Chapter 449: First challenge survived Ethan slept deeply that night inside the abandoned temple. It was the first time since his rebirth that his body truly shut down. No calculations. No cultivation. No survival planning. Just sleep. When dawn broke, thin rays of sunlight filtered through the cracks in the old stone walls. Dust floated lazily in the air. Birds chirped somewhere outside. Ethan opened his eyes. For a second, he stared at the ceiling in silence. He stretched his tiny limbs and got up. His stomach growled loudly. Hunger was no longer something he could suppress with energy circulation. He had no cultivation base in this world and wouldn’t have any either. He would always be mortal and feel hunger, will need sleep. But he will become powerful. He would have to find the divine fruit before his life force finished. He walked out of the temple and looked toward the distant village. When he had passed through the forest two days ago, he had collected some fruits along the way. They were still fresh enough to trade. He adjusted the small bundle in his hands and started walking. The dirt road into the village was uneven. Carts had left deep grooves in the ground. Chickens ran around freely. Smoke rose from chimneys. Ethan looked like a complete stray. His clothes were dusty. His hair messy. His body was that of a two and a half year old child. Even if his own father stood in front of him, he would not recognize him. Villagers glanced at him curiously as he passed. Some looked confused. Some looked indifferent. A few looked suspicious. Soon he found the small marketplace. It was modest. A butcher stall. A vegetable vendor. A bakery emitting the warm smell of freshly baked bread. His stomach growled again. He approached the bakery counter. "Excuse me, madam," he said in a soft, childish voice. "I have some fruits. Would you give me a loaf of bread for these?" The woman behind the counter paused. She was in her late thirties. Simple clothes. Tired but kind eyes. She looked at him carefully. "Kid, who are you? I’ve never seen you before." Ethan lowered his gaze and forced his eyes to moisten. "My parents left me here two days ago. They said they would come back soon. But they haven’t returned. I’m very hungry." His voice trembled just enough to sound real. The woman’s expression changed instantly. Motherly instinct was a powerful thing. Poor thing, she thought. Maybe he was abandoned and doesn’t even understand it yet. "Come here," she said gently. "Sit down. I’ll get you something." Ethan’s eyes lit up. "Thank you, madam." He climbed onto a wooden chair. A few minutes later, she placed a large piece of bread and a bowl of hot vegetable soup in front of him. Steam rose from the bowl. The smell nearly made him dizzy. He grabbed the bread and started eating like someone who had not seen food in days. Which was not far from the truth. He devoured the soup as well, barely pausing to breathe. He had experienced starvation in previous lifetimes, but this was different. His current body was truly fragile. When he finally finished, he placed the fruits on the table. "I don’t have money today," he said honestly. "But one day I’ll pay you back. Can you take these fruits for now?" The woman smiled softly. "Don’t worry about money. Where will you go now?" Ethan hesitated. "I don’t know. If I want to eat, I’ll need to work. Can you find me some works? I can clean." She studied him for a moment. "Do you want to work here?" she asked. "I can’t pay you. But you can eat three meals a day and stay with me. I don’t have family either." Inside his mind, Ethan asked quietly, "Yumiko, is she telling the truth?" [Yes, Master.] He nodded. "Really, madam? I promise I won’t disappoint you." She smiled, amused by how easily he trusted her. But she had no hidden intentions. "My house is behind the shop," she said. "Go take a bath. I’ll buy you some clothes." She closed the shop temporarily and showed him a small house attached at the back. It was modest but clean. Ethan washed himself thoroughly. As he scrubbed the dirt off, he thought silently. "Mother is gone in this life. For now, I’ll protect this woman instead." By afternoon, the shop was busy again. Villagers came in for bread and soup. Many of them looked at Ethan curiously. "Who is he, Lilia?" someone asked. The woman smiled lightly. "I kind of adopted him. His parents abandoned him." "Oh really? He’s handsome. Be careful. What if he’s some exiled noble child? You’ll get in trouble." She waved them off. "Don’t worry." Days passed. Seven days later. Inside his mind,the panel appeared. [Master: Ethan Hunt Physique: 2.5 tonnes Spirit: 2.5 tonnes Talent: Infinite Comprehension] He was now comparable to a second level martial warrior. And physically, he looked around six years old. His growth rate was abnormal. Lilia had noticed it. At first, she thought it was her imagination. But a child does not grow that much in a week. Still, this world was not ordinary. Spirit masters existed. Strange phenomena were not unheard of. At afternoon, while Ethan was sweeping the floor, she asked quietly, "Ethan, are you from a noble clan?" He shook his head. "No. My parents were merchants." She frowned. "Ethan, you should leave the village soon." He stopped sweeping. "Why?" "You’re not normal. If villagers report this to the chief, word might reach the baron. And the baron has powerful underlings. Things could get messy." Ethan had already considered this. His growth could not be hidden for long. He was about to respond when heavy footsteps echoed outside. Not one or two. Many. The shop door slammed open. "Lilia! Where is the boy? Hand him over." The village chief stood there with several men behind him. Ethan scanned them calmly. Most were around pre martial warrior level. A few were proper martial warriors. Still manageable. "Village chief," Lilia said nervously, "what do you want?" She subtly gestured toward the back door, signaling Ethan to run. The chief snorted. "Stop pretending. That boy is a demon. His growth is unnatural. He must either be executed or handed to the baron as a slave." 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢 Greed glinted in his eyes. They did not believe he was a demon. They just wanted his secret. Lilia stepped forward. "You’re insane. He’s just a child." Before the situation could escalate further, a shadow moved. Ethan had already decided. There was no negotiation possible. He had seen enough greed in his past lives to recognize it instantly. They wanted to dissect him for answers. He moved like a flicker. In one motion, he grabbed the kitchen knife from the counter. His body was small, but his movements were precise. The first man fell before he even understood what happened. The second tried to shout. Too late. Within seconds, the confined space became silent. The floor was stained red. The village chief lay among the others, eyes wide in disbelief. Lilia stood frozen. Her hands trembled. She looked at Ethan slowly. "Are you really a demon?" Ethan wiped the knife calmly. "No. I’m as human as you are." He looked toward the window. "We don’t have time. Others will come. We need to leave." She hesitated only for a second. Then she nodded. He grabbed her hand. They ran toward the forest. They had to disappear before anyone connected the dots. As they crossed into the tree line, a notification echoed inside his mind. [You have survived the first life and death challenge. 100 strands of divine energy infused into your body.] Ethan blinked. "So that was supposed to be a challenge?" He laughed softly in his mind. "Makes sense. I’m technically only about ten days old in this life." Then something else changed. The sealed Law of Infinity inside him trembled. A strand that was previously dormant extended. It was now ten centimeters long. Out of that, five centimeters formed clearly. The hundred strands of divine energy fused into his being quietly. He did not feel an explosive increase in power. But he understood. The energy was accumulating. At the end of this game, when the restraints were lifted, all accumulated power would manifest at once. He would not grow gradually. He would ascend instantly. Ethan glanced back at the distant village, now hidden by trees.