Lucas naturally possessed a cheat skill.
The mere knowledge he had brought as a Transmigrator was insufficient to give him a true advantage in this world.
Even though he knew many secrets about this world, the existence of the Clock Tower, Magicians, and the concept of Mystery—this realm had once appeared in his original world as a fantasy work called *Type-Moon*.
But the domains of Mystery and Magic were inherently profound and unpredictable, and this world was not lacking in sages with prophetic abilities who could observe future phenomena.
Only his "cheat skill" could give him a clear advantage over others. The reason he slept through classes every day was to accumulate mental strength, gradually piecing together fragments and awakening this innate ability.
This day marked the completion of his "piecing together." He could sense a new "phenomenon" in his mind, but it wasn't the right time to delve into it. He suppressed his inner restlessness.
The young man's confident and resolute words still echoed through the spacious lecture hall.
Waver paused in his packing, chewing over the phrase. The more he repeated it, the more beautiful and wondrous it sounded!
"That was brilliantly said!" Waver thought Lucas truly deserved the title of "genius." He couldn't resist standing up and applauding.
"Since you think I spoke so well, you'd better treat me!" Lucas stood up as well. "You made me miss the cafeteria's opening hours, so your wallet will compensate—we're going to the most expensive restaurant nearby!"
"I refuse—I have no money!" Waver retorted without hesitation. When it came to his wallet, even shared ideals couldn't justify compromise!
***
In the end, Waver treated Lucas to a "grand meal."
It wasn't at some fancy restaurant, just an ordinary roadside eatery.
Waver was well aware of Lucas's financial straits.
Though both came from small, rural Magic families with only two or three generations of lineage, it was clear that Lucas's family was even worse off than Waver's.
Otherwise, he wouldn't be constantly sneaking into the Clock Tower's cafeteria.
After all, the food there was notoriously mediocre!
By the time they had finished fleecing Waver and enjoying their meal, it was nearly dusk.
In the quiet bedroom, the sky outside the window gradually darkened like a heavy curtain slowly descending in a theater.
The last rays of sunset painted the silhouettes of the bustling modern city, the skyscrapers appearing as undulating shadows in the distance. Back in his Clock Tower dormitory room, Lucas leaned against the window, yawning lazily as the jagged twilight streamed across his face.
It's time, he thought.
Time to explore the assembled Cheat Skill!
In the next instant, the information that had been suppressed in his mind surged forth like a dam bursting, instantly overwhelming his consciousness—
[Dream Fragment Assembly Complete]
[Successfully generated 'Family Simulator']
[Dream AI automatically generated]
[Simulation Spirit, at your service]
Like a spark igniting in his consciousness, a wildfire of awareness erupted within Lucas. He tore himself free from the surging mental torrent, thinking, This came too fast! It's like being drowned and disoriented, yet I can't help but feel exhilarated!
Though there was no *ding* or quirky voice, the nascent AI clearly lacked advanced intelligence.
But this so-called 'Family Simulator' was undoubtedly Lucas's greatest advantage!
It was the culmination of his daily 'efforts' to slack off and sleep—every dream and mental activity during his slumber had been automatically collected. After accumulating sufficient data, it had naturally coalesced into this tool!
This was his true 'Cheat skill'...
[This system will assist you in simulating family lineages and generating powerful bloodline backgrounds!]
the Simulation Spirit announced in Lucas's mind, its crisp voice audible only to him.
'Exactly! This is the power I need!'
In a magical world where inheritance and bloodlines reign supreme, nothing is more crucial than family lineage!
'Inheritance' determines the power of a Magic Crest. A Magic Crest is the crystallized essence of a Magician's life's research. Before death, each Magician condenses their Magic into a Crest to pass on to the next generation. The more times a Crest is inherited, the stronger and more comprehensive the mystical formulas it contains become.
'Bloodline' determines a Magician's innate talent—specifically, the number of Magic Circuits, which represent the quantity and strength of their Magical Power. Generally, only sufficiently powerful Magicians, through generations of breeding, can produce descendants with Magic Circuits that are both strong and numerous enough.
For a Magician, both 'Inheritance' and 'Bloodline' are indispensable.
The former is like an engine, a solidified tool for recreating phenomena from ancient times in the modern world.
The latter is like the fuel that ignites the engine, or perhaps more accurately—the 'oil well' from which the fuel is refined.
A genius might, through a single generation's effort, create sufficiently powerful Magic and develop an advanced 'engine.' But without high-quality, abundant fuel, it would all be for naught.
Only when both combine can the true purpose of preserving mystery be achieved, allowing ancient phenomena to be recreated in an age where mystery grows increasingly barren.
That's why the ability to travel back in time is so invaluable!
The older the magic, the more powerful it was—not just for Magicians, but for the world itself. If he could travel back to an era where mystical phenomena were more prevalent, he would have greater opportunities to study the secrets of magic and conduct mystical research impossible in the modern age.
In the right environment, he might even be able to merge inheritance and bloodlines into a cohesive system, creating a Magic Foundation that would serve as the cornerstone for all magic—past, present, and future!
This was a crucial step.
The Magic Foundation was an essential component of modern magic.
Every ancient family lineage possessed its own Magic Foundation, and the collective of these foundations formed the complete Magic Foundation of the modern era.
The modern Magic Foundation allowed families without their own foundations to access the mysteries of magic.
But that access ultimately came at a price—dependence on others.
Only families with their own Magic Foundations could truly be considered ancient magic families. This simulator offered Lucas the chance to join their ranks.
Lucas's heart stirred, but for caution's sake, he asked, "Is this system... legit?"
[Verified: 100% legit! More genuine than pearls!]
The Simulation Spirit replied almost instantly.
[This System uses the host's dreams as a bridge to help you travel through time and space, giving you the opportunity to achieve your ideals. The entire process is absolutely genuine!]
Lucas felt a flicker of surprise.
But since that was the case, he had no reason to hesitate. This thing had been pieced together from his own dreams, like another 'self' of his. It shouldn't pose any real danger—after all, it was just a 'simulation,' a mere dream!
"Then let's begin!"
As he spoke, Lucas glanced out the window again. The sun had dipped below the horizon, its last rays vanishing completely. The vast night sky sparkled with stars, and the moon, like a rotating wheel, bathed the room in its silvery light as a gentle evening breeze drifted in, causing the window curtains to sway. Countless mysterious instruments gleamed under the moonlight, while faint, intricate Magic Crests, bearing arcane symbols, were etched into the four walls.
This was Lucas's bedroom.
But more importantly, it was also his 'research laboratory' as a Magician—a base for studying arcane arts and the Magician's home ground!
For Lucas, no place in the world was safer than this.
At that very moment, the Simulation Spirit's voice echoed in his mind once more.
[Simulation confirmed.]
As the words faded, Lucas's vision went dark.
He had fallen into the 'dream.'
[Simulation commencing.]
[Welcome to a dimension of infinite possibilities.]
***
[Late 19th Century]
[Age 0: You were born in a rural area of Tsarist Russia. A massive famine struck your birthplace, leaving your parents with no means to survive. They abandoned you in the forest, but fortunately, a young nun from the monastery heard your cries and found you.]
[The nuns adopted you and named you Lucan Luvest, based on a birthmark on your body. The name was neither Tsarist nor Russian.]
[You grew up in the monastery.]
[Age 1: You began to babble, and your first words were "God said," from the Bible. The nuns were astonished, believing you were a divine blessing bestowed upon them.]
[The next day, you tore apart a Bible and received a beating.]
[Age 3: You formally began your education, displaying exceptional intelligence. You quickly mastered fluent written Russian.]
[You started accompanying the nuns as they went door-to-door, "blessing" the people.]
[People called you "Little Father."]
[Age 4: You discovered a secret room beneath the monastery, filled with strange instruments and books.]
[Your clandestine activities were discovered by the Monastery's Headmistress. Expecting punishment, you were surprised when she asked with gentle kindness if you wished to learn true 'divine miracles.']
[It turned out the Headmistress was a true Magician. As a nun, her actions were undoubtedly blasphemous, but the young you didn't understand this, only thrilled by the mysterious power she demonstrated. Sensing her impending death, she decided to take you as her apprentice, ensuring her life's research would have a successor.]
[That year, you truly stepped into the realm of the arcane.]
[That year, you awakened twenty-three dormant Magic Circuits within your body. The Headmistress declared you a 'genius among commoners.']
[You studied Magic daily.]
[...]
[At fifteen, the Headmistress passed away. On her deathbed, she condensed her life's magical research into a Magic Crest and bequeathed it to you.]
[After her death, you declined to succeed her as Headmistress and began traveling throughout Tsarist Russia to broaden your horizons.]
[In 1912, Tsarist Russia was plagued by internal strife and external threats. War and famine brought immense suffering to the people. As a 'clerical figure,' you used your arcane powers to soothe their anguish, and in the process, began developing your own unique Magic.]
[You were known as the 'Little Sage.']
[Emperor Nicholas II of Tsarist Russia heard of your deeds.]
[You also learned that Nicholas II was seeking talented individuals to treat his son, Alexis, who suffered from hemophilia.]
[In the autumn of 1912, you were invited to the Moscow Imperial Court.]
[That year, you turned seventeen.]