The hallway leading to the twins' room felt different this time. The oppressive weight of lingering death that usually clung to the birch wood doors had been replaced by a sharp, electric hum—the byproduct of Arthur's newly opened mana core.
Airgid followed close behind, his massive boots making surprisingly light thuds as he balanced two silver trays. His hands, which had once held swords that conquered battlefields, were now trembling with the fragile hope of a father.
Arthur stopped before the door and took a deep breath. His Insight stat, now bolstered by his enlightenment, allowed him to perceive the mana leaking through the cracks in the doorframe. It was a chaotic, beautiful mess of silver and blue. He knocked gently.
"Come in!" Meteria's voice rang out. It was still thin, but it carried a melodic vibration it hadn't possessed an hour ago.
As Arthur pushed the door open, he was met by the sight of the twins sitting upright. Alfia's heterochromatic eyes were fixed on him with a mixture of nervous anticipation and a dawning, fierce respect. Meteria was beaming, her face flushed with a healthy heat, small tears of joy already threatening to spill.
"Airgid, the food," Arthur directed softly. "Please, give the trays to them. They need the foundational energy of the Royal Rabbit to act as a buffer. After they're done eating, I will begin the process of synchronization to clear the blockages in their conduits."
Airgid nodded, unable to speak as tears finally fell from his remaining eye. He placed the trays before his daughters.
Meteria, driven by an instinctive hunger her body had lacked for years, began to devour the exquisitely prepared meat. Her small frame trembled as the Unique-rated nutrients began to knit her frayed mana circuits back together.
Alfia, though more reserved, ate with a focused intensity, her hands shaking as the warmth of the dish spread through her limbs.
Once the trays were cleared, the atmosphere in the room shifted. The air grew heavy. Arthur stepped behind them, placing his palms firmly against the centers of their backs.
"Close your eyes," Arthur commanded, his voice vibrating with the authority of the Enlightened One. "Don't fight me. Let my mana be the river that carries your burdens away."
[You're channeling mana to Alfia's mana core.]
[You're channeling mana to Meteria's mana core.]
Arthur's mana, purified by the "Path of Enlightenment" and tempered by the acidic-poison cores he had consumed, surged into the girls.
To the twins, it felt like a tidal wave of molten gold. For Alfia, the glass-shard pain of her leaking mana was suddenly smoothed over as Arthur's energy acted as a sealant.
For Meteria, the erratic elemental pull was grounded, harnessed by Arthur's superior control.
[Attempting to fix their mana core...]
[Mana core has successfully been fixed.]
[Attempting to expand their mana core...]
[Mana core has been expanded.]
[The 1st stage of their mana core has been opened.]
The air in the room exploded with light. Alfia let out a soft, involuntary moan as the sudden rush of corrected energy flooded her system. Her face turned a vivid scarlet at the sound, but she couldn't break her focus. Beside her, Meteria was engulfed in a pillar of white light, tinted with silver and azure.
[Alfia's mana has increased by +20,000.]
[The title 'Loved by Mana' has been acquired by Alfia.]
[The title 'Genius with Infinite Potential' has been acquired by Alfia.]
[The title 'Patrian's Duke of Wisdom' has been acquired by Alfia.]
[Meteria's mana has increased by +8,000.]
[The title 'Loved by Spirits' has been acquired by Meteria.]
[The title 'The Summoner of Ancient Spirit Kings and Queens' has been acquired by Meteria.]
[The title 'Patrian's Duke of Spirits' has been acquired by Meteria.]
Arthur's eyes widened as the system notifications scrolled through his vision. Dukes? Even if they were "Patrian's" regional versions, these were titles that usually belonged to high-ranking NPCs or legendary-tier growth characters.
He realized then that he wasn't just curing two girls; he was awakening two monsters of the magical world. He pushed harder, his Persistence stat flaring.
He wouldn't stop at the first stage. He guided Alfia's mana into a high-speed spiral, forcing her genius-tier brain to process the rotational logic of advanced mana manipulation.
Simultaneously, he reached out into the void with Meteria, using his Insight to bridge the gap between her soul and the ancient spirits that had been hovering around her like starved predators.
[!]
[Alfia has completely expanded her mana core up to the 4th stage.]
[The title 'Fast Thinker' has been acquired by Alfia.]
[The title 'Genius Magician' has been acquired by Alfia.]
[Alfia's mana has increased by +72,000.]
[Meteria has successfully contracted 3 Ancient Spirit Queens.]
[The title 'Contractor of the Ancient Spirits' has been acquired by Meteria.]
[The title 'Genius Elemental' has been acquired by Meteria.]
[The title 'Blessed by Mother Nature' has been acquired by Meteria.]
[Meteria's mana has increased by +57,000.]
[The sickness of both Alfia and Meteria has been completely eradicated!]
[!]
[You have successfully saved both Alfia and Meteria!]
[Due to understanding of mana and elements, resistance to it has increased by 10% permanently.]
[The passive skill 'Magic Insight' is received.]
As the light faded, Arthur's hands dropped. The mental fatigue hit him like a physical blow. Controlling the mana of two high-tier geniuses while simultaneously managing his own new core was a feat that would have fried the brain of any other level 8 player. He slumped toward the floor, his vision swimming.
But he didn't hit the ground.
Two sets of arms caught him with a strength that was no longer frail. Alfia and Meteria launched themselves at him, their faces wet with tears, their laughter echoing through the small room.
"Thank you! Thank you, Arthur!" Meteria sobbed, her face buried in his neck.
"You... you really did it," Alfia whispered, her stoic mask completely shattered as she gripped his arm as if afraid he would vanish.
Arthur found himself in a very "dangerous" position. Both twins had developed far beyond their years despite their illness—what the forums would call "G-size cups"—and they were currently pressing against him with zero hesitation.
He stared fixedly at the ceiling, his face burning, trying to maintain his "Dignity" while his "Charm" stat worked overtime.
Airgid sat on the floor, weeping openly, watching his daughters move with the vitality he had only seen in his dreams.
Admist of this happy chaos, Ciel's voice sounded in Arthur's mind.
Master you have earned Chaos Points.
*Airgid- (Potential Legendary Guardian Knight): 20,000 Chaos Points.
*Alfia- (Potencial Legendary Great Magician): 25,000 Chaos Points.
*Meteria- (Potencial Legendary Great Spirit Summoner): 25,000 Chaos Points. >
Arthur realized, just how much potential these three ordinary looking people just hold and how much of a steal, he just grabbed coincidentally.
After ten minutes of chaotic hugging and repeated thanks—visualized as he himself being squeezed by the twins—he managed to sit up. The system finally calculated the massive influx of rewards.
[You have cleared the hidden quest 'Alfia and Meteria's Salvation.]
[Affinity with Airgid is MAX.]
[Affinity with Alfia is MAX.]
[Affinity with Meteria is MAX.]
[Title: Miracle Doctor.]
* All stats +100
* Intelligence +120
* Effect: High chance of Great Quality (150% performance) in crafting/cooking.
[Additional Reward:]
* Alfia trusts you with her life; she has fallen in love. Marriage proposal success rate: 100%.
* Meteria views you as her soulmate; she is willing to be part of a harem.
* Airgid views you as the ultimate son-in-law candidate.
[Title: Prince Charming]
* Dignity +100
* Charm +20% (Effective primarily against women)
Arthur let out a long, shaky sigh. He had expected rewards, but the "marriage" and "harem" flags were things he hadn't prepared for.
He looked at the twins, who were still clinging to his arms, their eyes shining with a frighteningly intense devotion.
"I... I should be going," Arthur stammered, gently disentangling himself. "I have things to attend to at the barracks."
As he stood to leave, he felt a soft pressure on his left cheek, then his right. Alfia and Meteria had each kissed him, their faces blushing a deep crimson before they scrambled back into the room.
"See you later, son-in-law!" Airgid's booming laugh followed Arthur all the way down the stairs.
As Arthur walked toward the Patrian Barracks, he opened his status window. The numbers looking back at him were a testament to the "breaking of limits" the world message had announced.
[Name: Arthur]
[Level: 8 (870/4,000)]
[Class: Undefeated King's Apprentice]
[Health: 920/920 | Mana: 11,750/11,750]
His stats were absurd. With over 400 Strength and Agility (effective) and an Intelligence nearing 600, he was a walking cheat code. His mana pool of 11,750 was higher than most level 100 mages, thanks to the [Master of Mana] title.
[Master of Mana]
* Mana increase rate is 20 times higher than normal.
* Can accumulate mana up to 3x the maximum limit (35,250 mana).
* Casting time removed when at max mana. Magic power doubles.
"With this," Arthur whispered, looking at the stone towers of the military barracks ahead, "the reserve army training won't just be for experience. It'll be for the hidden skills that no one else knows exist yet."
He adjusted the strap of his Deluxe Sword. The sun was setting over Patrian, but for Arthur, the first day of his legend was only just beginning.
He wasn't just a player; he was the Disruptor, just like he disrupted the original fate of the twins and Airgid. For the first time, Arthur felt his existence means more than disruptipn.
He have become the Enlightened One, and the man who had turned a tragedy into a miracle.
"Next stop... the Barracks. Let's see if the instructors can even keep up."