SSS Awakening: Conquering Worlds with My Cupid System

After the contract signing with Aureline Apparel, Silas discussed what had happened with Chloe, and she accepted it right off the bat. Only a fool would let go of such an opportunity.

Her status as an S-Rank had elevated the situation of her family a bit, but she had yet to do something noteworthy, such as making money, to truly make them a high-class family with insane wealth. Unlike Silas, who had a billion-dollar worth of inheritance, she had only the clothes and phone he bought for her, and maybe the apartment the academy was offering her.

This contract would pave the way for something that was truly hers. She knew that more companies would be coming to her with proposals, and she wasn’t stupid enough to accept all of them. But she believed in Silas and Anna’s judgments. She signed her contract the next day.

***

Today’s combat class was a spar. The rules were: No abilities. No weapons. No cold knockouts. Beat your opponent until they surrender.

When Sir Wesley had started saying the rules, most were happy until he reached the last part. Every eye turned to Silas and Chloe before all those around them dispersed.

S-Ranks were powerful both physically and in terms of ability. Chloe was an S-Rank. Silas’s reason was entirely different.

Most had seen how he demolished Damien even when Damien was using his ability consciously. They saw how he ripped a metallic table cemented and bolted to the floor. And some had witnessed how he’d gone toe-to-toe with a twenty-foot-tall orc in terms of pure physical strength.

Only a fool would want to spar with such a monster.

Alpha was part of the crowd and was making his way discreetly towards Peter when Silas’s voice rang out loudly.

"Sir! Please, can I spar with Brother Alpha?"

For the first time in his life, Alpha cursed in a deep voice, his blue eyes glinting dangerously with murder.

’I will kill this motherfucker!’

Peter, seeing his expression, backed off. Alpha looked scarily... scary. Alpha’s murderous glare lingered on Silas for a full five seconds. Then... he smiled. It was gentle, sweet, and even cute.

"Sure."

The surrounding students immediately took three steps backward.

"He’s smiling."

"Run."

"Someone save Silas."

"I’ve never seen Alpha smile like that."

Peter swallowed. "Brother... are you okay?"

Alpha slowly turned his head, his eyes glowing. "I’m perfectly fine."

Peter shivered.

"You’re using your deep voice again."

Sir Wesley blew his whistle.

"Enough. You two. Center."

Silas walked forward with his hands tucked inside his pockets, looking as relaxed as ever. Alpha followed behind him. Unlike Silas’s carefree stride, Alpha’s was light and graceful, almost elegant. The two boys stopped several meters apart, staring daggers, no swords, now missiles at each other. Mostly Alpha.

Sir Wesley looked between them and repeated the rules because he could feel the tension between them.

"No abilities. No mana reinforcement. No killing. No cheap shots. You surrender when you can’t continue. Understood?"

"Yes, Sir." Silas grinned.

"Mm." Alpha merely nodded.

Sir Wesley stepped backward. "Begin."

The instant the whistle sounded, Silas disappeared, causing the training floor to crack with his movement.

"So fast!"

"He isn’t even using mana!"

Alpha’s pupils shrank, his instinct screaming: Move! His body twisted as Silas’s fist passed barely an inch from Alpha’s cheek. The wind pressure alone brushed Alpha’s braid backward.

Silas smiled. ’Good.’

He hadn’t aimed to hit. He wanted to see Alpha react.

Alpha immediately retaliated. His movements were strange. He fought almost... playfully. He spun, his palm shooting toward Silas’s ribs. Silas casually blocked it.

Alpha swept low, and Silas jumped. He kicked upward, and Silas leaned backward, causing the kick to miss his nose by a hair.

"Oh?" Silas looked impressed. "Not bad."

Alpha clicked his tongue. "You sound like an old man."

"I feel like one." Silas laughed.

They clashed again.

Thud!

Bang!

Wham!

The sound of their fists and palms echoed throughout the hall. They didn’t use flashy techniques, abilities, or mana. This was pure skill... Or rather, Silas was using enough skill to overwhelm Alpha without completely crushing him.

Each attack came just fast enough, strong enough, and precise enough to force Alpha into adapting. Sir Wesley’s sharp eyes narrowed when he noticed.

"He’s teaching him."

Mr. Fatars, who happened to be observing today’s session, blinked.

"What?"

"He isn’t sparring." Sir Wesley folded his arms. "He’s training him."

Silas stepped in again. He threw a left jab, but Alpha blocked it. He swiftly used his right elbow, but Alpha avoided it. He twisted and attacked with a low kick, but Alpha only jumped over it.

Every exchange grew faster, causing Alpha’s breathing to become ragged. Sweat rolled down his temples.

’I can’t keep up!’

His eyes struggled to follow Silas. He was way too fast. Silas suddenly vanished.

"...!"

Behind! Alpha instinctively twisted. Silas’s finger stopped just before touching the back of Alpha’s neck.

"Dead."

Alpha froze, but Silas smiled.

"Again."

They resumed, and minutes passed. Students who had initially looked bored gradually gathered around.

"What are they doing?"

"I don’t know... but Alpha’s getting faster."

"He is."

Even Peter noticed it.

"His movements changed."

Indeed, they had. At first, Alpha’s footwork had been clean. Now, it had become unnaturally quiet. Tap. Tap.

No. That wasn’t right. There was almost... nothing. His feet barely made a sound. Each step landed exactly where it needed to. There was no wasted motion and no unnecessary force.

His posture became lighter. His center of gravity shifted naturally. And even his breathing grew quieter. Silas punched, and Alpha slipped past it silently.

Silas swept; Alpha pivoted silently.

’There it is.’

Sir Wesley’s eyes suddenly widened.

"What?"

For the first time, he couldn’t hear Alpha’s footsteps, not because Alpha was slow, but because there were none, even when he was sprinting.

"Impossible."

Sir Wesley took an unconscious step forward. The entire gym had become silent. Alpha himself didn’t realize it. His perception had sharpened.

Silas’s shoulder moved; Alpha reacted. Silas’s hip shifted, and Alpha already knew the kick was coming. Silas’s fingers twitched; Alpha instinctively ducked.

His reactions had become frighteningly natural.

"Again!"

Silas laughed as another punch came flying. Alpha blocked it, countered, and spun. His braid danced through the air, while his body glided across the floor with an elegance that looked almost feminine, yet impossible to predict. Even Sir Wesley failed to anticipate his next step.

"Interesting."

The veteran instructor’s expression finally changed. This was perhaps the first time in the semester that he looked impressed. Silas threw one final punch, and Alpha met it head-on.

A gust of wind spread across the gym from their clash. Alpha slid back several meters before stopping. Silas hadn’t moved an inch. Both lowered their hands.

Alpha stared at his own feet.

"What..." He blinked. "...Just happened?"

His body felt lighter and sharper. The world itself appeared slower. Silas merely smiled at this while, inside his mind, he spoke quietly.

’It worked.’

The system answered immediately.

[Alpha’s latent Cupid bloodline instincts have begun awakening. Minor synchronization achieved.]

Silas’s smile widened ever so slightly.

’I knew it.’

[You intentionally forced him to evolve through combat adaptation.]

’Yep. I can’t be the only one doing the hard job.’

[You are far more terrifying than I initially calculated.]

’I’ll take that as a compliment.’

[...It was not one.]

’Too bad for you.’