There were many times in Nero's life where he thought to himself: 'This needs some serious decision making.'

And right in front of him was definitely one of them.

The suffocating crimson aura radiating from Velraeth intensified with each step she took toward him.

The ground beneath her feet cracked with every movement, small fissures spreading outward like spiderwebs.

Her ember eyes locked onto Nero with predatory focus, that manic grin never wavering.

The air itself seemed to vibrate with barely-contained violence.

*Step... step... step...*

The sound of her approach carried weight that made the earth tremble slightly.

Her massive frame cast a long shadow that swallowed Nero's smaller form.

The dragon tail behind her swayed with lazy menace, occasionally striking the ground hard enough to leave shallow indents.

Finally, she stopped directly in front of him.

So close that Nero had to crane his neck up to meet her gaze properly.

The height difference was comical and terrifying simultaneously – her 6.5-foot frame dwarfing his more modest stature.

Her crimson aura pressed down on him like a physical force, making the air feel thick and heavy.

"..."

Silence stretched between them, heavy with tension and unspoken threat.

Velraeth's grin widened slightly, revealing more of those razor-sharp teeth.

Her vertical pupils dilated as she studied him with the intensity of a scientist examining an interesting specimen.

Or a predator deciding how best to dismantle its prey.

But oddly enough...

"..."

Nero felt calm despite the overwhelming pressure from the apex being looming over him.

His heart rate remained steady.

His hands didn't tremble.

His breathing stayed controlled and even.

The fear that should have paralyzed him simply... wasn't there.

'Why am I not panicking?'

The question emerged naturally as he noticed his own unusual composure.

This wasn't bravado or false confidence.

He genuinely felt calm in a way that made no logical sense given the circumstances.

His mind drifted to something he'd discovered recently while checking his system interface.

A section that had always been there but never explained.

Something that had puzzled him for days.

<<??? (NULL) – [Unawakened]>>

He'd clicked on it days before, out of curiosity, expecting another cryptic system message or locked feature.

When he received the explanation from Aria that this part of the section is even she cannot access, he was adamant on opening it, as it might trigger some unexpected consequences of events that would throw him into a heap of problems once more…

But ultimately deciding that it might be some sort of hidden feature, he finally decided to open his system's Pandora's box…

And what he saw made him blink as he tried rubbing his eyes to see if it was a dream or something.

There were multiple "features"...

And they were all OP.

And of them is this,

===

– [Singularity Archive] –

Effect: All active skills encountered are automatically absorbed into your instinctive actions, rendering traditional skill lists obsolete. All passive skills are assimilated and reclassified into hierarchical ranks: Basic → Advanced → Expert → Master → Grandmaster → Unique → Creator

Skills:

[Greater Instinct (C) (Advanced) – 45%]

[Valkyria Swordsmanship (SR) (Advanced) – 9%]

[Dark Heart (SSR) (Basic) – 0%]

===

'So that's where all my skills went.'

After reeling in his shock, this was his first thought as he nodded to himself.

All of this revelation had explained so much about the changes he'd been experiencing.

Why his movements felt more natural lately.

Why combat decisions came faster without conscious thought.

Why he'd been able to handle increasingly dangerous situations with composure that shouldn't be possible for someone of his level.

His Dark Heart skill… the upgraded version of Heart of the Beast – had been working behind the scenes this entire time.

Which was significantly altering his nature.

Making him more direct, more instinctive, less prone to hesitation or doubt.

The vague description from before suddenly made perfect sense.

"Making the owner more direct with their thoughts and instincts."

It wasn't changing his personality exactly.

Just... removing the filters that normally stopped people from acting on their true nature.

The hesitation, the second-guessing, the fear-based reactions.

All of it stripped away to reveal raw, unfiltered decision-making driven by instinct rather than anxiety.

'So that's why I feel calm.'

Because panic was a wasted emotion in this situation.

Fear wouldn't help him here.

What he needed was clarity, presence, and the grit to withstand whatever test Velraeth was about to throw at him.

His Dark Heart skill allowed him to function at his best precisely when the pressure was highest.

The crimson aura continued pressing down on him, but Nero's stance remained firm.

His expression stayed neutral despite the suffocating power.

He met Velraeth's predatory gaze without flinching or looking away.

"..."

Something flickered in those ember eyes.

Recognition, perhaps.

Or curiosity about why this human wasn't collapsing under pressure that would have sent most people running.

Then her grin shifted slightly, taking on a different quality.

Still manic, still dangerous.

But now carrying genuine interest rather than just predatory assessment.

"Hoooh...?"

The sound emerged as a low, amused rumble that vibrated through the air.

Her eyes narrowed with calculating appraisal, the vertical pupils focusing with laser precision.

"You can withstand my pressure? Not bad for a human."

Her voice carried genuine surprise beneath the mockery.

Most beings collapsed or fled when exposed to her full aura.

The fact that this scrawny human stood his ground without trembling impressed her despite herself.

"I've faced worse," Nero replied simply, his tone carrying no bravado or false confidence.

Just stating a fact.

"Is that so?"

Velraeth's grin widened further, showing more teeth.

Her tail lashed once with enough force to crack the ground where it struck.

"Then you won't mind answering some questions, human."

The nickname carried both a threat and something almost playful.

Like a cat that hadn't decided whether to eat the mouse or play with it first.

"Where am I? And how exactly did I get summoned?"

Her tone shifted, becoming colder and more dangerous.

The playfulness vanished, replaced by deadly seriousness.

"I was in the middle of something important. Then suddenly I'm here, bound by some kind of soul magic I've never encountered before…"

She leaned down slightly, bringing her face closer to his.

The intensity of her gaze increased tenfold.

"Seeing as you're the only one here, you must know something about this, hmm?"

"..."

Nero's mind raced through options.

He could lie, deflect, or give partial truths to avoid revealing the full extent of his summoning abilities.

But something told him that approach would backfire spectacularly.

Velraeth didn't strike him as someone who appreciated deception.

And the soul binding meant she could probably sense dishonesty anyway.

'Truth it is, then.'

The decision came with surprising clarity, his Dark Heart skill mixed with his otaku experience eliminating the usual anxiety about such gambles.

Sometimes the riskiest path was actually the safest.

"You're on a dimensional island called Waifuria," he began, his voice steady despite the circumstances. "I summoned you here using a unique ability I possess. The soul binding you feel? That's permanent. You're mine now, bound to serve as my summon whether you like it or not."

He met her gaze directly, showing no fear or apology.

"I'm Nero Walker. Your master."

"..."

Silence fell like a guillotine blade.

The crimson aura surrounding Velraeth intensified dramatically, the pressure increasing to levels that made the very air distort.

Small rocks began lifting off the ground from the sheer force of her power.

"A human?"

Her voice dropped to a near-whisper that somehow carried more menace than any shout.

"As my master?"

The temperature around them seemed to spike, heat radiating from her body in waves.

Nero's instincts screamed danger, but he held his ground.

Narrowed his eyes.

He refused to budge or show any sort of weakness or fear.

This was the critical moment.

He can't mess this up now.

Back down now and he'd lose any chance of establishing proper authority.

"That's right."

His response came firm and unwavering.

The silence that followed was sharpingly cold.

And then...

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Velraeth's head tilted back as genuine, maniacal laughter erupted from her.

Her whole body shook with the force of her amusement, the crimson aura pulsing in time with her laughter.

Heck, just her loud laugh was brought to cause faint shockwaves in the air.

… Just how strong is this woman?

"Interesting! Very interesting!"

She wiped a tear from one eye, still grinning with that razor-sharp smile.

"A human claims to be my master! You have quite some balls for a human, I'll give you that!"

But then, just as quickly, her expression shifted.

The laughter died.

Her eyes narrowed to dangerous slits.

The playfulness vanished completely, replaced by cold assessment.

"But words are cheap."

She straightened to her full imposing height.

"You want to be my master? Hah? Then prove it. Easy, right?"

"..."

Well this one, Nero had expected.

Every instinct told him that someone like Velraeth would demand proof of strength or something similar.

The summoning bond guaranteed she couldn't kill him, but it didn't prevent her from testing his limits.

'This is going exactly as I thought. Just need to–'

*CLANG!!!*

The sound of metal clashing against scales made the air vibrate violently.

The shockwave from the single clash was enough to generate a violent gale and a suffocating pressure in-between.

But Nero didn't care about that as time seemed to slow while his enhanced perception kicked in.

A silver blur had materialized between him and Velraeth.

Aurelia.

Her divine blade pressed against Velraeth's forearm, which had transformed into crimson-black scales that gleamed with metallic sheen.

Silver divine energy clashed against chaotic crimson power, creating visible distortions in the air where the two powerhouse met.

Sparks flew from the point of contact.

"!!!"

Both women broke apart simultaneously, their movements so fast they left afterimages.

Aurelia immediately positioned herself directly in front of Nero, her wings spread defensively.

Her entire posture radiated lethal intent.

"Lord Nero, please stand back."

Her voice carried ice-cold authority, golden eyes sharp and unforgiving as they locked onto Velraeth.

Divine energy swirled around her in visible spirals, her sword gleaming with barely-contained power.

"..."

Velraeth's maniacal grin returned in full force, licking her lips as if she found something interesting.

She then rolled her shoulders, the crimson-black scales disappeared from her arms, as she noticed the small nick on her skin.

Her dragon tail lashed with obvious excitement.

"Hooh? A Valkyrie?"

Her eyes narrowed with predatory interest as she studied Aurelia more closely.

"No... not just any Valkyrie. Those wings, that divine signature..."

Recognition flickered across her features.

"A Seraphim angel at that… Interesting! Really interesting!"

She showed more of her razor-sharp teeth, the grin taking on a quality that promised violence.

"This is going to be fun!"

"Oi. Wait–"

Nero tried to step forward, to explain that Velraeth was also a summoner and there was no need for conflict.

But before he could finish...

"Let's see you take this!"

*WHOOSH!!!*

A massive warhammer materialized in Velraeth's hands, appearing from nowhere in a flash of crimson light.

The weapon was enormous, easily surpassing the wielder's height, with a demolishing head that looked capable of pulverizing mountains into powder.

Ancient runes covered its surface, pulsing with barely-contained destructive power.

She raised it high overhead with casual ease, muscles flexing as she prepared to bring it down.

"HAAAAH!"

*CRAAAACK–!!!*

The hammer struck the ground with apocalyptic force.

The impact created a shockwave so powerful it made the entire island tremble violently.

*RUMBLE!!!*

A massive fissure opened in the earth, spreading outward from the impact point like lightning.

Debris exploded upward in a massive cloud.

The force of the strike was enough to register on seismic equipment if any existed nearby.

"!!!"

Aurelia's wings flared as she launched herself forward to meet the attack.

Divine energy exploded around her in a blinding silver aura.

Her sword traced elegant arcs through the air as she engaged Velraeth directly.

*CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!*

The sound of their clash echoed across Waifuria like thunder.

Each exchange created shockwaves that rippled outward.

The ground continued cracking beneath the force of their battle.

Trees in the distance swayed violently despite being hundreds of meters away.

'This looks like a problem.'

Nero stood at the edge of the expanding crater, watching two SSR-tier beings go at each other with destructive force.

He tried reaching out through the mental connection the summoning bond provided.

'Aurelia, stop! She's a summon too!'

But it seems his words weren't getting through.

The angel was too focused on combat, her divine instincts overriding everything else.

'Velraeth, I command you to…'

Nothing.

The dragon woman either couldn't hear him over the battle or was deliberately ignoring the mental link.

The island shook again as another massive exchange of blows created a new crater.

Buildings in the distant village rattled from the force.

People would definitely notice this soon if they hadn't already.

Nero pinched the bridge of his nose with obvious exasperation.

'Well... this is going to be a headache to explain.'

It seems like he has to directly intervene in order to stop this.

Heck, he could already imagine Luna nagging him for the aftermath of all of this shit show that's about to happen.

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