Just as Yuna pointed toward the ring on the table, the air inside the little house seemed to grow heavier.

Arthur followed her finger.

The simple metal band sat on the rough wooden surface, its dark gem faintly pulsing with an ominous light. The wood beneath it was slightly charred, as if something inside the ring was slowly burning its way out of reality itself.

Arthur swallowed.

"How many days have I been unconscious?" Arthur asked in a low voice.

Yuna crossed her arms.

"It’s been ten days," she said.

Arthur thought for a moment.

’Ten days outside...’ he calculated. ’Time flows three times faster inside that ring. So it’s been almost three months for him.’

He lifted his gaze from the ring to Yuna and Elizabeth.

"Even without food or water, a SS‑Ranker as strong as him can survive for months," Arthur said. "The Imperius family must be going crazy trying to find me right now."

Elizabeth’s crimson eyes narrowed.

"And what about your so‑called friends?" Elizabeth asked. "They’re probably being held captive right now."

Arthur went quiet.

For a long heartbeat, he said nothing.

Then he spoke.

"Don’t worry," Arthur said. "As long as I have their patriarch, they won’t harm them. At worst, they’ll try to blackmail their noble houses and countries."

His eyes turned colder.

"But I already have a solution for that," Arthur continued. "So you guys don’t have to worry."

Yuna tilted her head.

"And what would that be?" Yuna asked.

Arthur’s gaze returned to the ring.

The temperature in his voice dropped.

"Threaten them back, of course," Arthur said. "If even one of my friends is harmed... I’ll kill the bastard in that ring."

For a moment, Yuna and Elizabeth were speechless.

"You’re sure about that?" Yuna asked quietly. "He’s your fa—"

"There was never a family," Arthur cut in. "I’ve left the past behind. Only the present matters now. So don’t worry. I’ll handle everything."

Yuna studied his face for a while, then sighed.

"Fine," Yuna said. "But don’t try to do everything on your own, okay? I also have a few friends who can help us. I’m trying to contact the—"

"Alright," Arthur said, cutting in more gently this time. "We’ll use whatever help we can get."

Before Yuna could continue, the door creaked open.

Erica walked in, cheeks flushed from exertion, a large wooden bucket hanging from her hands.

"Alright, everyone," Erica announced. "We’re having fish today."

The bucket was full—silver fish wriggling and flopping over one another, still dripping river water.

"They look fresh," Yuna said, eyes lighting up. "Let me help you cook them."

"I’ll appreciate the help," Erica replied.

The two of them stepped outside. Through the broken wall, Arthur could see Erica gather dry branches with a quick wind spell, then conjure a small, perfectly controlled fireball to light them. Flames took hold under a makeshift stone campfire.

Yuna cleaned and seasoned the fish with practiced skill, while Erica prepared skewers and pans. The smell of fresh herbs and roasting fish soon began to drift into the house.

Luna, the little fairy, perched in Erica’s hair, half‑hidden in the silky white strands. She kept stealing glances at Arthur, then burying her face back into Erica’s hair whenever he looked her way.

Arthur noticed.

He looked at Elizabeth.

"What’s the deal with that Erica girl?" Arthur asked. "And why haven’t you given her proper clothes to wear?"

Elizabeth gave him a look.

"It’s a long story," Elizabeth said. "Why don’t you take a proper bath first before I tell you? You’re stinking of sweat."

Arthur’s mouth twitched.

"I hate to say it," Arthur muttered, sniffing his sleeve, "but you’re right."

"Go straight from here," Elizabeth said, pointing toward the back of the house. "You’ll find a river. Go take a bath there."

Arthur glanced once more at the ring on the table.

He picked it up and, with a thought, stored it safely inside his system inventory. Losing it was not an option.

Then he nodded and stepped out of the broken wall, heading toward the trees.

The forest opened up after a short walk, revealing a clear river cutting through the greenery. Crystal water flowed over smooth stones, reflecting the sky like a strip of moving glass. Birds sang somewhere above, and the air smelled clean, full of damp earth and leaves.

Arthur took a deep breath.

From his spatial ring, he pulled out a fresh set of clothes and set them neatly on a flat rock.

Then he jumped into the river.

Cold water closed around him.

A shudder ran through his body—shock at first, then relief. The chill seeped into his tired muscles, washing away sweat, grime, and some of the tension buried deep in his bones. He sank under for a moment, then surfaced, running wet hands through his hair.

For the first time in what felt like years, he allowed himself to simply float, letting the current carry him a few meters downstream before swimming back.

’It’s been a long time since I checked my status window...’ Arthur thought.

He looked up at the canopy.

"System," Arthur said. "You alive in there?"

[ Of course, host. ]

Arthur smiled faintly.

"Show me the status window," he said.

A translucent panel appeared in front of him.

════════════════════════════

[ STATUS ]

════════════════════════════

Name : Arthur

Race : Vampire–Demon–Human (Hybrid) (NEW)

Class : Blood Monarch

Rank : B-Rank Tier-3 (NEW)

Potential : S-Rank (NEW)

Level : 405

EXP : 106,790 / 3,000,000

(Note: EXP required to break through to A-Rank.)

────────────────────────────

[ TALENTS ]

────────────────────────────

• Imperfect Imitation (F-Rank)

• Crown of Sorcery (A-Rank) (NEW)

• Elemental Convergence (SS-Rank) (NEW)

(Shared through Blood Bond with Kin)

• Sharpshooter (A-Rank) (NEW)

• Beast Tamer (S-Rank) (NEW)

────────────────────────────

[ BODY CONSTITUTIONS ]

────────────────────────────

• Infinite Harmony Constitution (NEW)

────────────────────────────

[ ATTRIBUTES ]

────────────────────────────

Strength : 354

Agility : 365 → 665

Durability : 355

Intelligence : 372

Will : 320

Vitality : 100 (NEW)

Charm : 110 (-20)

Luck : 54

────────────────────────────

Attribute Points : 650

────────────────────────────

[ INNATE ABILITIES ]

• Photographic Memory

• Boxing

────────────────────────────

[ BLOODLINE ]

────────────────────────────

• Origin King Bloodline (PROGENITOR)

[PRIMARY]

• Blood Monarch (PROGENITOR)

[SECONDARY] (NEW)

• Imperius Starblood Lineage

[SECONDARY] (NEW)

• Primordial Daemon Bloodline (10% Evolution)

[SECONDARY] (NEW)

Progress:

/ 10 Demon Lord Bloodlines Absorbed

Requirement:

Absorb the bloodlines of 9 additional Demon Lords

to complete the evolution.

[Scroll ▼] View Bloodline Information

────────────────────────────

[ TRAITS ]

────────────────────────────

• Blood Absorption

• Bloodline Extraction

• Bloodline Assimilation

• Daywalker (NEW)

• Blood Control (NEW)

• Blood Consumption (NEW)

────────────────────────────

[ SKILLS ]

────────────────────────────

• Omnicognition (S-Rank)

• Language (S-Rank)

• Berserk (A-Rank)

• Blink (B-Rank)

• Shadow Veil (B-Rank)

• Echo Step (C-Rank)

• Corruption (A-Rank) (NEW)

────────────────────────────

[ BLOODLINE ABILITIES ]

────────────────────────────

[ Blood Monarch ]

• Vampiric Vision (S-Rank) (NEW)

• Hunger (SS-Rank) (NEW)

• Wrath of the Blood God (SS-Rank) (NEW)

• Blood Domain (SSS-Rank) (NEW)

• Fear (A-Rank) (NEW)

────────────────────────────

[ Imperius Starblood Lineage ]

• Infinity (SS-Rank) (NEW)

────────────────────────────

[ Primordial Daemon Bloodline

(10% Evolution) ]

• Primordial Daemon Form

(Rank Unknown — Temporarily B-Rank) (NEW)

────────────────────────────

[ SYSTEMS CONQUERED ]

────────────────────────────

Absolute Choice System : DEVOURED

Status : Fully Integrated

Authority : Suppressed & Subjugated

Condition : Awaiting Host Command

Sacrificial System : DEVOURED (NEW)

Status : Fully Integrated

Authority : Suppressed & Subjugated

Condition : Awaiting Host Command

(Note: All core functions successfully overwritten.

No residual resistance detected.)

════════════════════════════

Remark:

Hm.

You’ve grown faster than I expected.

That rarely ends well.

════════════════════════════

Arthur whistled softly.

"Wow. I finally broke through to B‑Rank," Arthur said. "And my arsenal of abilities has really grown a lot."

His eyes lingered on the word "Potential."

S‑Rank.

’Looks like devouring the owner of the Sacrificial System was really worth it,’ Arthur thought.

He scanned the talent list.

"I’ve also got some new talents," Arthur said. "Especially that Beast Tamer talent. That’ll be useful."

His eyes slid to "Sharpshooter."

"As for Sharpshooter," Arthur added, "I can already guess what it does from the name. No need to check the description."

He nodded at the way his bloodline abilities had been arranged.

"The interface is separating bloodline abilities now," Arthur said. "Looks like leveling up did you some good."

[ I wish we could find some new targets to devour, ] the system replied.

"Don’t worry," Arthur said. "If I’m right, someone will be coming here soon, thinking she’s already figured me out."

[ Who, host? ]

Arthur smirked.

"It’s a secret," he said.

He thought for a moment.

"Distribute a hundred points evenly into all stats" Arthur said. "Except Charm and add 30 points into luck too this time."

[ What about Luck, host? ] the system asked. [ You know how the Luck stat works. I’ve already told you before. ]

"I remember," Arthur said. "But in the situation I’m in, I’ll need some luck too."

[ If you say so... ]

Numbers shifted in front of his eyes.

────────────────────────────

[ ATTRIBUTES ]

────────────────────────────

Strength : 354 → 454

Agility : 665 → 765

Durability : 355 → 455

Intelligence : 372 → 472

Will : 320 → 420

Vitality : 100 → 200

Charm : 110 (-20)

Luck : 54 → 84

────────────────────────────

Attribute Points : 20

────────────────────────────

Arthur felt the change immediately.

His muscles felt denser, movements lighter. His mind cleared further, thoughts flowing more smoothly. The lingering fatigue in his bones eased just a little.

He closed the status window, a satisfied smile tugging at his lips.

Then he waded out of the river, water streaming from his hair and shoulders. After drying off as best he could with a towel from his storage, he slipped into the fresh clothes he’d set aside—a simple dark shirt, jeans, and boots that actually matched.

He took one last breath of the clean river air.

Then he headed back toward Erica’s rundown house.

As he stepped into the clearing, he paused.

The sight that greeted him was a little unfamiliar.

Multiple elves were lying unconscious all around the house, sprawled in various unflattering positions—some face‑down in the dirt, others dangling halfway over broken fences or collapsed against tree trunks. A few had impressive lumps forming on their foreheads.

In front of the house stood Yuna, cracking her blood‑smeared knuckles.

Elizabeth leaned against a tree nearby, watching with amused eyes, while Erica looked torn between panic over the defeated elves and relief that they were only knocked out, not dead.

Arthur took in the scene.

"There she is," Arthur muttered. "And she calls me the guy who attracts trouble wherever he goes."