Chapter 33 - System update
Much talk doesn’t happen with Ava since she was looking tense, and after calming the situation a bit, they all returned to their own destinations.
It was indeed quite uneventful, which was unexpected.
The next day, during training, Cale was moving through his usual routines when the system chime hit him like a physical blow.
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION: TRIAL PERIOD TERMINATED]
Cale stumbled, one knee dropping to the ground as information flooded his consciousness.
The messages kept cascading:
[SYSTEM UNDERGOING COMPLETE OVERHAUL...SYSTEM UPDATING...]
[NIGHTMARES FROM NOCTURNUS CONTRACT: PERMANENTLY DISABLED]
[ALL CULTIVATION VARIANTS STANDARDIZED - TERMED AS "CULTIVATION"]
[LUST BOND OFFICIALLY RENAMED: HAREM BOND]
[HAREM BOND ABILITIES: UNLOCKING...]
[CONTRACT PERIOD: NOCTURNUS CONCLUDED]
[NEW ABILITY UNLOCKED - DUAL CULTIVATION: Formed through host’s accumulated memories. Note: Dual cultivation cannot be forced by host. Must be consensual else host might encounter Qi deviation due to partner’s unwilling.]
[NEW ABILITY UNLOCKED - QUICKSTEP: Increase host agility by 3x for 3 seconds. Upgradeable as cultivation base increases]
[SYSTEM SHOP UNLOCKED]
[NEW ABILITY UNLOCKED - MYRIAD BATTLE FLOW OF HEAVEN AND EARTH: Host will automatically learn all martial techniques from system as time passes even if host stays idle throughout. Techniques will fuse into host’s current arsenal, creating new hybrid forms with each addition. Host will not need to learn individual techniques—all will integrate automatically]
[MANA UNLOCKED: Natural mana now accessible. Can be used alongside qi. Limit determined by current cultivation level]
[STATISTICS DISPLAY UPDATED: Levels will now be displayed instead of raw numbers]
[QUEST SYSTEM ADDED]
[STATUS VIEWING ABILITY UNLOCKED: Host can now access and view status of others at will]
[HAREM SYNERGY BONUS ACTIVATED: +10% increase to all stats when fighting alongside harem members]
[RACIAL ACQUISITION SYSTEM UNLOCKED: Host can absorb races, bloodlines, physiques, and law sequences from willing partners. Host can also grant races to others with sufficient points]
[HOST CAN NOW GRANT RACES WITH SUFFICIENT POINTS]
[CULTIVATION TALENT MULTIPLIER INCREASED: 1.5x → 3x]
’Wait. Three times? From one and a half?’
[BATTLE ADAPTABILITY SKILL ADDED: Host can predict opponent movements based on combat history. Accuracy increases with repeated encounters. Displayed as percentage from 0% to 100% adaptability. Disabled upon opponent realm ascension]
[WARNING: Trial period has ended. Host will face significantly increased difficulty in future encounters. Previous limitations have been removed. Exercise extreme caution.]
[GOOD LUCK!]
[END OF UPDATE]
Cale remained on one knee, his entire body trembling slightly as the flood of information settled into his consciousness. His eyes were wide, unfocused, staring at nothing as he processed what had just happened.
The nightmares were gone. That alone was worth everything.
Elon, who was ’saved’ by him has even started looking at him as his savior, even going as far as calling him Young Master Cale, his goons comply too. That’s one burden off the head.
The update didn’t do much change other than adding a few abilities or upgrading the ’tier’ of the existing ones, Mana was accessible, which was surprising. Considering that from what he actually knew, Mana and Qi were generally thought to be nearly the same elements with different use styles.
Even high level cultivators thought the same.
’Is it not the same, maybe there are different uses which people have not looked into yet. Its truly a new territory for me too. I guess my runic talent will go up with this, heh.’
***
Elon found himself alone with Cale in one of the academy’s quieter corridors. The question had been gnawing at him constantly, whispered through the academy halls in various forms. He’d finally gathered enough courage to ask directly.
"Cale... I mean, Young Master Cale..." Elon started, his usual arrogance completely stripped away. His face was already flushing. "Can I ask you something?"
Cale glanced at him, one eyebrow raising slightly. "What is it?"
Elon’s mouth opened and closed several times, his words getting caught somewhere between his brain and his throat. The embarrassment was suffocating.
"With Miss Ava... cough..." He cleared his throat awkwardly, looking away. "Did you... did you touch it? Have you guys... done it?? "
Cale stared at him blankly for a moment, processing what the hell "it" referred to in this context.
"Done what?" Cale asked, his tone completely flat.
Elon’s entire face went crimson as the full weight of how poorly he’d phrased that hit him.
"I mean, the entire academy is talking about what she told to people... going as far as saying that you stole her from her husband. E-Even some girls are talking about how... you’re good at...doing it."
Cale stared at him, and the sighed.
"Haah, this? and here I thought why you were fluttering like a butterfly. No, wait, I guess it is quite a feat to score women like Ava and Emma huh? Hmm, well I did do it, can’t say about the future though."
Elon’s gaze towards him became more respectful, as if he found a senior in this field.
’Does he have a crush on someone. Heh, who would’ve thought I would be someone’s target of envy.’
Elon walked slightly ahead, clearly pleased to be showing Cale around the marketplace.
"Well, here we are," Elon announced, gesturing broadly at the commercial district.
"This place isn’t half bad," Elowen commented, her eyes tracking the layout with practiced assessment. She was more or less ’pulled’ in this group by Elon, who wanted to give her more time with Cale.
Who knows what goes into that mind of his.
Cale said nothing, simply taking in the details—the vendor stalls, the foot traffic, the guard presence. His aura sensing picked up several cultivators scattered throughout, most around apprentice or early beginner stage.
They walked deeper into the district, Elon continuing his informal tour with growing confidence. "You don’t need to worry about your safety here," he explained, gesturing toward various points in the marketplace. "There are many people hired by the City lord as guards too, keeping watch over this place constantly. Protection is pretty much guaranteed as long as you’re conducting legitimate business."
As they continued walking, Elon suddenly pointed toward a cluster of distinctive red wooden buildings set slightly apart from the main marketplace. The structures were elegant—decorative wooden doors and latticed windows marking them as something more refined than simple merchant stalls.
"See those wooden houses over there?" Elon asked, puffing his chest proudly. "Those are the training grounds and residence for my whole class, along with many students who are deemed excellent. The Vice headmaster, who has access to various bloodlines of many races even granted it to a few of the students. My Senior resides in this one."
Cale’s eyes narrowed slightly. The fact that Elon had family connections there explained some of his arrogance, though it didn’t excuse his general idiocy.
"Your family has quite a few connections, going as far as giving you private quarters in the Vice headmaster’s place." Cale observed, his tone deliberately neutral.
Elon’s chest puffed out slightly at the observation. "The Orsted family has been cultivating relationships with various organizations for generations, Young Master Cale. It’s necessary for survival in these times."
"Take me to see your senior sister."