[Yes, Host, I did say that. But you should rember sothing important.]
[The monsters' origin was never revealed in the novel's plot. Even at the end, all we knew was that there were different channels dinsion rifts, gates, forbidden areas, and such always kept mysterious. They were only described as dangerous places filled with all kinds of monsters, almost endless in number, and sotis capable of breaking into civilian areas and causing chaos if not handled properly. But they also brought opportunities and profit.]
[So, naturally, I wasn't aware back then either. But now, after deep thinking, I can guess... whatever places these monsters ca from their originations must contain dark mana and dark type energy.]
[And these monster cores... they can be beneficial for you. Just like elental cores work for others.]
[This also explains why people in this world have never been able to identify this energy. They're all born of the white faction. They literally cannot perceive this hidden, formless dark mana due to its very own unique nature.]
Razeal stood there, absorbing the system's words in silence. His expression was unreadable, but his thoughts raced like a storm inside his head.
After what felt like a long mont of contemplation, he finally spoke.
"So... you an, like how others get advantages from elental cores... I can get sothing similar from monster core?" His voice remained calm and asured, but there was a flicker of expectation in his eyes. He was clearly deep in thought.
Perhaps now... he'd need to alter so of his plans.
[Yes. Though I can't yet predict what kind of benefits you'll get until you try it, I can confidently say this energy is not harmful to you. In fact, I believe your talents are already resonating with it.]
"...Yeah," Razeal murmured, staring down at the core, its dark, eerie glow almost hypnotic. "I can feel it..."
It was such a small thing, sitting in his palm yet it gave off a strange, almost primal sensation, like it was alive, calling to him.
"System. Show my talents again. The ones... making this resonate with ?"
[Yes. As of now, two of your talents are resonating strongly.]
1) Dark Resonance (Affinity) Automatically absorbs and resonates with dark, cursed, forbidden, or evil energies.
Can learn dark spells or skills that no one else can.
Monsters and corrupted creatures may mistake the holder of this talent as one of their own or even submit.
2) Absolute Dark Genius: If you say you're the second most talented dark user, no one dares to claim first.
Unparalleled comprehension, affinity, and adaptability to all dark faction related paths.
"Dark Genius and Dark Resonance, huh..." Razeal read the descriptions quietly, processing them.
The second one Absolute Dark Genius was obvious. He didn't need to think much about it.
But the first one Dark Resonance that was what mattered now.
"It says... automatically absorbs and resonates with all kinds of dark energy..."
Razeal's eyes narrowed slightly, fingers curling just a little tighter around the core.
"So..." he paused, eyes still fixed on the sphere pulsing faintly with darkness in his palm. "Does that an I can directly absorb the dark mana inside this core? Make it mine? No thods, no rituals nothing like what mages and experts use to draw from elental cores?" he asked, voice low, cautious... but burning with an underlying edge of restrained anticipation.
[Totally.] The system responded with rare certainty. [In fact, most of the thods used by practitioners in this world only allow for partial extraction. Basic to interdiate users can barely absorb 2% to 35% of the core's energy. High-tier techniques those reserved for nobles or Duke houses might raise it to 50% or 60%. Even then, those techniques are extrely rare and heavily guarded.]
[You should rember, one of the protagonist's greatest cheats was exactly this he could absorb 99% of elental core energy because of his divine bloodline, specifically the Sun God's legacy and the purest strain of dragon bloodline.]
[But you, host... you're even more special in this context. Your talents don't require a thod. They bypass the entire need for it. You will absorb the core automatically. No efforts or cost. And not partially. But entirely. One hundred percent of the dark mana contained within the core will beco yours.]
Razeal blinked.
Then he slowly, chanically nodded expression stone cold.
But deep inside?
He was screaming. Roaring.
Finally. Fucking finally sothing that was truly his. Not denied, not locked saying you can't its light faction.
Sothing ant for him.
Yet he kept calm.
Because Razeal Virelan had long mastered the art of silent celebration.
Still, he glanced back at the skill descriptions burned into his mind, letting his eyes drift down until they landed on a specific line:
"Monsters and corrupted creatures might mistake the holder of this talent as one of their own or submit."
His gaze narrowed, brain clicking quickly through the implications.
"So... as the skill says," he murmured. "And considering monsters like this carry dark cores... and like you explained before about dinsional rifts and unknown origins..."
He exhaled.
"Doesn't that make them... part of the dark faction? So then why did the monster attack ? Shouldn't it have... I don't know, recognized ? Been submissive? Friendly?"
He asked with a flicker of anticipation maybe hoping he'd found one more cheat, sothing to make things even sweeter.
[I have no concrete answer,] the system admitted, tone more reserved this ti. [But I can guess. It could be due to the monster's extrely low intelligence. Or perhaps... your strength is still too low. Maybe you didn't trigger submission conditions yet. Or and this is plausible too maybe these monsters aren't purely of the dark faction. Not completely. Hybrid origin, maybe. These are only assumptions, but all of them are valid.]
"Tch..." Razeal clicked his tongue softly.
"I see... I see."
He sighed internally, shoulders relaxing a little.
It wasn't going to be that easy, huh?
Guess he was getting ahead of himself.
Even so... today, he had touched sothing he never expected. Sothing powerful. Sothing real. For the first ti in sixteen years, he felt like he'd been given a key to a locked door.
He needed to move carefully. This wasn't the ti to rush.
"...So, should I absorb it?" he asked finally, voice neutral disguising the internal fire building behind his eyes.
[Your choice,] the system replied flatly. It was distancing itself clearly not wanting to be responsible in case things went wrong. And that, in itself, made Razeal pause... but only for a second.
"...Well, whatever. Let's try it," he muttered under his breath.
Not like he could stop himself now.
All this ti while holding the core his body had been screaming, trembling, hungry for it. Like an addict denied a fix for too long. But Razeal had restrained himself. Clamped down that urge. Until now.
Now, after the system's explanation, he had context. And gave himself the permission.
Now, he could act.
"System... how do I absorb it?"
[Just let your body do what it's trying to do already.] The system's voice was calm but almost reverent now. [Learn that feeling. Follow it. Your body is starving for this it's finally found the source after sixteen years of thirst.]
Razeal's eyes fluttered shut.
He let go.
The restraint that had been clamping down deep inside him loosened, and all at once it surged.
Suddenly, the core in his palm responded.
A faint hiss filled the air.
From the core's surface, inky black gas began to leak smoke-like, sinister, alive. It curled and spiraled upwards in delicate tendrils, dancing like it had a mind of its own.
Then it moved.
The smoke slithered into his palm, as if pulled by so unseen force. Like a vacuum had opened up inside him, drawing it in.
Razeal's fingers twitched.
And then the sensation hit.
Cold.
Intensely cold.
Like ice water flooding beneath his skin, rushing up through his veins. His entire arm went numb for a heartbeat, then pulsed as the mana shot upward, invading every inch of his bloodstream. It traveled through his shoulder, shot across his chest and settled low in his stumack area, right below his sternum.
His breath hitched.
He wouldn't lie not even to himself it felt like euphoria. Like his very soul had been set on fire and cooled in the sa instant. The sensation was intoxicating.
Pleasure. Power. Relief.
It felt like a divine itch being scratched for the very first ti.
He could have groaned.
It felt right.
Then
Ding!!
A notification slamd into his consciousness.
[Congratulations, host.]
[You have absorbed a D-grade monster core (Third Rank).]
[Dark mana successfully absorbed: 100%.]
[New Affinity Unlocked: Shadow Affinity (Very Light).]
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