The first thing I did after leaving was check my status screen. My body was in perfect condition, so I did not fall asleep immediately. As expected, there were so many changes. So many unknown variables were displayed. My current status window is as follows.
STATUS WINDOW
USER – THEON RIVENHART IGNISBORN
RACE – HUMAN (ASCENDANT)
ELEMENTAL AFFINITY – FIRE
SKILLS – MONARCH'S GAZE (UNIQUE) (VIEW)
UNYIELDING FLAME (UNIQUE) (VIEW)
STIGMA OF WAR (UNIQUE?) (VIEW)
TITLES – WORLD'S BELOVED (VIEW)
CHILD OF THE VOID (VIEW)
SEEKER OF VICTORY (VIEW)
ARTIFACTS – ASHAEL (RANK UNKNOWN)
ASCENDANT – LEVEL 1
STATS:
STRENGTH – 65 / 100
STAMINA – 63 / 100
INTELLIGENCE – 54 / 100
AETHER – 01 / 100
CHARISMA – 75 / 100
CHARM – 70 / 100
LUCK – 100 / 100
Just like Elara said, stats related to mana have completely disappeared. I never expected that my mana core would completely vanish. Our fighting styles mainly depend on circulating mana through the body. That was no longer possible. It's true that my new abilities might compensate for that, but I would have to strip all my usual habits and modify my style.
My mana stat was replaced with a new one, Aether. I would have to do research about it. But all my physical stats are within excellent parameters. They are almost twice as before. Stats could be increased up to 100. I wonder what would happen once I reach 100 in all. Probably the ascendant level would increase.
Well, luck is already maxed. Unlike before, I'm not so weak now, so I should probably stop jumping into the frying pan.
But there was a huge problem. I have no idea how strong I am compared to others. The standard mana core level system no longer applies to me. That's why I'm going to ask my grandfather to train me. I need to understand my current level and how it would compare to the mana system.
Now, let's move on to the skills. I was only aware of Monarch's gaze. Pandora showed me the Unyielding flame. I have a third skill, probably as a result of killing the horseman. All 3 are unique.
MONARCH'S GAZE (UNIQUE)
"When the monarch speaks, the world listens. When the monarch stares, even gods avert their eyes."
Description:
A gaze that asserts absolute psychological dominance. It weakens the will of enemies, disrupts focus, and nullifies most gaze-based intimidation or mental control effects. In battle, it can cause hesitation or fear in those with weaker conviction. Against individuals with lower Charisma or unstable will, it may outright paralyze them.
Effect Highlights:
Applies Will Suppression based on the difference in Charisma and mental strength.Counters all Monarch/Avatar/Divinity-based gazes unless the user is spiritually overwhelmed.Activated upon the intent to dominate or defy.
Special Effects:
A strong monarch does not kneel and avoid his gaze in front of another.
A wise monarch stands tall and beloved by his subjects.
A brave monarch does not abandon his own fights for what he believes in
Upon fulfilling the above conditions, skill shall amplify the user's stats based on his convictions, regardless of racial or mortal limits.
Warning:
Debuffs apply only to those who meet the user's gaze directly.Extended or reckless use may result in severe mental strain, hallucinations, or ego backlash.
It's pretty much as expected. It's a really versatile gift. After the duel with Thalia, some people are probably suspecting that I have a gift like this. I'm thinking of integrating this with my fighting style. The same goes for the next skill, as soon as I figure out how to activate it.
UNYIELDING FLAME (UNIQUE)
"A flame that burns not from mana, but from conviction. It bows to no god, no fate, and no ally. It yields to no one.
Description:
Forged in rejection and kindled by defiance, Unyielding Flame is a manifestation of the user's will to resist everything that seeks to control or suppress him. It does not answer to mana or divinity, nor follow any elemental logic. Instead, it burns stronger the more impossible the odds become.
Effect Highlights:
Activation condition - ????????Grows stronger with conviction, will, refusal, and mental resolve.Ignores elemental hierarchy, cannot be extinguished by other flamesDeals damage proportional to the user's conviction and emotional clarity.Can burn harmful aliments such as curses, poison, or debuffs depending on conviction
Special Effects:
Activates passively in life-threatening situationsA unique flame exists outside of the elemental hierarchy
Warning:
The momentum of the flame depends on the user's will and conviction. Upon losing his will to move forward, the flame shall be extinguished.
Damage lessens individuals with higher will, conviction, and ego.
This flame was able to counter Thalia's abilities and Reyna's time freeze, which is impossible. It was probably activated due to my emotional state at that time. I need to be able to do that at will. Then, as for the last skill.
STIGMA OF WAR (UNIQUE?)
"To slay War is to inherit its burden. To carry its Stigma is to fight like a hundred… and bleed like one."
Description:
Granted, upon the defeat of the Horseman of War, the Stigma of War is not a blessing, but a curse bound in blood. It passively awakens in hopeless battles — moments when all odds are stacked against the user. Once activated, the stigma channels the collective strength, stamina, and vitality of a hundred fallen warriors into a single vessel: the bearer.
It is not fueled by mana, but by survival instinct and bloodlust, a dangerous tradeoff between inhuman strength and mental corrosion.
Effect Highlights:
Temporarily grants the user strength, stamina, and vitality equivalent to 100 elite soldiers.
Boosts reflexes, battle instincts, and pain suppression exponentially during use.
The more injured the user is, the more instinctive and deadly he becomes.
Special Effects:
Passive Activation upon facing overwhelming numbers in life-threatening, high-pressure scenarios.
Imprints battlefield awareness from past wielders of war, allowing for synchronized movement, flawless evasion, and war-born aggression.
May enable ancient war memory echoes, briefly accessing combat knowledge of forgotten warriors.
Warning:
Prolonged usage may cause the user to lose control, becoming a vessel of war itself.
Boosts reflexes, battle instincts, and pain suppression exponentially during use. Entering this state leads to combat addiction, compulsive violence, and potential berserker madness.
Cannot be deactivated by will once the Blood Frenzy threshold is breached, only external intervention or unconsciousness will halt the effect.
This one could be the most useful of all my new abilities. I can literally face an army by myself if used correctly. But its risks are too great. If I go crazy and start killing everyone, that's it for all my plans. It should only be used in a vital moment.
Then, the status window has a new section, titles.
TITLES – WORLD'S BELOVED (VIEW)
CHILD OF THE VOID (VIEW)
SEEKER OF VICTORY (VIEW)
The first one probably came from that yandere goddess. Not that I hate it. Especially considering the benefits.
WORLD'S BELOVED
"The world does not grant him power. It lends it willingly."
Description:
The user's bond with the world transcends bloodline, race, or divinity. Unlike others who draw upon their inner mana core, Theon has no internal mana system and no need for one. The world itself answers his will, offering ambient mana.
Effect Highlights:
The user can manipulate ambient mana within a 5-meter radius of his body, bending it to his will without chanting or internal circulation.
Elemental-type magic (especially flame-type) can be cast by will alone, forming magic circles externally.
Mana can also be shaped into basic constructs (e.g., blades, barriers, threads) without invoking traditional spells.
Attempting to manipulate external mana outside the 5-meter radius drastically increases mana instability, physical breakdown, hallucinations, or shock.
Unlike Adrian, my fighting style is 65% physical and 35% Magic. Even though I could still cast spells and magic circles using this ability, one I found most useful is the ability to shape mana and freely control it. Just like how Thalia could control fire with her imagination. This is gonna be incredibly useful. I'm curious about the next title, but it can't be helped.
CHILD OF THE VOID (LOCKED)
I need to research it separately after I figure everything out. And the next title? It's the most exciting and the dangerous one.
SEEKER OF VICTORY
"Victory is not granted by fate. It is seized through conviction… and carved through action."
Description:
This title does not bestow passive strength or active abilities. It is not a blessing. it is a promise. One made by those who choose to rise, challenge, and conquer with their own hands.
Victory must be earned, not assumed. Conviction alone is not enough, action is its measure.
Users' battles become more than fights. They become trials, where triumph refines him, and failure reshapes him.
Effect Highlights:
This title activates automatically during combat against any opponent who is clearly superior in one or more aspects (e.g., strength, skill, intellect, speed, divinity).
The user may also manually activate this effect by making a conscious or verbal Declaration of Victory toward a chosen opponent.
Upon Victory:
The ability or trait in which the opponent was superior will be enhanced in Theon, permanently or temporarily.The greater the gap in strength, the greater the gain.
Victory evolves the User's skills, instincts, or raw stats related to that domain.
Upon Defeat:
The user suffers a temporary or permanent penalty in the area where his opponent surpassed him.
Successive defeats may weaken his foundational abilities, making further growth harder until he overcomes that flaw.
Special Effects:
The effect may activate passively and without warning during emotionally or spiritually critical battles.
It's a high-risk risk high-reward gamble. And the most dangerous problem is, what if this activates in a life-or-death situation?
With a sigh, Theon closed his eyes. Tomorrow is going to be a long day. Both he and others need a proper sleep tonight.
When he woke up in the morning and stepped outside the tent, Elara stood waiting, arms crossed, an unreadable look on her face.
"Shall we have a proper conversation?"