The bathroom door slid open, and Ethan stepped back into his bedroom.
The first thing he noticed was that his body did not feel quite right.
The power flowing through his muscles felt natural enough, but his movements did not.
When he reached for a towel, his arm moved slightly faster than he intended. When he turned, the motion carried a little more momentum than expected. Nothing dramatic, but enough to make him realize a serious problem.
His strength had increased by nearly a thousand kilograms in a single day.
His mind had not yet adapted.
Ethan frowned.
A warrior who could not perfectly control his own body was asking for trouble.
Without wasting time, he changed into training clothes and headed toward the private training room connected to his suite.
The room occupied almost an entire wing of the residence. Various training machines lined the walls. Weight racks, punching machines, reaction training equipment, and movement courses filled the spacious area.
The Velmire Family had invested heavily in Ethan's future long before his talent had disappointed them.
Ethan walked to the center of the room and began with the most basic movement possible.
A single step.
Then another.
Then another.
At first, it felt awkward.
His legs carried too much force.
His balance shifted too quickly.
A simple turn almost caused him to overstep.
After several minutes, Ethan transitioned into basic footwork drills. He moved across the room repeatedly, adjusting his center of gravity with every step.
Sweat soon formed on his forehead.
Hours passed.
The banquet had already begun somewhere else in the mansion, but Ethan remained focused entirely on his body.
Punches followed.
Then kicks.
Then combinations.
The air cracked repeatedly as his fists cut through it.
Several times he nearly lost control.
One punch struck a reinforced training dummy harder than intended.
The machine flew backward and crashed into the wall.
Ethan stared at it for a moment.
Then he quietly dragged it back into position and continued.
By the third hour, things had begun to improve.
The disconnect between his mind and body gradually faded.
His movements became smoother.
More precise.
More natural.
A straight punch shot forward.
The fist stopped exactly where he intended.
No extra movement.
No wasted force.
No loss of balance.
Ethan withdrew his arm and smiled.
Finally.
The strength belonged to him now.
He glanced at the clock hanging on the wall.
Nearly four hours had passed.
"No wonder I'm hungry."
Leaving the training room, Ethan headed back toward the bathroom and took another shower.
The hot water washed away the sweat covering his body.
After drying himself, he stood before a large mirror.
For several seconds, he simply looked at his reflection.
His appearance had changed noticeably.
The excess fat that had accumulated over years of inactivity had disappeared.
His shoulders had broadened.
His waist had become leaner.
Clear muscle definition could be seen beneath his skin.
His face looked sharper than before.
Combined with the natural features inherited from his parents, the transformation was striking.
Lucas Velmire had always been considered an exceptionally handsome man.
Elizabeth Velmire was famous throughout the city for her beauty.
Ethan had inherited the best traits of both.
Previously, his lack of confidence and unhealthy physique had hidden much of that potential.
Now those flaws were gone.
Ethan looked at himself for another moment before shaking his head.
"Not bad."
He moved toward the dressing room.
Rows of expensive clothes hung neatly inside.
After a brief search, he selected a black shirt, black trousers, and a long black trench coat adorned with golden buttons and the silver insignia of the Velmire Family.
The outfit fit him perfectly.
When he finally finished dressing, Ethan looked every bit like the young master of one of the city's most influential families.
Satisfied, he left the roroom.
Several maids stood outside.
The moment they saw him, they lowered their heads.
One young maid accidentally looked up.
Her eyes widened.
Another froze for a brief second before remembering to bow.
A third almost dropped the tray she was carrying.
Ethan walked past them without a glance.
Their reactions meant little to him.
For six months, he had seen exactly how quickly respect disappeared when a person lost value.
Today they were respectful.
Tomorrow they would be respectful toward someone else.
Power determined status.
That was simply reality.
With steady steps, Ethan made his way toward the banquet hall.
Meanwhile, the grand banquet had already reached its peak.
The enormous hall was filled with influential figures from throughout the city.
Clan leaders.
Military officers.
Executives.
Politicians.
Every important family had sent representatives.
Crystal chandeliers illuminated the hall while servants moved continuously between guests carrying expensive wine and delicacies.
At the center of the room stood a raised platform.
Several luxurious thrones had been arranged there.
The individuals occupying those seats naturally attracted everyone's attention.
Every one of them was a Supreme Martial Warrior.
The strongest experts in the city.
Among them sat Alexander Velmire.
The true ruler of the Velmire Family.
Although age had left traces upon his face, nobody present would dare underestimate him.
The old man's gaze alone carried enough pressure to make weaker warriors nervous.
One of the supreme warriors raised his wine glass.
"Brother Alexander, you truly are blessed. Your granddaughter is a once-in-a-generation prodigy, and now I hear your grandson is finally on the verge of becoming a Martial Student. Sometimes I wonder if heaven favors your family too much."
Laughter erupted nearby.
Alexander smiled broadly.
"Hahaha. Brother Klaus, your family isn't doing badly either. Your grandson is already a Senior Martial Student at sixteen. He'll probably become a Pre-Martial Warrior before 17."
The old man sighed.
"Compared to Nova, that's nothing."
Several people nodded in agreement.
Nova Velmire's reputation had long spread beyond the city.
Being accepted into the Federation's Elite Training Camp was an achievement most young talents could only dream of.
Alexander's smile widened slightly.
His son had informed him about Ethan earlier.
In truth, Ethan's achievement pleased him even more than most people realized.
Nova's future was bright.
But one day she would marry.
Ethan was different.
He would carry the Velmire bloodline forward.
That was why Alexander had personally attended the banquet tonight.
Otherwise, he would still be outside the city alongside his old teammates.
The group had recently returned after completing a dangerous hunting mission in the wilderness.
Just then, the massive doors of the banquet hall opened.
Three young figures entered.
The person in the center was immediately recognized.
Nova Velmire.
She wore the uniform of the Elite Training Camp and carried herself with the confidence of an elite.
Walking beside her were a silver-haired young man dressed in black battle armor and a beautiful woman wearing a green combat suit.
"Senior brother, senior sister, that's my father Lucas and my mother Elizabeth.", Nova gave a brerif introduction.
The hall gradually fell silent. Several guests frowned. Others suddenly widened their eyes.
"Wait..."
"That's..."
"My God."
Even some of the Supreme Martial Warriors rose from their seats.
The silver-haired youth was Kevin Ashborn.
The direct heir of the Ashborn Clan.
The green-haired woman was Diana Windsor.
The direct heir of the Windsor Clan.
Both clans originated from humanity's legendary Super Base Cities.
Their influence stretched across entire regions. Countless powerful families depended on them.
Lucas and Elizabeth immediately stepped forward.
"Young Master Kevin."
"Young Mistress Diana."
The couple greeted them politely.
Kevin smiled warmly.
"Uncle Lucas, Aunt Elizabeth, there is no need for such formality. Junior Sister Nova invited us. We merely came to visit her family."
Nova smiled slightly.
"Senior Brother Kevin and Senior Sister Diana are my roommates at the training camp."
Only then did many guests finally understand the situation.
Alexander approached as well.
His posture remained calm and dignified.
"I've heard quite a bit about the younger generation from the Super Base Cities. I am Alexander Velmire, Nova's grandfather."
Kevin immediately returned the greeting respectfully.
"Grandfather Alexander."
Diana also bowed.
The surrounding guests exchanged stunned glances.
The heirs of such powerful clans were treating Alexander with remarkable respect.
What nobody knew was that certain events within the training camp had dramatically elevated Nova's importance.
A terrifying existence whose name alone commanded respect within the Ashborn and Windsor Clans had shown unusual interest in her.
Because of that, both Kevin and Diana had received direct instructions from their families.
Maintain good relations with Nova Velmire.
At all costs.
As conversation continued, the doors opened once more.
This time very few people paid attention initially.
Most assumed another guest had arrived.
Then the young man stepped inside.
Several conversations gradually stopped.
A tall figure wearing a black trench coat walked calmly through the entrance.
The silver Velmire insignia gleamed beneath the chandeliers.
His pace was steady.
His posture was straight.
There was a quiet confidence in his movements that naturally drew attention.
Several young women blinked in surprise.
Some older guests frowned as they tried to identify him.
Lucas looked toward the entrance.
A trace of satisfaction appeared in his eyes.
At least his son wasn't embarrassing himself in front of Kevin and Diana.
Elizabeth also relaxed slightly.
Then Alexander narrowed his eyes.
Something about the young man's bearing felt different.
Completely different.
The crowd slowly parted as Ethan approached Nova's table.
Without hesitation, he stopped beside her and smiled.
"Hello, Sis."
Nova looked up. For a moment she simply stared.
Then genuine surprise appeared on her face.
"Ethan?"
The noise throughout the hall seemed to diminish.
Nova examined him from head to toe. The appearance was different.
The confidence was different.
Even the way he carried himself was different.
He was like a completely different person.