CHAPTER 43: NOT BAD... AT ALL.

Lucian stood still, his ragged breaths echoing faintly in the silent obsidian chamber. Blood dripped steadily from his wounds, darkening the fractured stone beneath his boots. His half-lidded eyes stayed on his trembling hand for a moment, watching the blood gather at his fingertips before falling away like red rain.

Then the world flickered with faint blue light.

[Level Up – Rank D Level 3 Achieved.]

[Congratulations, Lucian Black.]

[New Talent Awakened: Omnilingualism]

His brows twitched faintly as the system’s calm, warm voice drifted through his thoughts. The flickering blue screen hovered before him, illuminating the drifting violet fog in a quiet glow.

[Omnilingualism (Passive Talent).]

[Sub Ability 1: Lexicon Sense – Instantly recognise, translate, and understand any written language.]

[Sub Ability 2: Tongue Resonance – Speak, read, and write any known language perfectly, including lost dialects and magical inscriptions.]

Lucian exhaled softly, feeling the faint hum of new pathways awaken in his mind. It was like distant echoes suddenly snapping into perfect focus – old ruins he couldn’t read before, ancient system glyphs on trial walls, mana inscriptions on black market artifacts. Everything felt... clearer.

The screen flickered again.

[Note: Omnilingualism’s full potential remains locked. Additional sub abilities will awaken as your Rank increases.]

He tilted his head faintly, sweat dripping from his bangs. His half-lidded eyes narrowed slightly in silent thought.

Useful... especially for dungeon raids. And for reading the older system archives.

But before he could finish processing, another faint flicker pulsed through the chamber.

[Space-Time Manipulation: Sub Abilities Unlocked.]

His chest tightened faintly. The screen expanded, revealing two new lines etched in flickering white text against the blue interface.

[Space Sub Ability: Spatial Anchor – Create a fixed spatial lock-point within a 50-meter radius to instantly Fold Step back to, regardless of movement restrictions.]

[Time Sub Ability: Chrono Rewind – Reverse your own body state by five seconds. Cannot alter external reality.]

Lucian’s half-lidded eyes widened faintly for the first time that morning. His chest rose and fell, blood soaking his torn coat as his heart thumped with quiet adrenaline.

Chrono Rewind...

He closed his eyes, feeling the ability settle into his circuits. A cold clarity spread through his chest. It wasn’t true time reversal. It wouldn’t change events or other people’s actions. But for him – for injuries, fatigue, mana depletion – five seconds was the difference between death and standing back up.

Fold Step. Dimensional Claw. Temporal Slow. Disruption Pulse. Spatial Anchor. Chrono Rewind.

Each ability flickered through his mind, linking themselves in silent, precise formation. Like knives sliding into a waiting rack.

[System Note: Sub Ability slots are now visible in your Core Ability Tab.]

The blue light faded slightly as the screen adjusted again. At the bottom corner, a faint gold line pulsed once before expanding into a new tab window.

[Advanced Combat Vouchers – Access Unlocked.]

[Requirement: Rank D minimum.]

Lucian raised a brow faintly, ignoring the hot blood dripping down his chest as he focused on the flickering gold text.

"Cael," he whispered softly.

[Yes, Lucian?]

The voice curled around his mind with its familiar warmth, like an old friend kneeling beside him in the darkness.

"...What are Advanced Combat Vouchers?"

[They are external purchase vouchers usable within the Infinite Shop to redeem high-grade combat gear, artefacts, or external reinforcement services. Limited stock. Limited redemption period.]

He exhaled slowly, the pain in his ribs making his voice ragged.

"And why now?"

[Rank D is the baseline required to wield Class 3 equipment safely. Your combat performance meets purchase eligibility.]

Lucian’s lips twitched upward in a faint smile despite the pain throbbing through his bones. His bangs drifted lightly across his half-lidded eyes as he whispered,

"Good."

[Would you like to view the current voucher listings?]

"Not yet."

He dismissed the interface with a flick of his blood-stained fingers. The violet fog drifted quietly around him, silent and cold. He reached up with trembling hands to wipe the drying blood from his lips, feeling his ribs shift painfully under his torn coat.

[Recovery Interval: Complete.]

[Would you like to exit the Advancement Trial?]

He exhaled softly, letting the question settle in his chest like silent rain. For a long moment, he said nothing, simply listening to the quiet pulse of the system in his veins, to the faint ringing echo of his own laboured breaths.

Then he whispered,

"End trial."

[Trial Terminated. Returning to Primary Consciousness.]

The obsidian chamber dissolved into drifting motes of silver and violet light. For a brief moment, he felt weightless – no wounds, no blood, no pain. Only silent floating darkness.

Then—

His eyes flickered open under the golden dawn sky.

He sat on the highest terrace of the Academy, his back resting against the cold stone railing. The sun was rising over the distant ridges, flooding the towers below with pale morning light. The wind brushed lightly across his blood-soaked coat, tugging at the torn fabric around his shoulder wound.

He inhaled softly. Each breath burned in his ribs, but it felt clean, real, grounding him to the world.

[Trial Results: Level Up – Rank D Level 3 Achieved.]

[New Talent Acquired: Omnilingualism.]

[Sub Abilities Unlocked: Spatial Anchor / Chrono Rewind.]

[Shop Access Expanded: Advanced Combat Vouchers now available.]

Lucian leaned his head back against the stone, staring up at the pale blue sky framed by drifting white clouds. His half-lidded eyes flickered with faint shadowed light as the corners of his lips curved into a tired, quiet smile.

He raised his blood-stained hand into the sunlight, watching the golden light refract off each trembling finger.

"Not bad," he whispered softly, his voice lost to the dawn wind.

"Not bad... at all."

And in that silent terrace under the waking sky, the wind carried away the scent of blood and stone dust, leaving only the calm breathing of a boy with god-killer eyes—

A boy who walked quietly toward a future none were ready for,

One silent Fold Step at a time.

A/N

Thanks for reading my work, drop power stones, golden tickets and gifts to support me.