2026-09-14 23:23:19Ethan opened his eyes to a soft, steady beep.
Sunlight pushed through the leaves high above. The air felt cool even though it was midday. Trees and thick plants kept the bottom of the ravine shaded. Every muscle ached, but the pain already felt distant, like it was fading fast.
Memory crashed back in sharp pieces. Ava’s voice. Ryan’s fists. The long fall wrapped in a thick blanket.
“They meant to kill me,” Ethan whispered. His heart raced. This isolated drop had not been an accident. They had thrown him here on purpose.
The system screen was already open in front of him.
[Mission accomplished.]
[Primary emotional bond permanently severed.]
[Profession unlocked: Grand Alchemist & Healer.]
[Please check Inbox for rewards.]
Ethan’s pulse quickened. He opened the mailbox with a shaky thought.
[Nine Heavenly Path Technique Manual – AI Integration available.]
[Accept or Postpone?]
For a second he hesitated. Then Sophie’s pale face flashed in his mind. The hospital bills that would keep coming. The medicine. The care she still needed. He had no choice.
“Accept.”
The world dissolved into silver and white. Knowledge poured in like a flood—ancient medicine, strange runes, how to write special symbols, the exact way to breathe for spiritual power, and old martial arts methods. When the trance ended, Ethan sat upright, lungs pulling in clean air like it was the first real breath he had taken in years.
He was no longer only Ethan Rivers.
He was a Healer and Alchemist on the first step of an ancient path.
[Installation complete.]
[User may now begin the first professional challenge.]
Ethan ignored the prompt for a moment. He just breathed, letting the new memories settle. The Nine Heavenly Path cultivation method was already clear in his head. He closed his eyes and began.
Time lost meaning. When he finally opened his eyes again, every internal injury and broken bone had healed. Strength hummed quietly under his skin. His body felt light, almost weightless.
[First Assignment – Alchemist & Healer Path]
Recover fully. Cultivate the Nine Heavenly Paths until the body is saturated with spiritual vitality.
Requirement for advancement to Level D.
Ethan already understood the ranks from the old game he used to play: D, C, B, A, and finally S—Grandmaster. The system confirmed it in the same calm voice.
He smiled, but the smile faded fast. Sophie was still in that hospital bed. The surgery was only the beginning. He needed money for the days ahead. A lot of money.
While searching for a way back up to the road, Ethan noticed a thick patch of unusual plants growing in the shaded soil. Recognition hit him instantly through the new knowledge. These were not ordinary herbs.
Lachoke. Akkeotain. Ledechee. Ostrammon. Ocona. Love Broccoli. River Plum. Mud Pommerac. River Kale. Daydream Onion.
A hidden medicine garden, somehow left untouched.
Ethan touched the Alchemist Bag icon on the screen. The satchel accepted the real leaves without any problem. Inside, waiting as if they had always been there, sat a small cauldron, a refining furnace, and a spirit lighter.
The next mission appeared the moment the herbs were stored.
[Mission: Craft a Tier-One Strength & Healing Pill]
Refine and sell the pills at public auction to establish reputation.
Reward: $1,000,000 upon successful sale.
All required recipes are already integrated via the Nine Heavenly Path Manual.]
Ten pills would meet the requirement. Most of the ingredients grew only meters away.
Ethan’s hands shook with sudden hope. One million dollars. That could cover Sophie’s care for a long time. Medicine. Extra treatments. Maybe even a better room. He could finally stop worrying every time the hospital called.
He set up the furnace on a flat stone. Flames hissed to life. Herbs were measured, crushed, and added in the exact order from the manual. What an ordinary alchemist might spend a full day completing, and an expert two hours, finished in thirty minutes. Ten perfect, faintly glowing pills rested in the cauldron.
Ethan laughed out loud. The sound echoed off the ravine walls. For the first time since the fall, real excitement pushed past the fear.
Climbing out proved almost easy. His muscles responded with new strength and flexibility. In two minutes he stood on the road above, looking down at the place that was supposed to have been his grave.
The system had kept its word.
Ava and Ryan had tried to erase him.
Instead, they had only cleared the path.
Ethan turned toward the distant skyline of the city, the first batch of pills safe in the Alchemist Bag. His heart still raced with the memory of the beating and the long drop, but a new fire burned under it.
Sophie needed him. The hospital bills would not stop. One million dollars from these pills could change everything.
He clenched his fists and started walking.
The real work was about to begin.
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Chapter 20
The loud pop of the silver pistol cut through the night air, and a small metal bullet tore straight toward Ethan's chest with deadly speed.Time seemed to slow down to a crawl. Ethan pulled Sophie behind his back with his left hand, his eyes locked on the flying piece of lead. The Nine Heavenly Path Technique surged through his veins, filling his fingers and palms with blinding speed. He did not dodge or jump out of the way. He raised his right hand in front of him and caught the bullet right out of the air between his thumb and index finger.A sharp metallic ring echoed through the quiet alley.Silence fell instantly over the entire street.David stopped smiling. His mouth stayed wide open, his eyes popping out in
Chapter 19
The heavy iron hatch sealed shut behind them, cutting off the roar of the fire and the choking smoke of the burning tower.Ethan stood in the dim light of the drainage tunnel, his arm wrapped firmly around Sophie to keep her steady. The air down here smelled damp and old, but it was clean enough to breathe. The distant sound of rushing water echoed through the concrete pipes, mixing with the low rumble of traffic far above their heads in the city streets of Lagos.We cannot stay here long, Victoria said, clicking off her small emergency flashlight to save the battery. My uncle Marcus controls the municipal security cameras. If he realizes we escaped through the drainage system, he will have every sewer exit blocked within ten minutes.Sophie looked up at Ethan, her face pale
Chapter 18
Thick gray smoke rolled through the open doorway like a creeping monster, filling the underground room with a sharp, choking chemical smell.Ethan pulled Sophie closer against his chest, wrapping his jacket tighter around her face to keep her from breathing the poisonous air. Her eyes were wide with fear, and her small hands grabbed onto his shirt.Don't worry, Sophie. I am right here. You are going to be okay, Ethan said, his voice steady even as his heart raced.Victoria stood near the edge of the smoke, coughing slightly as her face turned pale with fury. Her uncle Marcus was not just trying to trap them. He was planning to burn the entire lower level down and bury every secret of Sterling Holdings in ash.My unc
Chapter 17
The iron door slammed shut with a heavy, final sound, plunging the small medical room into total blackness.Ethan stood frozen in the dark. The cold air felt heavy against his skin. He reached down and touched the bed again, his fingers tracing the cold plastic of the oxygen mask. It was empty. The monitors were completely dead.Victoria stood near the door, her breathing shallow. Even in the dark, her voice cut through the silence with sharp surprise.This was not supposed to happen, Victoria said, her usual calm tone finally cracking. I gave strict orders. She was supposed to be kept as leverage, not moved or harmed.Ethan did not answer her. He closed his eyes and let his mind go quiet. For the past two days, sin
Chapter 16
The elevator shook violently and stopped dead between floors. The bright overhead lights blinked out completely. Only the dim, red emergency glow remained, casting long shadows across the small metal box.Victoria did not even flinch. She stood her ground in the dark cabin, her dark leather coat brushing against Ethan's arm as the robotic voice echoed from the ceiling speaker about the facility lockdown.It looks like my security team is very efficient, Victoria said, her voice entirely calm. They realized I was compromised and cut the power. We are stuck between floors, Mr. Rivers. And the air in this shaft is on a timed filter.Ethan kept the alchemical needle pressed firmly against her neck. He did not care about the lockdown or the dark elevator shaft. His mind was fixed
Chapter 15
The sound of heavy tactical boots filled the ruined office as a dozen armed guards fanned out across the room, locking down every exit. Victoria Sterling stood at the front, her dark leather coat catching the light of the city below. She looked down at David, who was still scrambling backward on the floor like a frightened dog, then turned her sharp gaze back to Ethan.Put that down, David, Victoria said again, her voice completely calm and deadly.David dropped the metal statue with a loud clatter. He scrambled to his feet, pointing a trembling finger at Ethan. Aunt Victoria! He broke in! He destroyed the office and tried to kill me! Make these men shoot him right now!Victoria did not even glance at her nephew. She kept her cold eyes fixed on Ethan.
