Chapter 731: Grace's Might, A Stranger's Concern, Becoming the Master!
"What... what exactly do you want to do?!"
The command she issued had dissolved into nothingness.
For the first time in her life, Kudou Asuka's face showed genuine panic.
She retreated step by step until her back pressed against the cold, expensive mahogany bookshelf of her study. Her heart hammered against her ribs like a trapped bird.
Had her ability failed?!
It was impossible. Her words carried the weight of absolute command. Whether it was people, animals, or even the elements, they always obeyed. But this man—this intruder with the dark eyes—simply walked through her command as if it were a gentle breeze.
Ren's approach was slow, deliberate, and suffocating. It left her nowhere to escape.
He stopped just a foot away from her, invading her personal space with an arrogance that eclipsed her own.
"Don't try to struggle, Ojou-sama. Your 'Grace' power is useless against me. It's like throwing a pebble at a black hole."
Leticia, who stood respectfully behind Ren, heard this and her golden eyes widened slightly.
"Grace? You mean... a Gift?"
She looked at the red-clad girl with new interest. "She has the power of a Gift? In the Outer World?"
"That's right."
Ren nodded, his gaze never leaving Asuka's flushed face. "Not only that, look closer, Leticia. She's also connected to your Arcadia Community."
"What?!"
Leticia's emotions fluctuated violently. The usually stoic Vampire King took an involuntary step forward.
When the name Arcadia was mentioned, the atmosphere in the room changed instantly. It was a name buried in tragedy and glory.
"Grace? Arcadia Community? What language are you speaking?"
Kudou Asuka frowned, her sharp intellect trying to grasp these two completely unfamiliar terms.
She hated being in the dark. She was the one who controlled situations, not the one asking questions.
She had intended to deduce where they were from based on their conversation—perhaps a rival conglomerate or a secret government agency. But "Arcadia" and "Gift" sounded like fantasy terms.
However, the other party seemed to know her very well. They knew about her power, her isolation, and things she didn't even know about herself.
Ren didn't continue to approach. He simply stood there, radiating an aura of absolute control.
Asuka clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms. She decided to bide her time and listen. If brute force failed, she would use her mind.
"Kudou Asuka," Ren said, his voice calm and deep. "You are a descendant of one of the Arcadia members who was banished to the outside world during the great collapse of the Community."
"!!!"
Leticia gasped. She covered her mouth with her hand, her gaze locked onto Asuka.
She absolutely believed Ren's words. He was the Administrator; he knew the truths of the universe.
So, this girl... this lonely, powerful girl in the Outer World... was the blood of her fallen comrades?
Her gaze towards Kudou Asuka gradually softened. The wariness vanished, replaced by a profound, almost maternal tenderness mixed with sorrow.
"…"
Kudou Asuka felt particularly uncomfortable being gazed at with such affectionate eyes for the first time.
It wasn't the look of fear she got from servants, nor the look of greed she got from suitors. It was... familiarly warm.
Especially the soft smile on Leticia's usually cold face, which seemed unnatural yet heartbreakingly sincere.
"Stop looking at me like that!"
Kudou Asuka couldn't help but snap, her cheeks burning.
"What exactly are you two talking about? Even if you're going to do something to me, can you at least explain the situation?! I demand an explanation!"
She didn't want to be manipulated without understanding anything. She refused to be a pawn on a board she couldn't see.
Ren crossed his arms, leaning back slightly. "Direct and impatient. I like that."
"First, let me tell you my objective: to take you away from this boring world and make you mine."
"…Kidnapping? You want to kidnap the heiress of the Kudou conglomerate?"
Asuka raised an eyebrow, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "Do you know how much the ransom would be?"
"No, ransom implies I'm returning you. You can understand it as a simple collecting hobby. I collect rare treasures, and you, Miss Kudou, are a very rare gem."
"…"
Kudou Asuka twitched her lips.
Isn't that just a perverted kidnapper with a better vocabulary?
But it was the first time she had met such a brazen, honest pervert.
At least they weren't as annoying as those hypocrites in her life who feared her abilities and acted polite to her face while plotting behind her back. This man stated his desire to possess her openly.
She exhaled a long breath, regaining her composure. She straightened her posture, looking Ren in the eye.
"Fine. Tell me what you know."
"For example, why do you call my ability 'Grace,' and what does it mean to be a descendant of an Arcadia member? If the answer is boring, I'll find a way to kill you."
"Explaining is troublesome; words are inefficient for concepts this vast. I'll just show you directly."
Ren raised a finger and tapped the air.
Hum.
An invisible stream of data surged forward.
He unexpectedly transmitted information directly into her mind via a telepathic link.
"Ugh!"
Kudou Asuka staggered, clutching her head. Images, concepts, and rules flooded her cortex.
She stood frozen, digesting the new knowledge.
About Hakoniwa—the Little Garden where gods and demons played games for the fate of stars.
About Gifts—the supernatural abilities bestowed upon beings by gods, demons, or the stars themselves.
And about her own Gift.
[Authority].
Originally, it was a raw talent, almost untouched by artificial refinement. It was a power that commanded obedience.
And her own inherent talent seemed to have, through long-term cultivation and her personality, leaned towards the attribute of absolute domination.
Thus, it manifested as a Gift that used strong will to change plants, animals, and phenomena.
The stronger the will, the more powerful the desired object's ability and effect would be.
Therefore.
Her power wasn't simply domination, manipulation, or alteration.
It could do much more.
For example, her [Authority] could bestow "Simulated Divinity" upon a tool or a person, maximizing the spirit rank presented by the target.
It was even possible for the Gift to unleash divine-rank power under limited circumstances.
The drawback—which she now realized instinctively—was that maximizing the spirit rank would significantly shorten the tool's lifespan or her own vitality if misused.
In reality, it could indeed bestow "Simulated Divinity," a power infinitely close to the true "Authority" of a God.
It could elevate a simple candle flame to the heat of a nuclear reaction.
It could elevate a spark of static to the heavenly thunder of Indra.
It could also elevate a cool breeze to the absolute zero of a blizzard.
The "Divine Authority" that could imbue all things with divinity was very close to the concept of the Yaoyorozu no Kami (Eight Million Gods) of Shinto mythology.
Fundamentally, it shared common ground with the organizing principles of the universe.
But Kudou Asuka now lacked divinity. She was a demigod without a shrine, a ruler without a kingdom.
After understanding Divine Authority to a certain extent.
Kudou Asuka also understood Arcadia's plight. The images of the flag being torn down, the members scattered... it resonated with her own feeling of being lost.
If she truly was a descendant of an Arcadia member.
Then the look in the eyes of the blonde woman—Leticia—before her could also be understood. That was the look of a knight finding her lost princess.
"Phew…"
She slowly exhaled, rubbing her temples to soothe the throbbing headache.
Too much information at once had indeed taken a toll on her mental stamina.
But one thing was beyond doubt.
A fire had been lit in her eyes. The boredom that had plagued her for years, the gray monotony of her wealthy life, vanished.
She, Kudou Asuka, had developed a strong interest in Hakoniwa!
She looked at Ren. Her gaze was no longer hostile, but assessing.
"Your name."
"Ren."
"Ren, you're taking me to Hakoniwa, right?" Kudou Asuka was not afraid; instead, she was filled with anticipation. Her red dress swirled as she stepped forward.
Because Hakoniwa's rules were very interesting! Games where you bet your soul? Challenges against Gods? That was the life she was meant for!
Leticia also remembered something and said in shock, "Master, are you planning to hand her over to Kuro Usagi?"
"That's right…"
Ren smiled faintly. "The No Names need a leader. I think Kuro Usagi will definitely take good care of her for me. And Asuka... she should also have a lot of fun in Hakoniwa. It's a garden made for problem children."
"But her ability is still a bit weak for the high-level games."
Ren narrowed his eyes. He stepped closer again, raising his hand.
"Whatever potential you have, it's suppressed by this world's weak ether."
He gently tapped her forehead with his index finger.
Ping.
A golden ripple spread through Asuka's body.
"!!!"
Kudou Asuka gasped.
She felt a heavy chain inside her soul shatter.
She found that she suddenly understood her own Gift very thoroughly. The vague instincts became clear commands.
And there was no longer the lingering fear of the "cost" of maximizing the spirit rank. The vitality drain she had subconsciously feared was negated.
She felt lighter, stronger. She felt like she could use this power as she pleased, commanding the very atoms of the air if she wished.
Also, her body no longer seemed as fragile as before. A protective layer of mana coated her skin, invisible but indestructible.
"What did you do?"
Kudou Asuka touched her forehead, surprised and uncertain. She looked at her hands, seeing a faint red aura glowing around them.
"I modified your Gift and gave your fragile human body some protection," Ren shrugged casually, as if he had just fixed a loose button rather than rewriting her genetic and spiritual code.
"I don't want my possession to die in Hakoniwa before the game even starts. You're an investment."
"You speak so rudely. When did I become your possession?"
Kudou Asuka's eyelids twitched. She placed her hands on her hips, her aristocratic pride flaring up.
This person was so shameless. He claimed ownership as naturally as breathing.
However… underneath the rudeness, this concern was quite sincere. He had strengthened her without asking for anything in return yet.
"Heh heh, so, do you want to come with me? Or do you want to stay here and rot in this mansion?"
Ren extended his hand towards her.
"Yes!"
Kudou Asuka answered without hesitation. She slapped her hand into his.
She couldn't stand this place for another second! The tea parties, the fake smiles, the boredom—it was all suffocating.
"I, Kudou Asuka, don't want to be a caged bird, but a truly free bird soaring in the storm!"
"No, you're just jumping from this small cage into my big cage, becoming my caged bird."
Ren corrected her with a smirk, closing his fingers around hers.
He would never let his prey escape from his sight. His cage was the size of the multiverse, but it was still a cage.
"Hmph!"
Kudou Asuka turned her head away, her ponytail flipping defiantly.
"We'll see about that. Right now, I'm just living under someone else's roof because I choose to."
Her eyes flashed with determination.
"Later, I will defeat you, using the stage you provided me. I will dominate the games, dominate the gods, and then..."
She pointed a finger at his chest.
"I will turn the tables and become the master! You'll be the one serving tea!"
She was confident that she would eventually make a name for herself on Hakoniwa's grand stage. She was Kudou Asuka, after all.
"Heh heh, I'm looking forward to that day. Try your best, Ojou-sama."
Ren didn't discourage her. In fact, he looked delighted by her spirit. A docile pet was boring; a wild one was worth training.
"One goal accomplished. Now let's go see the second one. There's another problem child waiting for us."
Leticia stepped closer, grabbing Ren's other arm.
Space warped around them.
The three simultaneously disappeared from the luxurious study, leaving only the scent of expensive perfume and the lingering echo of a challenge.
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