My Life Changed with the Unlimited System

Ethan's breath hitched as his eyes caught the deliberate motion of Lucan swallowing the Leapstone. His mind raced to comprehend the gravity of what he had just witnessed.

"Lucan… what are you doing?!" Ethan blurted out, his voice cracking with shock and alarm.

Thorne, standing like a battered shield between Reynard and Lucan, glanced over his shoulder briefly, his brows furrowed in disbelief. "Is he—? Did he just—?"

Lucan's body began to tremble, his aura shifting violently. His radiating power was palpable, chaotic, and raw, making the air around them feel dense and oppressive. It surged like an unbridled storm, threatening to consume everything in its path.

Reynard's sharp gaze locked onto Lucan, his eyes narrowing dangerously as the realization dawned. The surge of power emanating from Lucan was unmistakable. It was the distinct energy of someone on the precipice of transformation.

"What…" Reynard muttered under his breath, his expression briefly breaking into one of disbelief before hardening into cold fury. "Impossible. That fool actually—"

The ground beneath them cracked as the energy pouring from Lucan grew more intense. A low hum filled the air, vibrating through every stone and bone, signaling something extraordinary—and terrifying unfolding. Reynard's jaw clenched as his instincts screamed at him. He could no longer afford to stand back.

Ethan felt the shift in Reynard's stance and immediately stepped forward, trying to anticipate the next move. "Thorne!" he called out, his voice sharp. "We can't let him get to Lucan!"

"I know!" Thorne barked back, spitting blood to the ground. His body wavered slightly, but his resolve remained unshaken.

Reynard's eyes burned with an intense focus as he muttered to himself, his voice low and laced with venom. "He's ascending… and I can't allow it. Not him. Not now."

He raised his hand, and the oppressive heat of his elemental fire began to build. Flames swirled and crackled in his palm, the energy growing dense and violent, casting ominous shadows across the battlefield.

"Enough of this!" Reynard snarled, his voice echoing with authority. "You think I'll sit back and let this farce continue?"

The flames expanded into a swirling orb of concentrated destruction, radiating a suffocating heat that made the air shimmer. It pulsed with power, a manifestation of Reynard's volatile Ascendant Energy, barely held in check by his unstable foundation.

Ethan's heart sank as he realized the target of the impending blast. "He's aiming at Lucan!" he shouted, his voice breaking with urgency.

Thorne's body tensed, his battered frame still standing between Reynard and Lucan like an unyielding barrier. Blood trickled from the corners of his mouth, a testament to the toll his forbidden technique had already taken.

Reynard thrust his arm forward, releasing the devastating fireball with an explosive roar. The attack tore through the air, heading straight for Lucan, who remained meditative, focusing solely on the raging power surging within him.

Time seemed to slow as Ethan lunged forward instinctively, but it wasn't enough. Thorne moved first.

With a guttural shout, Thorne threw himself directly into the fireball path. "Don't you dare!" he roared, his voice filled with defiance and pain.

The impact was immediate and catastrophic. The fireball collided with Thorne's body, the flames engulfing him in a violent explosion. The sheer force of the blast sent a shockwave rippling outward, throwing Ethan off his feet and making the ground quake.

When the smoke cleared, Thorne was still standing, though barely. His arms hung limply at his sides, his once-proud figure now scorched and trembling. His chest rose and fell with labored breaths, his life force visibly waning.

"Thorne!" Ethan scrambled to his feet, his voice cracking with panic.

Thorne turned his head slightly, his eyes meeting Ethan's with a faint, tired smile. "Don't you worry... I'm still here," he rasped, his voice weak but laced with determination. "But I don't... have much energy left."

Ethan's chest tightened as he saw the extent of the damage. Burn marks marred Thorne's arms and torso, and blood pooled at his feet. The forbidden technique he'd activated earlier had already drained his life force, and now, the fiery assault had pushed his body to its absolute limits.

Reynard's face twisted into a scowl, his anger barely concealed. "You're a fool," he spat, his voice cold. "Throwing your life away for someone who won't even survive."

Thorne let out a strained chuckle, his knees buckling slightly but still holding firm. "You'd... be surprised... what we're willing to do for each other." His words were a defiant whisper, yet they carried a weight that seemed to momentarily still the battlefield.

Ethan clenched his fists, his mind racing. Thorne was buying them time—precious seconds that Lucan needed to complete his transformation. But at what cost?

His mind spiraled into chaos, a storm of fear and helplessness battering his resolve. The battlefield seemed to blur before him, the oppressive heat of Reynard's flames and the weight of their enemies pressing down like a suffocating vice. Every breath felt heavy, every beat of his heart a countdown to their end.

Thorne's battered figure, blood dripping from his mouth as he stood unyielding against Reynard, burned itself into Ethan's thoughts. His mind screamed at the sight—this wasn't how it was supposed to be. They weren't supposed to be this powerless.

'Is this all I can do? Am I really this useless?' Ethan's chest heaved as despair clawed at his spirit. He clenched his fists, nails digging into his palms so hard they threatened to draw blood. 'I just started… but is this really where it all ends?'

Thorne staggered, and for a fleeting moment, his legs buckled under Reynard's relentless might. Ethan's heart twisted. The thought of a comrade sacrificing everything while he stood frozen in fear gnawed at his very core.

"I can't…" Ethan muttered through clenched teeth, his voice shaking as his body trembled. "I can't let it end like this. I won't let it end like this."

But even as he tried to rally himself, the crushing reality of their situation bore down harder. Reynard's presence was an overwhelming abyss—impossible to fight or overcome. For the first time, Ethan felt cornered, truly and utterly powerless.

And then, a shift.

A faint vibration rippled through the air, reaching deep into Ethan's core. The sensation, alien and overwhelming, froze him mid-breath.

It wasn't pain, but it wasn't comfort either—it was raw, untamed, like a storm stirring from within. His muscles tensed involuntarily, his body reacting to something far beyond his understanding.

Ding!

The system's sharp chime broke through his thoughts like a hammer on fragile glass. His vision blurred momentarily as a notification illuminated his mind.

=====

[System Warning]

Critical Condition Detected.

Initiating: Primal Overdrive Mode.

Description: This emergency state activates only in moments of extreme desperation, overriding the user's consciousness to draw upon the vast untapped potential of Primal power. Physical attributes are temporarily multiplied, and combat instincts are heightened to maximize survival chances.

Duration: 3 minutes.

Effects:

1. All physical attributes are multiplied by 3.

2. Instinctive combat responses are activated.

3. Immunity to fear and hesitation.

Warning: Prolonged use or repeated activation may result in critical physical damage, extended unconsciousness, or permanent impairment. The user will lose control during this state.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

=====

Ethan's heart stopped. This wasn't a thing to celebrate—it was a grim declaration. A survival mechanism, pure and ruthless, designed for when all else failed. The words "lose control" echoed in his mind, making the surge of energy he felt all the more terrifying.

"No..." he whispered, his voice trembling as his legs shook. "Not like this..."

But the system ignored his resistance, the overwhelming force already tearing through him. The vibration within him grew stronger and more violent until it felt like his body was on the verge of breaking apart. Ethan's vision darkened at the edges as the sensation swallowed him whole, his consciousness slipping away like a fading ember.

The last thought that crossed his mind was of his team—their faces, their sacrifices: Thorne, bleeding and resolute; Lucan, striving to ascend; Calder, consumed by vengeance; Leah and her children, clinging to hope; and himself, failing them all.

The darkness surged, and Ethan was gone.

When Ethan's eyes opened again, they were no longer his own. A fierce, primal glow burned within them, his body now driven by something far beyond conscious thought. His stance straightened, fluid and predatory, as an electric tension radiated from him.

Ethan's mind might have been silent, but his body moved with terrifying precision, every motion purposeful, every muscle coiled with power. The Primal Overdrive Mode had taken over, and Ethan wasn't just himself for the next three minutes—he was something more, something unleashed.

Reynard paused mid-strike, his sharp gaze narrowing as he felt the sudden, violent shift in Ethan's aura. "What... is this?" he muttered, his voice tinged with curiosity and unease.

Thorne, coughing blood but still standing, glanced back at Ethan. His eyes widened as he saw the transformation. "Ethan?" he rasped, though there was no recognition in the figure before him.

Ethan lunged forward, his movements blurred. He was faster and more precise than Reynard had expected. Reynard barely deflected the first strike, the force of Ethan's blow sending a shockwave through the air that made the surrounding debris shudder.

This wasn't the same Ethan who had been struggling moments ago. This was a force of nature, raw and untamed, with one purpose: survival.