"The starry void again," I muttered, before a realization crept over me. "No that's not it... Did I advance to C-rank?"
In the silent, star-filled expanse, the system echoed in my mind—but this time, it felt as though it had become one with the very fabric of the world, like a god addressing its worshippers.
[USER'S CORE IS ADVANCING—]
[INITIATING APPRAISAL—]
A surge of energy coursed through me as my eyes blazed with newfound power. I glanced at my fist and instantly sensed the significant increase in strength.
[YOUR ACHIEVEMENTS ARE REMARKABLE!]
[YOU TRAVERSED THE DESERT OF NEFERTARI, SLEW A DRAGON, MANIPULATED YOUR FOES' DEMISE, AND EMERGED VICTORIOUS.]
[USER HAS EARNED A BOON!]
From behind me, my shadow that had merged with the surroundings stirred subtly, becoming faintly visible within the void's darkness.
I inhaled deeply as I sat suspended in the void. My body was regenerating, yet unlike with the elixir, there was no pain at all.
[YOUR ACHIEVEMENT HAS BEEN INSCRIBED AMONG THE STARS.]
[YOU ARE NOW A C-RANK—MASTER.]
I looked up at the stars, which flickered faintly. Through the lens of Clairvoyance, the void appeared different, and it seemed that after this advancement, I no longer needed to consciously activate the ability.
I could now perceive intricate layers of threads and what resembled cores orbiting the stars.
This brought to mind that unusual technique—Weaving.
"No need to overthink things right now."
I had been in Meltonia for less than a week, and contemplating the world's creation was still a bit overwhelming.
For now, I needed to be thankful for my progress.
The system chimed once more within my mind as the void gradually collapsed.
[YOUR CALL IS OVER, MASTER KAISER.]
---
My eyes fluttered open. The environment was unfamiliar—an ancient temple, or perhaps a sacrificial chamber, dimly lit by several faint lanterns.
I immediately shut my eyes upon hearing a creaking sound beside me. 'Was I kidnapped? What happened when I blacked out?'
My mind spiraled as I opened my eyes just enough to see without drawing attention.
But then, something unexpected happened. Not an attack—something far more disarming: a soft, tender sensation against my forehead.
My face flushed crimson as I realized I hadn't been kidnapped. Something far more mortifying had occurred, someone had just kissed my forehead.
I slowly opened my eyes, blinking groggily as if I had just woken up, only to meet Amy's gaze which was inches from my face.
Her fair skin appeared smooth and even-toned. Despite our arduous journey through Nefertari, she still smelled faintly of perfume. Even her hair carried the scent of fragrant shampoo.
She still wore her round glasses, and despite seeing me fully awake, she didn't flinch. Tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, she spoke casually. "You're finally awake."
'Why is she acting like nothing happened?' I questioned inwardly, still rattled by the situation.
Without another word, she exited the small chamber I'd been resting in. Her steps were graceful yet brisk.
'Why didn't she react? Am I the one overthinking?' I clutched my forehead as my heart raced, my face still burning.
'This isn't an invasion of privacy, right?'
[YOU HAVE ACTIVATED THE TALENT: CLAIRVOYANCE]
My vision through Clairvoyance sharpened and shifted slightly, but I ignored it, focusing instead on the doorway Amy had exited through.
Relief washed over me as I noticed through a new feature resembling an infrared scanner.
Amy had paused just outside, her face buried in her hands in sheer embarrassment, yet her body language told a different story.
'I really need to get a grip.'
I exhaled. "System, provide a revised version of my stats."
Ding!
[ARCHAIC SYSTEM]
Name: Kaiser Vanguard
Class: Wave Controller
Affiliation: Weaver's Coven
---
Rank: C-Rank
Core: Orange
Title: Master
---
Archetype: Manipulator
Affinity (Singular): Shadows
Mana Pool: 147/300
---
[Techniques]
Weaving [Unknown]
Mastery: 0/???
---
*Due to the effect of Talent: Infinite Adaptability, user possesses no fixed core capacity—All stat points acquired will be distributed randomly*
---
[Talents]
[Shadow of Dominion]
[Current Mage Saints]: 0...
[Current Shadow Saints]: 3...
[Infinite Adaptability]
---
[Sub-talents]
[Alabaster Ice: Gobo]
[Clairvoyance: Shiki]
[Fifth-Time: Gumiho]
[Rasen Balls: XXX]
---
[Vestiges]
Hunting Dagger [Weapon]: Spirit
Regulator [Utility]: Ancient
Nightwing [Utility]: Ancient
Star of Ruin [Weapon]: Transcendent
Dragon's Blade [Weapon]: Mythic
---
I smiled at my stats. Even without the system's guidance, I could feel my core's hue shifting to a dim orange.
Beyond the updates to my rank and title, what truly caught my attention was the deep purple text replacing my core capacity data.
"I guess that's to be expected."
It had always bothered me—why did I even have a core capacity if my talent enabled me to bypass traditional power constraints and adapt freely?
Apparently, even the system struggled with that contradiction.
As a result, it rendered my stats unreadable.
The downside was I couldn't choose which attributes to improve.
After absorbing the information, I examined each of my sub-talents.
Not much had changed with Gobo and Shiki, except Clairvoyance now included an infrared mode.
The real change had occurred in Gumiho—I could now freeze time for 15 seconds and store those seconds for later use during uneventful moments.
Inhaling deeply and exhaling, I allowed myself to collapse back onto the bed. My gaze darkened as I scanned the room.
Dark marble tiles exuded an ancient aura, and the high ceiling loomed above. Each corner of the small room was lit by three lanterns.
I closed my eyes as the hospital bed creaked softly beneath me.
"I'm exhausted," I whispered, yet I immediately stood to my feet.
My wounds had healed with the advancement. Now, all that remained was to leave the dungeon, and I already recognized our location.
"The Grand Temple."
'But how did we get here so quickly?' I wondered.
The corridor beyond the chamber was modest in size—nothing luxurious.
Four doors, including the one I had exited, lined the hallway.
The farthest door stood wide open, its glow brighter than the others. I approached cautiously, keeping my steps light and deliberate.
As I reached the threshold, I caught sight of two figures—Amy and Series.
From the moment I met Series, I sensed something unusual about her. Now, seeing her without the other girls only confirmed my suspicions.
Tucked against the wall beyond them was a face I didn't recognize—someone dressed in Noctis' track uniform.
I knocked twice on the onyx metal door.
All three turned toward me as Amy let out a soft shriek before regaining her composure. Series simply smiled.
"Hello, Master Kaiser," she greeted.
'I never told her I had advanced, yet she knew immediately…'
"Don't give me that look. I know this is just a dungeon too." She muttered, slightly irritated.
My eyes widened, and my expression softened. "Your from the real Nefertari, right?"
She snapped her fingers. "Correct. A hundred points. I'm from the real Nefertari—the one that's merged with the demon realm."
I glanced at Amy, who showed no sign of surprise. My fingers tapped rhythmically against the doorframe. "So your mother sent you to complete a trial, but you discovered your ability was sealed."
Her gaze dimmed momentarily before she sighed. "You're sharp. I never told you who my mother was."
Amy looked confused, so I elaborated. "You knew your way around Nefertari. I only saw seven silhouettes last night, meaning someone didn't belong to the pack."
"Then why did you suspect me, of all people?"
After a moment, I answered. "Because this isn't your true form."
Series paused, then burst out laughing. "You remind me of my older brother. You figured me out with just that."
Amy raised her hand. "But why did you save us if there was nothing in it for you?"
I looked at her, then at Series, who seemed eager for my response. "Because a single mage isn't enough to activate the gate."
She smiled and nodded. "True, but not only that..." She added, "I was surprised to discover not all humans are scum."
"But you're human, aren't you?" I asked.
"Hmm… to some extent, yes."
Amy, still confused, asked, "So can we activate the gate?"
Series and I both nodded. I briefly glanced at our classmate, who remained in shock.
"You let them kill Nassar, right?"
Series smiled gently. "Don't worry, they got their revenge." After a moment, she added, "Thank you."
Silence settled over the room. It seemed everyone just wanted a moment of peace.
"So, what's our next step?" Amy finally asked.
"Let's head to the gate first." Series raised her hand, and a massive gate materialized. "Follow me."
We all entered the gate while Amy helped the last member stand.
It was finally time to go home.