Chapter 36: Strength reached the king level All the trucks rolled steadily into the wilderness, making their way to the area Ethan had marked on the map. The atmosphere was tense. A few low-level beasts lurking nearby dared to approach, but they were instantly eliminated by the vigilant soldiers. Their discipline was sharp, their formation unbroken. As the last truck halted and the engines fell silent, the soldiers jumped down—three per truck—forming five neat rows. One hundred fifty soldiers in total stood at attention. Their gazes shifted ahead, and what they saw widened their eyes until they looked like saucers. A mountain. No, a mountain of death. Piled high before them were 663 massive beast carcasses, their bodies stacked in gruesome precision. Blood still glistened on some of their hides, and a metallic tang filled the air. The sight was both awe-inspiring and terrifying. Beside this grotesque mountain, two figures sat calmly in a meditative position—cross-legged like ancient monks. One of them wore radiant golden armor, reflecting the moon light like a god descended from the heavens. The other was clad in sleek blue armor. Both exuded an aura of absolute dominance. It was Ethan and one of his clones. As the soldiers stood stunned, they suddenly snapped into action, raising their arms in synchronized salute. Their eyes were filled with reverence. Ethan gave a calm nod and then spoke, his voice calm but commanding, "Open the backs of the trucks." The soldiers moved without hesitation. The truck doors creaked open. Ethan raised a hand. A soft hum resonated through the air as dozens of beast carcasses began floating, one by one, surrounded by a faint, shimmering blue glow. His mental energy wrapped around them with ease, directing the bodies into the trucks like feathers carried by the wind. The scene looked like magic, but this was sheer psychic mastery. Had they done it by hand, the soldiers would’ve been here till dawn. But with Ethan’s help, all the bodies were loaded within an hour. The soldiers’ respect for Ethan surged to another level. As they boarded the trucks once more, they saluted him again before driving off into the horizon. Ethan remained where he was, standing still like a lone sentinel beneath the sky. Five minutes later, nine more figures emerged from the sky—identical to the man in gold armor but with different colors. His clones. He turned to them with a thought. "Go." Without a word, the nine clones dispersed in nine directions, moving like shadows through the forest. Each had their task: to enter the various base cities and eliminate monsters while gathering resources and money. They would strengthen the organization Ethan was thinking to built. Ethan tapped his communicator and contacted Charles. "Mr. Charles, I need your help." Charles’ voice came through, warm and enthusiastic. "What kind of help? If I can do it, I’d be glad to." The old man was visibly eager. He wanted to stay in good terms with this mysterious group. After all, having so many spirit masters meant immense strength and potential influence. "I’m sending my members to other base cities to hunt monsters," Ethan explained. "Can you help me set up similar hunting agreements like before?" Charles didn’t hesitate. "Of course! Just tell me where." "Base City 1, 2, 3, and 4," Ethan replied after a pause. "Consider it done. I’ll inform the local branches immediately. Your people can start anytime. And I am the supervisor of this four cities too.", Charles replied proudly. "Thank you." After cutting the line, Ethan got to work. He assigned three clones to Base City 1—since it had 27 wilderness zones, the largest by far. Base Cities 2, 3, and 4 each got two clones. The last clone remained here in Base City 5, acting as a guardian for his assets and property. "Now, if only I had a face-changing skill," Ethan muttered. "I wouldn’t have to wear this full armor. It attracts too much attention... Maybe I’ll find something in the Supercity." With that, he left the wilderness behind. Back in the city, he thought something. He told his parents that he would return in three days. "But if I return now, it’d be... awkward." He felt a bit embarrassed.Instead of heading home, he booked the presidential suite at a luxury hotel. His clothes were torn from battle. Walking around in full-body armor wasn’t ideal. He needed to buy some clothes. He bought a set of clean, stylish clothes—something casual, yet noble. Then made his way to the hotel. Inside, the lobby was spacious and polished. Behind the counter stood a young receptionist, her attention fixed on her phone. She looked up absently when she heard footsteps. Ethan asked her about his room. The girl looked up to see the guest. But the moment her eyes landed on Ethan, her heart skipped a beat. He wasn’t just handsome. He was breathtaking. Golden armor clung to his tall, sculpted frame like divine craftsmanship. His face was calm, dignified, like a prince from celestial realms. She blinked, this man seemed a little familiar. Where could had she seen him? "Wait... Ethan?! The Ethan Hunt from the TV?! No... he didn’t look this good on screen... How can reality be so different?!" She was practically lost in thought when— Snap. Ethan clicked his fingers. "Hey." She jolted upright. "Y-Yes! Mr. Ethan! Here’s your room card!" She scrambled to hand it over. "I’ll escort you to your room—" "No need," Ethan interrupted. "Just tell me the direction." She was visibly disappointed but nodded quickly and gave him directions. Then, as he turned to go, he casually handed her a tip: 10,000 credits. Her eyes widened in disbelief. That was her monthly salary. "Mr. Ethan is... so generous." Her heart fluttered. "If only..." But she stopped herself. She saw the indifferent look in his eyes. Besides, everyone knew about his rumored girlfriend—for whom he moved the entire alliance that day. Ethan walked to his suite, showered, changed into clean clothes, and placed a food order. Room Service Delivered after some time. Flame-Grilled Spiral Beast Ribs glazed with red volcanic salt, tender and spicy. Sapphire Cloud Fish Sashimi, served cold with micro herbs and clear starlight vinegar. Quantum Rice—each grain infused with high-energy particles, known for rapid recovery. Midnight Moonfruit Juice, sweet, thick, and rich in mental energy boosters. As he began to eat, he dialed Rose. It was already past 10 PM. Rose was still at her desk, surrounded by books, studying for her upcoming exam. Her phone lit up with Ethan’s name. Her heart skipped. She quickly answered, her face glowing. "Hello, Rose! How are you?" "I’m fine," she replied softly, "What about you?" "I’m good. Are you free tomorrow?" Rose blinked, her heart suddenly racing. Was this what she thought it was? "Yeah, I don’t have anything important planned." "Would you like to hang out with me?" He was as direct as ever. Her cheeks flushed red. But she kept her voice steady. "Sure. What do you want to do?" "Nothing planned. We’ll just go with the flow. How’s that sound?" "I like it," she smiled. "Pick me up from home." "Okay." He ended the call, smiling faintly. The food was delicious and quickly finished. After that, Ethan went to bed. --- The Next Morning Ethan woke up early. Sunlight streamed through the curtains. He checked his system panel: [Master: Ethan Hunt Physique: 138,880 Spirit: 138,880 Talent: Infinite Comprehension] He had finally crossed the 100,000 mark. A true King-level strength now. He recalled the power levels he read on the Alliance forum: Level 1: 100,000 tons Level 2: 200,000 tons Level 3: 300,000 tons Level 4: 500,000 tons Level 5: 700,000 tons Level 6: 900,000 tons Level 7: 1,200,000 tons Level 8: 1,500,000 tons Level 9: 1,800,000 tons The jump from Level 1 to 9 was 18 times—twice the jump from the lower three realms. King Realm was a different league. Seven days. That’s all it took him to go from awakening to surpassing a Level 1 King. Even Ethan chuckled at how absurd that was. But then again, if he was the absurd one, that was fine. He smiled with a big grin. He also noticed that his mental energy had evolved again. He could now control 30 objects at once—more than double his previous increasement. After a quick freshening up, Ethan began his preparations for the date. Outfit: He wore a navy-blue coat with a subtle sheen, a black high-neck undershirt, and platinum-trimmed pants with light adaptive fabric. Paired with polished boots and a silver chronowatch, the look was sophisticated yet effortlessly charming. He ate breakfast, then placed an order for a new vehicle. His old car was at home, and he didn’t want to go back there now. So he bought a limited edition luxury car, the "Celestial Nova V12." The price was 5 billion credits. This car wasn’t even available for public sale. It was created for branding only—but Ethan got it thanks to the Alliance’s highest-level clearance. He was now their VIP of VIPs. The moment the car arrived at the hotel, a crowd gathered. "Wait... isn’t that the Celestial Nova?!" "The one that was never for sale?! What’s it doing here?!" "Is someone finally selling it?!" They had no idea Ethan didn’t buy it through normal means. Gossip exploded like wildfire. Ethan ignored the attention. He called Rose, "I’ll arrive in 30 minutes. Be ready." --- Civilian District – Rose’s Home Inside, Rose stood before a mirror. Her mother, Elizabeth, was helping her pick out a dress. Rose never cared much about fashion. But today was different. Today, she was going out with Ethan. Her hands trembled slightly. A soft blush tinted her cheeks. Something new was blooming in her heart. Maybe... just maybe... this wasn’t just admiration anymore. Maybe it was something deeper.