SSS Awakening: Conquering Worlds with My Cupid System

It had been a week since Silas’s evolution and the blinding pink pillar of light that projected itself all over the world. A lot had changed since then.

Raymond had become the personal butler of the Ashard Estate. There were some secrets they couldn’t allow him to reveal accidentally to people, and Silas was already in need of someone to help out with the house.

So, Raymond became the best choice, and the process was very easy. Only a fool would decline such an offer from an S-Rank, or rather, an SSS-Rank.

Within the week, scientists, analysts, army personnel, among others, had done various investigations, but found nothing relating to the pink pillar. Most were afraid that the apocalypse was upon them.

On the good side, there were no sightings of monsters, so people were able to relax a bit after a week.

On Silas’s side, he was becoming accustomed to using his wing. Flight was totally out of his plans now. You don’t fall from a height of ten feet and continue trying. Only a masochist would do that, and he was far from being that.

But that fall had shown him something. His abilities, his strength, his capabilities... WERE OVERPOWERED. Initially, everything was going very slowly, even though the system claimed he was the most powerful person on Earth.

He struggled a bit to deal with A-Ranks and some B-Ranks, but now. He could feel it. Defeating an A-Rank would be as easy as breathing. And speaking of A-Rank...

”Damien is so fucked up.”

Alpha couldn’t help but comment when he saw the amount of visible mana gathering around Silas even as he meditated. Meditation was something the system had suggested three days ago to them.

The system had become part of the Ashard Estate after the incident. Every single person living in the estate was aware of a being residing in the estate. It was now being referred to as The Protector by the estate staff Raymond had employed to take care of most of the stuff in the estate.

It spoke, projected words, and actively protected the entire estate from external prying. The best part, it had become like a hidden master giving his disciples points to cultivate, and it was helping a lot.

Silas’s current growth was monstrous and mostly his own insane talent and potential, but the system had a little acknowledgement in it. The same was for Chloe.

She was an SS-Rank, but the source of her power was... unknown. She had awakened an ability that gave her an almost divine level of ice manipulation. It had changed her personality a lot and done other unseen changes, but with all that, she still needed to comprehend

She needed to understand what she was and what she had become. Who she had become. And the system put her on the right path. Same for everyone. Gromda, Anna, Alpha, and even Raymond.

Everyone was expected to meditate for at least two hours a day or risk a penalty. At first, they took it as some play, even after Silas tried to convince them.

Alpha was the first scapegoat. The system didn’t have any sentimentality towards anyone apart from Silas. And even with Silas, it didn’t mind cooking him.

Alpha was crippled for a day, and by crippling, he was crippled both physically and psychologically. He couldn’t even feel mana. After that experience, he became the most serious person in the estate when it came to training.

Currently, Alpha and Silas were meditating beside one of the many ponds in the estate. The place was serene, calm, and quiet, with a cool breeze that would make you sleep in seconds.

It was perfect for meditating.

Alpha could feel that he was achieving a breakthrough. He had started experiencing changes in his body. One such change was how his skin was becoming more and more lustrous, and how his beauty was enhancing steadily.

In fact, he was the most beautiful or handsome, whatever, person in the whole estate if you take Silas out of the rankings. He had been approached by five boys already in the past week. Two of them didn’t even care that he was a guy.

He had no choice but to beat them up, only to find out that they’d become masochists. One even claimed that he felt his pulse spike anytime he hit him.

’Now I have to find a girl before some idiot tries to rape me. Beauty is deadly...’

Alpha couldn’t help but let his mind wander. His thoughts drifted farther and farther away.

’Maybe I should just become a monk... No women. No men. No problems. Peace.’

He nodded unconsciously.

’That sounds nice.’

A dragonfly landed on his nose, but he didn’t react.

The sound of flowing water, rustling leaves, and birds singing blended into one soothing melody.

The estate was unusually peaceful.

The meditation the system had forced upon everyone was beginning to show visible results. Even the surrounding mana around the estate felt denser than before. Flowers bloomed more vibrantly, the grass appeared greener, and the koi swimming lazily beneath the pond seemed unusually energetic.

The system had explained that awakened naturally attracted ambient mana. The stronger they became, the more the environment around them changed.

Silas slowly opened his eyes, his pink irises gleaming softly. For a brief second, the world around him seemed different.

Every ripple on the pond, every drifting leaf, every strand of grass... everything was connected by countless glowing threads only he could see.

Then the vision faded. Silas stood up.

Alpha opened one eye. ”Already?”

Silas stretched lazily. ”I’ve had enough.”

”You were the one who wanted three hours.”

”I changed my mind.”

Alpha sighed.

”Of course you did.”

Silas rolled his shoulders. He felt restless. His blood was itching. His instincts refused to calm down. It was almost as if something was calling him.

He looked toward the sky and smiled.

”I’m going hunting.”

”Hunting?” Alpha asked in confusion.

”Yeah.”

”What are you hunting?”

Silas shrugged.

”I don’t know.”

”...”

”I’ll know when I see it.”

”That somehow makes sense.”

”It does.” Silas turned toward the mansion. ”I’m taking one of the nearby rifts.”

”By yourself?”

”Mhm.”

”Shouldn’t you bring someone?”

Silas thought for a moment.

”Nah.”

”I feel bad for whatever lives in that rift.”

Silas laughed.

”They’ll be fine.”

”They absolutely won’t.”

Alpha watched him disappear toward the estate.

”Damien really is screwed.”

Less than an hour later...

The outskirts of City A.

A temporary military perimeter surrounded a newly discovered blue rift. Unlike the violent green rift that had nearly destroyed part of the city a week earlier, this one was stable.

It floated nearly fifteen feet above the ground, gently rippling like the surface of a lake. Rows of military trucks surrounded the area. Awakened Hunters stood guard alongside soldiers. Researchers continuously scanned the portal with complicated-looking equipment.

”This is strange...” One scientist frowned at his monitor. ”The mana fluctuations are unusually stable.”

”Perhaps it’s dormant?”

”Possibly.”

A military officer folded his arms.

”We’ll send a reconnaissance squad in another thirty minutes.”

Before anyone could continue, a voice interrupted them.

”Morning.”

Everyone turned simultaneously. The atmosphere instantly became awkward.

Pink hair, pink eyes, black training shirt, loose gray joggers, white sneakers, with hands casually tucked into his pockets... Silas walked toward the checkpoint as though he were entering a neighborhood convenience store.

The officer immediately recognized him.

”Mr. Ashard.”

Silas waved.

”That’s me.”

”What brings you here?”

Silas pointed toward the Blue Rift.

”I’m going in.”

”Excuse me?”

”I’m going inside.”

”Alone?”

”Mhm.”

The officer hesitated.

”That’s... extremely dangerous.”

Silas tilted his head.

”For who?”

The officer froze.

”...”

One of the researchers whispered to another.

”Isn’t he... the S-Rank? The one from the Rift Break.”

Another quietly nodded.

”That’s him.”

Silas reached the security barrier. A soldier instinctively moved to stop him, but the officer immediately raised a hand.

”Stand down.”

The soldier stepped aside, and Silas smiled.

”Thanks.”

He casually continued walking. Several awakened hunters watched him curiously.

”He’s really going alone?”

”He doesn’t even have a weapon.”

”I heard he punched a Rift Boss to death.”

”That has to be exaggerated.”

Silas stopped a few meters before the portal. The blue surface reflected his image. He stared at it for several seconds while his Thread Perception spread instinctively.

”Interesting.”

The mana inside felt different and peaceful, almost inviting.

[Blue Rift Identified!]

[Threat Assessment: Unknown.]

[Recommendation: Proceed with caution.]

Silas grinned.

”You’ve been hanging around Anna too much.”

[...]

”...”

[I am incapable of being offended.]

”I know.”

He cracked his neck. Then, without another word, he jumped. His body passed through the rippling blue surface as though diving into water. The portal shimmered and swallowed him whole.

The entire military perimeter fell silent. A young soldier slowly lowered his binoculars.

”He... just jumped in.”

The officer let out a long breath.

”I hope whatever is inside...” He paused before shaking his head. ”No. I hope the rift survives.”