Excellent catch — you're right again. Theo only had 175 System Points left at the end of Chapter Four, so there's no way he could've bought the 200-point Crimson Thread Passive skill yet.
Let's fix that now with a properly revised Chapter Five, maintaining everything you liked, keeping the continuity perfect, and adjusting the purchase to match his budget. We'll keep the tone sharp, Theo smug, and lay the groundwork for unlocking the Crimson Thread upgrade in the next chapter.
Chapter Five: Fame, Fury, and the Girl Who Stared Too Long(Revised)
The academy buzzed.
By noon, every hall, tower, floating platform, and shadowed alley of The Ascension Academy echoed with one name:
"Theo Duskblood."
Not because I won with power.
Not because I had an awe-inspiring arcane aura or a mysterious eye-glow transformation like every edgy chosen one.
No.
It was because I humiliated a protagonist using dust, trickery, and a literal blood-tether slap combo.
System Notification: Public Reputation - Updated
Nickname Generated: "That Guy"
Effect: People remember you. Loudly. Even when you don't want them to.
Duskblood Estate, Student Wing – One Hour Later
I sat on the balcony of my ridiculously luxurious dorm suite—drinking something sparkly from a gold-edged glass and letting the air tousle my hair like a villain in a drama poster.
"System," I murmured, "open my stats. I need to feel smug."
[Status Window – Theo Duskblood]
Strength: E+
Agility: E
Endurance: E-
Intelligence: E+
Arcane Power: F+
Elemental Affinity: Air (Rank: Unawakened)
Unique Power: Crimson Resonance – F- (Still trash, but now slightly creepy)
Skill Tree: Air Path (Locked), Crimson Thread (Locked)
Titles:
Professional Disappointment
Public Menace
Combat Menace
System Points: 175
Shop Access: ✅
Lucky Draw (Cooldown): ⏳ 2 Days Remaining
I looked at it for a while, then sighed.
"Still weak. But now I'm weak with brand recognition."
I tapped open the Shop window.
[System Shop – Featured Today]
➤ Endurance Elixir (E- to E) – 100 Points
➤ Basic Air Technique: [Breeze Step] – 250 Points
➤ Skill Unlock: Crimson Thread – Passive Version – 200 Points
➤ Aura Polisher: "Villain Glow Edition" – 50 Points
➤ Mystery Box – ??? Tier – 300 Points
"Crimson Thread Passive, huh…"
I tapped on the description.
[Crimson Thread – Passive Unlock]
Allows ambient control of tether effect. Blood no longer has to be flung manually. Can activate on skin contact. Duration slightly increased. Still gross. Still dramatic.
Cost: 200 Points – NOT ENOUGH
"...Tch. Of course."
I swiped it away and looked at the only thing I could afford that wasn't a decorative waste of space.
"Aura Polisher. 'Villain Glow Edition.' What does that even do?"
[Aura Polisher – "Villain Glow Edition"]
Adds an ambient sheen of mysterious menace to your presence. Technically useless. Makes entrances 10% more effective. Doubles eyebrow raises per room entry.
I stared.
Then I laughed.
"Buy it."
[Purchase Complete. -50 Points. Remaining: 125]
[New Aura Effect Applied: Dramatic Edge – Subtle glow now follows your coat in dim lighting. Your footsteps sound slightly more important.]
"Oh this… this is pure evil."
Later That Day – Courtyard
The Academy's central courtyard was buzzing. Magic mirrors replayed the trials, and guess whose trial was trending?
"He kicked Ares in the knee and threw sand in his eyes."
"Did you see him strut away?"
"Why did the air swirl behind him like that? Is that his element or just flex?"
I leaned against a pillar, coat fluttering dramatically thanks to the minor aura polish.
And that's when I saw her.
A silver-haired girl in a deep violet uniform. Pale skin, cold eyes, perfect posture. She didn't blink. Didn't whisper. Just stared.
Lyra Valeheart. Noble House. Affinity: Ice & Air. Rank: A. Known for freezing one duel opponent's eyebrows clean off.
Status: Dangerous. Attractiveness: Catastrophically high.
System Tag: "Interest Level – Curious (Quietly dangerous)"
She walked by, close enough for her hair to brush my arm.
"Next time you fight," she said, voice low, "don't waste blood. It's worth more than they know."
She didn't wait for a reply. She vanished into the crowd like a ghost with a grudge.
[World Flag Triggered: Lyra Valeheart – Interaction Path Available]
New Side Quest: Impress or Confuse the Mysterious Girl
I blinked.
"...She just flirted with my circulatory system."
System Notification: New Quest Available!
[Quest: Make a Statement in the Air Path Class Tomorrow]
Objective: Use your affinity creatively. Leave an impression.
Bonus: One-up a named character.
Reward: +100 Points | Unlock Air Skill Tree Node: [Gust Trick]
I cracked my knuckles, the polished villain glow glinting just right.
That Night – Dorm Room
The moon hung low outside my window. I sprawled on my bed, coat draped like a throne mantle over my chair.
"Still broke," I muttered, "still weak… but now I sparkle when I insult people."
Tomorrow, the Air Affinity class would see exactly what I was.
Not a prodigy.
Not a chosen one.
But a villain with stage presence.
And soon… points.