CHAPTER 205: THE BLACK CORE [3]

The sterile scent of antiseptic filled the air as Kyle stepped into the infirmary.

His boots scuffed quietly against the polished tile floor.

A dull ache pulsed through his chest, making him wince. Another painful reminder of his latest failed attempt to control spirit mana.

At the far end of the room. A woman in a white medic’s coat looked up from her desk.

Her brown hair was tied back in a loose braid, and the moment she saw him. Her blue eyes filled with a mix of concern and tired patience.

"Again?" Doctor Rinna sighed, setting down the clipboard she had been writing on.

"This is the fifth time in two days, Kyle."

He rubbed the back of his neck and gave her a sheepish smile.

"Sorry, Miss Rinna."

She shook her head but waved toward one of the empty beds.

"Lie down."

Kyle didn’t argue. He climbed onto the cot, the stiff sheets crackling beneath him as he settled in.

Rinna walked over. Her fingers already glowing with a soft golden light. The familiar sign of light element healing magic.

She placed her hands gently on his chest, and warmth spread through his body. The burning pain in his mana channels slowly began to fade.

"You’re lucky your sister isn’t here," she muttered while focusing her magic.

Kyle flinched. "Please don’t tell her."

"I won’t," Rinna said. Though her expression clearly showed she wanted to.

Her magic pulsed deeper now, repairing the tiny tears inside his mana pathways. Damage that came from pushing himself far too hard.

"You’ve got to stop this," she said, frowning.

"This isn’t normal mana backlash. It’s like your core is tearing itself apart."

Kyle didn’t answer. He couldn’t exactly her the truth, that he was trying to use a type of mana no human should even be able to touch.

Rinna sighed again and pulled her hands away.

The light faded. But a faint warmth lingered on his skin.

"There. You’ll live. Again."

Kyle sat up slowly and rolled his shoulders. Most of the pain was gone, But a deep tiredness clung to his bones.

"Thanks, Miss Rinna."

She crossed her arms and gave him a long, steady look.

"What are you really doing, Kyle? This isn’t just risky. It’s dangerous. I have treated hundreds of students for mana backlash, and this is something different."

He hesitated, then said with a weak shrug,

"Just... testing a few new spells. Didn’t work out."

She didn’t look convinced, but she let it go.

"Well, test less recklessly. Your body can’t take much more of this."

She walked back to her desk, pulled a small vial from a drawer, and tossed it to him.

"Drink that. It’ll help with the fatigue."

Kyle caught it, popped the cork, and swallowed the bitter liquid. Almost immediately. A wave of sleepiness washed over him.

"Rest," Rinna said firmly. "One hour. Then you can go."

He nodded and sank back onto the pillow. His eyelids grew heavy, but his thoughts were still moving too fast to sleep.

’No progress. Again.’

Zalrielle’s voice whispered faintly in his mind, calm and reassuring. ’You’ll get it.’

Kyle didn’t answer. He let out a breath and stared up at the infirmary ceiling.

His hand drifted to the ring on his finger. Zalrielle’s current form. She didn’t speak again.

He turned his wrist and checked his mana band.

[7:58 PM]

He still had time before Aurelia came back.

"Status."

With a quiet murmur. He called up his status screen.

A soft chime followed, and a glowing blue panel appeared in front of his eyes.

Familiar and unchanged, just like the times before. Its faint light gave the dim infirmary a strange, cold hue.

══════ [STATUS] ══════

[Name]: Kyle Valemont

[Age]: 18

[Class]: Swordsman

[Title]: ???, The Sovereign of Dread

[Blessing]: Echoes of the Roaming Storm (Fully Awakened)

[Mana Core Rank]: Silver

[Mana Core Grade]: Grade 2 (Peak)

[Affinity]: Storm

[Ability]: Stormborne

[Soul-Bound Spirit]: Zalrielle

══════ [STATS] ══════

Strength: D-

Agility: D

Endurance: D+

Intelligence: D+

Mana Capacity: D+

Charm: A+

Luck: Unpredictable

════ [MASTERIES] ════

Swordsmanship: Expert — 3%

Storm Magic: Adept — 51%

Sprit Magic: Apprentice — 0.01%

═════════════════

His eyes moved over the screen slowly.

Nothing new.

Just the same strange title—???—sitting at the top. It’s still a mystery. It had been like that since the day he arrived in this world.

No matter how many times he tapped it, nothing ever happened.

He tried again.

Still nothing.

Kyle let out a quiet breath.

’Figures.’

Then his gaze dropped to the one title that did make sense...

The Sovereign of Dread.

He’d gotten it after finishing the "War of Attrition" scenario in the Black Dungeon.

The system had just handed it to him at the end, like a reward. He didn’t know why that title specifically, but its effects were too useful to ignore.

He selected it.

The panel shifted.

————

Title: The Sovereign of Dread

Description:

The weight of his presence alone crushes the will of the weak. No one dares meet his gaze, to look into his eyes is to stare into the jaws of inevitability. Even those who stand above him feel their resolve crack, their courage shatter. He is the sovereign of dread. The unshaken king before whom fear itself kneels.

Effects:

╰┈➤ Grants the bearer Oppressive Aura. A terrifying presence that instills deep fear in enemies.

╰┈➤ Affects foes up to Rank 1 above the user, weakening their morale and combat efficiency.

—————

Kyle stared at the screen, thoughtful.

It hadn’t changed since he first saw it—but it was still hard to believe this was his.

A title that made enemies afraid just by his aura?

That wasn’t just powerful. It could be game-changing.

He imagined using it in battle.

One moment of hesitation from an enemy, one flinch, one bit of broken focus... and it could turn the tide.

Especially if they were stronger than him.

That was the real benefit. The aura could shake opponents even a full rank above him.

People he normally had no chance against.

He wasn’t stupid. He knew fear alone wouldn’t win fights.

But fear in the middle fight? That could open doors, and save lives.

He hadn’t tested it yet, should have tried it against Luna and Reo in the virtual simulation. See how they would react when their nerves turned against them.

Next, his eyes drifted to his blessing.

[Echoes of the Roaming Storm (Fully Awakened)]

It used to show four separate affinities. Lightning, wind, ice, and water.

Now it just said one thing...

Storm.

At first, he’d panicked. Thought he’d lost access to his individual elements

But it turned out he hadn’t lost anything.

If anything, he’d gained.

Lightning came easier now. Wind flowed smoother. Ice and water bent to his will with barely a thought.

The real change wasn’t the power. It was how natural it felt.

Before. Combining elements had been a painstaking process. Matching mana frequencies. Balancing mana flow.

Cassian had spent months perfecting his lava magic by merging fire and earth.

Cedric’s golden flames, born from fire and light, required intense focus.

Now? He could do it mid-swing.

Storm wasn’t a mix of elements anymore. It was its own force. Alive. Wild. Unpredictable.

Then came the part that always made his jaw tighten.

[Spirit Magic: Apprentice — 0.01%]

He stared at that number.

Two days of constant attempts. Two days of multiple backlash, pain, near collapse. And this was all he had to show for it.

Just 0.01%.

He didn’t even know if it was worth it anymore.

Zalrielle had warned him. Spirit mana was different.

It wasn’t just difficult, it fought back. Like trying to tame a thunderstorm with bare hands.

Every time he failed. It felt like his body was falling apart from the inside out.

His hand twitched slightly at the memory of the last backlash.

Still... progress was progress.

Even if it nearly killed him.

Finally, his stats.

Strength, agility, endurance. They were all still hovering around the D range.

No surprises there.

The only outlier?

[Charm: A+]

He snorted.

Completely useless.

He wasn’t trying to win a beauty contest.

Kyle flicked his fingers, and the status screen faded.

The blue light vanished, leaving the infirmary dim once more.

————