Chapter 156: UPGRADED TALENT

Alice clung to him, her grip tight, fingers digging into his back as her emotions poured out unchecked. Her sobs shook her, each one a raw release of the hurt she’d buried. The hall’s cool air seemed to grow heavier, the weight of her grief filling the space. Minutes stretched, feeling like hours, until her breathing steadied, her tears slowing to a trickle. She pulled back, eyes red but resolute, wiping her face with a trembling hand, her composure fighting to return."Do you hate me?" Aaron asked, voice low, searching her eyes for the truth, his own gaze steady but vulnerable for a fleeting moment.

"No," Alice said, voice soft but honest, her eyes meeting his despite the pain. "Just need time to deal. But no hate." Her words were clear, unwavering, and Aaron nodded, expecting that but needing to hear it, the knot in his chest loosening slightly.

"Maybe a new world helps," he said, voice gentle, offering a way forward. "Clear your head, find yourself again."

"I’m on the expedition?" Alice asked, surprise flashing across her face, eyes widening in the dim light. She hadn’t thought Aaron would let her leave the sanctuary, figured he’d keep her safe within its walls, shielded from the dangers of conquest.

The idea of a new world, of conquest, sparked a flicker of excitement in her, despite the grief still clinging to her heart. "Why not?" Aaron said, a small smile tugging at his lips, his tone warm but firm. "You, me, Rose, Bluestar. Flameborn too. Time to bond as family. Been way too long."

"Bluestar?" Alice asked, brow creasing in brief confusion, her mind catching up as she processed the name.

"Seriously? You don’t slow down?" she teased, a weak laugh breaking through her sorrow, a spark of her usual fire flickering back to life.

"Afraid not," Aaron replied, chuckling low, the sound warm in the quiet hall. They lingered, walking the corridors, talking lightly, the weight of their earlier talk easing with each step. The castle’s ancient walls seemed to watch, their tapestries silent witnesses to their shared moment. Eventually, they parted, each to their unfinished tasks, the quiet settling back over the halls.

---

Aaron returned to his chamber, the heavy oak door closing with a soft thud behind him. Things were moving fast, a whirlwind of plans and power, and Aaron thrived in it. Slow life was death to him, growth too sluggish for his hunger.


"System," he muttered, a sleek, illusory card appearing in his hand, its surface shimmering with arcane runes that pulsed like a heartbeat. "Know what time it is?"

[No. Enlighten me, host,] the system replied, its voice a sharp mix of sarcasm and curiosity echoing in his mind.

"Simple. Time to rip you apart. Drain you till you beg," Aaron said, grinning wicked, holding the talent upgrade card like a loaded weapon. To him, it was the ultimate trump, a key to breaking the system’s limits.

[Scary. Really think I’m scared of some lame card?] the system shot back, voice dripping with false bravado, but Aaron caught a flicker of unease beneath it, like a crack in its armor.

"Yes. Damn right I do. Upgrade my luck talent," Aaron announced, voice sharp, slamming the metaphorical hammer down.

Blink. Blink.

Aaron waited, eyes locked on the card, its faint glow casting shadows across his fingers. A minute dragged by. Nothing. No flash, no surge of power, no upgrade. Just dead silence. His grin faltered, confusion spiking, a cold knot forming in his gut. "Oi. You hear me? Upgrade my luck talent!" he yelled, voice echoing in the chamber, worry creeping in. Was the system playing him?

[Oh, sorry. Say something? Can’t hear you,] the system replied, shameless, its tone thick with mock innocence. Aaron’s jaw dropped, words failing him, stunned by the audacity.

"Sorry. Game over for you? Must be the alcohol," Aaron said, scrambling to recover, voice tight with forced calm, trying to wrestle control back.

[You’re a hybrid primogenitor. Can’t get drunk,] the system fired back, catching his bluff, its tone almost smug, reveling in the upper hand.

"Then the alcohol’s real strong, cause I’m drunk," Aaron whistled, sweat beading on his brow, his mind racing. The system not using the card? That’d derail everything, shatter his plans like glass under a boot.

[Tsk. Watch your mouth. I got the carrot and stick. You? Just a body whore,] the system taunted, its words sharp, cutting deep.

"Sorry," Aaron gritted out, temper flaring, fists clenching as he fought to keep it in check. He had to play nice. The system held all the cards here, and he was at its mercy, a fact that burned like acid.

[Tsk. Want you for your body. Nothing else, cheap thing. But can’t leave my bitch stranded,] the system said, voice cool and cutting, dragging out the jab.

Aaron’s rage boiled, knuckles white, seconds from snapping, his mind flashing with images of strangling the system’s voice out of existence, impossible as that was.

[Congratulations! SSS rank lucky halo upgraded to god rank talent,crown of luck,] the system announced, and Aaron’s anger vanished, wiped clean like dust in a storm, replaced by a surge of triumph.

"Lucky bastard," Aaron muttered, grin splitting his face, all grudges forgotten as he scanned the new ability, eyes glued to the shimmering status screen hovering before him.

[Aaron Highborn]

Race: Primogenitor Hybrid (Vampire-Werewolf)

Rank: God (★★★★)

Strength: ★★★★

Agility: ★★★★

Vitality: ∞

Stamina: ∞

Mana: ∞

Luck: ★★★★★★★★★★

Charm: ★★★★

Soul Strength: ★★★★

Talent:

God rank Crown of luck

SSS Swordsmanship

SSS Charm

SS Lightning King

Bloodlines:

SS Naga Bloodline

★★★★ Nightstalker Bloodline

★★★★ Conservative Bloodline

★★★★ Ripper Bloodline

★★★★ Nightmare Bloodline

★★ Eclipse Bloodline

Talent: God Rank – Crown of Luck

Description: You don’t ride luck’s wave—you are its source. Chance, fate, fortune bend to your will. Reality’s threads quiver at your step, bowing to your presence.

Abilities

1. Omni-Fortune (Absolute Passive)

No probability for you. Every outcome picks what’s best for you. No chance, just your will, absolute and final.

2. Fortune’s Spoils (Passive)

Loot jumps tiers. Chests, drops, rewards—2-3 levels higher, every time. Rare finds, hidden treasures seek you out like moths to flame.

3. Destiny Rewrite (Active – 7-day cooldown)

Change any event, past or future. New outcome’s reality’s truth. Gods, primordials can’t see the shift, blind to your rewrite.

4. Luck Harvest (Active)

Steal fortune from all nearby, dooming them to ruin. Armies crumble under chain disasters, your luck skyrocketing. Lasts 24 hours, relentless.

5. Cosmic Jackpot (Passive/Yearly Trigger)

Once a year, cosmos hands you a miracle. Talent to primordial, god-tier mount, perfect bloodline—beyond mortal grasp, absurd in scale.

6. Fate Overwrite (Passive)

Death, doom, fate can’t hold you. Reality bends to keep you alive. Unlimited, but rewrites get weirder, reality twisting stranger each time.

7. Singularity of Fortune (Passive Aura)

You’re luck’s core. Allies gain insane fortune,breakthroughs, secret finds. Enemies drown in calamity, no escape. Can’t turn off, ever.

8. Paradox Immunity (Passive)

Your luck’s contradictions? Reality fixes them. Time loops, fate clashes, divine conflicts adjust to you, no questions asked.

9. Domain of Inevitability (Active Ultimate)

Unleash control over chance. Sealed domain, all actions as you want. Enemies pick worst choices, every time. 10 minutes. Cooldown: 1 month.

"Muahahahahah. Muahahahahaha. My time’s here," Aaron laughed, voice booming through the chamber, echoing off the tapestries like a villain unchained after a century in chains. "If this doesn’t break you and your reward system, what will?" he taunted, eyes locked on the screen, arrogance radiating, his heart pounding with the thrill of power.