Evolution of the Ruined Heir

The date ended not long after that, especially once they ran out of garden to walk through.

Malakai returned to his chambers, but without the familiar powerful presence that always lingered around him, he felt strangely naked, as though a thick layer of protection had suddenly been peeled away.

Still, he kept himself occupied by absorbing vita, doing his best to tune out Valentine, who had spent the past several minutes endlessly praising his newfound ’rizz’ skills. Malakai wasn’t exactly sure what ’rizz’ was supposed to mean, nor did he particularly care, so he simply ignored the ghost and focused on his training.

After everything that happened in Sylvastein, from the vita cores he’d swallowed to diving into an entire pool of pure Vitaeon, Malakai had reached a level that was incredible in every right. His absorption rate was off the charts, while his connection and sensitivity towards vita had both reached entirely new heights.

More importantly, ever since he awoke, Malakai had sensed his connection with the life essence gradually deepening.

’It’s recovering.’

It was almost as though the stronger he became, the more the life essence itself recovered. Considering everything he could already do with it in its current state, Malakai couldn’t help but feel a thrill at the thought of how powerful he would become once it fully recovered. By then, he might actually be able to unleash power on the same scale as the Dome.

The thought alone made him shudder.

Coming out of his thoughts, Malakai decided to check his status.

’Manifest.’

...

[Vita Core Interface]

Name: Malakai Von Sanguine

Lineage: Direct Descendant of the Sanguine Clan

Title(s): [Successor of Life] [Ruined Heir] [Worthless Trash] [Rising Underdog] [Army Slayer] [Protector of Sylvastein]

Talent Grade: ???

Vita Stored: 81,100 / 80,150 → 81,200 Units

Vita Absorption Rate: 4.0 V/s (High Density) | 3.5 V/s (Normal Zone)

Evolution Stage: Synergy Stage [0/7]

Base Attributes:

• Strength: 940 → 945 [500 - 1000]

• Dexterity: 920 → 924 [550 - 1100]

• Vitality: 1020 → 1027 [600 - 1300]

• Perception: 710 → 712 [300 - 700]

• Willpower: 520 → 521 [250 - 500]

• Control: 490 [150 - 300]

[Node Map]

• Blood Node: Active [38 → 39% refined]

• Muscle Node: Active [1 → 3%] NEW!

• Nerve Node: Sealed

• Bone Node: Sealed

• Breath Node: Sealed

• Digestion Node: Sealed

• Synaptic Node: Sealed

• Cellular Node: Sealed

• Endocrine Node: Sealed

• Immune Node: Sealed

• Sensory Node: Sealed

• Body Node: Sealed (Opens when all primary nodes are awakened and refined at 100%)

...

Malakai was more focused on his current vita reserves than anything else. In just a few days, without even killing a single darkness creature, he’d gained more than a thousand units!

All of it simply from passively absorbing the vita around him. It was incredible in every right. And that wasn’t even considering the sheer amount of vita his body could now contain, something most initial Synergy Stage evolvers couldn’t even come close to!

The same was true for his physical attributes. Despite only being at the initial Synergy Stage, with his blood and muscle nodes active, his bodily stats were already approaching the upper limits of what most peak Synergy Stage evolvers could achieve.

Satisfied with his progress, Malakai dispersed the panel. Then, after waiting for several minutes while continuing to tune out Valentine, Nyx finally arrived.

"Well?"

"As you expected. The three answer to different people."

’Of course they do.’

Malakai kept his expression unchanged and gestured for Nyx to continue.

"One belongs to Mamush. Another to the first daughter. The last, the second child."

Nyx went on to explain what she’d discovered about each of the spies and, unfortunately, that she hadn’t been able to get close enough to learn much more.

Mamush had taken several precautions throughout the mansion, with powerful presences stationed discreetly in different areas, and despite Nyx being stronger than most of them, getting too close still carried the risk of alerting someone.

Once she was done, Malakai praised her for finding out this much before retreating into his thoughts.

’What do you think?’ he asked.

’Well... Mamush is probably out. Unless the worried-father act is somehow the greatest performance I’ve ever seen.’

’Agreed.’

It wouldn’t make much sense for Mamush, who was going to such lengths to protect his family, to be the one behind whatever was happening.

More importantly, after what Valentine had overheard during Mamush’s conversation with his wife, Malakai was fairly certain the man carried no ill intent toward his daughter.

’So it’s either the first daughter or the second child.’

’My money’s on the second child. That one gave me the creeps, and I’m dead. Do you know how hard it is to creep out a dead man?’

’I felt it too. But... it’s too early to decide.’

The first daughter might be reserved and quiet, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t be hiding something far more sinister behind that mask. Until he knew more, he couldn’t afford to exclude anyone.

’They’re both suspects until I know otherwise.’

’Great. And how exactly are you planning to "know otherwise"? You do remember I can’t magically float across the mansion, right?’

Valentine was right. Mamush’s children stayed far enough from his chambers that they were well outside Valentine’s hundred-meter range, and deliberately moving closer to them just so Valentine could snoop around would only arouse suspicion. Still, Malakai wasn’t the least bit concerned.

’Don’t worry. We’ll know by tonight.’

’Tonight? Wait, isn’t that when you’re supposed to—’ Valentine abruptly trailed off as realization struck him. Then, after a brief silence, he muttered, ’...you’re kind of an asshole.’

True. He was being unfair to Donna, but it was necessary, and Malakai wasn’t going to allow himself to feel guilty over it. Finding out the truth behind what was happening would elevate his standing within the clan. The Blood Sovereign was watching him, and so was the Sixth Pulse, which meant, in a way, the entire Sanguine Clan was watching.

Climb the rankings, gain power, then enact his revenge on those who killed his parents. That had always been his goal, and it wasn’t going to change.

Coming out of his thoughts, Malakai frowned when he noticed Nyx staring at him strangely. The corners of her lips were twitching, as though she was desperately trying to suppress a smile.

"...what’s wrong with you?" Malakai couldn’t help but ask.

Nyx nodded, apparently trying even harder to suppress whatever expression was threatening to escape, but in the end, she failed. Her lips slowly curled upward, producing what was probably meant to be a smile but instead made the petite woman look like some maniacal creature straight out of a children’s nightmare.

Malakai stared at her strangely.

"...you’re smiling. It looks weird."

Nyx raised a hand to her lips, seemingly only then realizing that she was, in fact, smiling, and that it did, in fact, look incredibly weird. She quickly composed herself and cleared her throat before giving Malakai a long, knowing look.

"She’s cute."

"Who, Donna? What does that have to do with—" Malakai frowned, only to abruptly realize what she was implying. "No. It’s not like that."

"Of course."

’Then stop smiling like that.’

If anything, Nyx’s smile had somehow widened, the corners of her lips twitching even more severely as she struggled to contain it. Despite his denial, she seemed more determined than ever to live out whatever fantasy she’d already constructed in her head.

’Ah, come on, let her have this. When was the last time you saw Nyx smile? I’m pretty sure we’re witnessing a historic event.’

Malakai stared at her for a moment.

’...you have a point.’

In fact, he could probably count on one hand the number of times he’d seen Nyx genuinely smile.

As he continued watching her, Malakai felt the corners of his own lips twitch slightly. Somehow, with a smile on her face, Nyx looked almost... cute.

’...what the hell?’

Clearing the disturbing thought from his head, Malakai coughed and turned away.

"Alright, that’s enough. I want to train."

He could still feel Nyx’s gaze lingering on him for several seconds, but eventually, she looked away. Malakai closed his eyes and returned his focus to absorbing vita, gradually losing himself in his training.

Yet, for some strange reason, he found himself holding back a small smile of his own.

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