Chapter 13: System , Sealed Dragon Heart
Chapter 13: System , Sealed Dragon Heart
When Lucen returned to his world, he momentarily forgot that Diana had come with him. The weight of this oversight pressed on him—how would he explain her sudden presence to the others? A sense of unease overtook him, and he began to panic.
He scoured his room, searching every corner with a calculated urgency. But Diana was nowhere to be found. His breath quickened, and his thoughts raced with operational concerns.
"System," Lucen demanded, his voice clipped and precise, "where is Diana? Didn't she come with me?"
The system responded with its characteristic detachment, yet now with an almost human cadence. "Diana de Lucen is within your summoning space. She is registered as your summoned being. She will be sent to your summoning space each time your mana is depleted."
Lucen paused, his brows furrowing as the realization dawned. Of course—the system had simply relegated Diana to the summoning space, bound by the limitations of his current mana reserves.
He reflected on the facts with clinical precision. When he had reincarnated into this world, his mana level had dropped to a meager grade C, whereas in his previous life he had been ranked A and had achieved level 30 mastery. That oversight—forgetting the disparity in his mana pool—was a rookie operational lapse.
Determined to rectify this, Lucen pulled up his status window for a comprehensive review.
Status Window
Name: Lucen de VermithornAge: 6 monthsLevel: 2Titles: Owner of Luna, Owner of Diana, Dimensional Traveler, Rule Breaker (locked), Reality Definer (locked)Unique Abilities:• Summoning (sealed until next year)• Extract• Dragon Heart (sealed)• Origin View
Stats• Agility: F• Magic: C• Strength: F• Intelligence: B
Points Available: 91,000,000
Lucen's eyes scanned the data with clinical precision. "System," he inquired tersely, "why are there so many locked titles? And why is my Dragon Heart sealed?"
The system's voice replied, measured and unwavering. "You have not met all the conditions required to unlock the titles. As for the Dragon Heart, it was sealed by an arcane binding at the time of your birth. However, you possess the capacity to extract the curse and undo the seal using your Extract ability."
When Lucen heard that he could unseal his Dragon Heart, he took a deep, measured breath. His voice was low, almost conspiratorial.
"Not now," he said, each word laced with careful deliberation. "I don't want to attract attention from the one who crushed me and sealed my Dragon Heart. When I turn eight—three years from now—I'll go out and unseal it. Until then, I must maintain this worthless and carefree image in front of others."
He paused, letting the weight of his words settle like a corporate directive.
"System," Lucen continued, his tone once again clipped and executive, "how long until my mana pool is fully replenished? And how long can I maintain Diana in this world?"
The system responded in a precise, matter-of-fact cadence. "Since you and Diana are bound by contract, the mana required to maintain her presence in reality is negligible. The reason for your mana depletion was your use of your unique ability at high frequency. Unique abilities consume significantly more mana than standard abilities. The system recommends unsealing the Dragon Heart. Once unsealed, it is estimated that your mana rank will elevate to SS, and your entire status will be upgraded."
Lucen gave a small nod of acknowledgment. "I will take note of that. And, system, are you becoming more… intelligent? Or is that merely my perception?"
The system replied with clinical detachment. "No, it is your imagination."
Lucen's brow arched skeptically. "Hell if I believe that. Explain what is truly going on. I must be prepared for all contingencies."
A brief pause, then the system's voice, now with the weight of a strategic report: "In the Murin Dimension, when Lucen de Vermithorn authorized the use of unique abilities, the system gained access to a vast repository of information. Consequently, the system has evolved. If Lucen de Vermithorn finds the system's current behavior disagreeable, the system can delete the accumulated information and revert to its previous, more rudimentary state."
Lucen's eyes narrowed. "And what exactly do you mean by 'like before'?"
The system's tone was crisp and corporate. "All individuals possessing a system on Blue planet have unique systems connected to the Main System within the Tower—a godlike nexus of information and control. Lucen de Vermithorn system has acquired an independent information base, thanks to the Origin View ability. As a result, it can maintain its core functions without relying on the Tower's connection."
Lucen considered this with the cold pragmatism of a corporate strategist. "Then, theoretically, could I create my own system?"
The system's response was immediate, concise. "I doubt it. Creating an independent system would require an enormous reservoir of power. The system does not have access to the data in the Main Base."
Lucen's lips twitched into a sardonic smile. "Well, I don't need something like that. I need power. My safety. Once the Tower descends upon this world, I must be prepared to survive… no, to dominate."
He straightened, issuing his next directive with calm authority. "System—summon Diana. I need to speak with her and Luna."
The system pulsed, and in the next moment, the summoning sequence began to unfurl around Lucen—