Ethan remained under the showerhead, letting the warm water cascade over him. His internal structure was completely restored, but the events of the day had left a deeper mark than any broken bone. This was a place for profound reflection. He knew the gravity of the situation remained, heavy and oppressive.

"System," Ethan said quietly, his voice barely audible over the running water. "I know you said you would let me handle things on my own, but I'd like one piece of advice."

[The System sighed with theatrical resignation.] "Do you know why I used to call you 'Defective Edison,' 'Temu Tony Stark,' and things like that?" the System asked, its voice less mocking, more pedagogical.

"No, I honestly never knew why you always called me those things," Ethan admitted, the memory stinging.

[The reason is simple,] the System stated. [I never doubted that you were a genius. I know you are incredibly smart, but you are also truly blind. That is the problem with geniuses: any minor setback makes their world close in on them. If you hadn't been so indecisive, how many other, cheaper universities wouldn't have accepted you? You could have studied something else temporarily and then 'returned from the dead' with some money. Instead, you sank into misery.]

Ethan bowed his head, letting the water wash over his face. The System was brutally correct. The problem had been solvable, yet he had been defeated to the point of near-suicide.

[And now,] the System continued, its tone hardening, [you have millions, power, men, supernatural abilities, and you already wanted to surrender after one little ambush. Is that what I saved you for?]

Ethan let out a long sigh, the steam filling the small bathroom. "You're right," Ethan conceded, a new resolution settling over him. "Don't tell me what to do. It has to be me who manages to overcome these problems. I can't keep being an idiot."

[Tell me why] the System demanded. [Why can't you be an idiot anymore? What is the stakes now?]

"If I'm incapable of doing something even with all this help, I should just put a bullet in my own head," Ethan stated, the cold truth of his failure settling deep in his bones. "I have the tools now, but I still act like the beggar I was."

The System laughed heartily, pleased. [Exactly! That's what I mean! You have all the pieces now, Champion. Think clearly. Don't disappoint me!] the System cheered. [Now go out there and think like the billionaire genius you were always meant to be, not the whiny student who lost his scholarship.]

Ethan felt a surge of energy and clarity. "Understood. No more self-pity," Ethan affirmed, turning off the water. He stepped out of the shower and gathered the ripped rags of his shirt, tossing them directly into the trash can.

Ethan emerged from the bathroom, his body fully healed but clad only in a towel wrapped around his waist, as all his clothes were in tatters. Sarah, who had been anxiously pacing in the living room, froze when she saw him. A deep blush spread across her face.

"I feel much better after the bath, thank you," Ethan said, noticing her flushed cheeks. "Would it be too much trouble to ask if I could borrow some clothes?"

"Oh! Uh, I don't have any men's clothes, only my dad's, but he's much bigger than you," Sarah stammered, still flustered.

"No problem, anything is fine," Ethan assured her.

She quickly returned with a pair of sweatpants and a T-shirt. The clothes were indeed too big, hanging loosely on him, but at least he wasn't naked.

Sarah returned, carrying a warm cup of tea and a plate of cookies. She sat on the sofa opposite him, her eyes wide with concern. "Did something happen? Why was your clothes... like that?" she asked gently.

"Things happened," Ethan replied, taking a sip of the tea. "I got into some trouble."

"Tell me," Sarah urged, though she didn't insist aggressively. Her gaze was fixed on the "bad boy" in front of her, her curiosity piqued by the danger surrounding him.

Ethan thought "Dammit. The cover story. I can't mention the System, that the company is mine, or that I'm at war with other corporations. I lied from the beginning, telling her I joined an organization that pays for missions. A very specific kind of mission".

[Careful, Champion,] the System chimed in. [The little fish is biting the hook. Don't make it too obvious, but also, don't bore her. This is her kind of story, remember? The damsel in distress seeking thrills.]

"Do you remember that organization I told you I joined?" Ethan asked, trying to gauge her memory.

"Of course," Sarah replied, her eyes widening. "I remember. And it makes me wonder... I didn't see your car parked outside, did you come on foot?"

"That's exactly what happened," Ethan confirmed, playing along. "A mission went sideways, and I got into some serious trouble." He leaned forward slightly, lowering his voice conspiratorially. "It was supposed to be simple, in and out."

Sarah leaned closer, her eyes gleaming with a mixture of fear and excitement. "Tell me everything!" she insisted, her voice barely a whisper.

Ethan took another sip of his tea, formulating a story that would thrill Sarah without revealing too much.

"It was a recon mission," Ethan began, weaving a narrative. "We had intel that a rival organization was holding a private party. Highly exclusive, highly dangerous." He paused for dramatic effect. "My objective was... to infiltrate and retrieve some valuable lingerie from their CEO's mistress. She was known for wearing custom, encrypted pieces. It was a test of skill, to see if I could slip in and out undetected."

"I managed to get in, past their guards, into her room," Ethan continued, his voice taking on a hushed, thrilling quality. "I found the lingerie, but as I was making my exit, someone spotted me. A guard. He raised the alarm."

"And then?" Sarah breathed, hanging on his every word.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.