Chapter 93: Affinity of The Unparalleled Handsome Arcane Human.
The more I looked at the special effects of my newly awakened race... the more I began to understand what had really happened to me during the evolution.
My core had exploded back then.
And those strange, root-like structures that spread through my body, forming terminals at key points.
So that was it.
That was because of this.
The Soul Circuit effect.
My body had transformed into a core in itself.
I closed my eyes, focusing on the flow within me... and then I felt it.
My mana... it was being pumped out from the metaphysical heart nestled inside my real one, coursing through the root-like terminals, storing some amount in them before looping back again.
Over and over, the cycle repeated like a seamless rhythm of energy, life and power.
And that wasn’t all.
With every inhale, new mana seeped into me as if the very air was feeding my core, replenishing little of what I spent, restoring me endlessly.
Although the amount restored was far less than what I consumed, the fact that my mana replenished passively was nothing short of unheard of.
No potions, no meditation, no rest, just constant regeneration.
It opened up countless new possibilities for me.
Countless new ways to break the limits that once chained me.
The other three effects seemed to lean more toward the passive side.
Arcane Resonance amplified my spell potency while trimming down mana consumption, basically, more firepower for less fuel.
Duality of Flesh and Faith granted resistance to both physical and spiritual damage. Probably just a fancy way of saying my body got tougher.
And the last one simply deepened my resonance with the Card of Arcana.
Nothing flashy, nothing absurdly broken... but all of them were definitely useful.
I didn’t know what exactly influenced what during my evolution.
But I was pretty sure the Dragon Heart and Hel’s Authority had played a major role, especially in my racial upgrade.
After all, the quest to claim the Card of Arcana only mentioned it would evolve my Nexus.
It never said a damn thing about my race or affinity.
And yet, both of those had changed too.
So yeah... whatever strange cosmic math was at work here, it seems I got very lucky.
Suspiciously lucky, even.
The next thing that caught my eye was my rank, it had jumped by two whole minor levels.
My core had leveled up from Bronze to Iron.
Which, honestly, I wasn’t entirely sure how that worked... because technically, my entire body was the core now.
I’m not gonna start turning metallic, right?
Because walking around looking like a shiny iron statue isn’t exactly the aesthetic I’m going for.
Well... that doesn’t seem to be the case. At least, not yet.
Maybe it just toughened my body the same way a core is reinforced with every rank-up.
Come to think of it... my Endurance had increased by four minor levels.
Yeah, that probably explains it.
My body wasn’t just evolving, it was being reforged.
Next up on the list, my affinity.
Now this was something I was actually excited about.
I mean, it even had Arcanic as its prefix.
And if there’s one thing I’ve learned, anything that starts with Arcanic usually means it’s good.
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◈ Affinity: Arcane Jestfire
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◈ Description: An evolved flame born from the fusion of the contradictions. Arcane Jestfire carries both heat and chill and burns not with rage, but with wit.
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◈ Traits: The User can freely shift the heat between searing fire and cold, ghostly flame.
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Wait—what?
Is... is that it? That’s the whole thing?
I got a poetic essay and a temperature slider?
Why the hell give it such a flashy name then?
I swear, this world just lives to screw with me.
For one glorious moment, I actually got my hopes up. I thought maybe—just maybe—I would get something cool.
Like some divine fire that could vaporize anything or burn through reality itself.
But no.
What did I get?
A flashy fucking name... and a glorified thermostat.
What am I even supposed to do with that?
Sure, I had read enough novels to know that controlling heat was technically a superpower.
You could cloud perception, manipulate mirages, maybe even craft some cool, realistic illusions if you really pushed it.
But... let’s be honest here.
Did I even have the skills for that?
No.
At best, I could probably make someone slightly uncomfortable by changing the room temperature.
Truly, unstoppable.
Tch.
I got Hel’s authority and a literal heart of Dragon King for God’s sake.
Did my body spend it all on my racial evolution?
Well, not like I could’ve used it for anything major anyway.
I mean, an affinity is just that—an affinity. Controlling it depends on spells, and I don’t exactly have a divine library of those lying around.
I was just... hoping for something flashier, I guess. Something that screamed main character energy.
But whatever.
Not like I’m gonna let it get to me.
The world can keep its poetic flames and fake hype, I’ll make this work somehow. Because that’s what I do.
And actually... I can already think of a few ways to use it.
Or maybe there’s some hidden skill tied to my new affinity, something that’ll make it more useful.
It’s definitely not me trying to cope with it.
Yeah. That’s probably it.
Nope. I am totally fine and perfectly composed.
Just a man and his glorified temperature slider, making peace with destiny.
The next thing on the list was my Nexus.
Because if there was one thing I had learned by now, it’s that the fine print usually hides the part that tries to kill you.
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◈ Class: Arcane Trickster
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◈ Description: A being of deception, weaving illusions and reality through equal parts wit and will.
Arcane Tricksters don’t dominate through strength, they rewrite expectations. Each spell, movement, and word is a trap; each mistake, intentional. They walk the boundary between sorcery and sleight of hand, using trickery as both shield and blade.
They are feared not because of their power but because no one truly knows what is real when they fight. To an Arcane Trickster, victory is not survival, it’s making the world laugh while it burns.
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Yet another poetic description.
It seems the system’s decided to get philosophical with me instead of actually giving me something useful.
Still... it dropped quite a few hints about my own build.
And I had to admit, as far as job titles went—
Arcane Trickster did sound disgustingly fitting.
I could already guess what my future path was shaping up to be.
And I have to say it...
I liked it. Quite a bit.
A being of deception, a liar with purpose, yeah, that was something I could work with.
After checking the description, there were only two things left to go through, my Flaw and my Skills.
And honestly, considering how the universe had been treating me so far, I wasn’t sure which one I should be more worried about.
Still, I decided to check my flaws first.
The system window opened... as my eyes widened.
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◈ Flaw: The Trickster
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◈ Description:....
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Fucking hell is this shit.
—
Meanwhile, within the cold, desolate realm of Helheim, a new presence stirred.
A man stood amidst the frost, draconic horns curling from his head, vast wings of embered scale unfurling behind him.
His fiery crimson hair danced softly in the lifeless wind and his glacial blue eyes burned, not with cold, but with rage.
"That bug..." he hissed, voice rumbling like distant thunder.
But something was strange, he couldn’t remember the face or anything related to that bug.
"What is happening?"
His words barely left his mouth before the air around him fractured.
The cold winds of Helheim fell silent.
Even the endless whispers of the dead held their breath.
From the black fog behind him, a shadow began to take form, tall, cloaked and impossibly still.
The Reaper.
Its scythe dragged across the frozen ground, leaving cracks of darkness in its wake. Each step echoed like a death through the realm.
The dragon turned sharply, fury flashing across his eyes. "Who dares—"
The Reaper’s bony hand rose and his voice, low and resonant, cut through the silence like the edge of judgment itself.
"I don’t know who you’ve angered..." it rasped, voice layered with a thousand whispers. "...but you’ve chosen the wrong enemy, oh foolish dragon."
The man’s wings flared, fire meeting frost but in a single sweep of the scythe, his flames were snuffed out like candlelight.
"The Goddess of the Underworld, the one known for her Impartiality—Hel herself—has declared this your punishment."
"You have been sentenced," the Reaper thundered, raising the scythe high, "to eternal suffering."
The ground split beneath the dragon’s feet.
Screams—his own, distorted and endless—echoed as spectral chains lashed around him, dragging him down into the abyss below.
The chasm sealed shut.
The Reaper stood alone for a while watching the last embers die without a single expression on its face.
—
Author’s Note:
I know Rael’s new affinity might look like a glorified thermostat right now, but remember—names in this world aren’t random. "Jestfire" wasn’t chosen for nothing. It’s a seed, not a finished weapon. 😉
I know the pacing’s been slower lately but hey, at least the Chapters are beefy enough to count as meals. My wife (College) has me by the throat right now but I’ll try to sort out a better schedule soon.