Chapter 41: Another Fate Interferer

After leaving the archive, Victor did not take Leah back to the training ground. Instead, the two went to one of the academy’s private mana rooms, and as soon as the door closed behind them, the isolation formation activated, completely sealing the room from the outside.

Victor placed the three Star Marrow Fragments on the table one after another and said, "Sit."

Leah obeyed without question, taking a seat while Victor picked up the first fragment and placed his hand against its surface.

[Mana Devour]

Silver light was slowly extracted from the fragment. Unlike yesterday, when everything had been done hastily, his [Mana Devour] had now reached S+ grade, and its extraction efficiency had improved.

The first fragment quickly lost the little glow it had left.

[Obtained Pure Astral Energy: 7]

[Obtained Pure Astral Energy: 9]

[Obtained Pure Astral Energy: 6]

A moment later, all three Star Marrow Fragments had completely dimmed, becoming empty shells.

"Your hand," Victor’s calm voice echoed.

Leah naturally extended it toward him. Victor took her hand, and the silver energy slowly flowed into her body through their point of contact, causing her Astral Core to instantly light up.

This time, however, it was completely different from absorbing ordinary mana crystals. There was no conversion process and no energy loss. Every trace of pure astral energy was directly absorbed by the core.

[Astral Spirit Envoy Growth Efficiency: 100%]

[Target Astral Core Stability Increased]

[Target Profession Proficiency Increased]

[Target Level Experience Increased Significantly]

Buzz!

Silver light suddenly trembled inside Leah’s body before rapidly spreading through her mana circuits.

[Level: 16 → 17!]

Finally, the objective was accomplished!

There were still nearly two days before the practical assessment, yet Leah had already reached Level 17. Combined with her two Epic grade starting skills, SSS grade potential, and newly awakened astral Profession, Victor was beginning to think that perhaps Leah was not the one who should be worried about the assessment.

Perhaps it was the other first year students who should be worried about her.

Leah slowly opened her eyes, the silver starlight deep within her pupils gradually fading. The first thing she did was look at Victor. "I’m Level 17."

"I know."

"So quickly..." Even she found it difficult to believe. Just a while ago, she had still been Level 9, standing on the verge of being expelled from the academy. Yet now, she had already reached Level 17.

Eight entire levels!

"This is only the beginning." Victor released her hand. "The resources you need will become more and more expensive in the future."

Leah fell silent for a moment before answering quietly, "I’ll repay you."

...That again.

Victor smiled. "You can’t afford to repay me right now."

"Then later," the girl answered seriously, looking very determined. "After I become stronger. Whatever you ask me to do, I’ll do it."

The atmosphere suddenly became awkward. Leah seemed to realize that her words could be interpreted differently, and the tips of her ears quickly reddened.

"I mean... things."

"I know." Victor deliberately paused before looking at her. "Why are you explaining yourself?"

Leah’s face grew even redder. "I wasn’t explaining."

"Mm."

"..."

She suddenly felt that this person could be truly annoying sometimes.

[Leah Vane’s Favorability +5]

[Current Favorability: 37]

Unlike Loyalty, which measured a character’s devotion to Victor’s faction, Favorability reflected their personal affection and emotional closeness toward him.

Victor saw the notification, and the corner of his mouth rose slightly. Leah immediately became suspicious when she noticed his expression.

"Why are you smiling?"

"Nothing."

"You’re definitely thinking about something weird."

"You’re imagining things."

Leah clearly did not believe him. However, the restraint that had originally existed between them because of their difference in status had faded considerably during that brief exchange, and the atmosphere between them had become noticeably more natural.

Just as Victor was preparing to leave, a System notification suddenly appeared before his eyes.

This time, however, it was not about Leah.

It concerned another of his subordinates.

[Detected Growth Change in S Grade Investment Target Noah Green]

[Swordsmanship Proficiency Breakthrough]

[Basic Swordsmanship: Intermediate → Advanced]

Victor’s footsteps instantly stopped, his face showing pure surprise.

That fast?? Only a day had passed, yet the first awakening condition for Noah’s hidden talent had already been completed.

Immediately afterward, a second notification appeared.

[Sword Heart Awakening Conditions Completed: 1/3]

[Condition One: Advanced Swordsmanship Proficiency, Completed]

[Condition Two: Repair Mana Circulation Defect, Completed]

Victor’s expression abruptly changed.

Wait, that wasn’t one out of three. Two had clearly already been completed!!

The next second, as though correcting its previous calculation, the System panel refreshed.

[Sword Heart Awakening Conditions Completed: 2/3]

[Remaining Condition: Form an Embryonic Sword Intent During a Genuine Life and Death Battle]

The freshman practical assessment two days from now would have been the perfect opportunity to complete the last condition, but Noah was a second year student and could not participate. However, the Inferno Prison Secret Realm was completely different.

He could enter as long as Victor could obtain an accompanying slot for him.

There were real magical beasts inside the secret realm and, more importantly, real life and death battles. If Noah needed to form an Embryonic Sword Intent under genuine mortal pressure, there could hardly be a more suitable place.

’It seemed the slots for the Inferno Prison Secret Realm would have to be expanded much faster now,’ he thought inwardly.

Just then, his identity card suddenly vibrated.

Victor lowered his gaze and saw an anonymous message with no sender name appear on its surface. There were only a few short lines.

[If you don’t want Leah Vane to die in the trial ground two days from now.]

[Midnight tonight.]

[Old Clock Tower.]

[Come alone.]

The smile on Victor’s face slowly disappeared.

Leah immediately noticed the change in his expression. "What happened?"

Victor did not answer. Before he could even examine the message further, the System had already issued a warning.

[Detected Unknown Fate Interferer Initiating Contact With Host]

[Event Danger Level: Unknown]

[Warning]

[The Other Party Knows Leah Vane Is About to Encounter Danger]

[Furthermore...]

The final line slowly appeared.

[The Other Party Also Possesses Partial Fate Information]

..

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