Chapter 2: Yeonsin

Ethan lowered his head as he thought about his older brother and grandfather in this world.

Five years ago, Ethan had transmigrated to an island known as Yeonsin. It was almost identical to Korea but with the added complexity of being the setting for a game.

In Yeonsin, individuals with Essentia powers are assembled to complete missions and explore dungeons. Yeonsin served as a gateway to another universe within this world.

Drawing from his Earthly experiences, Ethan promptly informed his grandfather and brother of his desire to study outside of Yeonsin to broaden his horizons. They assumed his motivation stemmed from depression, given his lack of Essentia, and agreed to send him abroad.

During those five years, Ethan had minimal interaction with his grandfather and older brother.

"How?" he inquired. His grandfather, an elderly man in his eighties, had been at the helm of one of Yeonsin's largest corporations. He was well-protected by guards with Essentia abilities who always prioritized his safety.

As for his older brother, Ethan struggled to recall much about the man who was eight years his senior. They had not been close while growing up, and Ethan had always found his brother to be excessively cold-blooded.

As an assassin in his previous life, he would naturally avoid associating with another individual who possessed the same penchant for killing. That's why he had chosen to distance himself from his older brother before leaving Yeonsin.

"We were ambushed. We are still investigating the details. We—managed to recover your grandfather's remains, but as for your brother..."

Ethan nodded, gritting his teeth. The deaths of his grandfather and brother meant he would become the sole heir of the Kai Family. He could already feel a headache coming on.

All he had wanted was to lead a good life, and he was fairly certain that becoming his grandfather's heir wouldn't grant him that wish.

How troublesome!

"Young master..." Upon witnessing his distress, Jihoon, the butler and his grandfather's trusted confidant, sighed. Naturally, he thought that Ethan was distressed because of his brother's and grandfather's death. "We need to leave this place immediately. It's not safe. However, I can assure you that we have taken all the necessary things needed to ensure your safety."

"When did this incident occur?" Ethan asked, ignoring the latter's words.

"Today around ten in the morning. Everything has been chaotic since then."

Again, he nodded. They had been trying to contact him since noon, but he had been unreachable. With this in mind, Ethan tilted his head back and began to chuckle.

Oh, how troublesome!

"..." Jihoon blinked in response.

"Take me to XX club," Ethan ordered.

"Yes." Jihoon immediately started the car. He informed Ethan that everything had been prepared. Given his grandfather's leadership in one of Yeonsin's regions, his death had attracted considerable attention, and Ethan's return would also generate interest.

To avoid trouble, they needed to keep a low profile. Jihoon initially suggested taking a private plane directly to Yeonsin, but Ethan proposed taking a regular passenger plane.

"Isn't that too noticeable?" Jihoon frowned.

Ethan explained, "The enemies will expect me to take the fastest and most convenient route. It's more dangerous that way." Moreover, those people would not directly act against him in front of so many people.

Now that Jihoon understood his reasoning, he nodded and readily agreed.

Before long, they arrived at XX Club. As if anticipating his thoughts, the system inside his head began to speak.

[Welcome to the Harmony Matrix System, where strength is honed through battle and power is earned with every clash. The Host will rise in levels as you accumulate Experience Points (EXP) through intense battle. As you continue to push your limits and face formidable adversaries, you'll unlock new abilities—]

"Shut up," Ethan hissed.

Since his arrival, this Matrix System had been echoing inside his head. Upon closer examination, Ethan realized it would only start talking if a fight was about to happen or if he was about to lose his temper. Moreover, it seemed that the system would reward him for winning fights.

In fact, Ethan had no qualms about fighting or even killing if necessary. However, this was his second chance at living a better life than his previous one.

He was born into wealth, had servants, and could potentially have any woman he desired if he chose to marry and settle down. What was the point of inflicting harm on himself and living a troublesome life?

Ultimately, he opted to steer clear of Yeonsin and devote himself to his studies. After all, he hadn't had the opportunity to attend college in his previous life and had been pulled into the grim underworld at a young age. This time around, he longed to enjoy the joys he had missed out on.

Working part-time at a cafe, bartending, burning the midnight oil, and developing crushes on women! Isn't it delightful to be young once more?

But who would have thought that even as an NPC seeking a low-key life, trouble would occasionally find him?

Wasn't this too unfair?

Ah, he only wanted to live a good life!

Yeonsin was the only map available in that VR game, so he had wanted to avoid that place, thinking it would keep him away from all the trouble.

Well, he was wrong.

"Aigooo... all I wanted was a peaceful life," he muttered.

"Give me ten minutes," he instructed as he stepped out of the car. "Five. Give me five."

He removed his eyeglasses and handed them to Jihoon. After informing the bouncer that he was looking for Cyrus, Ethan gained entry to the club and located Cyrus on the second floor, accompanied by the imposing figure of Arman and a few other people.

"What took you so long?" Cyrus sneered upon seeing Ethan.

"Give me my phone," Ethan demanded, disregarding the overpowering scents of alcohol, smoke, and perfume in the air. He attempted to approach Cyrus, but Arman swiftly blocked his path.

"Where's my money?" Cyrus arched his brows, removing his hand from one of the women beside him. "Hand it over."

"He said— " Just as Arman reached out to touch Ethan's shoulder, Ethan sidestepped and delivered a swift kick to Arman's groin. His movements were so quick and agile that hardly anyone noticed except Arman, who doubled over, clutching his crotch.

"You—" Cyrus began, and his friends and acquaintances promptly rose from their seats. Meanwhile, the women watched with smirks, enjoying a show that was about to happen.

In the blink of an eye, four more individuals surrounded Ethan.

"Phone," Ethan said, calmly approaching Cyrus. "Now."

Cyrus's expression darkened. What had happened to Ethan? He had been acting like a loser since starting college.

"I said—" Before Cyrus could finish his sentence, Ethan transformed into a blur, disappearing from view. Then one of Cyrus's friends screamed. The next thing Cyrus knew, another friend had been hurled into a table, shattering it. The remaining two were thrown to the floor, with one losing consciousness.

Cyrus staggered back in shock. "You—" What just happened? What had become of the cowardly Ethan? "I—I'm warning you. You know who my father was. If you so much as touch a hair on my head—"

"I never imagined you had this side to you," Ethan snorted. He stood before Cyrus, holding out his hand, and Cyrus reluctantly retrieved Ethan's phone from his jacket, handing it over.

To Cyrus's surprise, Ethan smiled, and then without saying another word, started slapping him.

*SLAP*

"What are you—" Cyrus protested.

*SLAP*

"You owe me three hundred dollars, bitch," Ethan declared, his tone grim. "Let's see if your thick skin can withstand three hundred slaps!"