A flood of information instantly branded itself upon Noah's mind, searing into his memory to ensure not a single detail was lost.
First came the swordplay—countless movements from beginner to expert. Strikes, slashes, and parries burned into his subconscious. Then came battle intuition: the instinct of how to respond, how to move, and how to breathe in the heat of combat, etched into his very muscle memory. Finally, there was the technique itself.
The Heavenly Splitting Sword Art was no simple feat of martial skill. It possessed a multitude of sub-techniques, all designed with the singular, audacious goal of "splitting the heavens." Noah quickly realized this was a finishing move—the kind of strike one saved for the climax of a battle. Once unleashed, the duel was over.
"Hey, Atlas... isn't this a bit too good for only 1,500 SP?" Noah murmured, sifting through the lethal knowledge now residing in his head.
[Not really. It is merely a technique that aspires to split the heavens. It has never actually achieved it. Until it does, it's nothing more than a 'wannabe' Heaven-Splitting style.]
"Fair enough… how do I achieve that do the 'heavens' even exist here?" Noah asked, his curiosity piqued.
CRACK!
[Not telling.]
CRACK!
"What? Why not?"
CRACK!
[Because where would the fun in that be?]
"Bru—"
BOOM!
The sound of structural straining they had been ignoring culminated in a deafening blast. A wave of absolute zero surged through the room, freezing everything solid—except for Noah.
As Noah looked around, he sighed at the sight of his flash-frozen surroundings. This is going to take forever to melt, he thought, before turning his attention back to where the cocoon had once stood.
In its place stood a woman Noah could no longer recognize as the person she once was.
Yuki's eyes were locked on him. As Noah assessed her new appearance, his eyes widened in genuine shock. Her hair remained white, but it now possessed an ethereal, shimmering texture like fresh-fallen snow. Her skin, though paler than before, didn't look sickly; instead, it held a translucent, porcelain beauty. Her eyes remained blue, but the pupils had shifted into the intricate shape of snowflakes. She had grown taller, now matching Noah's height, and her silhouette had filled out with a newfound, statuesque grace.
Even her eyelashes and brows had turned a pure, frosty white. And there, on her hip, was a small, swirling snowflake tattoo that seemed to pulse with a life of its own.
Wait—how could he see that?
Well...
"Um, Yuki? You're naked," he said, a flush of embarrassment creeping up his neck. It wasn't that he was inexperienced, but this was different.
She was simply too beautiful. Compared to her, every woman he had ever been with felt like an ogre.
To Noah's surprise, Yuki didn't blush or shy away. She merely offered a serene smile. With a flick of her hand, a white and pale blue maid's dress—woven from pure ice and compacted snow—manifested around her body.
She seems different, Noah thought. Does the taming process change their personality?
[The taming doesn't alter her core self; it only places a soul mark upon her. You must remember she has undergone a partial racial shift and a total biological remodeling, things are bound to change.]
Noah nodded slowly.
Yuki approached him, her face a mask of icy composure, though warmth flickered in her gaze. Standing before him, she bowed her head deeply. "I greet my Master."
Noah studied her for a moment before smirking. "It's still just 'Noah' to you."
Yuki smiled back, but as she lifted her head, she paused, sensing the sudden spike of shock in Noah's emotions.
Noah wasn't looking at her anymore; he was staring at the screen only he could see.
[Ding! You have successfully tamed the individual: Yuki Vale!]
[Thanks to the successful bond, you may now proceed to the next phase.]
[Please select one attribute to copy from Yuki's Panel.]
[Note: Only one selection may be copied!]
Anything? Noah thought in disbelief, his eyes darting back to Yuki, who was watching him with a loyal sparkle in her eyes.
[...]
Atlas didn't reply. In "System Mode," his persona receded into his fundamental programming. Although he possessed a name and a sense of self, his core existence was that of the System.
Noah pushed his idle thoughts aside and began to deliberate on his next move. At first, he considered copying her bloodline, but he hesitated. What use was a frost-based bloodline without the underlying affinity? Without the core element, his control over ice would be mediocre at best—lukewarm and ineffective.
Making his final evaluation, Noah commanded the system: 'Copy her Ice Affinity.'
[Affirmative...]
A sudden shift resonated through him. It wasn't painful, necessarily, but it was deeply unsettling—a sensation like a part of his soul being severed and stitched back together. The discomfort lingered for a minute before vanishing as quickly as it had arrived. Yet, the change was undeniable. With a casual wave of his hand, mana converged in the air, manifesting into a slick, traditional Japanese katana forged of shimmering ice.
It wasn't particularly strong—he doubted it could withstand even the weakest sub-technique of the [Heavenly Splitting Sword Art]—but it was a foundation.
"It's a start," he muttered, allowing the blade to dissipate into mist.
"N-Noah... you have an ice affinity?"
Yuki's voice broke the silence. It was a paradoxical sound—icy yet warm—and her shock was palpable. For the first time, her perfect, frozen composure had visibly cracked.
Noah grinned. He explained that he gained the ability to copy one trait from anyone he tamed. He saw no point in lying he knew there was a 0% chance of her betraying him. Through their bond, he could sense her emotions, and they were anything but negative.
'Just how the hell does she see me?' he wondered, feeling the sheer weight of her devotion radiating through the link. Yuki sensed his confusion, but she remained silent, choosing not to comment on his bewilderment.
'System, are there any other features? I've decided I don't want any more surprises,' Noah thought, preferring cold facts over sudden revelations.
[There is one final feature: all beings you tame possess a personal sub-dimension within the System. When they are not summoned, they reside there. These spaces can be designed to their liking and are roughly the size of this mansion.]
'How does she enter it?' he asked, struggling to mask his astonishment.
[Simply wish for it, and she shall pass through.]
Noah gave a small nod of intent. Instantly, a shimmering white portal tore open in the room, radiating a bone-deep chill that sent shivers down his spine. Yuki didn't seem to mind the cold—a perk of her bloodline, Noah assumed.
He explained the nature of the dimension to her, a revelation that only seemed to deepen her feelings for him. At his request, she stepped through the portal; he couldn't risk the household staff spotting her just yet.
Once alone, Noah glanced toward the window. Night had fallen; they had spent nearly half the day in his room. Weary from the day's events, he washed up and prepared for bed.
Just before sleep claimed him, Noah realized he still hadn't thoroughly examined Yuki's specific race and bloodline stats. 'Tomorrow,' he promised himself as his eyes drifted shut.
+++++++++++++
Hmmm, I don't know how I feel about this chapter might re-write it.
Tell me how you feel, and what changes I could do to make your experience better.
And