The First Patriarch: Streaming My Cosmic Harem

Chapter 46: Chapter 46: Taking A Loan

Azriel’s eyes locked onto the title of the item, and his breath hitched.

It was a premium ability book originally priced at a staggering 52,500 KP. But thanks to a massive, limited-time 60% discount, the price tag had plummeted to exactly 21,000 KP.

The moment he read the description, the previous choices instantly lost all their appeal.

’A growth-type ability at this price? Fuck yes!’ Azriel cheered internally, his heart hammering against his ribs.

The footwork technique and the passive defense were certainly good for short-term survival, but a growth-type ability was a complete game-changer.

It meant the power would scale alongside him, evolving as he grew stronger. It was an absolute steal, and he knew he’d be a fool to let it slip away.

If he bought this, he wouldn’t just survive the training grounds, he would be able to pull off something so spectacular, so utterly unprecedented for a complete beginner, that it would completely blow Rosalind’s mind and send his viewers into an absolute gifting frenzy.

It was the perfect high-risk, high-reward investment to skyrocket his streaming career.

But then he looked at his actual wallet balance of 19,576 KP, and his excitement withered into a heavy, frustrated sigh.

"Short by less than fifteen hundred points... are you kidding me?"

Right on cue, as if the system’s corporate algorithm could smell his desperation, a neon-green button began flashing right next to his empty checkout cart: [Apply for Loan?]

Azriel clicked it, and a predatory, micro-text contract materialized before his eyes.

[AURELIAS FINANCING LOAN TERMS]

Maximum Approved Capital: 5,000 KP

Daily Compounding Interest Rate: 20% per day

Warning: Failure to clear the debt within the specified cosmic cycle will result in automatic soul-essence garnishment by the Primordial Network.

"Twenty percent per day? Are you fucking insane?!" Azriel hissed internally, his modern mind short-circuiting at the cosmic loan-shark rates.

He did some quick mental math.

He had 19,576 KP.

To reach the 21,000 KP price tag, he only needed a meager loan of 1,424 KP.

But at a 20% daily compounding interest rate, that meant he would be bleeding a brutal 284.8 KP for day 1 just to cover the initial interest.

If his streams flopped, the debt would be incredibly hard to get rid of.

He stared at the contract, his gaze shifting back and forth between the multi-million KP luxury items on the main page, the terrifying interest rate, and the sleeping face of the GrandMaster Duchess resting peacefully against his chest.

A sharp, reckless grin slowly carved its way onto his face. His violet eyes burned with a dangerous, untamed intensity.

"How can I call myself a man if I can’t take a fucking risk?" he muttered under his breath.

If he wanted to conquer a world this brutal, he couldn’t play it safe like a coward.

He needed power, and he needed it now.

Bypassing the exact deficit, he rounded the number up to give himself a tiny buffer.

He pulled the trigger, taking a flat loan of 1,500 KP, which automatically adjusted his total balance to 21,076 KP.

Without hesitation, he slammed his thumb onto the purchase button for the 21,000 KP technique, leaving himself with a pathetic pocket change of just 76 KP.

[Ding! 21,000 Karma Points deducted.]

[Purchase Successful! Loan Financing Active (Debt Balance: 1,500 KP).]

[Initiating transfer of the Divine Ability... Prepare your consciousness for immediate integration.]

Suddenly, a strange, electric sensation crept into the depths of his mind.

It wasn’t painful like a forced awakening, but rather a profound, liquid warmth that seeped directly into his nerve endings, forcefully attuning the newly unlocked ability to his physical body.

For five intense minutes, his perception of the real world blurred.

When the ethereal connection finally snapped and faded, his mind was instantly flooded with decades’ worth of knowledge.

A violent wave of goosebumps erupted across his skin.

’Damn,’ Azriel thought, a slow, predatory grin spreading across his face as he clenched his fists, feeling the phantom residue of the power vibrating under his flesh.

’This is brilliant. I am absolutely going to shock her today.’

Right on cue, the shifting weight on his chest pulled him back to reality.

Rosalind stirred, her long, dark eyelashes fluttering open as her golden eyes met his violet ones.

Spotting his smug expression, she didn’t even give him a chance to speak; she simply leaned up, wrapped her arms around his neck, and pulled him down into a soft, lazy morning kiss.

Their comfortable routine followed shortly after.

They shared a quiet bath, lingering in the warm water just long enough to wash away the last of the nighttime exhaustion, before heading down for a massive, high-calorie breakfast to fuel up for the day ahead.

An hour later, they were standing on the estate’s primary training grounds.

This place was completely different from the enclosed, reinforced hall they had used previously.

This was a colossal, open-air dirt field surrounded by heavy defensive barriers.

Rosalind stood at the center of the clearing, looking incredibly breathtaking yet intimidating.

She had traded her casual clothes for high-waisted, tight black sports leggings that hugged the long, athletic curves of her legs, a matching black tank top, and a sleek white visor cap that pinned back her cascading silver hair.

But she wasn’t alone. Standing a few paces behind her was Captain Nyra, clad in her usual rigid leather armor.

Aside from Seraphina, Nyra was the very first person Azriel had seen after transmigrating into this world, and her icy, unbothered stare hadn’t changed one bit since then.

She stood with her arms crossed, watching the mortal male with a cold, critical eye.

Clap!

Clap!

Rosalind clapped her hands together sharply, her authoritative tone instantly cutting through the crisp morning air.

"Alright, Azriel, focus up," she commanded, her golden eyes locking onto him with absolute seriousness.

"Being at the Awakened stage is all about forcefully breaking past your mortal physical limits, refining your flesh and vessels so your body can actually handle the stress of the next stage. Once your body is properly tempered, you’ll finally be able to actively draw raw Aether into yourself from the surroundings to reach the Adept stage. So, let’s start that refinement right now. Give me 50 laps."

Azriel froze, staring at her as if she had just lost her mind.

He glanced at the perimeter of the field.

A single lap around this massive, sprawling dirt arena was easily five kilometers long.

Fifty laps meant a staggering 250 kilometers.

Even with his newly upgraded Endurance stat and the naturally superior stamina of a Nocthari beastman body, running a double marathon right out of the gate was a brutal mental hurdle.

He opened his mouth to complain, but the moment he caught Rosalind’s expression, the words died in his throat.

She was looking at him with a sweet, dangerous smile that promised she would personally beat the absolute shit out of him if he hesitated for even a second.

Captain Nyra’s tail gave a mocking, amused flick in the background.

Letting out a low, defeated grunt, Azriel rolled his shoulders, walked over to the edge of the dirt track, and kicked off into a steady, rhythmic run.