The pale pink screen rapidly unfolded, and numerous items appeared before him.
[Low-Level Strength Potion: 50 Lust Points]
[Low-Level Spirit Potion: 50 Lust Points]
[F-Rank Random Skill Fragment: 100 Lust Points]
[E-Rank Temporary Spatial Gate Key: 300 Lust Points]
[Charm Enhancement Potion: 500 Lust Points]
[Low-Level Constitution Control Enhancement: 500 Lust Points]
[Spatial Gate Destroyer Bloodline Activation Potion: 300 Lust Points]
[Additional items will be unlocked as the Host’s level increases.]
Asher’s gaze rapidly swept across every item before finally stopping on the Spatial Gate Destroyer Bloodline Activation Potion.
[Spatial Gate Destroyer Bloodline Activation Potion]
[Effect: Initially activates the special bloodline within the Host’s body, greatly increasing physical strength and providing a certain probability of awakening a bloodline skill.]
[Warning: The activation process will be accompanied by intense pain.]
[Price: 300 Lust Points.]
Every Lust Point he had just acquired was exactly enough to purchase one potion.
Asher did not immediately make his decision.
He currently had no stable means of obtaining Lust Points. If he spent all his points at once and encountered another emergency like the one before, he would have no final means of responding.
However, Aegis Spatial Gate Academy would hold its freshman Awakening Examination in seven days.
He currently possessed only the Divine Aphrodisiac Body and had no combat ability that he could publicly display. If he participated in the examination directly, whether or not he could pass would be the least of his concerns. Merely exposing his constitution during the testing process would be enough to bring him endless trouble.
The Spatial Gate Destroyer Bloodline might become the most suitable disguise.
"What are you thinking about?"
Irene’s voice pulled Asher’s attention away from the Store interface.
"Aegis Spatial Gate Academy."
Irene visibly froze upon hearing the name.
"You want to participate in the Awakening Examination seven days from now?"
"That’s right."
"But registration for this year ended yesterday."
Asher frowned.
The System required him to enter Aegis Spatial Gate Academy within thirty days, but registration had already ended. If he missed the freshman examination seven days from now, he would have to wait at least another year.
The System clearly would not give him that much time.
"Is there no other way?"
"There is."
Irene looked at him, her expression becoming somewhat complicated.
"Every year, Aegis Academy reserves a number of special recommendation slots for Hunter families, Association branches, and active Hunters of C-Rank or above. Anyone who receives one of these recommendations can participate directly in the Awakening Examination."
"You’re a C-Rank Hunter now."
"Theoretically, yes."
Irene raised her hand and looked at the Life Threads coiled around her fingertips.
"But I only just advanced and haven’t received official certification from the Hunter Association. Even if I immediately undergo the ranking evaluation tomorrow, the recommendation application might not be approved in time."
She paused, as though she had suddenly remembered something.
"However, there is one more way."
"What is it?"
"Before Teacher Lina’s condition worsened, she gave me something."
Irene walked over to her combat backpack and removed a silver box sealed with mana from its lowest compartment.
The box was only the size of a palm. Aegis Spatial Gate Academy’s emblem was engraved across its surface, while the name ’Asher Veyron’ was written directly in its center.
The moment Asher saw the box, another memory belonging to the original Asher surfaced.
Even after Lina lost her position as an instructor, she had never abandoned her hope that her son would become a Hunter.
"Teacher told me that I could only give this to you after you personally decided to participate in Aegis Academy’s examination."
Irene removed the mana seal and held the box out to Asher.
"I originally thought you would never need it."
Asher opened the box.
A dark-gold badge and a perfectly preserved recommendation letter rested quietly inside.
The badge was engraved with a shield pierced by a longsword.
It was Aegis Spatial Gate Academy’s special recommendation badge.
Anyone possessing this badge could disregard the ordinary registration deadline and directly participate in the freshman Awakening Examination.
Asher stared at the recommendation letter bearing his name and remained silent for a long time.
Even after Lina had been stripped of her identity and status, and even when she had reached the final stage of her life, she had continued preparing for her son’s future.
Irene did not disturb him.
A long time passed before Asher finally closed the box.
"Come with me to the academy tomorrow."
"All right."
Irene nodded before seemingly remembering something, causing her expression to become serious.
"However, obtaining the qualification to take the examination only means you can enter the testing grounds. To truly become a student of Aegis Academy, you must still pass three assessments."
"Mana affinity."
"Awakened talent."
"And the practical combat assessment."
"The final one is especially difficult. More than half the candidates are eliminated by it every year."
Asher was not surprised.
As one of the Federation’s most prestigious Hunter academies, Aegis Spatial Gate Academy naturally would not directly accept an ordinary person without any abilities merely because of a recommendation letter.
He turned his attention toward the System Store once again.
[Spatial Gate Destroyer Bloodline Activation Potion: 300 Lust Points]
Seven days.
There was clearly not enough time to train an unawakened body until it could pass Aegis Academy’s examination through normal methods.
Since that was the case, he could only choose the fastest method.
’System.’
’Purchase the Spatial Gate Destroyer Bloodline Activation Potion.’
[Would the Host like to spend 300 Lust Points to complete the purchase?]
’Yes.’
[Purchase successful.]
[Current Lust Points: 0.]
A glass vial filled with dark-red liquid materialized out of thin air and dropped into Asher’s hand.
Something seemed to be alive inside the potion. The dark-red liquid continuously struck the walls of the vial, and merely holding it was enough for Asher to sense an exceptionally violent life aura.
Irene’s expression changed slightly.
"What is that?"
"Something that will give me the qualifications to participate in the practical combat assessment."
Asher removed the stopper and drank the entire potion without the slightest hesitation.
The liquid entered his throat.
At first, he felt nothing.
However, only two seconds later, unimaginable pain erupted from the deepest part of his body, as though countless hands had simultaneously seized his bones and flesh and were attempting to completely tear his body apart from within.
Crack!
The floor beneath Asher’s feet abruptly shattered.
His knees buckled, and he nearly collapsed onto the floor. However, just as he was about to lose his balance, he suddenly thrust out one hand and forcibly supported himself against the wall beside him.
Boom!
The seemingly sturdy concrete wall instantly caved inward.
Cracks rapidly spread in every direction, with his palm at their center.
Irene stared at the wall that Asher had nearly crushed with his bare hand, her pale green pupils contracting sharply.
At that moment, deep within Asher’s consciousness, an entirely new System notification slowly appeared.
[The Spatial Gate Destroyer Bloodline has begun activating.]
[Bloodline awakening progress: 1%.]
[The Host’s physical strength is breaking through F-Rank.]
[F-Rank... E-Rank...]
[An unknown seal has been detected within the Host’s body.]
[Warning!]
[The unknown seal is awakening.]