Antonio leaned back slightly in the chair, his expression composed and unreadable. There was no anger in his eyes, no trace of fear—only quiet curiosity, as if he were discussing something utterly trivial.
"System," he said calmly, his voice steady and devoid of emotion, echoing softly in the silent room. "What is the current status of my Fortune Points?"
He paused briefly, crimson eyes narrowing by the slightest margin, not in concern but in calculation.
"And how," he continued, tone unchanged, "am I supposed to keep track of them as I move forward?"
The question was simple, almost casual. Yet beneath that calm lay a sharp, patient intent—an understanding that Fortune Points were not merely numbers, but the invisible threads that would decide who rose, who fell, and who would be crushed beneath his feet.
[ By issuing the command 'Status,' the Master may summon a comprehensive interface displaying current attributes, strength levels, and all acquired skills. ]
A translucent blue screen materialized before his eyes, floating silently in the air.
---------------| Dark Lord Devourer System |--------------
[Name] : Antonio Drake Crimson
[Level] : 1 (EXP 0/1000)
[Bloodline] : Locked
[Blessing] : Dark Lord (Sealed)
[Body Constitution] : Mortal Stage
[Shop] [Quests] [Synthesis]
---------------------------------------------------------------
[ - Attributes - ]
Strength: 10
Agility: 8
Endurance: 9
Intelligence: 28
Mana: Locked
Stamina: 11
Charm: 27
Fortune: 13
---------------------------------------------------------------
[ - Skills - ]
Name: Stealth Veil (Rank S) [Active]
Description:
Covers the host in a thin veil of concealment, rendering them invisible to the naked eye.
Duration: 30 seconds
Cooldown: 1 hour
---------------------------------------------------------------
Name: Weapon Mastery [Passive]
Description:
Grants innate mastery over all weapons and weapon-like objects.
Mastery scales with the host's Strength and overall growth.
Due to inheritance from a previous timeline, the host possesses foundational weapon knowledge.
However, because the current level is low, access is limited to previously mastered disciplines.
Sub-Skill: Sword Art (Rank D)
* Inherited from a previous timeline
* Rank currently suppressed due to low level
At present, only swordsmanship is accessible.
Additional weapon disciplines will unlock corresponding sub-skills with independent ranks.
Cooldown: N/A
---------------------------------------------------------------
Name: Time Acceleration (Rank S) [Active]
Description:
Accelerates the host's personal time flow at a ratio of 5:1.
For every 1 second in reality, the host experiences 5 seconds.
Duration: 30 seconds
Cooldown: 1 hour
---------------------------------------------------------------
Name: Mana Control (Rank S)
Description:
Grants conscious control over internal mana flow.
This skill improves precision, stability, and efficiency, but does not increase mana quantity.
Requires mana awakening to function fully.
Duration: N/A
---------------------------------------------------------------
Antonio did not move.
His gaze lingered on the translucent interface as it slowly dimmed, crimson eyes tracing each number with unsettling patience. Strength. Agility. Endurance. Intelligence. Charm. Fortune.
Numbers.
Yet he knew better than anyone that these values were not abstractions—they were judgments. Cold, precise verdicts passed on his current existence.
So this is what I am, he thought calmly. Reduced to data.
His Intelligence and Charm towered over the rest, almost mocking the mediocrity of his physical attributes. Tools for manipulation, planning, control. Not for head-on survival.
Brute force was never meant to be my path, Antonio concluded. At least, not at the beginning.
His attention shifted to Mana.
Locked.
For a moment, understanding surfaced in his eyes.
That's right… he remembered.
It wasn't sealed by the system. It wasn't suppressed by fate.
He simply hadn't awakened yet.
In his previous timeline, mana awakening had come far later than it should have—not due to lack of talent, but indifference. He had viewed the world with quiet detachment, finding nothing within it worthy of genuine pursuit.
Apathetic to the world, he thought. That was why power had revealed its meaning to him only at the very last moment. In his previous timeline, he had awakened a mere two days before joining the Magical Academy—already behind, already judged.
Fortune governs opportunity. Mana governs power. And the system governs both.
His thoughts sharpened.
Then his gaze moved to his skills.
Stealth Veil. Mana Control. Time Acceleration.
Abilities designed not for heroes who charged forward, but for predators who waited, calculated, and struck only when victory was assured.
Skills are the bridge, Antonio decided. Between what I am and what I intend to become.
So long as control surpassed quantity, raw power was secondary. And if Fortune dictated survival…
Then Fortune could be taken.
A faint smile threatened to form, but he suppressed it before it reached his eyes.
Attributes define limits. Skills define method. Stats show the present—not the destination.
Only then did Antonio finally speak, his voice calm even within his own thoughts—curious, composed, and edged with quiet danger.
"System," he asked, "do these attributes define my ceiling… or merely my current state?"
For a moment, there was only silence.
Then the system replied.
"Attributes reflect the host's present condition."
A pause.
"Ceilings are determined by fate, growth, and deviation."
Another pause—longer this time.
"And you," the system added coldly, "are already deviating."
The words lingered.
Antonio's smile finally surfaced—thin, controlled, and utterly devoid of warmth.
Good, he thought. Then the ceiling can be broken.
Antonio suddenly received a system notification, its presence cutting sharply into his thoughts.
[Main Quest Activated: Mana Awakening]
Time Limit: 1 Month
Reward: Special Reward