Chapter 16: Chapter 16: The Mysterious System and Preparation
The morning sun gently illuminated Ryo's room as he slowly woke up, stretching his limbs and feeling the weight of the past few days settle on him. Suddenly, a voice from the system echoed in his mind.
System (Cold Voice):
Dormant Trait Merge Possible. Do you wish to merge?
Ryo blinked in confusion. He had no idea what this dormant trait was, but something about it felt important. Without much thought, he mentally replied.
Ryo (Thoughts):
Yes.
System (Cold Voice):
Understood. Merging...
At that moment, Ryo felt a sudden jolt of current rush through his body, and he gasped as an unfamiliar surge of energy coursed through him. The sensation lasted for only a brief moment, but it left him feeling... different.
He hurriedly checked his Status Window, hoping to see the effects of whatever had just happened. His mind was still racing from the events of yesterday, his new abilities, and his engagement with Selena. But today, there was something more pressing: his Status Window.
Ryo instinctively reached out for it, mentally commanding the system to display his stats. As the window appeared before him, he couldn't help but notice the updates. His heart skipped a beat. The powers he had unlocked—Draconic and Vampiric—were now fully listed, and new abilities had been added. He stared at the screen in disbelief.
[STATUS WINDOW]
Name: Ryo Takashi
Race: Human (???)
Title(s): The Accidental Supreme, The Banished One, The One Who Returned from Dead
Level: 31
Abilities:
Limitless Regression: Regress upon death, refining decisions and power.
Paradox Physique: A body that transcends mortality, evolving endlessly.
Infinite Regeneration: Heals instantly from any injury, near-immortal.
Blood Rampage: Strength and speed increase when bloodlust is triggered.
Blood Weaponry: Manipulate blood to form weapons.
Hemokinesis: Control blood flow in self and others.
Regeneration Boost: Vampiric regeneration at an enhanced rate.
Blood Puppetry: Temporarily control weakened enemies through their blood.
Draconic Abilities:
Draconic Eyes: Sees through deception, analyzes magic, detects weaknesses.
Dragon Tongue: Communicates with and influences dragonkin.
Dragon Magic: Unlocks unique dragon-based spells.
Draconic Abilities Resistance: High resistance to dragon-related effects.
Dragonification (Dormant): Partial or full transformation into a dragon.
Elemental Manipulation: Control over all elements (Fire, Water, Earth, Air, Lightning, Ice, Light, Shadow, Metal, Life, Void, Ether, Nature, Mind, Blood, Time, Space, Sound, Gravity).
Hybrid Abilities (Vampire-Dragon Merge):
Eternal Youth: Grants immortality in terms of aging.
Draconic Blood Sovereign: Enhances regeneration, resistance, and control over blood-based and draconic beings.
Bloodflame Mastery: Combines Blood Magic and Elemental Manipulation to create blood-infused elemental flames.
Primordial Regeneration: Near-instant healing unless lifeforce is completely depleted.
Abyssal Dragon Wings: Manifest wings infused with dark energy and draconic power.
Draculean Domination: Intimidates and influences weaker vampires and dragons.
Celestial Night Vision: Perfect vision in magical darkness.
Bloodscale Armor: Forms scales infused with blood magic for extreme durability.
Sanguine Dragon's Wrath: Increases strength, speed, and magical power when injured.
Soulforged Awakening: Unlocks hidden soul-based powers as Ryo grows.
Ryo's eyes widened as he scanned the list, still trying to make sense of it all. The abilities of dragons, vampires, and who knows what else—was this really his power now? Why am I receiving abilities from different races? His mind raced with questions.
Without warning, a cold voice echoed in his mind.
System (Cold Voice):
Your dormant trait has unlocked further evolution. This is the cause of your receiving abilities from different races.
Ryo frowned. Dormant trait? What is that exactly?
System (Cold Voice):
Insufficient level to reveal the dormant trait in full.
Ryo sighed, rubbing his temples. Again with the vague answers. I just want to know what's happening to me.
His thoughts were interrupted by a realization. He remembered how everyone else at the academy was simply assigned a rank or a class, with no mention of levels—so why was his status window showing one? He was the only one with a level, and it had never been explained to him.
Why does my status window show a level? he thought, but there was no answer. It seemed the system had yet more secrets it wasn't ready to reveal.
Ryo shook his head, trying to focus. It didn't matter now. Today wasn't about his Status Window or the unknown. He had a class to attend, and he needed to prepare for the test that would determine his rank.
Today's class was meant to be introductory—a brief overview, meet the seniors, and an Abilities and Knowledge Test to assess the students. The class would be divided into ranks, from D (lowest) to S (highest). There would be 30 students per rank in A to D, but only 10 students in S rank.
The test would begin in two hours. Ryo had some time to gather his thoughts and prepare himself. It was clear that he wasn't just any ordinary student. His unique set of abilities would need to be used strategically, but how would he fare in a test that seemed to be designed for the average student, not someone with his kind of power?
As Ryo got ready, he knew this was just the beginning. The next phase of his journey was about to unfold, and there was no turning back.