Dominion Bond System: The Only Man Left Has A Yandere Girlfriend

Chapter 67: Prove Thy Self Worthy

"What the hell is this bullshit, huh?"

Reiji glared at the green screen floating in front of him, murderous intent leaking from his eyes.

For a moment, he seriously considered grabbing the system and crushing it.

Unfortunately, that wasn’t even possible.

[Does Host really think mana falls from heaven?]

Reiji’s jaw tightened.

His fist clenched so hard his knuckles turned white.

"Answer me properly," he muttered through gritted teeth.

The system remained calm.

[Dear Host.]

[You should take responsibility for your own decision.]

[The Class options were clearly displayed.]

"With no freaking descriptions!"

[...]

Reiji rubbed his temples and let out a breath, calming his emotions.

He had always known this system was such a big prick.

Earlier, he had chosen the Celestial ArchMage just to be on the safe side, not until the system hit him with a stupid notification.

Ding!

[Class Celestial ArchMage Selected!]

[Ordinary Mage Class Obtained!]

Reiji: "..."

[EXP Quota Updated!]

[868/100 → 0/200]

[Bond Points Quota Updated!]

[0/100 → 0/200]

[For obtaining the Ordinary Mage Class, all Host stats will increase by +50 except Aesthetics. (Don’t expect to become the most handsome man in a day.)]

Reiji wasn’t even in the mood for the system’s taunts because he had just heard it say something about an Ordinary Mage.

’What the hell do you mean by Ordinary Mage?’

The system didn’t respond, and Reiji quickly pulled up his status.

Ding!

_____

[Status]

[Host: Kurosawa Reiji] – [LV12]

[Race: Human]

[Class: Ordinary] – [Mage]

___

[Skills: Active] – [Charm (F), Water Jet (E), Soul Torture Flame (E) (LV2), Swift Arousal (F), Sword Dancer (E) (LV4), Wind Cutter (D), Strength Of The Overlord (D), Mana Manipulation (E) (LV1), Shadow Step (D) (LV5), Demonic Essence (D), A Thousand Slashes In One (D++), Forbidden Arts (5) (D+++), Rupture (D) (LV3), Verdant Grow (E), Rainfall (E), Blood Rage (D)]

[Skills: Passive] – [Detect Presence (D)]

___

[EXP: 45/200] [BP: 0/200]

[Health: 200] [Mana: 200] [Fatigue: 20]

___

[STRENGTH: 205]

[SPEED: 200]

[STAMINA: 201]

[PERCEPTION: 118]

[INTELLIGENCE: 115]

[AESTHETICS: 41] (Also vital for the accumulation of bond points. Handsome.)

[Free Stats: 50]

___

[Items / Equipment] – [Mana Suppression Weights (Intermediate)] [Knight Sword] [Soul Torture Blade (Broken) (D+)] [Undead King’s Bone Armor] [Undead King’s Bone Sword] [Devil’s Ring (D)] [Spatial Ring (D)] [Broken Bow (F)] [Large quantity of Anderite Stones(+999)] [Undead King’s Journal] ["Piercing Needles Swallowing Sun" skill book] [Magic Skill Books] [2 Dungeon Cores] [1 Monster Core] [Oversized Hoodie] [Mask]

_____

He stared at the screen for several long seconds before letting out a dry laugh.

"...Ordinary Mage?"

He had expected a flashy title.

Celestial ArchMage.

Or at the very least, Arcane Mage.

Not Ordinary Mage.

The words themselves sounded painfully average.

For a moment, he even wondered if the system had malfunctioned.

He quickly went back through his memories.

There was no mistake.

He had chosen Celestial ArchMage.

He remembered it clearly.

Yet the system had somehow turned it into Ordinary Mage.

Reiji frowned.

"...System."

Silence.

"...System."

Still nothing.

His eyelid twitched.

"So we’re pretending not to hear me now?"

[...]

No response.

"You’re seriously telling me I lost eight hundred and sixty-eight EXP and reset my Bond Point quota just to become... an Ordinary Mage?"

Nothing.

The floating screen remained completely still.

"...You’re lucky I can’t punch you."

He sighed before looking back at his status screen.

His eyes paused on his attributes.

Every single one except Aesthetics had increased by fifty.

That wasn’t a small increase.

It was absurd.

Even without testing it, Reiji could already feel the difference.

His body felt lighter.

His senses sharper.

And he had even gained two levels.

The mana flowing through his body felt... smoother somehow.

He slowly raised a hand.

A tiny strand of mana gathered around his fingertip almost instinctively.

Reiji blinked.

Before becoming a Mage, manipulating mana had always required conscious effort.

Now, it felt almost natural.

Almost like breathing.

He closed his fingers around the tiny strand of mana.

The blue thread twisted between his fingertips as if it were alive, responding to even the slightest movement of his thoughts.

Reiji didn’t consciously guide it.

He simply imagined it moving.

The mana obeyed.

It curled around his finger, drifted across his palm, then quietly dispersed into the air.

Reiji stared at his empty hand.

The difference wasn’t in the amount of mana he possessed.

It was the control.

Though it still needed work, the difference was obvious.

Before, Mana Manipulation felt like trying to move a heavy object with numb fingers.

Now, it responded almost the instant he thought about it.

That single change alone made the title "Mage" feel a little less ordinary.

That alone made him pause.

"...Maybe..."

His annoyance lessened slightly.

Maybe the system hadn’t scammed him.

Maybe.

Just maybe.

That thought had barely crossed his mind when...

Ding!

A new notification appeared.

Reiji narrowed his eyes.

"...Now what?" he muttered with obvious irritation.

[Congratulations, Host, for obtaining the Ordinary Mage Class!]

’Is this system rage-baiting me?’

[As a Mage, all your current magic-related skills will increase by 3 levels.]

Reiji eyed the system suspiciously.

That reward felt impossible.

He was certain the system had some kind of motive.

And Reiji was right to be paranoid as the system chimed in again, confirming his suspicion.

[As Host knows, this system doesn’t give free rewards to ungrateful Hosts...]

[Host will have to prove himself worthy of being a Mage.]

[Side Quest: Prove Thyself Worthy Unlocked!]

[The path of a Mage is fundamentally different from every other combat class.]

[Unlike swordsmen who temper their bodies or assassins who sharpen their techniques, a Mage tempers understanding.]

[Power without control is merely wasted mana.]

[Host has obtained the qualifications of a Mage, but has yet to earn the right to be recognized as one.]

[Failure to complete this trial will halt all future class progression.]

[Info: Host will be given a key to the Blacklake Realm to clear every monster within the allocated vicinity using only magic-related skills.]

[Rewards: ???]

[Warning!!! If Host uses physical combat or any non-magic-related skills, Host will spend 24 hours in the SSS-Rank Soul Torture Chamber!]

[Time Limit: 7 Days]

_____

"How’s this even possible?" Reiji muttered.

Ever since he transmigrated, he had faced countless monsters.

He knew his magic-related skills alone wouldn’t be enough.

Still, from all the magic-related skills he currently possessed, he might be able to pull it off.

Knowing the system, however, he decided to ask the only thing that mattered.

"The quest rank?"

[C-Rank]

’I ain’t doing this shit today.’

Reiji lay back down on the bed and closed his eyes.

’Maybe tomorrow after I’ve cleared enough dungeons and gotten stronger.’

Since the system had never said when the key would be given to him, he assumed he could simply do the quest tomorrow.

[This quest is mandatory after Host has chosen a class.]

Reiji pretended not to hear.

[Host has shown no intention of accepting the mandatory Class Advancement Quest.]

[To prevent unnecessary delays in class progression, the system will now automatically transport Host to the designated trial area.]

[Automatic transmission to the Blacklake Realm commencing...]

’What?’

[3...]

[2...]

[1...]

A blinding white light enveloped the entire room and vanished as quickly as it had appeared.

The room returned to its usual quietness. But Reiji was no longer on the bed.