"You should be careful with Carl," Ethan said as he followed Mia.
"What do you mean?"
Mia stopped walking and looked at him.
"All I can tell you is that he's not the person you think he is," Ethan replied as he kept moving forward.
Mia stayed silent for a moment, thinking, then continued walking alongside him.
They finally arrived at the manager's office, and Mia knocked on the door.
"Come in," a slightly hoarse voice answered.
Inside, they found the Dean of the Academy — a brown-haired man who looked to be in his forties, with a light beard.
One could tell he must have been handsome in his youth.
Standing behind him was another man, seemingly in his early thirties, with sharp features and piercing blue eyes.
"So, this is the kid you told me about? What's your name, boy?" the Brigadier General asked with a cheerful expression.
{He doesn't seem like the strict type.}
Ethan never liked dealing with overly strict people.
"My name is Uchiha Ethan," he said after a brief pause.
"Well then, I'll enroll you in the first grade. What do you think?"
"I refuse. I want to be in the same class as Mia since I don't know anyone else here."
"It doesn't matter who you know. You're here to learn."
Despite Ethan's blunt refusal, the Brigadier General didn't seem angered.
"I don't need to learn. I'm here because I thought it would be fun," Ethan said, clenching his fists.
"Kid, don't let arrogance consume you," the man behind the Dean finally spoke.
"I see this as confidence, not arrogance. And don't interfere in my conversation with the Dean," Ethan replied in a firm tone.
"You're a rude kid. Do you know who you're talking to? I'm the Vice Dean," the man snapped as he released his pressure.
"Do you really think such weak pressure will affect me? Keep dreaming," Ethan said coldly, unleashing his own aura — Haoshoku Haki mixed with Ryatsu and killing intent.
The overwhelming force shook the room, bringing the Vice Dean to his knees. The entire office crumbled under the crushing pressure.
Across the Academy, everyone felt it; students and staff alike dropped to the ground, some even fainting instantly.
"No more, Vice… Dean. He's… sorry," the Dean gasped, struggling to breathe.
{Damn, this pressure is even stronger than I thought.}
Ethan withdrew his aura.
"I apologize, I lost my temper a little," he said in a tone that carried no real apology.
"Wh… Why do you have such power?" the Dean asked once he recovered from the shock.
"It's none of your business," Ethan answered impatiently.
"No, you misunderstand. I mean, what is your goal with this power?"
{Goals…? I never thought about that.}
Ethan was genuinely confused — he didn't know how to answer.
"I've never thought about it before."
"What do you mean?! You have this power without any purpose? You're wasting it!" the Brigadier General shouted in frustration.
"What's wrong with him?" Ethan asked Mia, who still stood beside him, her face pale with shock.
"Uh… this is just how he is," Mia stammered, slowly regaining her composure. "The Brigadier believes that without clear goals, no one can reach true power."
{Maybe he's right… What is my goal?}
Ethan fell into deep thought. Silence filled the room as no one dared to disturb him.
After nearly twenty minutes, his expression hardened with determination.
"My goal is to never regret or hesitate again. I will follow my heart, no matter what obstacles stand in my way."
His quiet yet decisive voice carried a frightening weight.
"So, you do have a goal," the Dean said with a smile. "Then, I permit you to attend fourth-grade classes with Mia."
"Good. Now, I'm going to sleep — I'm exhausted," Ethan said with a fake yawn, masking the fact that a strange system notification had just appeared before his eyes.
He left the office, using Kamui to teleport back to his room at the hostel.
[ Ding! The host has chosen his goal. This is another step toward absolute power. Host rewarded with the Third Energy Integration Book. ]
[ Does the host wish to receive it? ]
"Accept," Ethan said without hesitation.
At once, he felt the energy within his body merge. A burning sensation spread through his limbs as every cell broke down and reformed.
Energy gathered into a small sphere beneath his abdomen — his Dantian.
His soul seemed to merge with his body, becoming one inseparable whole.
"I feel… invincible," Ethan whispered, panting as the immense power surged within him.
"Show me the status screen, System."
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Guys, If you find any mistakes, I hope you tell me, thanks, bye.