SSS Awakening: In a New World with Dual God-Level Bloodlines

Chapter 86: Their Awareness

"It seems you’re just like everyone else who uses a possession art. They lose their memories of what happened."

"I didn’t get involved in your skirmish last night. It was all done by you."

"Or rather, let me put it this way. It was the demon you unleashed with that strange heart of yours."

"It rips people’s heads off with a bite and tears open their chests before devouring their hearts."

"He killed the dozen people who were left before you managed to rein him in once again."

"I bet you won’t be able to rein him in a second time, though," Professor Igris said with a shrug.

"I... I was the one who caused that massacre!"

Arlo’s eyes flashed with shock.

The scene was still fresh in his mind. The ground soaked in blood, severed heads and intestines scattered across the area, devastating punches leaving marks in their bodies as muscles and bones were crushed together, with various organs jutting out from their mangled forms.

He really was the one who had done all of that...?

"As for your cybernetic transfusion, I’m guessing that’s what you’re really worried about, isn’t it?" Professor Igris said, causing Arlo’s eyes to flash.

He could still remember what Joan had said.

If news of him possessing a cybernetic transplant were released, he would be as good as dead.

"The truth is, Vorath have always been capable of fusing with human cybernetic transfusions ever since they were first created."

"It would put us on the same level of strength as the humans who use them, and when combined with our own mastery of mana, humans would have absolutely no chance against a Vorath."

"But we still don’t. Do you know why?" Professor Igris asked, placing the mixture he had been twirling onto the table.

"Why?"

"Because of our belief in the superiority of mana over every tool. We believe that as long as mana flows through our veins, we will always emerge victorious from even the most horrific battles."

"Fusing with cybernetic transfusions goes against that belief. The moment we do so, we admit that we don’t believe mana is the only true source of strength."

"That would create a devastating blow to our existence as a magical race."

"Perhaps because you were raised by humans, you view mana as nothing more than a form of energy. But we don’t see it that way at all."

"We see it as a separate, kingly entity, something worthy of our unshakeable belief. Almost like a god that we worship."

"That’s our Vorath pride, something that not even the most power-hungry Vorath would willingly abandon."

"Fusing with cybernetic transfusions is essentially declaring that technology is supreme and that our Vorath beliefs are not strong enough."

"Any Vorath who does that becomes no different from a disbeliever. They will either be killed or banished as an example to the others," he said, causing Arlo’s heart to skip a beat.

"If you had been born and raised as a Vorath, I would have had no choice but to kill you the moment I discovered your cybernetic transfusion."

Professor Igris turned to Arlo and looked him right in the eye.

"But you were raised by humans, and you most likely underwent the cybernetic transfusion before discovering your true nature as a Vorath."

"There was no way you could have known that Vorath consider fusing with cybernetics such a hateful act, making your offence a simple matter of ignorance regarding our ways."

"For that reason, I’ll let you off the hook."

"Huuuuu..."

Arlo couldn’t help but exhale loudly in relief upon hearing that.

At least he was off the hook and wouldn’t have to deal with the System’s overdramatic measures.

"Still, not many Vorath would care about your past. You’re a blemish to us."

"So, once you reveal your cybernetic transfusion, you might be dead before you can even say a single word to explain yourself."

"And no one will reason with you the way I have. No one except me and King Eboncrest..."

"Wait. His Majesty already knows about it?" Arlo asked, his spine nearly freezing at the realization.

"Yes, from the beginning. Do you really think your skin can block his gaze? He saw it from the very first moment he laid eyes on you!" Professor Igris said with a scoff.

Arlo’s eyes flashed with shock and worry.

’The King already knew from the beginning!? Then how could he stand my presence? Why didn’t he ask me about it, or try to kill me outright...?’

"You must be wondering why he left you alive. He seems to be very interested in that white wing of yours."

"He wouldn’t have asked me to look after you if that wasn’t the case," Professor Igris said.

Arlo’s eyes flashed as he remembered the only time King Eboncrest had ever approached him.

The king had spoken about how Arlo needed to focus his attention on his body instead of constantly focusing on his mana.

He had been very discreet about it and hadn’t said much.

But it seemed the words Arlo had initially thought were nothing more than simple advice from an elder to a younger person, or perhaps a compliment toward his supposedly superior bloodline, carried far more implications than he had realized.

But that only raised another question.

Why was the king so interested in his Fallen Angel form that he could overlook the fact that Arlo possessed the abominable cybernetic transfusion and even go as far as asking Professor Igris to specifically watch over him?

The Fallen Angel form really wasn’t that special to Arlo.

The only benefits he gained from it were roughly double his normal strength, the ability to fly, and slightly greater speed than the average person.

Aside from that, was there really anything worth noticing about his Fallen Angel form?

"I have just two pieces of advice for you, boy. Never reveal your cybernetic transfusion, and never use that possession art you used last time."

"The next time you use it, you will never wake up again, and that devil will be killed, meaning your automatic death."

"Now that we’ve resolved that, let’s get back to work. Hand me that Try-O4 serum over there," he said.

Arlo took his gaze away and moved toward the storage area. Once more, the scientist and his young lab intern got back to work.

The smell of chemicals, the clanking of test tubes, the sound of serums mixing together, and the rapid changes of color within the various chemicals combined to create quite the dazzling display inside the room.

Quickly, nine hours passed, with the sun gradually retreating and giving way to the silver moon hanging in the sky.

Soon, Professor Igris completed another phase of his experiment. His eyes shifted toward the window, where he saw that the sky had already grown dark.

He then turned toward Arlo, who had just finished rinsing the test tubes.

"Well, let’s call it a day here, boy. You have classes tomorrow," he said.

Arlo wiped his hands with a handkerchief and gave a slight bow before heading toward the exit.

But he suddenly stopped at the door.

"Um, Professor Igris..."

"Uh-huh?"

"Can I be sure I won’t be faced with another attack tonight? I’m the only one in that area, you know, and I’m afraid..."

"You’ll be fine, kid. Now get going," Professor Igris said, waving him off.

Arlo could only leave the lab, hoping the same thing wouldn’t happen again.

The place where he lived was essentially a mini-estate, and he was the only person residing there.

That made the area incredibly desolate, which was precisely why someone could easily conduct an attack against him.

If he lived in the student dormitories, which had their own set of protectors, it would be nearly impossible to establish a barrier there because of the constant activity, making an assassination practically impossible.

But he still had to return to that desolate place, even after the lesson he had been taught yesterday.

Still, what choice did he have?

It wasn’t as though he had somewhere else to stay, and he couldn’t exactly spend the entire night wandering around the institute or sleeping outside.

So, he could only return to his place, hoping that yesterday’s assassination attempt would be the last.

"Activate System Interface..."

[Congratulations, Hidden Quest Completed: Survive an Assassination Attempt has been successfully completed.]

[Rewards:

1.) +5 Level-Up Cards!!

2.) +5000 EXP

3.) A new stat feature has been unlocked: Regeneration!!]

[System Interface]

[Name: Arlo Eclipsion]

[Title: None]

[Race: Higher Arcana Human]

[Cultivation: 1st Grade Core Cybernetic Expert. Middle Magic Apprentice Realm]

[Level: 16]

[EXP: 6,700/10,000]

[Host is in possession of 5 Level-Up Cards. Does Host wish to level up?]

"Yes."

[-1 Level-Up Card]

[Host has leveled up.]