My Life Changed with the Unlimited System

That night, the stars blanketed the sky above the observatory, now transformed into the Command Center, the heart of the Eternal Kingdom.

The glow from the newly-built buildings cast soft light across the surrounding land.

Warm smoke curled from the Field Kitchen.

The sound of water running through the new piping system brought a sense of peace.

Soldiers who had once been prisoners of a corrupt regime were now lining up for duties, their faces steadier than they had ever been.

"This is great," one of the soldiers said.

"Yeah. We can start a new life over here."

"When you said that, somehow the life under Elder Harran and Protector Vareth were pretty harsh."

A few soldiers nodded before their bodies trembled when they recalled their lives before.

Ethan stood on a raised platform outside the Command Center, arms crossed as he looked down at the small but growing settlement. Despite everything, things were moving faster than he had hoped. Much of that, to his surprise, was thanks to several of the soldiers.

Among them were former unit captains, logistics runners, and a few men and women with clear experience in managing squads, supplies, and territory control.

They didn't need long to understand what was needed.

They organized the barracks by squads.

They assigned rotating schedules for cooking, sanitation, patrols, and resource gathering.

Someone even took the initiative to start marking potential paths for expansion.

"Looks like we've got ourselves an actual army now," Alden said as he walked up beside Ethan, arms folded and face lit by the torchlight.

Ethan smiled faintly.

"It's not just an army," he said. "It's the beginning of something that might change this whole world."

Alden glanced at him. "You're leaving, aren't you?"

Ethan turned his eyes back to the buildings below.

"I told Hera already. I'm going back. Back to Earth."

"For how long?" Alden asked.

Ethan hesitated before answering. "I don't know."

Hera appeared behind them, her cloak pulled tight against the cool night air.

"Time doesn't work the same way between worlds," she said softly. "At least, that's what I've heard. Three hours there might be three days. Or the other way around. We won't know until you go."

Ethan nodded. "Which means I don't know how long I'll be gone here either."

A silence passed between them.

The air was calm, but something weighed heavily on Ethan's shoulders. This place, they had just built it. These people, he had taken responsibility for them. And yet, there was still another world waiting for him.

Another battle, another duty.

"I have to return. There are people I need to protect," he said quietly. "And I need to understand more about how this whole thing works. This system… this connection between Anterra and Earth."

Alden's voice was low. "You sure you can come back?"

Ethan looked up at the stars. "I'm not sure of anything. But if I can come here once, I'll find a way to return again. I have to."

He turned to face them both, his voice steady now.

"That's why I need the two of you to keep things running while I'm gone."

Alden blinked. "Me?"

"You're good with people," Ethan said. "They already look up to you. And your face doesn't hurt either." He smirked a little. "Especially since it looks like the one wreaking havoc killing Elder Harran and Protector Vareth. They'll fear you."

Alden sighed. "I guess I walked right into that one."

Ethan turned to Hera. "And you… you're sharper than either of us. You know how to think ahead. You see things others don't."

Hera nodded without hesitation. "We'll hold this place."

Ethan smiled once more. But in his chest, he could feel the weight pressing down.

He had no idea what he would find once he stepped through the portal again.

But at the very least, he could leave knowing that the Eternal Kingdom had already begun.

As Ethan continued speaking, his voice calm but firm, a soft glow began to rise from beneath his skin. It was subtle at first, like the shimmer of embers beneath ashes. But within seconds, it grew stronger—radiating outward in faint waves of golden-orange light, like a heartbeat made of fire.

Alden squinted. "Wait… what's happening to you?"

Ethan turned slightly, eyebrows furrowed. "What do you mean?"

"Your body," Alden said, stepping closer. "It's glowing."

Hera didn't speak. She was already watching, her gaze locked onto Ethan with sharp focus. There was something familiar in her eyes. Not fear. Recognition.

Ethan glanced down at his own hands.

And that was when the notification appeared in front of him.

=====

[Notice: Dragon Core Formation is starting.]

Your body has met the conditions required to form the Flame Dragon Core.

This will be your first step into true ascension as one chosen by the Flame Lineage.

During the formation process, the following will be affected:

– All attributes temporarily sealed

– Movement severely limited

– System protection activated

Warning: Formation process cannot be interrupted. Duration unknown.

=====

The light surrounding Ethan's body deepened into something far more intense. Heat gathered at the center of his chest, warm but not burning.

It was the kind of warmth that felt alive, like a pulse that belonged to something greater.

He took a shaky breath.

"Can you guys cover me while I am forming my core?"

Alden's voice broke the silence. "Wait. You're forming a… core? Like, a real one? Now?!"

Then, his expression changed. "Aren't you a Vessel already?"

Before Ethan could reply, Hera spoke first, her voice low and steady. "It's not just a core. It's the Dragon Core."

"Wait a minute..." Ethan turned to her. "You know about this?"

"My master once read about it," she said quietly, her eyes never leaving Ethan. "And she told me what it meant. The chosen of the Dragon wouldn't just form a core like everyone else. Their heart would change, no longer made of flesh and blood, but forged from the essence of a true dragon. Not just fire, not just power… but something ancient. Something alive."

She paused, then added, "It's not just a power source. It's the beginning of becoming one."

The glow intensified.

"Guess the stories weren't lying," Ethan muttered.

He could already feel his strength locking down, like invisible restraints were wrapping around his limbs and pulling inward. His breathing slowed. His legs grew heavier. And yet, inside, there was no panic. Only stillness.

The soldiers outside the Command Center hadn't noticed it yet.

But Alden and Hera stood with him in silence as the golden light pulsed once more… and the Dragon Core Formation truly began.

"Then go. Do what you need, Ethan," Alden said, stepping back, his voice firm but anxious. "We'll keep watch. Just focus."

Hera gave a single nod beside him, her arms crossed tightly as if bracing herself. "Don't delay it. If this is what's starting, then let it happen now. We'll handle everything else."

Ethan looked at both of them, grateful, then lowered himself to the ground and took his meditative pose. His breathing slowed.

The glow from his chest pulsed softly, steady and alive like the beating of a second heart, waiting to be born.