When Arthur arrived home, exhaustion settled into his bones, but another realization hit him just as he shut the door behind him.
"I forgot to introduce myself…" he muttered, rubbing his forehead.
He stood there for a moment, staring blankly into the silence of his living room before letting out a tired sigh.
"Oh well, I can do that tomorrow."
He stripped off his clothes and headed toward the bathroom. After finishing his daily workout routine, sweat still clung to his skin, and his muscles ached pleasantly. Standing under the warm water, he made a decision.
It was time to use the rewards he had earned.
'Use.'
A soft glow radiated from his chest, spreading outward. Light coursed through his muscles, bones, and skin. His body tightened and expanded, fibers strengthening and rearranging themselves.
["Physical Enhancement Card" used]
He clenched his fists experimentally. His muscles bulged with thicker density, his bones felt like reinforced steel, and his skin took on a supple elasticity, capable of absorbing impact without tearing.
His raw strength climbed sharply, reaching the level of a mid-class devil.
After examining Rias and her peerage earlier using [Keen Insight], he had realized something crucial:
A demon's physical power relies heavily on the concentration of demonic energy in their body. Without that energy, their strength diminishes drastically.
But his body was different.
Even if he ran out of mana completely, his physical capabilities would not weaken.
He smirked. "That's a major advantage."
[The "Magic Skill Enhancement Card" has been used]
Light surged again. From deep within his chest, where the dragon heart pulsed, mana erupted like a raging storm. His spiritual pathways expanded violently, pushing near the brink of tearing.
A searing pain ripped through his entire body. For a moment, he genuinely wondered if he might explode into pieces.
Then, as quickly as it came, the pain vanished.
His mana flow became smooth and abundant, flooding his entire being like a controlled river.
[The "Special Roulette Draw" x2 has been used]
Ding.
[You obtained "Source: Antimagic"]
A black light tinged with crimson burst from within him, swirling like a living shadow around his body. Instantly, a new notification appeared.
["Source: Antimagic" resonates with "Dragon Heart (Incomplete)" and they have begun to merge]
[Fusion in progress... 10%... 25%... 50%... 100%...]
[You have obtained "Multi-Source Dragon Heart (Incomplete)"]
=====
Multi-Source Dragon Heart (Incomplete)
A dragon heart capable of supplying nearly infinite energy and vitality.
It is possible to alternate the energy source at will.
Arthur's eyes widened slightly.
Antimagic.
The very power wielded by the protagonist of Black Clover - a force that nullifies magic itself.
An extraordinary addition to his arsenal.
[You have obtained "Ruler's Authority"]
A telekinetic force that could crush, restrain, or manipulate objects with overwhelming strength - from Solo Leveling.
Arthur glanced at a bar of soap on the sink.
He raised his hand and reached out with his mind.
The soap trembled, lifted off the surface…
and then exploded instantly into white shards.
He winced. "Looks like I need to practice."
He decided to test Antimagic next. Switching the energy source of his heart, all mana inside him vanished instantly. In its place, a new current surged out like black lightning.
It felt heavy and wild at first, but after a few seconds it stabilized - solid, steady, powerful.
He expected his skills to shut down, especially [Keen Insight], but it remained fully active.
He clenched his fist, feeling the raw destructive potential vibrating beneath his skin.
If memory served, Antimagic could infuse itself into techniques, skills, physical attacks, or weapons without restriction. It would overwrite the nature of anything it touched.
"This could become my primary power source from now on."
Satisfied at last, he washed off the residue of sweat and soap fragments, then collapsed onto his bed.
Tomorrow would be interesting.
He could feel it.
The next morning, Arthur kept his heart tuned to the Antimagic source. The strange, heavy energy flowed steadily through his veins, calm but immensely powerful.
He used Shunpo to reach school as usual, the world blurring with every step as he crossed long distances in seconds. On the way, he casually flicked a pen into the air and let [Ruler's Authority] take control, the object hovering and spinning above his palm with perfect balance.
By the time he entered his classroom, the whispers started again.
"Is that him?"
"He looks different every day…"
"Is he floating that pen…?"
Throughout the day, Arthur continued practicing his telekinesis by levitating small objects during class. Anyone else might have thought he was just a bored kid fiddling with his pen, but the precision in his movements made it look almost like magic.
Once school ended and the evening sky began to shift toward twilight, he headed toward the old school building - the headquarters of the Occult Research Club.
He stood before the clubroom door, lifted his hand, and knocked.
"Come in," Rias's smooth voice called.
He opened the door with steady confidence.
Inside, the room was dark and atmospheric. Thick velvet curtains blocked almost all the daylight, and the soft flicker of candles cast long shadows that danced across the room. The setting was dramatic, almost theatrical - exactly what he expected from Rias Gremory's group.
"Welcome to the Occult Research Club," Rias said, seated elegantly on a large sofa. "Please sit so we can talk."
Arthur took a seat on the opposite sofa next to Koneko, who was quietly eating snacks, barely sparing him a glance. Kiba Yuuto sat in a chair, reading calmly, and Akeno stood behind Rias, hands folded gracefully.
"Do you have any questions?" Rias asked once he settled.
Arthur nodded. "There are things I'd like to know about devils. But before that, I forgot to introduce myself yesterday. My name is Arthur Loken. You can just call me Arthur. I'm still not used to Japanese formalities."
He said it with a polite smile, sounding relaxed.
Rias returned the smile warmly. "Since that's the case, you can call me Rias. There is no need for honorifics. I'm not originally Japanese either."
Akeno stepped forward, placing a teacup in front of him before confidently taking a seat beside him.
"Ara ara~ I don't think I need to introduce myself to my boyfriend," she said, gently cupping his cheek with her hand, her touch soft but confident.
He felt every pair of eyes in the room focus on them, but he kept a neutral expression.
"Toujou Koneko. Call me Koneko," the small girl said simply, without looking up from her snacks.
Arthur nodded slightly. He wasn't surprised. Koneko was always like this.
"Kiba Yuuto," the blond swordsman added with a kind smile. "No need for honorifics between us."
Arthur returned the smile politely.
"Anyway," Akeno began, "devils are one of the major factions that govern the supernatural world. There are angels, fallen angels, gods, and devils."
"Although we're not like the devils written in the Bible," Rias continued, "our society in the Underworld is much more peaceful today. Though conflicts between factions still happen occasionally."
Arthur leaned back slightly, pretending to process everything. "So you're real devils… Then what about my powers? Does that make me some kind of supernatural being too?"
His voice was filled with just the right amount of uncertainty and curiosity.
Rias looked thoughtful. "Your case is unusual," she admitted. "Possessing an evil eye is extremely rare, but such mutations can happen in any race. What is difficult to understand is your physical strength. Are you sure you have no connection to any supernatural race?"
Arthur shook his head calmly. "I'm certain. I was just an ordinary human. I practiced martial arts for fun, but that's it."
Time to put his acting skills to work.
"It is strange," Rias said, nodding slowly. "But with your background, it would be difficult to hide a connection to the supernatural. Your powers don't seem to come from nowhere."
Arthur shrugged casually. That was exactly where they came from - beyond this world's system.
"Anyway," he asked, "what exactly do devils do here besides hunting wandering low-tier devils? Do you make deals for souls and things like that?"
He said it innocently, pretending to repeat something he'd heard in stories.
Akeno covered her mouth with a soft laugh. "Fufu~ Of course we make deals, but we don't accept outdated things like souls anymore."
Rias smiled. "That was in the past. These days, we exchange favors for real compensation - money, jewels, services. More modern things."
Arthur nodded as if genuinely learning something new.