Chapter 89: An Obsolete Power Source?

Another pair of arms followed, jutting outward and grabbing both sides of the dome-like structure before pulling them apart with tremendous force.

CRAAAAAAAAACK!

BOOOOOOOOOM!

The sound of cracking was followed by an explosion of mana that shook the entire room, caused by the forceful separation of the congealed mana.

As the strange object disappeared, it finally revealed the figure that had been concealed within it.

A young man, seemingly in his twenties stood inside.

He had midnight violet hair and a pair of crimson speckled eyes, flecked with gold, the radiant golden specks shining brilliantly against the crimson.

He had a handsome face, with a well-defined jawline and a straight nose.

Currently, he was completely naked, revealing a fit physique with broad shoulders, a well-developed chest, and clearly defined pectoral muscles.

His arms were equally impressive, with prominent biceps and sculpted triceps, while faint veins gleamed across his mirror-like skin.

His narrow waist accentuated the natural V-shape of his torso, leading down to a set of chiseled abdominal muscles.

Overall, his physique radiated strength, athleticism, and powerful vitality.

[Congratulations on reaching the Archmage Realm!]

The System notification panel flickered before Arlo, causing his lips to curl into a small smile.

"I finally reached it."

Throughout the two weeks of his unchanging schedule, Arlo had made use of every bit of free time he could find, whether it was during his breaks at the academy or late at night, dedicating all of it to cultivating his mana as much as possible.

Finally, he had managed to cross beyond the Late Magic Apprentice Realm and reach the Archmage Realm!

It was an exceedingly powerful realm, one that only true experts within the Eclipsion Dynasty could achieve.

Right now, Arlo could feel the pure, explosive strength surging through his body. It was so overwhelming that the very concept of gravity seemed almost like a forgotten dream.

As he released his aura, his body slowly lifted from the ground until he was hovering in the air.

"So this is the special power of those in the Archmage Realm. The ability to fly?" Arlo mused.

He soon lowered himself back to the ground.

The sensation of hovering in the air felt incredibly strange, as his body was far more accustomed to having a firm connection with the ground.

Without his wings, being suspended in the air made him feel as though he had no balance whatsoever.

So, for now, he decided it was better to remain on the ground.

[You Have Completed a Hidden Request: Reach the Archmage Realm!]

[New Rewards Granted!]

[You Have Also Awakened New Fallen Angel Skills!!]

The System’s notification reminded him of the rewards, causing Arlo’s eyes to flash as his mind immediately itched to inspect every single one of them.

However, when he looked toward the sun slowly emerging over the horizon, he immediately headed toward the bathroom to prepare for the day.

It was going to be a rather special day for all the newcomers at Cthulhu Academy.

After exiting his house, Arlo didn’t head toward his classroom instead moving in a completely different direction.

They had all been informed a few weeks ago that this particular week would be special and the reason was simple.

They would finally undergo the tests that would determine which students would be allowed to participate in the academy’s Outer-Session Event.

[Why do you want to join so badly though?] \

The System suddenly asked.

It had noticed that Arlo had been taking his studies far more seriously than usual, becoming almost obsessively focused during class.

Arlo had never explained why he was studying so intensely, but the System had noticed that the change had begun immediately after the announcement of the Outer-Session Event.

It could easily guess that Arlo desperately wanted to participate.

"Um, because I think I might be able to obtain the... Evolution Serum. Yes, the serum is incredibly valuable, you know..." Arlo replied.

A loud snort immediately echoed within his mind.

[You know you really suck at lying, right?]

Arlo’s face drooped.

He could only sigh and continue walking.

"I do."

[I know. Your heart beats faster whenever you lie. I can notice it because I’m directly inside you.]

[And besides, the only reason you want to join the event this badly is something I already know...] The System said.

Arlo raised an eyebrow.

"You do? Then tell me."

[Something is holding you back, and you want to improve it!]

"Oh, and what is that?" Arlo asked with interest.

[You want to undergo your second cybernetic transfusion! Upgrade yourself to the 3rd Core Limit!]

The System answered and Arlo froze in absolute shock and horror.

"How...How do you even know that?!" he asked, genuinely baffled by how easily it had figured him out.

[It’s simple. You’ve continuously improved in every other area.]

[Your Fallen Angel form has grown even more powerful, while your normal body has been strengthened to more than three times its former power.]

[You’re becoming better and better at manipulating your Infinity Joker skills, and you can now summon your domain at will and remain inside it for more than a few minutes.]

[Your cultivation has also improved from the Magic Apprentice Realm to the Archmage Realm.]

[But there’s one thing that has remained stagnant, and that’s your Cybernetic Transfusion.]

[The energy within your core might have been incredibly powerful to you before, but now it’s practically nothing.]

[Your attack power while relying solely on your Cybernetic Transfusion is almost useless.]

[Your Redblitz skill, which once allowed you to explode forward with incredible speed and even levitate slightly, have also become nearly useless now that you can fly naturally.]

[And your physical body’s explosive strength has become so ridiculous that even the abilities of your Redblitz are no longer particularly useful.]

[It’s the only thing holding you back, and knowing you, there’s no doubt you’ve thought about it several times already.]

[Now, an opportunity has finally appeared through this Outer-Session Event as you’ll be getting out of the academy.]

[You want to use that opportunity to improve your cores and awaken new Cyber skills...]

"You’re right. But more than that, something is wrong with my transfusion."

"Ennessa told me that I would awaken more Cyber skills as I became more familiar with the transfusion."

"But apart from Redblitz, I haven’t awakened a single other Cyber skill..." Arlo thought, his eyebrows furrowing.

[If you remember, she also mentioned that the more familiar you become with it, and you rarely activate your Cybernetic Transfusion at all because you’re afraid of being discovered.]

[How exactly would you awaken new skills if you never actually use your Cybernetic Transfusion?]

The System asked and Arlo could only nod.

"That’s true, and that’s exactly what I want to solve.

"I need to find a way to forcefully awaken the Cyber skills hidden within the Godbreaker Cybernetic Transfusion."

"I can’t rely on the normal method of waiting and slowly becoming familiar with it."

"I have to find another way, and that’s what I intend to do." A

rlo muttered with conviction as he approached the large hall where the event would be held.

[But you know that’s going to be extremely difficult.]

[Forget the fact that you’re not even sure whether you’ll actually be heading to the human settlement for this event.]

[How are you going to find someone willing to help you upgrade your cybernetic core?]

[As Ennessa explained, it’s incredibly expensive, so how are you going to get that kind of money?]

[And let’s say you acted like a true gentleman and took the money from a corrupt bank. Where are you going to find a surgeon willing to help you fuse with it?]

[According to my information, only the Orcano Group, probably the most powerful faction on Earth, possesses that kind of technology.]

[How exactly are you going to walk up to them and ask them to operate on you?]

[Who knows if you currently have a bounty on your head in the human world?]

[You fused with and stole one of their best Cybernetic Transfusions, only for them to discover that you’re a Vorath.]

[It would be weird if they just let you go like it’s nothing and don’t make future plans.]

[And I’m pretty sure they’ll know you’ll eventually run into the problem of needing a new core.]

[That would be the perfect opportunity to attack and capture you.] ℯℯ𝘭.

[And all of that can only happen if you somehow escape the watchful eyes of the Vorath instructor you’ll be assigned to.]

[They won’t want any students dying in the human world, so security will undoubtedly be extremely tight, and leaving their sight even for a moment will be difficult.]

[If you’re caught sneaking away, things might not end well for you at all.]

The System listed nearly a hundred reasons why his plan could never work.

Yet instead of discouraging Arlo, it only made him even more determined.

"I have no other choice..."

[Of course you do.]

[You abandon this mission, and I flush the Cybernetic Transfusion out of your body.]

[Then you’ll be able to devote your full attention to magic.]

"So that’s what you’ve been up to, huh."

Arlo mused with a grin. What else could make the system give such a lengthy explanation to discourage him.

[Your magic is developing incredibly quickly, faster than anything even I have ever seen and the Cybernetic Transfusion is becoming more of a headache than an advantage.]

It said, though Arlo kept quiet, simply continuing on his walk.

[So what do you say?]

By then, he had already arrived at the gate.

The guards immediately allowed him entry, and he soon moved along with the hundreds of students entering through the enormous doors of the hall.

"I say... NO!"