hadn't been much room for balance. If Ethan found himself in a confrontation—and some deep, instinctual part of him whispered that it was inevitable—he needed to be fast and strong. His survival might depend on it.

He leaned back, the chair creaking softly beneath him. 'But how do I compare to others?'

The question had been nagging at him, an itch he couldn't scratch. Was he strong for someone with access to a system like this, or was he just scraping the surface of his potential?

Worse still, was there someone out there who was leagues ahead of him, someone he didn't even know about yet but without this kind of system?

He let out a frustrated sigh, ruffling his hair as his eyes narrowed at the screen. It wasn't as if he could ask someone for tips on leveling up. "Hey, quick question: On a scale of one to panic, how strong is the average secret system user?" Not exactly a dinner conversation.

For now, guesswork would have to suffice. And in a world where he didn't know who—or what—he might be up against, one thing was clear: he needed to get stronger. Much stronger.

Ethan's gaze dropped to the Endurance stat on his panel. Lower than he liked. Lower than he needed. It gnawed at him, but he brushed the worry aside. "Focus on what you can fix now," he told himself, his voice firm. Speed and power—those were the priorities. Without them, endurance wouldn't matter anyway.

'I need to level up fast,' he thought, his resolve hardening like steel in his chest. 'More EXP. More Ascension Points. Whatever it takes.'

The words echoed in his mind like a mantra, propelling him forward.

His thoughts were interrupted by the cheerful buzz of his phone on the desk. Blinking, he reached for it, the glow of the Status Panel fading into the background as a message from David flashed onto the screen.

David: [Hey, Ethan. The registration for NovaTech Innovations is officially complete.]

Ethan's chest swelled with pride. A grin broke across his face, the weight of the morning lifting slightly. That was one less thing to worry about.

Another message buzzed through, and he read it eagerly.

David: [Forgot to tell you. Charles contacted me. The company's current account will be opened today. Seems like someone's been using his connections wisely.]

A chuckle escaped Ethan's lips. "Well, if by 'connections,' you mean my billion-dollar secret, then yes, I suppose I have," he murmured to himself.

Still, it was good news. Things were moving forward. He typed out a quick response.

Ethan: [Great! What's next on the list?]

The reply came almost immediately, as though David had been waiting for it.

David: [Office space and team. I have a few ideas for both, but we should discuss the office first. Any thoughts?]

Ethan frowned thoughtfully, his fingers hovering over the keyboard. He was about to reply when a familiar chime filled the air. The sound sent a shiver of excitement up his spine, and his phone screen faded as the translucent glow of the system appeared before him.

"Well, well," Ethan said, sitting up straighter, his heart pounding. "What do you have for me this time?"

With a flick of his fingers, he swiped to reveal the new notification, his pulse quickening in anticipation of what was to come.

=====

[New Mission: Hire a Team]

Objective: Hire at least 20 people for NovaTech Innovations.

Reward:

1. 2,000 EXP

2. 10 Ascension Points

=====

Ethan's eyes widened as he stared at the glowing notification. "2,000 EXP?" he whispered to himself, the number almost too large to process. That was massive—far more than he'd ever earned at once.

But his awe quickly turned into trepidation as he read the rest of the mission. Twenty people. The System wanted him to hire twenty employees. He felt his stomach twist into a knot.

"Twenty?!" he muttered aloud, leaning back in his chair as though the weight of the number had physically pushed him. He had only ever worked with small groups before—never more than six people on an assignment.

Twenty employees? That was an entirely different beast.

His thoughts swirled with doubts. 'How am I supposed to manage that? That's… chaos.' But then another thought, slightly more comforting, crept in. 'That's what David is for, right?'

Ethan exhaled, leaning forward again as the glow of the System reflected in his wide eyes. David had far more experience in these things. Surely, he would know how to assign roles and positions, right?

That's what partners were for—to fill in the gaps, to know what you didn't. Ethan's confidence flickered back to life.

Still, the reality gnawed at him. He wasn't blind to his own shortcomings. Assigning the right people to the right positions? Building a team? These were all tasks far beyond his current capabilities.

He could barely decide what shirt to wear in the morning. How could he be expected to build the foundation of a company?

'I'll let David know about the twenty people,' he resolved, a small spark of determination lighting in his chest. 'He'll know what to do. It's his area of expertise.'

Before he could even grab his phone to update David, the system's soft chime interrupted his train of thought. Another notification popped up, cutting through the air like a bell at a monastery.

Ethan froze, staring at the new message. "You're not done with me yet, are you?" he muttered, bracing himself as he tapped to open it. Whatever the system wanted next, it clearly had no intention of making this journey easy.

=====

[New Mission: Build a Grand Office]

Objective: Find and furnish an office space that reflects the grandeur of your new company.

Reward: Rewards will be unique and based on the grandeur achieved.

=====

Ethan leaned back in his chair, a slow grin spreading across his face as he reread the system's notification.

"Unique rewards," he mused. The system never handed out vague promises lightly. Whatever it had in store would undoubtedly be worth the effort.

His mind raced with possibilities, the thrill of the challenge igniting his imagination. 'Should I buy an entire building?' he wondered, his grin widening.

It wasn't an entirely absurd thought. After all, if the system rewarded grand gestures, why not go as big as possible? A sleek, towering office space that screamed success could only boost his mission rewards. And when the system gave rewards, they were bound to be extraordinary.

Feeling a rush of excitement, Ethan picked up his phone and typed out a quick message to David, his fingers flying over the screen with newfound urgency.

Ethan: [We're going big. I want at least 20 people hired. Can you get me a list of the necessary positions?]

Miles away, David Turner, comfortably settled at his kitchen table, almost spilled his coffee as he read the message.

"Are you alright?" Annie, his wife, asked, glancing up from her book.

David chuckled, shaking his head in disbelief. "It's Ethan. The young man I told you about. He's... ambitious."

Annie raised an eyebrow, amused. "Ambitious, is he? Sounds like just the sort of person you could use to shake things up. It's been a while since I've seen you this excited about a project."

David paused, her words lingering. She was right. It had been a while since he felt this energized about something. But still... twenty people? That was a stretch.

David: [20? Ethan, 5 or 6 people would be enough to get started. Are you sure about this? That's a lot of hires at once.]

Ethan read the message, a grin tugging at the corner of his lips. He could almost picture David's incredulous expression. With practiced confidence—though his heart was racing—he quickly replied.

Ethan: [Yeah, I'm sure. List all the positions needed. Hire the best talent only.]

He sent another message.

Ethan: [Don't worry about the money. I've got that covered.]

David stared at the screen, his mind spinning as he tried to grasp the scale of Ethan's vision. 'How wealthy is this kid?' he wondered, shaking his head in disbelief.

However, he understood Ethan's point of view. Well, that was what people thought. Actually, Ethan only had the mission in his mind. But to David, he thought that Ethan was thinking about the company.

Building a solid, talented team from the start could give the company the edge it needed to soar.

David: [Alright, if you're serious about this, I'll get on it. But 20 is the max. Just don't go overboard, alright?]

Ethan chuckled at the reply, feeling a thrill of satisfaction. He liked the feeling of pushing boundaries, of doing something no one expected.

Ethan: [Don't worry, David. I've got everything perfectly covered.]

Sliding his phone into his pocket, Ethan turned his thoughts to the day ahead. First, he needed to find an office—something modern and grand, a space that radiated power and ambition.

He could already picture it; sleek glass walls, state-of-the-art interiors, the kind of place that would make every visitor sit up and take notice.

As he made a mental checklist, another thought crept into his mind. His family. Moving them to a safer, more upscale neighborhood was long overdue. He had seen glimpses of elite housing options in his online research—places where security was as solid as the walls themselves.

"Maybe one of those could work. Who knows, right?" he said aloud, a wry smile tugging at his lips. The idea of his family living in a place with pristine lawns, gated security, and houses so big they echoed seemed almost surreal.

Yet, the thought warmed him. They deserved better—much better. No more creaky floors or peeling paint, no more worrying about rent or late utility bills. The world was now his oyster, and he could give them everything they had only dreamed of.

But the problem wasn't the money. No, the system had seen to that. The real issue, Ethan realized with a sheepish grin, was his complete lack of experience in handling such wealth. He could buy anything, but knowing what to buy and how to make the most of it? That was another matter entirely.

"Guess I'll figure it out as I go," he muttered, shaking his head with a quiet chuckle. It wasn't like there was a handbook titled 'How to Be a Billionaire Overnight.'

Ethan knew this was just the beginning. Mistakes would be made, lessons would be learned, and perhaps, in time, he'd master the art of wielding his wealth wisely. For now, though, he'd take it one step at a time, guided by a mix of determination, curiosity, and the occasional wild guess.

Author's Note:

Hi everyone,

I just wanted to take a moment to thank you all for your incredible support and thoughtful feedback. I have read all your comments, and they mean a lot to me. It's amazing to see how invested you are in this story—it really keeps me going!

That said, I've been going back through the earlier chapters and realizing there's room for improvement. So, I'm in the process of editing and polishing things up. 

Don't worry, though—this won't affect the daily releases. The story will keep moving forward while I work on making the earlier chapters even better.

I'll be making adjustments, fine-tuning details, and even rewriting parts where necessary to ensure the story flows as smoothly as possible. If you happen to revisit the earlier chapters, you might notice some of these changes.

Thank you for sticking with me and for being part of this journey. Your feedback and encouragement make this all the more rewarding!

Cheers,

Noah Caelum