As the sun neared the horizon, the carriage rolled to a stop at the gate of the courtyard.
The moment Luke stepped down and entered the yard, he felt his whole body loosen.
Being home felt so good.
Today had genuinely worn him out.
In the courtyard, Frey and Vayne were cleaning their gear after the fight.
Luke, looking thoroughly drained, sprawled into the rocking chair and stared off into space.
Not long after, Yurna brought over a cup of hot tea at the perfect temperature.
Luke took it and lifted his gaze to the maid in front of him.
Her long, jet-black hair fell like satin. Her skin was pale and smooth like polished ivory, flawless to the eye. Beneath softly arched brows were violet eyes like gemstones—emotionless on the surface, yet breathtaking all the same.
A neat, delicate nose, rose-colored lips… the same cool, indifferent face as always, still showing no expression.
He saw that face every day and every night, yet when he looked closely like this, it still made his heart flicker with a quiet kind of amazement.
Looking at Yurna, Luke suddenly thought—
Honestly, his maid hadn't had an easy day either.
A lot of moments had only held together because she was there.
Yurna noticed him staring. She tilted her head slightly, waiting for him to give an order.
Luke smiled. "Anything you want to eat tonight?"
A hint of confusion surfaced in Yurna's eyes, like she hadn't expected that question.
But she recovered quickly.
For once, a trace of conflict appeared on her usually blank face, as if choosing was difficult. After a long pause, those beautiful eyes settled on Luke, and her lips parted.
"Pudding."
"Pudding, huh." Luke chuckled, somehow not surprised.
He suddenly remembered the first time she'd ever eaten pudding—one of the rare times he'd seen her show anything other than that calm mask.
Seeing the nostalgia on his face, Yurna seemed to remember too. She lowered her head, shifted her gaze away, and her cheeks looked a little pinker.
"Then pudding it is!"
Luke downed the tea in one go. As the Smoky Earl Grey Tea warmed his stomach, his mind and body recovered a little.
He stood from the rocking chair and headed for the kitchen.
He'd come to realize there wasn't a girl alive who could truly resist dessert.
Not even Yurna.
Of course, dinner couldn't be just pudding. They'd skipped lunch entirely while investigating Kerr Village, and at this point their stomachs were painfully empty.
So as a pre-meal sweet to take the edge off, Luke made the pudding first.
By then, night had fallen. The air was quiet and still, with the occasional breeze drifting through.
In the yard—
Seated at the table, Vayne stared at this dessert called pudding, curiosity rising in her eyes.
It looked like a smooth, pale-yellow jelly—neatly ridged around the sides. A glossy layer of caramel coated the top, shimmering faintly in the torchlight. It looked absurdly appetizing.
And when she tapped it lightly with a spoon, it wobbled softly, almost playfully.
She'd never seen a dessert like this.
Curious, she scooped up a bite and put it in her mouth.
Instantly, sweet, silky flavor melted across her tongue.
A satisfied look spread over her face. In that moment, it felt like her body and soul had been healed.
After that first bite, she couldn't stop. As the pudding grew smaller, she even started feeling reluctant.
She slowed down, eating in small bites, and her eyes drifted toward the kitchen.
If she thought about it carefully… this guy was handsome, his cooking was unreal, and he was ridiculously strong.
It almost seemed like—aside from having a mouth—he didn't really have any flaws.
And yet it was that mouth that could drive a person insane.
The moment that thought hit, the warm "pudding glow" she'd developed toward Luke shattered on the spot.
She pulled her gaze away from the kitchen, let out a slow sigh, and thought for no real reason at all—
A good man, wasted on a mouth.
Vayne had no idea plenty of other people had thought the same.
In the kitchen, Luke had no clue what was going through her head. He just worked smoothly through dish after dish.
By the time the sky turned fully dark and stars dotted the night—
A lavish dinner was ready.
All four of them could eat. Even with pudding cushioning their hunger, the table of food vanished like a swarm of locusts had swept through.
After dinner, Vayne leaned back in her chair and looked up at the moon, feeling full and warm.
And suddenly, a thought appeared out of nowhere—
Maybe… living like this wouldn't be so bad.
She stole a glance at Luke's profile as he stared up at the moon, and that thought flashed again.
It startled her so badly she almost flinched.
A second later, her thirst for revenge tore it to pieces.
She cursed herself in her head. Just because she'd had two comfortable days, did she really think she deserved to relax?
Not until her vengeance was done.
Not until the debt was paid.
Watching his face, Vayne suddenly felt like she'd been corrupted by him.
There was something strange about Luke—some kind of effect that infected anyone who got close.
People started relaxing. Getting lazy. Their hearts grew quiet.
None of that was inherently bad.
But Vayne didn't need quiet.
Not yet.
"Look at the moon tonight," Luke said, lounging in his chair, eyes faintly bright. He pointed up at the chunk missing from the moon and laughed. "Doesn't it look like someone took a bite out of it?"
Vayne glanced up once and snorted. "Childish."
Then she stood and walked off without another word.
Luke watched her back, confused. He hadn't even said anything to make her mad today, had he?
Vayne returned to her room with the faint air of someone fleeing, exhaled slowly, and the look in her dark eyes hardened into resolve.
Until her revenge was complete…
She couldn't allow herself to be influenced.
Thinking of the sudden surge of power she'd gained today, Vayne clenched her fist, vengeance burning in her eyes.
She would keep getting stronger—strong enough to wipe out every piece of darkness in this world.
In the yard—
"Is Vayne already resting?" Frey asked as she came out after washing the dishes. She saw only Luke in the rocking chair.
"No idea," Luke muttered, not in the best mood. "Your student's weird all the time. Like a little chili pepper—touch her and she ignites."
Frey smiled helplessly. "Please be patient with her."
She looked toward Vayne's room, and honestly, even Frey felt Vayne had been strange today.
Especially when she thought back to the fight against those dark creatures—how unfamiliar Vayne had felt in that moment.
It made Frey uneasy.
Still… gaining power should be a good thing for that child.
With a quiet sigh, Frey decided to leave it alone for now.
Maybe she was overthinking.
It wasn't that late yet, so Frey returned to her room.
That left Luke alone in the yard, the only one still moon-watching. Yurna had never cared about things like this.
Luke's body, exhausted from the day, didn't want to move at all. He even thought about just falling asleep right there.
Late at night—
A letter arrived at the Crownguard estate.
Tianna had only just returned from working at the palace.
When she saw the Lightshield seal on the envelope, she immediately took it.
She went into the sitting room, opened it, and found two letters inside. One was addressed to her. The moment she read the first line, a smile flickered in her eyes.
So it really was that boy writing.
She kept reading.
"To my respected aunt,
By the time you read this letter, I'm probably already asleep.
Today was an unusually exhausting, grueling day for me. Of course, I'm not emphasizing that on purpose—because for me, being a little tired, suffering a little, is all in service of completing your mission better.
It's just… my back is aching and my waist is sore, and I don't know when it'll stop.
I really don't mean anything by it. I just wanted to tell you how I've been.
Also, you very nearly would've never seen me again."
Tianna's smile faded. Her brows drew together, and she continued.
"Kerr Village has had three people go missing. We didn't find their remains, but I can basically confirm they're dead.
That's not the important part. The important part is what I'm about to say.
Not long after we arrived in Kerr Village, a villager was attacked by a bloodthirsty demon.
When it saw us arrive, it fled immediately. We pursued it and discovered it had led us to a place where dark creatures were massing.
There were three bloodthirsty demons and four shapeshifters, plus a cave full of wraiths.
Inside, we encountered a mid-tier wraith that was in the middle of evolving. After a fierce battle, we barely scraped out a win.
During the follow-up search, we found traces of black magic in the cave. What happened here may be tied to a dark mage, but at present we've lost the trail.
By now, maybe you've already shed tears of worry for me. But Aunt, I want to say—I'm fine. You truly don't need to regret your decision.
I only took a few tiny injuries after the fight. Roughly three ribs broken, one leg bone broken, plus some trivial internal injuries. I only spat up a little blood, that's all.
I can handle something this small.
This mess has nothing to do with your decision. In the end, it's because I'm too weak.
It's just that… at this point, I honestly don't know how to keep investigating.
Maybe you should send someone more capable. Like my brother.
Or those Mageseeker lords who love wearing masks and acting cool.
Seeing the letter is like seeing the person. It's been days—have you missed me?
Because I've missed you.
Also, I wish you good health.
Your beloved nephew—Luke.
July 22, 679."
When she finished, Tianna's face was hard, her eyes flashing.
Yes, the boy exaggerated in obvious places, but Tianna could tell the real danger had probably been even worse than what he'd written.
So Kerr Village truly had become something serious.
That many dark creatures…
If she'd known it would be this kind of incident, she honestly might not have sent Luke at all.
Thankfully, he'd survived and dealt with it.
Holding the letter, she could practically picture his state as he wrote it.
Not once did he openly say it, but between every line she could read:
"I don't want to do this anymore," "I want to slack off," "please replace me."
Tianna rubbed her brow and clicked her tongue, half annoyed, half resigned. "Brat."
Still… maybe she really should swap someone else in to investigate further. After a day like that, the boy had to be exhausted.
Her original plan had been to let him see the world a bit. After an experience like this, he'd gained enough lessons already.
Pushing too far could backfire. Stopping here was probably best.
Just then, a door opened on the second-floor hallway.
A young Crownguard lady in pale pink pajamas stepped out, yawning, eyes sleepy—probably headed to the bathroom.
She noticed the living room light still on and looked over groggily.
"Aunt Tianna, are you reading a letter?"
"Yes," Tianna answered. Before Lux could ask more, Tianna added, "Luke wrote it. There's one for you too."
Lux, who'd been half asleep, instantly woke up.
"He wrote me a letter?"
Her eyes lit up. She hurried down the stairs and into the living room.
When Tianna handed her the envelope, Lux asked first, "Did you read it?"
"No," Tianna said with a smile and shook her head. She had no interest in snooping through young people's private letters.
Lux sat on the couch, face full of anticipation as she opened it, curious what he would write.
"To Lady Crownguard,
It's only been a week since we parted in the capital, but it feels like… seven whole days.
A lot has happened out here, and I've seen a lot of beautiful scenery. It's a shame you couldn't see it.
I'm not writing this for any particular reason. I just wanted to tell you something.
These days, I've been living like a king!
I sleep until whenever I feel like waking up.
I eat whatever I want, do whatever I want, and it's like I'm living in paradise.
Being far away from that old lady, with absolutely nobody controlling me, is a truly beautiful thing.
Hahaha—how are you doing?
If I'm not mistaken, you've been in class for four days straight now, right? Did you finish today's homework? Memorize your lessons? Sleeping well and peacefully?
Me? I'm sleeping like a baby. Deep and comfy.
Ah, yes… lying in the yard every day, sunbathing—what a boring life this is. Truly tragic.
Alright, I'll stop here. I'm going back to lying down.
No idea if you'll read this at night or in the daytime.
If it's at night, I hope you have a good dream.
If it's in the daytime… I still hope you have a good dream.
—Luke
July 22, 679."
"Unbelievable…"
By the time she got there, Lux had her teeth clenched and her face dark.
It was like she could see his smug, punchable grin right in front of her.
She crumpled the letter into a ball, shaking with anger in the dead of night, with nowhere to vent it.
She never would've guessed she could get this furious through a piece of paper.
"I'm going to lose it—what is wrong with him?!"
The more she thought, the angrier she got. She practically wanted to charge to Edessa and bite him.
After reading that, how was she supposed to have a good dream?
Just imagining how carefree his life was made her feel wildly unbalanced.
She should never have read it.
Seriously—if she knew it was from him, why couldn't she resist?
From inside a bedroom, an annoyed voice snapped out.
"What are you screaming about in the middle of the night?!"
Lux jolted, shrank her neck, and didn't dare say a word.
And that just made her angrier.
All his fault.
If he hadn't written this stupid letter, she wouldn't be getting yelled at by her mother.
Tianna, standing nearby, smiled faintly. She didn't even need to read the letter to know Luke was provoking Lux on purpose.
Lux had zero sleepiness left. She glanced at Tianna, thought of something, and quickly smoothed the crumpled letter back out.
Then she handed it to Tianna with a sweet smile. "Aunt Tianna, you should read it too."
"I'll pass," Tianna said, waving her off. "It's not written to me."
Lux insisted. "He mentions you. You should."
That made Tianna curious.
Luke had written her a separate letter full of "Aunt this" and "Aunt that," all respectful, all flattering.
Tianna wanted to see what he dared call her in someone else's letter.
So she looked down, a faint smile still on her face.
And as she read—
The smile vanished.
Her gaze locked onto the words "that old lady" and wouldn't move.
Lux could practically feel Tianna's anger meter shooting straight up.
Lux's heart delighted in a small, wicked way. She suddenly felt better.
Tianna turned to Lux, calm voice, eyes sharp. "What does he usually call me?"
"Aunt Tianna. High Marshal," Lux answered quickly.
"When I'm not around."
"I can't say," Lux replied, putting on a righteous expression. "I can't put Your Highness in an unjust position."
Tianna patted Lux's head. "I'll add ten gold to your monthly allowance."
Lux shook her head, firm. "No. Your Highness is so good to me. That's not enough."
"Eleven."
"Oh, it's nothing," Lux said, looking innocent. "Stuff like 'old hag,' 'tigress,' 'menopause,' you know… he only says it ten times a day."
Tianna's mouth curved into a cold smile.
The already-wrinkled paper in her hand got crushed into a tight ball again.
In that instant, she changed her mind.
If he had enough energy to write smug nonsense like this, clearly his "excess vitality" needed somewhere to go.
Fine.
He could keep investigating.
Lux felt Tianna's presence rising like a storm. Even she shivered.
Terrifying.
She mourned a certain someone for exactly 0.3 seconds, stood up, and silently walked to the bathroom.
At the same time, in Edessa—
In the yard—
Luke, half asleep in his rocking chair, suddenly jerked hard and woke up.
He sat up and scanned the courtyard, frowning.
What was that?
Why did he suddenly get this… dangerous feeling for no reason?
A cold gust slid across him, and he shivered.
"Whew…"
Maybe he was just catching a chill.
So he stood and went inside.
Once in bed, under the blanket, he tried to figure out where that sense of danger had come from.
After a few seconds, he gave up. Eyes closed, he fell asleep on the spot.
Not long after, he was out cold.
Outside the city—
A group of Shadow God cultists gathered again.
Their black robes blended into the night. They stood in neat rows, silent and disciplined.
At the front, Elder Dande removed his hood, revealing an aged face lined with deep wrinkles. He spoke calmly.
"So. The Wraith Cave in Kerr Village… was destroyed?"
"Yes, Elder," one cultist stepped forward to report. "The mid-tier wraith we cultivated appears to have been purified by holy power. The other three bloodthirsty demons and the four shapeshifter warriors were also killed."
Elder Dande looked at him, eyes flat, emotionless. "So the plan failed."
Those simple words made the cultist jolt. He hurriedly bowed even lower.
"Many unexpected variables occurred. From what I observed, the Fated One has a powerful protector at their side."
"There were also two demon hunters traveling with them, and even a fifth person who wielded purifying power—but I couldn't identify or locate them."
"I see," Elder Dande said, voice turning colder. The entire atmosphere sank. No one dared breathe too loudly.
The reporting cultist trembled, like he might drop to his knees.
Elder Dande glanced at him again and spoke as if granting mercy.
"Then it isn't your fault. Since it isn't your fault, I'll give you one more chance. You know what you must do. Don't disappoint me—or the Shadow God."
"Yes, Elder Dande!" the cultist blurted, breathing like a man spared at the gallows.
Elder Dande stopped looking at him and addressed everyone.
"The Shadow God's descent is near. On the Night of Blood, the Shadow God Church will rise. Before that day comes, we must act as one."
The cultists answered in unison, voices low and devout.
"For the Shadow God, we will give everything!"
Elder Dande smiled in satisfaction—then his expression twisted. He suddenly dropped to one knee and coughed violently. A mouthful of blood sprayed from his throat.
One cultist rushed forward. "Elder Dande! Are you alright?"
"Do I look alright?" Elder Dande snapped, glaring at him.
After being helped back up, he spoke with eerie calm. "It's fine. I've already given everything to the Shadow God. This broken body won't last much longer."
The cultist's face tightened with worry. "If you fall, who will lead us?"
Elder Dande answered blandly, "Next, the Shadow God will lead you. This body can still hold on until the Blood Moon. I can hold on until the day I see the Shadow God with my own eyes."
As he spoke, something feverish and fanatical crept into his expression.
That fearless devotion infected the cultists around him.
They raised their arms and began chanting Elder Dande's name and the Shadow God's name.
In the deep night, in the silent forest, under such a twisted atmosphere, it was sickeningly sinister.
The next day—July 23.
Luke slept until his body woke on its own. When he opened his eyes, he still felt drowsy.
He rolled over, hooked a leg over the blanket, and glanced toward the door. A slice of sunlight streamed through the small window.
He stayed like that for a while until the heaviness faded and his mind cleared.
Then he sat up. After yesterday's fight and such a comfortable sleep, a lazy softness still clung to his limbs.
He slipped on his slippers and walked outside, catching the faint sound of sparring.
It came from beyond the yard.
Frey and Vayne.
After waking Luke up last night, they'd clearly learned their lesson and moved their morning training outside the courtyard.
And it really hadn't disturbed him.
The gate was open. Stepping out, Luke saw Frey and Vayne trading blows and practicing.
Vayne's strength had surged yesterday, but she was still clearly below her teacher.
Frey controlled the rhythm, and from her posture, she wasn't even using full strength.
When they noticed Luke was awake, they stopped and came back into the yard for a quick rest.
"Did we wake you today, Your Highness?" Frey asked.
Luke flopped into the rocking chair and waved a hand. "No. It's quiet today. Keep going. Don't mind me."
Vayne watched him, and a strange sense of waste rose in her chest.
This man had that level of power and talent—why didn't he use all this lazy time to train?
Why did the world give such a gift to someone like him?
Thinking that, Vayne sighed, frustrated—but she couldn't really say anything. She just looked at Frey.
"Teacher. Let's continue."
In her head, she added silently: Fine. Keep slacking.
I'll keep pushing—pushing until I surpass you.
"Alright," Frey said.
She reset her stance, slipped away from Vayne's incoming punch, and lightly countered.
The two of them resumed training in the yard.
Luke yawned, watched for a bit, then suddenly remembered something.
In his mind, he said, "Sign in."
[Detected: Host possesses 1 special sign-in card. Use it?]
"Use it."
[Special sign-in card used successfully. This sign-in has been converted to a special sign-in.]
[Sign-in successful.]
[Congratulations, Host: Advanced Side-Profession Upgrade Card x1]
[Congratulations, Host: Peerless Miracle Medicine—Thousand-Year Snow Lotus x1]
[Congratulations, Host: High-tier skill—Righteous Aura Guard]
[Congratulations, Host: Intermediate Skill Upgrade Card x2]
[Congratulations, Host: Basic Skill Upgrade Card x2]
[Congratulations, Host: Realm Upgrade Card x1]
[Rewards have been stored in inventory. Please check them.]
As the sign-in converted to a special sign-in, a chain of system prompts rang through Luke's mind.
He scanned the rewards and saw most of them were upgrade cards.
Which meant after this, his overall strength would jump again.
And he'd gotten a peerless miracle medicine too—he already had another of the same tier in his inventory.
Peerless miracle medicine ranked above rare treasures by a full tier.
This stuff was incredibly useful—when needed, it could even save a life.
And in the hands of Luke, with maxed-out medical skill, its value would be even more outrageous.
[Detected learnable skill—Righteous Aura Guard LV3 (minor mastery). Learn?]
"Learn."
Information surged into Luke's mind. Over the next ten minutes, he absorbed every aspect of Righteous Aura Guard.
When he opened his eyes, he looked satisfied.
A high-tier skill really didn't come with any duds.
Just from the name, it was clearly defensive.
In game terms: once activated, it generated a shield, and the shield's strength depended on Luke's power and the skill's level.
Higher level meant a stronger shield.
But it didn't stop there.
The "righteous aura" was a force of upright, holy energy, giving it a natural suppressive effect against dark-aspected creatures.
That suppressive effect also scaled with the skill level.
Honestly, it came at the perfect time.
After yesterday's battle, Luke had finally seen how important attribute countering really was.
That expensive sword he'd bought didn't have any holy property—against dark creatures, it felt like he was hacking at them for a joke.
Someone else could drop minor enemies with a single shot, while Luke needed several sword swings—wasting effort for no reason.
With Righteous Aura Guard, it wouldn't be the same.
The skill could be channeled into a weapon, coating it with a holy attribute—effectively creating a counter to dark creatures.
Thinking that, Luke immediately used two basic skill upgrade cards on Righteous Aura Guard.
[Basic skill upgrade card used successfully. Righteous Aura Guard upgraded to LV4.]
[Basic skill upgrade card used successfully. Righteous Aura Guard upgraded to LV5.]
As it rose two levels in a row, a flood of new insights poured into Luke's mind.
In the next moment, his presence changed sharply.
Mid-spar, Vayne and Frey sensed it and turned their heads, eyes locking onto Luke.
They both froze.
A second ago, Luke slumped in the rocking chair with a visibly lazy air.
But now, an overwhelming righteous presence rolled off him. Even lying down, he didn't look lazy at all—he looked like a completely different person.
Paired with his striking face, it was dazzling—almost unfair.
Vayne had to admit: in that moment, Luke seemed flawless. That upright, radiant aura was impossibly eye-catching.
Two seconds later, Luke's presence suddenly returned to its usual lazy drift.
It made the two of them feel like they'd imagined the whole thing.
Luke opened his eyes, saw them staring, and asked, "Why are you both looking at me like that?"
Vayne said seriously, "Can you make the Luke from just now talk instead?"
Luke blinked. "What are you even saying? I've always been me."
Vayne sighed in disappointment and looked at Frey. "Teacher. Let's continue."
Frey nodded and looked away.
Luke, baffled, mentally typed a giant question mark, but didn't dwell on it.
After finishing his LV5 absorption, he moved on to the next rewards.
"Use the realm upgrade card."
[Realm upgrade card used successfully. Host realm has advanced to Mid Unyielding.]
The moment the prompt ended, Luke felt a surge of fullness flood his flesh. Every cell in his body seemed to cheer as energy poured from his heart into his limbs and every corner of him.
After a while, the feeling faded.
It was only a small step, but Luke could tell he'd gotten stronger again.
He lay back peacefully, glanced at Frey and Vayne training nonstop, and felt the steady power in his body. A grin tugged at his mouth.
Getting stronger without trying…
This felt amazing.
"System, upgrade Windfury Swordsmanship."
[Intermediate skill upgrade card used successfully.]
Energy poured into Luke's body.
The wind around them suddenly grew stronger.
A rushing, constant howl rose, and Luke sank into a strange, profound state—like he was in some endless place, swinging a sword again and again, feeling the wind again and again.
One year. Two years. Three years.
As if time flowed endlessly, and each passing moment made his understanding deeper.
Once a skill passed LV5, every increase was a massive change.
Whoosh!
When Luke's comprehension reached a threshold—
A powerful gust exploded outward from him, sweeping across the yard.
The sudden wind broke the rhythm of Frey and Vayne's sparring. They both turned their eyes to Luke again.
A visible gale was spiraling around his body, circling him with a low roar.
Luke sat in the center with his eyes closed, sharpness radiating from him like a drawn blade.
Both of them widened their eyes.
"What is he doing?" Vayne asked, not understanding.
Frey searched her knowledge and guessed, uncertain. "Your Highness… may have entered a state of sudden enlightenment."
Vayne blinked. "Enlightenment about what?"
As she spoke, she felt the wind brushing past her like the edge of a blade—sharp enough to prickle her skin.
"If I'm not mistaken… sword intent," Frey said, still not completely sure.
She was a shaman from Freljord—she didn't truly specialize in blades.
But based on years of traveling Runeterra, she could roughly confirm Luke was comprehending sword intent right now.
Vayne immediately thought of the wind-controlling sword art Luke had used yesterday.
So this was likely the sword intent of that technique.
Sword intent—she knew what it meant. For swordsmen, it was something extremely important.
And that made a question pop into her head.
Why?
In her memory, Luke hadn't done anything.
So why could he just lie there and comprehend sword intent without lifting a finger?
The wind around Luke gradually softened. The gusts dying off returned to normal, and then faded entirely.
[Windfury Swordsmanship upgraded to LV7. Windfury Sword Intent (minor mastery) has been automatically comprehended.]
Luke opened his eyes, looking extremely satisfied. Noticing Frey and Vayne staring again, he said, "Sorry. Keep going."
They resumed training, but this time both of them were distracted.
People were jealous creatures by nature.
Even knowing Luke's talent was absurd, seeing him gain sword intent while lying down still felt unbalanced.
Especially for Vayne—who, without realizing it, had begun treating Luke as the goal she needed to surpass.
How was she supposed to catch up?
This guy was cheating.
Luke didn't notice their mood. He continued in his mind, "System, upgrade Divine Concealment."
[Intermediate skill upgrade card used successfully.]
[Divine Concealment upgraded to LV7.]
Compared to the spectacle of Windfury Swordsmanship hitting LV7, Divine Concealment's upgrade was plain and quiet.
No dramatic wind, no display—if anything, Luke's presence dropped lower and lower until it almost felt like there wasn't even a person lying there.
As his understanding deepened, Luke couldn't help feeling conflicted.
Honestly, having this skill put him at a disadvantage.
Because he was too handsome.
Even if he hid his presence perfectly, he couldn't hide the way his face naturally drew attention.
People like him, walking down the street, were destined to get stared at more than everyone else.
What a burden.
After indulging in two seconds of shameless vanity, Luke looked at the final reward and felt delighted.
The Advanced Side-Profession Upgrade Card he'd been wanting was finally here.
Without hesitation, Luke thought: "System, upgrade Cooking!"
[Advanced Side-Profession Upgrade Card used successfully.]
[Cooking upgraded to LV8 (transcendent mastery).]
In an instant, even more culinary knowledge flooded Luke's mind.
As time passed, his cooking climbed to a level that was essentially unmatched across Runeterra.
Even at only LV8, he stood at a height no one else could reach.
To avoid arguments, the higher the cooking level, the more additional bonuses it provides.
//Check out my P@tre0n for 30 extra chapters on all my fanfics //[email protected]/Razeil0810