"Oii, Sys, time to upgrade the arsenal. It's collecting spiderwebs."
Nyx strolled toward the familiar cliff at the crack of dawn, stretching his limbs like he was getting ready for a morning jog—except this jog involved planetary-level firepower.
[Just say the word. I'll hook you up.]
"So I'm thinking all-rounder setup. Give me the best skills across every element under budget. And while you're at it, throw in some broken-ass abilities too."
His expression turned smug, the usual grin of a man who planned to break a system with its own rules.
[You sure know how to enjoy privileges.]
[20,000 SP deducted. Skills are being granted.]
A giant sack of shimmering red gems slammed onto his head.
"The hell?! Warn me next time, you lootbox bastard!" he yelled, rubbing his skull.
Still, Nyx didn't hesitate to pop them like candy.
[Skill learned: Blazing Rain; Ice Manipulation; Water Mirage; Volcano; Earth Shield; Wind Gust; Mana Pierce.]
[Integration will initiate in 1 minute.]
"Damn, that's a lot—Oi, hold up! Let me grab something to bite down on!"
But before he could react—
---
[Integration complete.]
"Yeah... fuck you… fuck your entire existence…"
Nyx lay crumpled on the dirt like he'd just fought a god with a toothpick. The nearby terrain looked like a wild animal had been dragged through a magic blender—charred, cracked, and cratered.
"I'm really… waiting for the uninstall function. Just one button. Is that too much to ask?"
Groaning, he got to his feet and brushed himself off, muttering curses like a man who knew he'd do it all again tomorrow.
"Tch… I regret being with this bastard."
Still aching, Nyx opened his panel.
---
[SYSTEM INTERFACE: SKILLS]
Appraisal – Lv. 1
Fire Arrow
Mana Sense
Flame Channeling
Flame Tornado
Blink
Stealth
Wind Vortex
Blazing Rain
Ice Manipulation
Water Mirage
Volcano
Earth Shield
Wind Gust
Mana Pierce
---
[ABILITIES]
Basic Swordsmanship Technique
Advanced Swordsmanship Technique
Regeneration
Weapon Mastery
Sixth Sense
Focus
Mana Regeneration
---
"At least give me some damn descriptions," Nyx grumbled.
[You got [Focus], use your damn brain. I'm not explaining every single one.]
He bit his tongue before a retort slipped out, instead tapping the [Abilities] tab and scrolling through the ones that caught his eye.
Weapon Mastery – Lv. MAX
You are proficient with every weapon. Everything you wield becomes a weapon. All weapons have perfect compatibility with you.
Additional Effect: Weapons acknowledge you as their wielder. Seals, restrictions, even divine bindings mean nothing—you can wield anything, so long as the weapon itself accepts you.
Sixth Sense – Lv. MAX
Your senses have reached a transcendent level. You can feel everything around you—movements, intent, danger—down to the molecular level. Sleep with one eye closed and still catch an assassin mid-strike.
Focus – Lv. MAX
Unshakeable concentration. You can complete any task at peak efficiency, unaffected by distractions. Good luck bothering him mid-fight.
Mana Regeneration – Lv. MAX
Regenerate 500% of your max mana per second. Scales with END stat.
You basically have a bottomless tank—enjoy.
---
Nyx blinked.
"…What the actual hell?"
He looked at the list again. And again. Was this what cheating felt like?
"I forgot you're a crazy-ass broken system."
[Kneel before this Daddy, peasant.]
Without thinking, Nyx dropped to his knees before blinking and immediately standing back up, dusting his shirt.
"…Ahem. Lost myself for a second."
He chuckled. "Looks like the only thing left is adapting to all this. So… how much SP do I have left?"
[32,410 SP.]
"…That's a lot."
"Alright, leave 10,000 for later. Convert the rest into stats and distribute equally."
[Distributing SP…]
As soon as the command went through, a surge of pure energy erupted from his body. The air cracked. The cliff shattered. Trees bent backward from the shockwave, and a massive chunk of land collapsed nearby.
"…SHIT! Stealth!"
Nyx vanished in an instant, sprinting full-speed back toward the academy dorms, leaving only a crater—and a terrified squirrel—in his wake.
---
Nyx returned to his dorm, but surprisingly, Valon was already waiting for him. It seemed like he wanted to say something, but Nyx was too tired to give a damn. Without a word, he passed Valon by and headed straight to bed.
Valon looked at him with strange, uncertain eyes. After today's awkward tension, he had wanted to clear the air, to explain what was going on with Samantha and the others. But the moment Nyx walked in and their eyes met, Valon felt like something in him cracked open—like Nyx had peeled him apart just by looking.
His voice caught. Nothing came out.
He simply sat back down on his bed, swallowing hard, rattled by the encounter. But somewhere beneath the fear, a new resolve began to spark within him. Words unsaid. Thoughts brewing. Sleep took him soon after.
Morning arrived.
Nyx and Valon were both already up when their other roommate, Noah, entered the room. He paused at the door, startled.
"Ah... you're awake," Noah said, tone cautious, almost reverent.
Before either could answer, a black crow landed on the windowsill, a sealed letter clasped in its beak. Valon stepped forward and retrieved the letter.
His expression changed as he scanned its contents—confused at first, then visibly intrigued.
"We've been invited to the opening party. Hosted by the professors. For the Apex Class," Valon said as he passed the letter over.
Noah leaned in to read, blinking in quiet surprise. Nyx took the letter next and gave it a brief glance.
'What are they scheming now?' he wondered.
On their way to the inn, the air between Nyx and Valon was unusually quiet. The usual back-and-forth was missing.
Eventually, Valon spoke up.
"It's not that we're hiding anything from you… it's just that Samantha—"
Nyx cut him off.
"It's not like I want to know everything going on with you all. Just like I said before—if you don't want to say, I won't pry."
He offered a tired smile.
"And it's not like I want to get involved in some mess I don't know about."
Valon said nothing more. They walked the rest of the way in silence.
At the inn, Samantha and Ruby were already waiting—but they weren't alone.
Two new faces sat with them.
"It's a surprise to see you both here, Theo. Reina," Valon said, stepping forward with a small smirk as he extended a hand toward Theo.
Theo greeted him with a polite nod. Nyx, however, shifted to his usual disinterested lean.
"So, what's this about?" he asked.
Reina looked away shyly, fidgeting with her fingers.
"I–I thought… perhaps… we could prepare together. For the party, I mean," she said softly. "If… if that is not troublesome for you, of course."
Nyx blinked. "Sure. Whatever."
He noticed Samantha's silence—not just her lack of words, but the awkward shift of her steps, the way she avoided eye contact, her fingers fidgeting with her sleeves like the fabric might give her strength.
He didn't comment. Just took note. Observed. And then walked forward, letting her catch up on her own terms.
They headed out soon after to buy supplies and outfits. But all the while, Nyx noticed the same presence hovering beside him.
He sighed. "What do you want, Theo?"
The boy beside him was practically glowing with excitement, his smile too pure for this world.
"C-can you… teach me swordsmanship, Sir Nyx?" Theo asked, tone almost childlike in its eagerness.
"Huh? Why? And seriously—drop the 'sir' crap."
Theo beamed. "Your swordsmanship during the duels… it was mesmerizing. It didn't even use advanced techniques, yet every move looked like it had a lifetime of battle behind it. It felt... otherworldly."
Nyx stared at him, deadpan.
'Is this guy some kind of sword technique simp?' Nyx thought as he stared at the grinning idiot beside him.
"…Sure," he replied, almost reflexively.
Theo lit up like a damn firework. You'd think Nyx just handed him a divine sword and a marriage proposal.
The group spent the next several hours picking up supplies for the party—food, outfits, accessories, and more. By the time they wrapped up, half the day was gone. They finally plopped down at a shaded table near a local vendor stall, food in hand, catching their breath.
"I didn't know nobles like you two were into street food," Nyx commented casually, glancing at Theo and Reina between bites. "Ain't it usually, 'Who eats this peasant crap?'"
"I'm completely fine with it," Theo replied proudly. "I always dine with the knights at the training grounds back home."
Reina nodded, though her tone was more demure, her gaze soft. "It's also not a problem for me… I actually find it charming."
Then, tilting her head slightly, she added, "But aren't you a noble too… Nyx?"
Nyx raised a brow, amused. He didn't reply—just smirked and kept eating, letting her question hang unanswered in the air like smoke.
Eventually, the group split up. The others went their way. But even after all that, Samantha hadn't said a single word.
Nyx thought about asking, but… didn't. Not yet.
---
As he walked toward the forest's edge, Nyx flicked open his interface.
'Oi, Sys. I forgot to ask—do you have any swordsmanship techniques in your arsenal? Something good. Lethal. But not flashy. I don't want to start dancing like a circus act mid-fight.'
[One technique available: Star Devoid Manual – Cost: 1800 SP. Buy now?]
"Buy it," Nyx said without hesitation. "Let's see how much this actually boosts my edge."
[Integrating Star Devoid into the Host…]
Nyx braced himself, jaw clenched, ready to meet the usual hellfire.
But this time… the pain didn't come.
Just a faint warmth. Barely a tickle. Then it was done.
"Huh?" Nyx blinked. "That's it? No blood, no screaming, no near-death seizures?"
[Perk of Phase-2 integration. Enjoy.]
Nyx grinned. "Now that's what I call progress."
He stepped into an open space in the forest and unsheathed his sword, stance shifting naturally, fluidly—like the weapon was an extension of his will.
"Shall we test it?"
[Careful. With your current stats and this technique, you might cause some serious environmental trauma.]
"Ohhh, that's exactly what I'm going for."
He narrowed his eyes, blade poised, energy tightening in his arms.
"BANKAII—!"
[Oi! That's plagiarism, you weeb!]
"Shut up! Let me have my moment," Nyx barked, smirking as his sword came down.
A clean, silent arc followed.
Then… trees fifty meters ahead split apart like sliced paper.
The wind stopped. The air held its breath. Nyx stared at the aftermath, awe tugging at the corners of his lips.
"Yep. Definitely worth the SP."