The bathroom was quiet except for the faint sound of water dripping from the shower. Lucas sat on the cold marble floor, shirtless, with the Bone Lord's Core resting in his palm. The glowing green orb pulsed weakly, as if it still contained a fragment of the boss's will.
He took a slow breath and activated the skill.
[King's Consumption].
Dark, violet-black tendrils erupted from his body and wrapped around the core. Unlike the previous low-ranked corpses, the core didn't dissolve immediately. It resisted for several seconds, releasing waves of necrotic energy that pushed back against the tendrils before finally being pulled into Lucas's body.
The moment the core was fully absorbed, no system notification about a rank increase appeared.
Instead, a new window materialized in front of him.
[King's Consumption – Slightly Above Low-Grade Offering Detected]
Target: Bone Lord's Core (F-rank Elite)
Quality: High
Please choose one of the following rewards:
① Level Increase: Immediately gain +4 Levels.
② Skill Acquisition: Extract a skill from the consumed target (Limited selection available).
③ Trait Absorption: Absorb a racial or innate trait from the consumed target.
Note: Traits can be strengthened and mutated by consuming more entities of the same race/category.
Lucas's breathing quickened the moment he read the third option.
His eyes locked onto the word Trait.
He had expected a simple power boost or maybe a skill. But this… this was something else entirely.
Devouring traits of other races…?
A slow, dangerous smile spread across his face. His fingers curled slightly as excitement flickered in his eyes.
Without hesitation, he selected the third option.
The window shifted.
[Trait Absorption Available]
Available Trait from Bone Lord Thalor: Undead Resilience (F-rank)
Slightly increases resistance to physical damage. Minor resistance to poison and curse-type effects. Passive recovery speed increases when surrounded by death energy or corpses.
Note: This trait belongs to the Undead category. The more Undead-type entities you consume, the stronger this trait will become. Continuous consumption may lead to mutation and evolution of the trait.
Lucas stared at the description, his heartbeat growing louder in his ears.
Undead Resilience…
It wasn't flashy. It wasn't a powerful attack skill. But the potential behind it made his blood run hot.
If he kept consuming different types of undead — skeletons, zombies, wraiths, liches, death knights — this single trait could grow into something monstrous. A passive that made him increasingly difficult to kill the deeper he went into the undead-related content.
He leaned his head back against the bathtub and let out a low, satisfied laugh.
"Hah… this is broken."
He didn't hesitate any longer.
Lucas raised his hand and pointed directly at the third option. His voice was low, calm, and decisive.
"I choose Trait Absorption."
The moment the words left his mouth, the system window reacted.
[Selection Confirmed.]
[Trait Absorption Initiated…]
A surge of cold, dark energy suddenly flooded into Lucas's body. It wasn't painful, but it was intense — like something ancient and necrotic was being forcefully integrated into his very existence.
He gritted his teeth as the energy settled into his core. For a few seconds, his vision flickered with green and black hues. When it finally stabilized, a new notification appeared.
[Trait Acquired: Undead Resilience (F-rank)]
Effect: Increases resistance to physical damage by a small amount. Grants minor resistance to poison and curse-type effects. Slightly increases passive recovery speed when near death energy or corpses.
Growth Condition: Consume more Undead-type entities to strengthen and potentially mutate this trait.
Lucas slowly exhaled, his eyes half-lidded as he felt the new trait settle into his body. It wasn't a dramatic change yet, but he could already sense a subtle difference — his body felt slightly more resistant, and the lingering necrotic energy in the bathroom no longer felt repulsive to him. Instead, it felt… comfortable.
Lucas slowly stood up, rolling his shoulders as he felt the new trait integrated into his body. The bathroom was now empty — every corpse and even the Bone Lord's Core had been completely devoured.
He looked at his reflection in the mirror and smirked.
As the hot water ran over his body, Lucas's mind was already moving ahead.
He needed more power.
And he was willing to consume anything — or anyone — to get it.
**
The dorm was quiet when Yuna returned late at night. Her steps were light and nearly soundless — not because she was trying to be stealthy, but because it had become second nature to her now. A faint smell of alcohol and sweet perfume clung to her clothes from the club Vivienne had dragged her and Kira to.
She walked into the kitchen, poured herself a glass of water, and drank it slowly. As she stared at her reflection in the glass window, a small, dazed smile appeared on her face.
How strange…
Not long ago, she was a timid, insecure girl who hid behind fake glasses and avoided everyone. Now, people approached her. Men stared. Women envied or feared her. She had friends. She had power. She had Lucas.
It still felt like a lucid dream sometimes.
Yuna placed the glass down and quietly made her way to Lucas's bedroom. She opened the door slowly and slipped inside. The room was dark, illuminated only by the faint moonlight coming through the curtains.
Lucas was asleep on the bed, shirtless. His breathing was calm and steady. For a moment, Yuna simply stood there and watched him. His face looked unusually peaceful tonight — almost content.
She walked closer, her bare feet making no sound on the floor. Just as she was about to reach out, a sudden chill ran down her spine. The back of her neck prickled with danger. Her eyes narrowed sharply as she turned toward the corner of the room.
There was nothing there.
Only shadows.
Yuna frowned slightly and touched the back of her neck. Did I drink too much…?
She shook her head and turned back to Lucas. Unlike yesterday, his expression tonight looked genuinely relaxed. She reached out and gently placed her hand on his head, brushing his hair with her fingers.
You have your own insecurities too, don't you…? she thought. Just like I did.
She knew he carried heavy things inside him. Things he didn't show anyone. But she also understood that some battles could only be fought alone.
Yuna leaned down and softly kissed his forehead.
Thank you for coming into my life, Lucas.
The moment she pulled back, a strong hand suddenly shot out and grabbed her wrist.
Yuna's body reacted instantly. She tried to pull away on reflex, but before she could move, Lucas's voice cut through the darkness — low, calm, and commanding.
"Don't move."
Yuna's body froze on the spot. Her muscles refused to listen to her. A second later, Lucas pulled her onto the bed and into his arms, pressing her back against his bare chest.
He smirked against her ear.
"Didn't I already tell you?" he whispered, voice husky from sleep. "This body belongs to me."
Yuna's breath hitched. Lucas released the command a moment later.
"You can move now."
Yuna immediately twisted in his arms and glared at him, though there was no real anger in her eyes.
"Show off…" she muttered, but her tone was warm.
Lucas chuckled and pulled her closer, wrapping an arm around her waist.
"Let's sleep. We have an important day tomorrow."
Yuna hummed in agreement, but after a few seconds of silence, she spoke again.
"Lucas… tell me something. In the dungeon, was it really necessary to snap at Vivienne like that? You know she's as talented as the other heirs. What if she leaves the group because of it?"
Lucas didn't answer immediately. Instead, his hand slowly moved upward and cupped one of her heavy breasts through her thin top. Yuna's body stiffened, a small gasp escaping her lips as his fingers brushed over her nipple.
"You think I didn't notice that?" he said calmly, pinching her nipple lightly between his fingers.
"Nngh…!"
Yuna shuddered, her face quickly turning red.
Lucas continued speaking in a low voice while his hand continued to tease her.
"She needs something from me, Yuna. That's why she keeps testing me. I don't mind it… But she needs to understand the hierarchy by now. She may be talented, but so what? I only need time to have thousands like her around me. And she knows that too."
He gave her nipple another firm pinch.
Yuna bit her lip hard, her thighs pressing together as heat pooled between them.
"You… how can you do something like this and expect me to sleep now…?"
Lucas smirked and suddenly removed his hand. He turned his back to her.
"That's your punishment."
Yuna stared at his back in disbelief, her body still burning with arousal. She opened her mouth to complain, but no words came out. Eventually, she could only huff and bury her face into his back, muttering under her breath.
"…Mean."
Lucas didn't reply. A small, satisfied smile remained on his face as he closed his eyes.
The next morning, the academy was unusually lively.
First-year students moved through the pathways in groups, some with nervous expressions, others buzzing with excitement. Today was the day of the Personal Disciple Ascension Ceremony — the event that would decide which professors would take which students as their personal disciples.
For many first-years, this single day could determine their future trajectory in the academy.
The factions were also active. Senior members of various groups could be seen moving through the crowd, speaking with promising first-years, extending invitations, and making offers. Some were subtle, while others were openly aggressive in their recruitment.
At the center of the academy stood the Grand Auditorium, a massive, circular structure built with dark stone and reinforced with glowing mana runes. It was one of the largest buildings in the entire academy, capable of seating thousands of people. Today, its towering doors were wide open as students from all years poured inside.
The interior of the auditorium was grand and imposing. The seating was arranged in wide, ascending tiers that wrapped around the entire hall, with the first-year students occupying the lower sections while second- and third-years sat higher up.
At the very top sat the professors and faculty members in a specially reserved balcony. The central stage was large and circular, currently empty except for a single floating mana crystal hovering above it, glowing with a soft golden light.
Banners of different factions hung from the high ceiling, and large holographic screens floated in the air, ready to display information during the ceremony. The atmosphere inside was heavy with anticipation and quiet conversations.
Lucas's group arrived together and took their seats in the lower section reserved for first-years. Yuna sat close to Lucas, her pink eyes scanning the surroundings warily, while Vivienne maintained her usual calm and composed expression. Kira looked visibly nervous, fidgeting with the hem of her skirt.
Not far from them, Alex Vanderbilt sat with Ethan and Chloe. His expression was unreadable, but his eyes occasionally drifted toward Lucas's direction.
The auditorium continued to fill up. Second- and third-year students were already seated in the upper tiers, many of them watching the first-years below with interest. Some were scouting for potential new faction members, while others were simply here to witness the drama that usually unfolded during the Ascension Ceremony.
Whispers spread across the hall as more people arrived.
The professors and top faction leaders were yet to make their entrance.
The real event was about to begin.
****
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