CHAPTER 73: EMBODIMENT OF INFINITY

The system interface opened like a ripple through space, no sound—just smooth, golden lines weaving through the air in front of him. It didn’t feel like a notification anymore. It felt like a presence. Like the system itself was aware now. Watching. Listening.

[SYSTEM INITIALIZED]

User: Lucian Black

Rank: S

Level: 7

Stats: 2000 (Distributed evenly)

System Points: ♾️

Skill Tree:

— Space-Time Manipulation (X)

— Omnilingualism (X)

— [NEWLY AWAKENED] Conceptual Dominion (X)

Special Title: Riftwalker, The Returned, Breaker of Realms, Embodiment of Infinity

Lucian’s eyes hovered on the last part.

"...Conceptual Dominion?"

[System Notice: Ability Tree Expanded.]

[Displaying Revised Ability Set...]

SPACE-TIME MANIPULATION (X)

The complete mastery of the spatial and temporal fabric that binds reality.

Enables instant folding of space for high-speed movement, warping fields, temporal slowdown, and time-based predictive combat.

Advanced techniques include Dimensional Rift Drive, Chrono Field Lock, and Spatial Anchor Detonation.

Users with full mastery can bend timelines, rupture dimensions, or suspend localized cause-effect chains temporarily. Restrictions: none. No cooldown. Cost scales with intent, not energy.

OMNILINGUALISM (X)

A passive mental overlay that allows the user to understand and communicate any language, symbol, code, or ancient dialect.

Extends to vocal, mental, digital, and even extinct forms of expression.

Useful not only for speech but deciphering runes, beast language, machine interfaces, forgotten magical seals, and celestial dialects.

Users can translate divine chants, forgotten scripts, or even interpret the intentions behind unspoken energy patterns.

CONCEPTUAL DOMINION (X)

A rare-tier awakened state that allows direct influence over abstract concepts—not bound by element, time, or form.

The user may summon and embody pure ideas: such as "Gravity," "Silence," "Fear," "Hope," or "Boundary."

Once a concept is declared, it becomes law within a defined radius.

Examples:

"Gravity shall not exist here." — all physics are void.

"No entry." — nothing can step inside the designated space.

"Only truth may pass." — any lie collapses on entry.

Can only be used if the user understands the weight of the concept they summon. The stronger the conviction, the more dominant the law. It doesn’t require energy—just understanding.

Lucian stared at it for a long moment.

"...You weren’t kidding," he muttered.

[Additional Notice: Title Effects Activated.]

He flicked his fingers through the glowing panel. The title list expanded, each one pulsing softly with etched light.

[RIFTWALKER]

The one who walks between spaces unseen. Grants absolute immunity to spatial interference. Can freely bypass dimensional locks, spatial traps, or boundary-based seals.

Users become a variable that cannot be predicted by normal time-space detection.

[THE RETURNED]

The one who came back from annihilation. You are no longer part of the ordinary cycle of life and death.

You cannot be tracked by resurrection-based seals or soul-detection magic.

Death effects take 3x longer to register on your body.

Enemies who use death-based magic will hesitate.

[EMBODIMENT OF INFINITY]

You are no longer bound by progression.

Stats do not scale by training or leveling anymore—they evolve by realization.

Time is irrelevant. Growth is not linear. You are an open loop with no upper limit.

System Points become infinite.

All damage inflicted exists outside normal calculation.

You have become a living paradox—a presence that will never fade, because you are not defined by existence. You simply are.

Lucian closed the window gently.

Silence hung in the room again. A kind of weightless quiet that didn’t feel lonely. Just... full.

He turned and glanced at his discarded clothes, the arena jacket still hanging over the chair. Then he walked across the room, picked up the bloodstained fabric, and draped it over his shoulder.

"...Still feels the same," he whispered.

But it wasn’t.

Nothing was.

He wasn’t just stronger. He wasn’t just faster. He wasn’t even human anymore, not in the way people understood it. He could feel the shift in the world itself—how the floor didn’t resist him, how the air bent slightly as he moved.

He stepped toward the mirror, watching himself.

Same black eyes.

Same messy hair.

Same tired face.

But now, his reflection shimmered—not with light, but with presence.

He was no longer a student.

He was becoming something else.

And deep inside, he could feel it—

A thread pulling from the stars, from the far end of the cosmos.

A new trial. One that wasn’t born from dungeons or systems.

But from himself.

From what he was meant to become.

He looked up again.

"Cael."

[Yes, Lucian?]

"...You still with me?"

[Always.]

Lucian smirked faintly.

"Good. ’Cause I have a feeling this world’s about to get loud."

[Confirmed.]

And the screen faded.

The stars outside had shifted slightly.

Lucian could feel it now. Not metaphorically—literally. He could sense the movement, the drift of celestial mass. The way time pulled like a lazy current. The way gravity whispered like a fading memory. S-Rank had changed everything.

But the weight in his chest hadn’t gone away.

He turned away from the mirror, walked back to the desk, and sat down again. The room felt quiet, but not still. Like the air itself was holding its breath.

A few weeks.

That was all the time he had left.

The memory drifted in before he could stop it—her smile. That teasing smirk. The sound of her boots on the hallway floor when she used to nudge his head and call him little brother, even though he was taller.

Lucian leaned back and stared at the ceiling.

"...This time," he muttered under his breath, "I’ll be there."

He didn’t need to say her name. It echoed in his soul.

LUCY.

The moment was coming. That same night. That same event. Where everything went wrong. Where she vanished trying to protect a world that didn’t deserve her.

But this time... he wasn’t the same.

He raised one hand and flicked his fingers through the air.

"Cael."

[System Online.]

"Open the shop."

[Accessing...]

A new interface slid into view. Unlike before, the shop no longer looked like a basic list. It was cleaner now. Sleek black with soft violet edging, trimmed in quiet golden rings. At the top, a glowing icon shimmered with a faint symbol—∞

[Embodiment of Infinity: Exclusive Tier Access Granted.]

Lucian scrolled through slowly. His eyes paused on the new additions.

〓 ITEM: INFINITY-FORGED WEAPON (Awakened Tier)

A weapon made from collapsed potential. It has no true form—only the shape the user desires. Blade, scythe, spear, chain—its form changes based on thought and intent. It can channel abilities from all skill trees but works best with dimensional energy.

Bound to one user only. Cannot be destroyed, cannot be stolen. It remembers.

Lucian tapped the preview.

A thin, matte-black handle appeared in his palm, then shimmered—splitting into a twin-edge glaive, then morphed into a short blade, then snapped into a long katana. No noise. No glow. Just smooth, fluid motion.

He smirked. "You’re going to be fun."

He kept scrolling.

〓 ITEM: VOID-WEAVE COMBAT SUIT

A full-body exo-weave armor designed for stealth, durability, and energy amplification. Jet black with subtle crimson pulse lines that shift with movement. Built from starmetal fibers and interwoven with mana threads. Temperature-adaptive. Self-repairing.

Design: form-fitting, zero-collar neckline with a shadow-flow trench coat attached to the back. Knee-length, splits at the sides for movement. Boots integrated. Gauntlets thin, flexible, retractable claws optional.

Lucian selected equip.

The suit materialized like liquid shadow across his skin. It wasn’t bulky. It didn’t feel like armor. More like second skin, cool and quiet. The trench coat hung behind him like smoke, following his steps but never dragging.

"Yeah... this’ll do."

Next item.

〓 ITEM: PRIMORDIAL DRAKE EGG (Bound)

This egg is dormant but reacts to the essence of infinity. Unknown breed. Unknown growth rate. Current state: stable incubation.

You may assign mana, thoughts, or external stimuli to affect its growth.

Caution: Once hatched, bond cannot be broken.

Lucian tapped it, and the egg appeared on the table beside him.

It was about the size of a football. Obsidian black with faint glowing cracks of silver light. Warm to the touch.

He brushed a hand over it.

The surface pulsed—softly.

"...Hey there."

He didn’t smile this time. Just nodded once. This was going to be a problem and a blessing. But he wasn’t afraid of either.

The last item in the exclusive section hovered alone—larger than the rest.

〓 ITEM: INFINITY-CLASS MOTHERSHIP – [NOVA SANCTUM]

A living vessel, born from folded spacetime and bound to the Embodiment of Infinity. Size: scalable. AI: Adaptive Core Consciousness.

Features:

— Stealth Drive

— Auto-Repair

— Reality Anchor

— Warp Gate Engine

— Dimensional Lab + Living Quarters

— Holographic Projection and Training Simulations

— Memory Archive

— Celestial Beacon

Summonable. Sentient. Hidden from all detection methods unless permitted.

Lucian stared at it.

"...You’re kidding."

[Summon permission?]

He hesitated.

Then smirked.

"Not yet."

The screen folded shut with a gentle swipe. The room returned to normal, but nothing felt normal anymore.

He stood there for a while. One hand on the egg. The other resting on the hilt of his new weapon.

A few weeks left.

He wouldn’t waste them.

This time... his sister wasn’t going to die.