Primordial Draconic Incubus With A Gourmet Chef System

Hoping for something more than friendship would be insanity. Even more so, it would ruin any chances of potential friendship they might have once had.

When reaching for the stars, one should always be prepared to fall. Ambition could easily cloud judgment.

Yet, Lucian found himself doing just that — grasping for the brilliantly shining star that was Arcadia's sun.

… Well, to be fair, it was the System that was doing most of the heavy lifting.

In the room Lucian had previously stayed in, he was sitting cross-legged on the king-sized bed with his eyes closed.

A subtle smile tugged at the corner of his lips. He had been waiting for this very moment for a while now.

Lucian was finally going to break through the shackles holding him back from advancing to the Blood Tempering Realm.

The only catalyst required for him to do so was the rapidly approaching Star Essence Fragment.

Every advancement in the Bone Tempering Realm was a process of transformation for any Mage, especially for someone like Lucian, who possessed the Bloodline of a Primordial Draconic Incubus.

According to the System, if he had not gone to the auction yesterday, he would have already stepped into the Blood Tempering Realm.

The resulting Bloodline pressure from his advancement to the next Mage Rank would have been too much for ordinary people and even weak Mages to withstand.

That was why the System waited to help Lucian absorb the Star Essence Fragment.

This was another major factor that led Lucian to remain in Harmony City. He wanted to avoid powerful Mages from sensing his superior Bloodline.

And the best place with weak Mages was the current Harmony City.

It was true there were still Mages like the City Lord and Branch Leader Yoshiko, but they were too far away from James' mansion to sense his meager advancement.
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Lucian had also considered other options; retreating to a secluded forest or even a distant mountain might have seemed more logical, but there were risks involved in those places, as well. Out in the wilds, it was even more dangerous, since there was a possibility he would be disturbed by a wild Magical Beast or a wandering Mage, who might stumble upon his moment of vulnerability.

Any disruption during such a delicate process could lead to catastrophic consequences.

Failing to break through on the first try did not necessarily mean death, but to most Mages, the result was far worse than even death.

By successfully breaking through on the first time, the Mage's potential would be boosted, but failure meant their potential would drastically decrease, crippling them to be forever stuck beneath the ceiling they were born with.

Lucian could not allow for failure. Ascending to the Blood Tempering Realm was even more pivotal to him than most Mages. It was the key to unlocking more of the latent power of his Bloodline.

—--------------

First Layer Ruler of Celeres Universe's Immortal Hell, Zagum, stood in front of the Sea of Sins with his back facing the Shore of the Beginning.

It was unknown what he was thinking, but suddenly, his lips curled into a faint smile.

Not only that, the murderous aura leaking from his body lessened significantly, allowing the innumerable Sinners and the Sinners, who continued to materialize on the Shore of the Beginning to breathe a sigh of relief.

"What happened? Why is Lord Zagum suddenly in a better mood?" Someone whispered.

"Are the Ferrymen finally arriving?"

"That could be the only reason. I've been here since Lord Zagum first appeared, yet this is the first time I've seen him lessen his killing intent."

Meanwhile, Zagum glanced to his left, exactly where a burst of light appeared, causing ripples to spread before a portal took shape.

Harsh winds and intense snow burst out of the portal, accompanied by an old woman.

Zagum shook his head when he saw the method the white-haired old woman used to appear here. "You're as flashy as ever, Melinda."

Turning to Zagum, Melinda bowed. "And you're just as grumpy as ever." She then shook her head in pity and pointed at the shivering Sinners. "Look what you've done to these poor children."

Zagum sighed without even glancing at them. "Close your portal before they freeze to death."

"Fine. Fine." Melinda snapped her fingers, and the portal shut. Immediately after, the Sinners felt their body heat returning. "After not seeing each other for a few dozen years, I thought you wanted to catch up over tea and cookies. What a pity. With your personality, I should have known you had something else in mind.

Anyway, why did you call me?"

"Stay here and watch over them. I have matters to attend to." Then, without waiting for Melinda to reply, Zagum disappeared.

—--------------

Just then, the System's mechanical voice entered Lucian's ears. [Host, the Star Essence Fragment has entered Arcadia's atmosphere.]

'Hmm?' It was unknown whether it was just Lucian's imagination, but the System's tone sounded weird.

[Good luck!]

[Hmm, what do you mea-]

Before Lucian could finish his question, every hair on his body stood on end. Opening his eyes, he looked up to see a flaming red orb the size of a thumb, phasing through the ceiling.

It approached Lucian slowly and silently.

'The Star Essence Fragment… but why do I feel a sudden sense of dread? And what did the System mean by 'Good luck'.'

Before Lucian could think or question the System, the Star Essence Fragment, as if pulled by an invisible force, darted toward him.

[You're going to be the death of me!]

With that last thought, the Star Essence Fragment phased through Lucian's chest and joined the other four Star Essence Fragments.

At that exact moment, Lucian's body swayed, and he fell unconscious.

It was not until a few seconds later that the System finally muttered, [Sorry, Host. I could have told you what was about to befall you, but I chose not to. Take this as my revenge for not giving me a proper name even after I received a body.]

But its Host was unconscious to hear its words.