The capital city of Arcania spread out like a painted tapestry.
Wide stone streets gleamed under floating light orbs etched with runes.
Tall marble towers were wrapped in glowing sigils, and crystalline streetlamps bathed everything in a soft blue light.
Vendors sold enchanted trinkets from polished wooden stalls, and robed mages strolled beside armored knights as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Magic danced faintly in the air—visible as drifting threads of light that curled around spires and bridges.
Arthur walked down one of the main streets, hands in his pockets, hood pulled low.
Behind him, footsteps followed.
He sighed.
"Why are you following me…" he muttered.
The blue-haired boy—now wearing clean, simple clothes Arthur had given him—walked a few steps behind, head bowed.
"I-I don't know where to go," the boy said softly. "And I just wanted to thank you for giving me your clothes… and saving me…"
Arthur exhaled through his nose.
"Alright, alright…Fine," Arthur said. "Come. With me."
The boy's eyes lit up instantly.
He started following Arthur like a puppy that had just been adopted.
"What's your name?" Arthur asked.
The boy smiled shyly.
"Aaron Vale Valmont," he said.
Arthur stopped dead in his tracks.
"What was it again?" he asked slowly.
"Aaron Vale Valmont," the boy repeated.
"So you're a noble from the Kingdom of Velmora," Arthur said. "And a Valemont at that… huh."
Aaron nodded rapidly.
"Yes," he said. "That's my house."
In Arthur's mind, the system's voice echoed.
[ Do you know him, Host? ]
'Yes,' Arthur replied silently.
'House Valemont is one of the three ducal families of the Velmora Kingdom, famed for absolute mastery of martial arts.'
He continued the thought.
'Their estates are basically living academies, where even children are trained in stance and breath. In Velmora, they say: "Steel may rust, magic may fade—but a Valemont's fist will never break."'
'Many have tried to copy their arts, but none have ever matched them. To face a Valemont is to battle a living weapon—and history has never recorded anyone surpassing them in martial arts.'
Arthur glanced at Aaron.
"Is your sister's name Julia Vale Valmont?" he asked.
Aaron blinked his puppy-dog eyes.
"Do you know my sister?" he asked excitedly.
"Yes," Arthur said casually. "I spent a night with her once."
Aaron's face exploded in red.
"A-Are you her lover?!" he squeaked.
Arthur barked out a laugh.
"Just kidding," he said. "I've never even met her in my life."
'She is just one of the heroins of this game'.
Aaron let out a long sigh of relief.
Arthur shook his head inwardly.
'This guy is too innocent… That's why he got sold into slavery. His family is probably going crazy looking for him.'
"Can't you just open another portal to your kingdom?" Arthur asked.
"I can only use that ability twice a day," Aaron said. "And before you came, I had already done it once… and that escape with you made it my second."
"Figures," Arthur muttered.
They kept walking until they reached a towering building at the corner of a bustling square.
A large signboard hovered above the entrance in shimmering letters:
[ GRAND ARCANIA HOTEL ]
The building was a five-star monument of glass and polished white stone, with gold-lined balconies and enchanted fountains cascading down the front steps.
Arthur raised an eyebrow.
"Alright," he said. "Once we check in, call them."
Aaron suddenly hugged him tightly.
"Thank you so much for all this, Arthur," he said, voice trembling. "I'll never forget your help."
Arthur's ribs creaked.
"Let go before I slap you again," he said flatly.
Aaron released him immediately.
"S-Sorry!" he yelped.
"Damn," Arthur muttered. "Now I know you do belong to that muscle-head family. You almost crushed me."
Aaron bowed again, apologizing repeatedly.
Inside the hotel, the staff greeted them with professional smiles.
Arthur booked two rooms.
He paid with essence stones.
To his relief, the hotel accepted them without question—and returned the remaining amount in crisp paper dollars.
He counted quickly.
One hundred ninety thousand dollars left.
Not bad.
A bellhop led them up a carpeted hallway lined with crystal sconces.
Arthur received room 401.
Aaron got 402.
"Go talk to your family," Arthur said. "Tell them to pick you up."
He added, eyes narrowing:
"And don't disturb me for at least four hours. Or I will kill you."
A chill ran down Aaron's spine.
"Okay!" he said quickly.
They both entered their rooms.
Arthur closed his door and turned around.
The room was luxurious—plush bed, enchanted chandelier, a mini bar, and a floor-to-ceiling window overlooking Arcania's glowing skyline.
"For my first time in a five-star hotel," Arthur said, "this is not bad. Not bad at all."
He took a long, hot bath, letting the water wash away the grime and tension.
Then he changed into fresh clothes and collapsed onto the soft bed.
He stared at the ceiling.
'Alright, system,' he thought. 'Are you ready?'
[ I was born ready, Host. ] the system replied. [ Just waiting to hear those words from your mouth. ]
Arthur smiled faintly.
"Start the extraction process," he said.
The room fell silent.
But far away—
Lucas Evan Imperius slept soundly inside a vast bedroom.
Moonlight spilled through towering arched windows, casting pale light over silk curtains and the massive obsidian bed where he lay.
Everything was calm.
Until it wasn't.
A sharp beep echoed inside his mind.
Then another.
And another.
Suddenly—
[ WARNING! ]
[ SYSTEM ANOMALY DETECTED ]
[ UNAUTHORIZED INTERFERENCE ]
Blood-red windows erupted in front of his closed eyes.
Lucas frowned in his sleep.
The glow pierced through his eyelids, refusing to be ignored.
[ ERROR—ERROR—ERROR ]
[ ASCENSION SYSTEM UNDER ATTACK ]
[ ONE OF THE CORE ABILITIES IS BEING EXTRACTED ]
His eyes snapped open.
"What…?"
The red windows multiplied, stacking over each other like bloody scars floating in the air.
[ ABILITY DESTABILIZING… ]
[ SYNC FAILURE: 42% ]
[ FORCEFUL REMOVAL IN PROGRESS ]
A sudden, searing pain exploded in his chest.
"Grh—!"
Lucas bolted upright, clutching his heart as if something was being ripped out from inside him.
It wasn't physical.
It was worse.
His vision blurred.
His breaths came out ragged.
"What the hell is happening?!" he roared. "You stupid system—explain yourself!"
The windows flickered violently.
[ CRITICAL FAILURE ]
[ ABILITY SIGNATURE LOST ]
[ RETRIEVAL IMPOSSIBLE ]
The agony spiked once more—
Then vanished.
Lucas collapsed back onto the bed, drenched in cold sweat, gasping like a man dragged out of deep water.
The red windows faded one by one.
Only a single message remained.
[ SYSTEM NOTICE ]
[ ONE ASCENSION SYSTEM ABILITY HAS GONE MISSING ]
[ CAUSE: EXTERNAL OVERRIDE ]
"…Missing?" Lucas whispered.
His fingers trembled.
"Which ability…?"
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A/N : -
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