[Your ability to possess Dark Magic is due to your recent close association with a Vorath.]
[The Black Sun Shards work according to the abilities that are dearest to the heart.]
[When you approached that wounded Vorath, your Black Sun Shards were strongly drawn toward her, and since you were already at the precipice of opening the first gate.]
[The second it happened, allowed you to contract the attributes closest to you which is the Vorath’s Dark Magic.]
"But...how did I establish a connection at all?"
He asked, still confused.
[By her hands coming in contact with your chest.]
It said and Arlo’s eyes widened as the memory flashed.
[Your heart wasn’t simply healing her, Arlo.]
[It was constantly flooding her with your magic, like clean water being pumped into a bowl of dirty water.]
[Eventually, the dirty water would be completely replaced by clean water.]
[That was what happened to her. Your magic healed her, and in exchange, it copied the purest form of her magic.]
The system explained, leaving Arlo’s jaw hanging open.
"So, wait, wait, I can’t heal the Vorath?"
He had thought he’s gotten some special ability to heal the Vorath’s and was already even thinking of how to capitalize that in the future.
[No. You can’t. That situation was a rare exception.]
"And here I thought I had a spare negotiation card with them..."
Arlo mused with disappointment, his chance of having somewhere to fall back on in case of danger already becoming thinner.
"You said it copied the absolute best form of her ability. What exactly do you mean by that?" Arlo asked curiously.
[When Miliani, I believe that was her name, touched you, she said your heart was filled with extremely pure magic, right?]
The system’s question made Arlo nod.
He clearly remembered Miliani saying that his heart was rippling with magic before quickly pulling her hands away from his chest.
[Your heart rippling with magic was because of the first ability of your second bloodline, Playful Magnifier, which has an effect of magnifying the Magic in you.]
[When your Black Sun Bloodline simply wished to copy Miliani’s Dark Magic, your heart, which is also connected to your Infinity Joker Bloodline, amplified that ability, and in the end, copied the peak of what she was capable of achieving with Dark Magic.]
[And I have to say, her Dark Magic is pretty impressive.]
[It is far beyond what an ordinary Vorath should be capable of. I can tell that by scanning the abilities of those fallen Vorath and comparing them to hers.]
[They couldn’t even come close to her.]
"Hmmm," Arlo hmmed quietly as a thought appeared in his mind.
’If I possess the peak of Miliani’s Dark Magic, then perhaps I could be said to possess one of the strongest forms of Dark Magic on Earth right now.’
’All I have to do is grow it.’
His eyes gleamed with excitement as he moved his attention toward the lower portion of the panel.
[Infinity Joker Masteries]
[Playful Magnifier - Level 1]
[Automatically magnifies any magical ability within your body by 2x]
[Cons: May place an enormous burden on your body due to the forceful increase.]
"Only a single ability?" Arlo wondered in confusion.
That was the only ability he had obtained from his Infinity Joker Bloodline.
[Yes. That is the only ability you have been bestowed with... for now. You may awaken more as your strength increases.]
The system replied, and Arlo gave a nod.
"Still, three abilities to start with is more than enough..." he said before immediately standing upright.
"How do I use them?"
He was eager to test his abilities and find out whether everything he had seen on the panel was actually real or merely some kind of illusion.
[Which one do you want to begin with?]
"Let’s see... Vorath Transformation?"
[The mastery of your abilities has already been ingrained into your body. If you want to perform them, you only need to concentrate on the image of what you want to become.]
[But I must warn you. Your Vorath Transformation really reeks. I hope you understand what I’m trying to say.]
The system fell silent as Arlo stood rigidly in place, his expression slowly changing before his eyes suddenly widened.
"I can’t believe I almost got myself killed!"
How could he possibly transform into a Vorath inside Captain Ennessa’s house? One whose entire family had been slaughtered by those very creatures?
Even if he was transforming within a closed room, there was still a chance she could pick up on the odor, and if that happened, he would be deader than dead.
"But what about Dark Magic Manipulation? I think I can at least check that out, right..."
Arlo looked at the Cons listed beneath the ability, but nothing there seemed to suggest that using it would expose his identity.
[True. Try to form an image of what you think the magic should look like and what it should feel like. Your hands are the easiest place to release the magic within you.]
The system advised him, and Arlo stretched both hands toward the empty wall and concentrated.
[Magic feeds off imagination. Simply imagine...]
The system’s voice whispered through the stale darkness of his mind as Arlo closed his eyes and tried to remember.
To remember that burst of terrifying dark magic that had ripped through his chained dagger with a single touch, the ability Miliani had used against Captain Ennessa.
He tried to conjure such a thing, yet after three minutes passed...nothing happened.
The scene was almost comical, with Arlo standing there with both hands stretched toward the wall and doing absolutely nothing.
Five minutes passed and sweat began dripping down his face. Another three minutes passed, leaving Arlo completely soaked in sweat, but nothing had changed.
It was difficult. Perhaps the most difficult thing he had ever attempted.
After ten minutes,
"I can’t do it!"
His hand gave up as he fell onto his back, staring at the white ceiling above him whilst breathing roughly.
"I never thought it would be this difficult..."
Arlo eventually sat back up, his hands still trembling from being held out for so long.
[Hmm... I understand now. I take back what I said about your abilities simply being ingrained into your body. They are not.]
[You’re still like every other person who possesses magic, so you’ll have to slowly learn how to absorb Mana from the air and control it.]
[You’ll start by learning how to circulate the Mana within your body, after which you’ll have to learn how to manipulate and release it.]
[Once you understand those fundamentals, you should be able to use your abilities.]
"Idiot me, her ability must have come from years of constant practice. Of course, it would be difficult to replicate it on my first try!"
Arlo said as he picked himself back up.
[Still, I had hoped things would turn out differently.]
The system replied, and Arlo smiled.
"You thought I should have been able to do it because of the system and these powerful, godlike bloodlines?" he guessed.
[Yes.]
"Well, that only proves my father’s words. Overnight success is the result of countless nights of hard work."
Arlo looked down at his hands.
"I’ll have to properly learn about magic and its manipulation instead of expecting to simply gain the ability to use it."
He clenched his fists, his expression gradually becoming more determined.
"Better yet, I’ll have to work harder than everyone else."
"But now I have another problem..." Arlo said worriedly as the notification panel flickered, prompting the system to immediately respond.
[Let me guess, your ability to control magic,] the system completed.
"Yes. Humans can’t control magic. Once I’m discovered to be capable of doing so, I might be in grave danger..." Arlo mused.
[If you’re really serious about embarking on the path of Magic, then I would advise you to leave the Humans and go to the Voraths.]
Arlo’s brows furrowed at that, but the system continued.
[There is no real difference between you and them right now. ]
[They can become humans just like you, and they are also capable of transforming into Vorath creatures, which you can now do as well.]
[It should be easy for you to merge into their ranks...]
The suggestion made Arlo sit up and think carefully about it.
If he stayed with the humans, he would have to live in constant fear of being discovered.
That would no doubt limit his growth potential, something he couldn’t afford now.
He needed to find a way back to Umbrasol, and waiting for him there were two invincible giants, Roderic and Orion. Especially Roderic.
Arlo knew well enough the terror his eldest brother represented.
He could still remember how Roderic, had easily defeated him with a single slash of his sword, and Arlo could swear that it hadn’t even been a serious slash.
If Roderic had truly meant to kill him, that single strike would have been enough to take his life.
Yet Roderic wasn’t even focused on combat. Their father had raised him to become a tactician, unlike Orion, his second brother, who had been raised to become a true warrior.
Arlo didn’t just need to return to Umbrasol. He needed to return stronger, otherwise, he would simply be returning to his death.
His growth couldn’t be stopped or even slowed down now that he had finally gotten the chance to begin.
But joining the Vorath? How could he join those things?
They weren’t even human, nor were they even remotely close to being one.