Ethan slowly rose to his feet and looked toward Alexander with a thoughtful expression.
"Grandpa, do you have the Energy Gathering Art with you?" he asked, unable to hide the anticipation in his voice.
Alexander smiled faintly and nodded.
"I do, but do not rush. First, use the Ultimate Stage of the Genetic Art. I want to see what kind of transformation it brings. Before that, take the Gene Evolution Serum."
Ethan nodded, but after a brief hesitation, he spoke again.
"Grandpa, there is one more thing."
Alexander looked at him patiently.
"What is it?"
Ethan rubbed the back of his head awkwardly.
"Could you perhaps give me around one billion credits?"
He had already made up his mind. Before entering the real world and facing genuine dangers, he wanted to squeeze every possible benefit from his family's resources. He was not ashamed to admit that he feared death and wanted every possible advantage.
Alexander did not even ask for a reason.
A notification instantly appeared on Ethan's phone.
[Ding! Your bank account has been credited with 5,000,000,000 credits.]
Ethan stared at the screen in disbelief while Alexander casually waved his hand.
"Ask for more if you need it. At the very least, our family does not lack money."
After saying that, Alexander took out an ancient looking booklet and handed it over.
"This is the Energy Gathering Art. Also, go to the nutrition pool in the family cultivation grounds before attempting the Ultimate Stage. The environment there is far more suitable."
Without waiting for another reply, Alexander turned around and left. He still had the important task of establishing the dojo and could not stay any longer.
Ethan also left the room and headed straight toward his private room. He had no intention of wasting even a single moment because every minute now translated into greater strength.
Entering his personal training room, he immediately took out the crimson Gene Evolution Serum that Kevin had given him.
Without any hesitation, he swallowed the entire contents and started performing the perfected genetic art.
The medicinal energy spread into every cell of his body like a blazing current.
A tremendous wave of power surged through his muscles, bones, and organs, making him feel as though every part of his body was undergoing another round of evolution.
After stabilizing his breathing, Ethan walked toward the strength testing machine and threw a simple punch.
Boom!
[1034 kg]
A satisfied smile appeared on his face.
"Not bad."
He did not linger and immediately headed toward the family's cultivation grounds. At the center of the complex rested a massive pool filled with top grade nutritional fluid.
Unlike the bottled nutrition solutions available on the market, this liquid possessed astonishing purity. Cultivators could immerse themselves within it and absorb enormous amounts of energy while training.
It was less of a medicinal bath and more of a concentrated energy source.
Sebastian had already received Alexander's instructions and had personally prepared everything.
Outside the cultivation chamber, Lucas and Elizabeth stood guard. Alexander had informed them about Ethan's Ultimate Stage and had strictly ordered that nobody disturb him during the process.
Ethan quietly removed his clothes, stepped into the warm pool, and closed his eyes.
The Ultimate Stage of the Genetic Art was not any fancy movement but a unique breathing method. By circulating his breath through an extremely precise pattern, his body would automatically absorb surrounding energy and strengthen itself.
The moment he activated the technique, an overwhelming hunger exploded inside him.
Every pore on his body opened simultaneously and began greedily devouring the dense energy contained within the nutritional fluid.
The entire pool started rippling violently as streams of pure energy continuously flowed into his body.
Five hours passed without interruption.
When Ethan finally opened his eyes, the pool had noticeably lost much of its brilliance.
He slowly stood up, dried himself, and changed into fresh clothes. Although he had not tested his strength yet, every movement felt lighter and more powerful than before.
He was certain that he had become at least twice as strong.
Even his perspective had subtly changed. The ground seemed farther away than before, making him realize that his height had increased during the transformation.
As he walked outside, Lucas and Elizabeth stared at him without saying a word.
Their emotions were too complicated to describe.
Standing before them was a young man who had created an entirely new level of human foundation cultivation. He was not merely their son anymore. He was becoming a living legend.
Elizabeth was the first to regain her composure.
"How are you feeling?"
Ethan smiled naturally.
"I feel great, Mom. But I am extremely hungry now. Please send a big feast to my room later. I still need to take care of something first."
Lucas answered before Elizabeth could respond.
"Of course. I will have the kitchen prepare everything immediately."
Inside, he wanted to jump and celebrate, but as an elite martial warrior and the head of a prestigious family, maintaining dignity was important.
Unable to contain his happiness, he simply began humming as he walked away.
Ethan returned to his room and sat comfortably on a chair.
Now that he possessed billions of credits, he finally had the freedom to purchase truly valuable resources.
"System, what grade is the Energy Gathering Art?" he asked.
[It is a Profound Grade technique. It belongs to Grade Two and stands above Common Grade.]
Ethan immediately asked another question.
"Do Genetic Arts also have grades?"
[No. The Genetic Art is a universal foundational technique for humanity. It does not possess any grade distinctions.]
Ethan quietly released a sigh of relief.
If higher grade Genetic Arts had existed, he would have felt that he had missed an irreplaceable treasure.
"What grade of Energy Gathering Art can I purchase with three billion credits?"
The system answered immediately.
[You can purchase an Ancient Grade Energy Gathering Art. It belongs to Grade Four.]
Ethan became curious.
"What about Grade Five?"
[The price is fifty billion credits.]
His eyes widened.
"The difference is that enormous? That is unbelievable."
He did not continue asking questions.
"Sell me the Ancient Grade Energy Gathering Art."
[Transaction completed.]
A majestic golden book instantly appeared in his hands, radiating an ancient and mysterious aura.
After admiring it for a moment, Ethan asked another question.
"Can I share this technique with other people?"
[Current humans on Earth do not possess sufficient capability to comprehend an Ancient Grade technique. Attempting to teach it would only waste time.]
Ethan was genuinely surprised.
"In that case, tell me the comprehension prices."
[Minor Completion: 1,000,000,000 credits.]
[Major Completion: 10,000,000,000 credits.]
[Perfect Completion: 100,000,000,000 credits.]
There was no Ultimate Completion stage.
Apparently, not every technique possessed that final realm.
Although Ethan could afford Minor Completion, he had no intention of cultivating with incomplete understanding. It was better to wait until he could purchase a higher level of mastery.
Standing up once again, he walked toward the strength testing machine.
He gathered his power and threw another punch.
Boom!
[2034 kg]
A smile slowly spread across his face.
The Ultimate Stage alone had increased his physical strength by one thousand kilograms, creating an unprecedented foundation before even becoming a Martial Warrior.
Looking at the remaining balance, Ethan spoke confidently.
"System, sell me the Basic Spear Technique with one hundred percent comprehension."
Ever since childhood, he had admired spear wielders more than swordsmen. In every story he had read, the protagonists who fought with spears always seemed cooler and more imposing.
He had already decided that the spear would become his primary weapon.
[Price: 100,000 credits.]
"Purchase confirmed."
In an instant, countless insights flooded into Ethan's mind.
Every stance, every thrust, every sweep, and every defensive movement merged into his consciousness as though he had practiced them for countless years.
A training spear rested in the corner of the room.
Ethan picked it up, closed his eyes, and allowed his body to move naturally.
The long spear danced through the air with smooth and precise motions while the newly acquired knowledge rapidly fused with his instincts, transforming raw information into genuine mastery.