NOVEL WEB Chapter 72: System Reading
Bam! Bam! Boom!
"Hahahahahaha, is that all you've got, youngest?!" Thyra shouted, hurling one fire spell after another at Arthur.
"Damn you, Thyra! Isn't this supposed to be training?" Arthur grunted, leaping, weaving, and dashing to dodge the onslaught.
Thyra grinned, her crimson eyes glowing vividly. "Just stay still, little bro. I only want to pat your head."
'Yeah, like you use a tier 6 spell to pat someone on the head.'
It had been two days since the gacha game, and Arthur had finally awakened.
Perhaps due to his connection to the primordial altar, he didn't require a second tether, though this time, the tether had shifted locations.
He had also activated his system, and just as expected, all his wives' data were missing—not only theirs but those of all his former female bonds.
'Well, I can rebuild those later,' he thought, turning to face Thyra. 'But first, let's end this apocalyptic crisis.'
Thyra, floating above him, began reciting multiple incantations as red magic circles shimmered behind her. With a flick of her wand, they surged downward.
Arthur's eyes shifted from gold to a pale moonlight gray tinged with icy blue.
He gripped his chipped sword and launched into the air.
After two days of testing his new ability, Arthur had discovered a few things.
First, the sensation of using it differed from his old powers, so adjusting took time.
Second, the god skill functioned as a kind of buff, amplifying his strength and unlocking hidden potential.
Apparently, this power was tied to color.
Not the same Color he used before, but rather the hues of mana and force in the atmosphere—power he could manipulate at will, although some shades were significantly more potent than others.
According to Sylvia, there were more features of the god skill to come, though unlocking them would take time.
And lastly, Ultra Instinct remained as he remembered, a technique that turned his eyes moonlight gray and allowed him to push both his body and whatever he held to the limit. Combined with his physical constitution, it not only let him mimic techniques but also optimize them.
However, one detail still irked him: he needed mana to interact with ambient mana, and force to manipulate external force energy.
Moreover, unlike before, he couldn't replicate skills or spells vastly above his current level.
"Alright, Thyra," Arthur said, raising his blade mid-jump. "Let's finish this."
『 Frost Sword Dance First Form: Frost Soldier 』
Arthur's force surged as particles of icy energy glimmered around him, spiraling and coating his blade. A translucent outer layer of icy blue mana encased his skin.
Thyra smirked. "So you're using Mom's technique, you copycat."
Arthur returned the grin. "That's my ability, you fraud."
The final milestone Arthur achieved in the past two days was advancing to low-level Expert rank.
The fastest progression in recorded history.
------
Arthur collapsed face-first onto his bed, thoroughly drained from sparring with Thyra. "Damn, she never lets up."
He lazily turned his head toward the ceiling and summoned his stats.
『 Initializing Status Interface... 』
╔═════════════════════════════╗
║ ⚙ STATUS WINDOW ⚙ ║
╚═════════════════════════════╝
┌───" Character Info "───┐
│ ◈ Name: Arthur Arcain
│ ◈ Age: 18
│ ◈ Gender: Male
│ ◈ Race: Demonic Dragon (Pure-Blood)
│ ◈ Clan: Arcain
│ ◈ Affiliation: None
│ ◈ Energy Perception: 『 Mana and Force 』
│ ◈ Vision of Energy: Achieved
│ ◈ Tether: Formed
│ ◈ Ideal: Protecting those I love
└───────────────────────────┘
┌───" Affinities "───┐
│ ◈ 『 ∞ 』
└──────────────────────┘
┌───" Traits "──────────────┐
│ • 『 ∞ The Infinite Harem System 』[Active]
│ • 『 ⚔ Completed Ultra Instinct 』[Active]
│ • 『❗ Energy Incompatibility Syndrome 』[Active]
└────────────────────────────┘
┌───" Core & Talent "──────┐
│ ◈ Talent Grade: 『 X-rank 』
│ ◈ Brain Core: Orange Core
│ ◈ Heart Core: Stage Six
│ ◈ Rank: Orange Core ~ Expert
└────────────────────────────┘
┌───" Authority "──────────┐
│ • 『 God~ 』
│ • 『 Godly Pleasurer~ 』
└────────────────────────────┘
┌───" Base Stats "──────────┐
│ • Strength — C+
│ • Agility — B-
│ • Endurance — B-
│ • Stamina — C-
│ • Intelligence — A+
│ • Charm — SSS+
│ • Luck — 0
│• Mana — 1000
│ • Force — 3000
└────────────────────────────┘
┌───" Affection Bonds "────┐
│💕 Romantic:
│• Sylvia — ∞
│👨👩👦👦 Family:
│• Alicia Arcain— ∞
│• Selena Arcain — 100%
│• Thyra Arcain — 100%
│😶🌫️ Others:
│• #None
└────────────────────────────┘
'Wow, they've improved a lot,' Arthur thought with a grin. 'But...'
He swallowed hard. 'How the hell did my family's affection break past 99%, and why is Sylvia already at infinity?'
He brushed the thought aside. 'Whatever. More mana and force for me.'
He was getting stronger than ever. According to his mom, Isabella had once worked for her sister but sensed something off and left.
There was still no news of Nathira, but the rest of the girls were now at the academy.
His mom suspected that Nathira and Isabella might have ended up there too, likely influenced by Arthur himself in some way.
"I guess you're not totally useless, Infinite Harem System. At least with your help, I've gotten stronger from every female lead."
Arthur dismissed his stats.
Tomorrow, they were heading to the main building of Arcain Castle to retrieve his academy entry pass.
And once he had it, he was going to pummel every last person who tormented his body during his absence.
Arthur closed his eyes and activated Ultra Instinct. The world sharpened as his eyes shifted hue.
He could sense and perceive everything around him so vividly that his head throbbed.
His mana and force control grew razor-precise. His entire body felt light, effortless.
He sat up and, out of curiosity, tried to touch his smallest toe with his largest one.
Ordinarily, he couldn't—but now he did it easily, without a hint of strain.
He was in absolute control of his body, his mind as clear as the sky.
No wasted energy. No hesitation. A body built for survival.
Arthur laughed aloud, then clamped a hand over his mouth, though the laughter wouldn't stop. "Damn, this is better than I expected."
Color had been powerful, but it felt limiting, constricting the paths his constitution could evolve into.
But this? This was pure potential. And it was something he had spent months mastering back on Earth.
The laughter subsided, replaced by a confident grin.
"Nice to have you back, UI."
After that Arthur thought about his wives and what they might be up to now.
He couldn't help but smile mid-thought, though a deep sadness crept in alongside it.
If he wanted to see them again, he had to get his pass tomorrow through any means necessary.
Arthur slowly shut his eyes. "I can do it…"
This wasn't the first time he'd proved others wrong — and it wouldn't be the last.
He smiled one final time as his mind began to drift.
"I am Arthur Arcain, after all."
─── ✦ End of Chapter ✦ ───