Chapter 44: Chapter 44 : Luck

Hearing the serious tone, Arthur frowned slightly.

“Why are you getting all serious?”

He leaned back into the pillow.

“And what’s wrong with having more good luck?”

The system responded calmly.

[You think like that, but it is not always flowers and roses.]

[Excessive luck becomes a burden no one would want to bear.]

Arthur raised an eyebrow.

“A burden? From luck?”

He crossed his arms.

“Explain.”

The system’s tone remained steady.

[Luck is not simply good fortune.]

Arthur frowned.

“Then what is it?”

[Luck is outcome alignment.]

A brief silence followed.

[With moderate Luck, opportunities appear more often.]

[You find resources others overlook.]

[You survive battles that may have ended your life.]

[Fortunate events quietly stack in your favor.]

Arthur nodded slowly.

“That sounds beneficial.”

[It is.]

[Balanced Luck smooths the path ahead.]

[It adjusts probability without tearing reality apart.]

A pause lingered.

[But excessive Luck does not smooth the path.]

[It rewrites it.]

Arthur’s gaze sharpened.

“What do you mean?”

[The higher your Luck rises, the more strongly the world bends to ensure your strongest desires and goals are fulfilled.]

Arthur did not speak.

The system continued.

[If your greatest desire is absolute strength, then everything that makes you weak will be removed.]

[If attachment weakens you, attachment will be severed.]

[If love distracts you, love may be taken.]

Arthur’s jaw tightened slightly.

[If the death of someone precious would harden your resolve, that death may become inevitable.]

The room suddenly felt smaller.

He swallowed slowly.

[If a century of suffering is required, you will suffer.]

[If eternal conflict is the shortest road to your goal, eternity may be granted.]

[If losing everything is the fastest way for you to gain everything, then you may gain it only after it has stripped you bare.]

Silence filled the room.

[Luck does not value your happiness.]

[It values your declared destination.]

[It will not ask what you wish to keep.]

[It will calculate only what must be sacrificed.]

Arthur exhaled slowly.

“So moderate Luck improves chances…”

[Yes.]

“And excessive Luck guarantees success.”

[Correct.]

A pause.

[But guaranteed success can become a curse.]

[You may gain everything… after losing everything else.]

Arthur took a deep breath.

A huge gulp followed.

He slowly swiped the status window aside.

“There are still a lot of things I don’t know.”

His voice was quieter now.

“I’ll have to be careful around it.”

He looked forward thoughtfully.

“Thanks for telling me in advance, buddy.”

The system responded warmly.

[Anything for you, host ^_^]

Arthur’s eyes shifted to the section that intrigued him most.

────────────────────────────

[ SYSTEMS CONQUERED ]

────────────────────────────

Absolute Choice System : DEVOURED

Status : Fully Integrated (In Suppression State)

Authority : Subjugated

Condition : Awaiting Host Command

(Note: All core functions successfully overwritten.

No residual resistance detected.)

════════════════════════════

Arthur leaned forward slightly.

“What exactly is the Absolute Choice System? How does it work?”

The system responded.

[It is a system that provides choices at critical moments or fruitful encounters.]

[Each choice offers a reward.]

[Each choice carries a penalty.]

Arthur narrowed his eyes.

“Penalty?”

[The higher the reward, the heavier the penalty.]

[Small rewards result in minor consequences.]

[Great rewards result in severe consequences.]

[Extreme rewards may carry crippling or even fatal penalties.]

Arthur’s expression darkened.

“And if the host refuses?”

[Refusal triggers an automatic critical penalty.]

[The system interprets rejection as failure.]

[Critical penalties may include permanent loss of ability, irreversible damage, or death.]

Arthur remained silent.

[Once presented, a choice cannot be ignored.]

[The Host must select one.]

[After a choice is made, it becomes a binding quest.]

[Failure activates the stated penalty.]

[The Absolute Choice System accelerates growth through forced commitment.]

[It rewards decisiveness.]

[It punishes hesitation.]

[It does not allow neutrality.]

Arthur leaned back slowly.

“This thing sounds more dangerous than helpful.”

His eyes darkened.

“Now I understand why Jordan risked attacking Isabella… even knowing how powerful her family is.”

He clenched his fist slightly.

“He must have gotten a high-stakes reward.”

The system responded.

[That is correct.]

[And something very interesting has come into my view.]

Arthur looked up.

“I have thoroughly subjugated this system.]

[Do you know what the last quest given to Jordan was?]

Arthur blinked.

“What was it?”

A new window materialized before him.

────────────────────────────

[System Quest: The Emperor’s Gambit]

Current Target: Isabella Crown

Time Limit: 30 Days

[Choice A: The Path of the Sovereign Suitor]

Objective: Gain Isabella’s genuine, uncoerced love. She must willingly confess her feelings before the 30th day.

Reward:

S-Rank Skill: Absolute Emotional Dominion

• Perfect perception of emotions and intent

• Immunity to charm, illusion, and emotional corruption

• Can stabilize allies’ mental states during combat

Additional Rewards:

• 1 Soul Strengthening Elixir

• 1 Fate-Linked Memory Crystal

• Permanent Charisma Growth (20%)

Failure Penalty:

Petrify Curse — Your body will begin to petrify at midnight. Over seven days, you will transform into a living statue while remaining fully conscious.

────────────────────────────

[Choice B: The Path of the Dark Overlord]

Objective: Defile Isabella by any means necessary. Break her pride and dignity.

Time Limit: 2 Days

Reward:

Physique: Primordial Chaos Body

Weapon: Soul-Reaper Scythe

• Grows stronger with every life taken

[DANGER] Failure Penalty: Total Erasure

The system reclaims all investments. Your core explodes… as Isabella personally ends you.

────────────────────────────

[ And there was also another quest involving you ]

“Show me” Arthur demanded.

───────────────────────────

[Choice A: The Path of Predatory Supremacy]

Objective: Kill the player standing before you within 24 hours.

[Threat Level: Low]

Reward:

Unknown Progenitor Bloodline

▸ Classification: Unrecorded

▸ Origin: Unknown Era

▸ Potential: ?????

Failure Penalty:

Total Reversal

▸ Upon failure, the reward will be transferred to the target.

▸ Death will be prolonged and excruciating.

────────────────────────────

[Choice B: The Path of Cowardly Retreat]

Objective: Withdraw from the target’s vicinity immediately and avoid all interaction.

Reward: None

Failure Penalty: None.

────────────────────────────

Arthur’s breath hitched.

“Don’t tell me…”

The system cut him off.

[You are correct.]

[That is why that bastard tried to violate Isabella.]

[He chose Choice B. For the quest involving isabella ]

[ And choice A for the quest involving you. ]

A chill ran down Arthur’s spine.

He stared at the failure penalty again for the quest that involved isabella.

Core explosion.

Isabella killing him.

Then at the quest that involved him.

He inhaled slowly.

As he liked towards the quest involving him and when he read the failiure penalty a chill ran down his spine.

“Tell me you’re thinking what I’m thinking.”

The system responded.

[Exactly.]

[Jordan failed both of the quests.]

[According to the penalty clause for the quest involving you…]

[You are now eligible to receive the reward.]

Arthur shot upright in bed.

“Then what the hell are you waiting for?!”

His eyes shone.

“Where is my reward?!”

“Tell me. And do it fast. I’m almost dying of excitement.”

The system answered calmly.

[I have suppressed the authority for now.]

[The moment you command it, I will remove the suppression state.]

Arthur grinned widely.

“Then what are you waiting for?”

[ So i take it you want to do it right now ]

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