Chapter 208: The Gossip Spreads About The Womanizer Luke
Because if he could wield every ability at its full potential—instead of only partially as before—
combined with the tremendous boost to his stats, his combat power would become truly terrifying.
But excitement was short-lived.
[Oh? And what made you think your human form could do that?] the system asked mockingly.
Luke froze.
"..."
Only then did he remember the name of his Origin Skill.
*Nexus Titan*
To achieve perfect synchronization, he had to activate his Origin Skill and become the Nexus Titan.
Of course, it wasn’t a true Titan transformation capable of using Titan Harmony and his other Titan abilities. Instead, it was a unique Origin state that allowed his human body to perfectly harmonize and unleash the full power of every authority and ability.
[Yup, nothing changed for your human body.]
[Everything remains the same.]
"..."
Luke could only let out a helpless sigh.
He had completely forgotten that he was still a human, not a Titan.
His shoulders slumped slightly as he looked up at the endless sky, a hint of disappointment flashing across his face.
For a moment, he remained silent.
The excitement from earlier slowly faded.
Still, a few moments later, he shook his head and chuckled softly.
"What am I even disappointed about?"
At the Silver Knight realm, he would finally become a Titan.
Of course, only the lowest-level Titan.
But at least it was a start.
With that thought, the disappointment vanished from his eyes.
Whoosh!
Luke increased his speed and immediately headed toward Blackstone.
***
Inside Blackstone, new adventurers, merchants, and even residents continued arriving every day.
Ever since news spread that Blackstone’s Baron, Luke, was a Mid-Golden Knight powerhouse, many believed the territory had become one of the safest places to settle.
The once-quiet streets had grown lively, with vendors calling out to customers, caravans entering through the gates, and people from all walks of life filling the markets.
Among the crowd was Lucy Dawnwale, the young mage Luke had first met in Stormveil County before recruiting her.
When Luke had met Kai and Margaret yesterday, he hadn’t seen Lucy because she had already returned to the mansion to rest alongside the other exhausted knights after the long journey.
Now, after a full night’s rest, she was leisurely touring the territory. With nothing urgent to do, she decided to see for herself what kind of place Blackstone had become.
Her gaze swept across the bustling streets, the orderly shops, and the cheerful atmosphere surrounding the town.
"Sir Luke is really something." Lucy muttered, unable to hide the surprise in her eyes.
Even though she had heard a few rumors about Luke back in Stormveil, they were nothing compared to the stories spreading throughout Blackstone.
"Mid-Golden Knight." Lucy murmured under her breath.
The title still felt unreal.
She recalled the calm, unassuming Luke she had traveled with, never once realizing he had hidden such overwhelming strength from everyone.
Completely lost in thought, she failed to notice a figure soaring across the sky.
It was Luke.
The moment he crossed Blackstone’s borders, he immediately spotted Lucy among the bustling marketplace below.
"Ahh, the Lord is back!"
Someone suddenly shouted.
In an instant, every people present looked up, excitement spreading through the streets as they recognized the familiar Titan flying overhead.
"Lord Luke!"
The bustling market became even livelier.
Ignoring the commotion, Luke descended directly toward Lucy.
Whoosh!
He landed smoothly beside her.
"Ah!"
Lucy jumped in surprise, taking an instinctive step back.
She had been so absorbed in her thoughts that she hadn’t noticed him until he was standing right beside her.
Moreover, she had no idea Luke could transform into this form as well.
The towering Titan disappeared in a flash of light, revealing Luke’s human figure once again.
Looking at her startled expression, he smiled faintly.
"Seems like I was late, Lucy."
Luke’s gentle voice finally pulled Lucy out of her daze.
"H-Huh?"
A confused sound escaped her lips before she could stop it.
The moment she realized what she had done, her cheeks flushed crimson with embarrassment.
Luke couldn’t help but smile at her reaction.
Meanwhile, the surrounding crowd exchanged puzzled glances.
’Who is that girl?’
’I don’t think I’ve seen her before.’
Curious whispers immediately spread through the marketplace.
By now, almost everyone in Blackstone had heard the stories about their Hero Baron.
Among the hundreds of exaggerated rumors, one was particularly infamous—
That Hero Luke was an incurable womanizer who somehow still wasn’t satisfied even after marrying five breathtaking princesses.
If Luke could hear what they were thinking, he would immediately protest.
What the heck are you talking about?!
Fortunately for him, everyone wisely kept those thoughts to themselves.
"Come on, Lucy."
Seeing that she was becoming even more embarrassed under everyone’s gaze, Luke smiled and gestured for her to follow.
"O-Okay..."
Lucy hurried after him, still trying to calm the heat on her face.
As the two walked toward the mansion together, the crowd gradually dispersed.
Of course, the gossip didn’t.
Before long, several people were already convinced that their womanizer Hero had somehow brought another beautiful girl back with him.
***
"So, how was the journey?" Luke asked. "Did you run into any problems along the way?"
Lucy shook her head.
"It went smoothly. There weren’t any problems."
"That’s good."
Luke nodded.
As they continued chatting, he led her deeper into the mansion until they arrived before the Time Chamber.
The glowing portal quietly floated before them, its surface rippling like liquid light.
Lucy blinked in curiosity.
"What is this?"
Luke smiled. "I’ll explain everything inside."
Since he intended to nurture Lucy into one of his trusted subordinates, there was no better place to begin than the Time Chamber.
It would save years of training.
"Come on." Luke reached out his hand.
"Let’s go in."
Lucy hesitated for a brief moment before placing her hand in his.
The instant their hands touched, a faint blush crept onto her cheeks.
Without saying anything, she followed him toward the glowing portal.
Ripple...
The two stepped through together.
...
A few moments later, Lucy slowly opened her eyes.
And as soon as she took a deep breath, her eyes widened.
The mana...
It was unbelievably pure.
Every breath she took carried rich mana into her body. The concentration was comparable to the Magic Tower’s highest-grade training rooms—places that normally required reservations and huge contributions just to enter for a few hours.