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The System Awakens: Rise of the Champion-Chapter 140: Lenora
In an unknown realm, where only a selected few with the proper authority could enter, a lady with silvery white hair, whom the system administrator referred to as the Family Head, was seated on a very comfortable cushioned chair.
Her arms were crossed, one leg over the other, and an annoyed expression was plastered across her face.
She wasn't alone.
On her right sat the system administrator, also known as Eden by the highest-ranked beings in the universe.
On her left was another woman with similarly silvery white hair and pale, almost vampiric skin, though she was clearly not a vampire.
Her expression was serious and furious, and she glared at the Family Head with eyes full of accusation, as if blaming her for some grave mistake or injustice.
Between them was a large screen showing a scene unfolding inside a faction castle in the First Tower Realm of Sector Omega-8.
The leader of the faction was seated on a throne, enveloped inside a crimson-white cocoon, surrounded by a thick crimson aura that fogged the area.
The faction members stood nearby, watching with shocked expressions.
Then, a dozen more screens appeared, each showing groups of gods and goddesses, each of them watching the same event.
The leader of the Circle of Ouroboros faction was evolving inside that reddish-white cloud-like cocoon, and the energy seemed to be spreading wider and wider throughout the throne hall.
"That's a lot of gods… and you're just letting them learn about his existence? What's wrong with you?" the Family Head said, glaring at Eden.
She wasn't truly angry. Getting angry at Eden wouldn't accomplish anything.
Besides, she knew better than to question Eden's decisions; everyone here knew Eden wouldn't act unless it was in Damian's best interest.
"It's for the best," Eden replied with a sigh.
"This will accelerate his growth and help him reach a higher plane faster, before he's introduced to everything."
She knew the Family Head understood her role.
She always did.
But the Family Head, hot-headed as she was, still asked for explanations every time Eden did something significant.
And Eden always explained.
It was simply how things worked between them.
Eden understood the Family Head.
After all, they came from the same family.
Everyone in their family understood one another.
Even though it could be frustrating at times, they all knew each other intimately.
And Eden, who had the mental capacity to process billions upon billions of information streams and the power to control the Great System, understood each and every family member best of all.
"Don't ask her what's wrong with her, we should be asking what's wrong with you," the silvery-haired lady sitting beside the Family Head said with an agitated expression.
"What are you talking about, Lenora?" the Family Head asked, blinking with an innocent expression on her face.
"The hell? You know what I'm talking about! You hid him from me, from us. How could you do that? Why would you do that?" Lenora, the silvery-haired lady, raised her voice.
Eden could see the fury in her eyes, and she could sense that if it were anyone else but the Family Head, even within the family, they would've ended up in a battle that could've destroyed at least part of a pantheon or something.
"Oh, come on. It's not a big deal. Chill out, would you?" the Family Head sighed.
"Not a big deal, you say? Is that how you'd feel if Eden tried to hide his existence from you?" Lenora snapped back.
"Fine... I admit I did something terrible. I shouldn't have told Eden to hide him from you guys. I'm sorry," the Family Head sighed, rolling her eyes.
This wasn't the first time she'd done something wrong and apologized for it.
Saying sorry came pretty easily to her, even though she hated it.
But Lenora was right.
Thinking more about it, if she were to find out that Eden had hidden the being she considers the most precious existence from her, she would've been so furious she might've destroyed a lower-level pantheon or two.
"You always do this sort of thing. Say sorry and expect us to accept it just like that..."
This wasn't the first time Lenora had heard her say sorry either, and it certainly wouldn't be the last.
No matter how many times she brought it up, she also knew the Family Head was just like this.
It's what made her who she was.
And Lenora understood her well.
The reason she had been acting like this was because of his absence.
And now that he was about to be reunited with the family, she hoped the Family Head would return to her serious, stoic, and reason-minded self.
Lenora sighed.
She didn't want to think about this anymore.
She just had to focus on what was coming, not on what had already happened.
The Family Head was probably just being overly paranoid about his protection, and since Eden had agreed to her suggestion, she figured she shouldn't make such a big deal out of it.
Lenora sighed again as she steadied her breathing, then turned her gaze toward the system administrator, Eden.
"I guess you had a very good reason to agree to keep him hidden from the rest of our family members?"
"It's just as you said, Lady Lenora," Eden nodded.
"When are you going to call me what you should be calling me?" Lenora asked with a small smile.
"I won't be calling you that," Eden said flatly, her tone as neutral as when she spoke to the system.
"You are such a tsundere," Lenora chuckled, her mood shifting completely from when she had been arguing with the Family Head.
"..." Eden didn't respond.
She had nothing to say.
No matter what, she wasn't going to call Lenora by that title.
"Fine... be a tsundere..." Lenora rolled her eyes.
"Anyway, I want to ask, did you tell the rest of the family about him yet?"
"Nope. I was hoping one of you two would do that for me," Eden said with a grin.
"You haven't told Elizabeth and the twins about him?" Lenora asked, her expression turning concerned.
"Nope," Eden shook her head again.
"Nope? Don't leave this to me. I do not want to be there when they find out the Family Head purposely hid him from them."
"They'll go full psychotic and probably destroy a few lower plane pantheons in the process before we manage to calm them down!" Lenora shook her head violently, laughing comically.
"I've got better things to do than calm them down when they go batshit crazy," Eden replied, her voice making it clear that even if they begged, she wouldn't do it.
Then both Lenora and Eden turned their gazes simultaneously toward the Family Head.
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The Family Head understood that, since she had caused all these problems in the first place, she was the one who had to face the consequences — namely, dealing with three very psychotic women who had the power to destroy lower-plane godly pantheons.
"Fine. Since you guys blame me for everything, I'll tell them myself," the Family Head muttered, rolling her eyes.
"Also, I'm planning on granting him access to the higher Tower Realm without him having to complete the main tower missions. I'm thinking up to the third or fourth Tower Realm," Eden added.
"Wait. I thought the rules of the Tower and the System were set in stone and couldn't be manipulated, even by you," Lenora said, confused.
She was referring to the Tower's system rules — how everything within the Tower worked, how beings were granted permissions and regulated across realms.
For example, if an Awakener wanted to move from the First to the Second Tower Realm, they had to meet certain conditions.
These conditions varied depending on the Awakener and were tailor-made by the System based on their profile, stats, and performance.
These conditions were considered mandatory and could not be overridden, not even by the System Administrator, to prevent favoritism and ensure a fair climb.
"That's not actually true," Eden responded.
"I can manipulate regulations, as long as the System deems it necessary. In Damian's case, his growth has been unprecedented. His power has already reached the realm of gods, so both the System and I agree that he should be granted access to the higher Tower Realms."
"I'll decide which realm he'll enter, and the System is already processing the mission and rewards he'll receive upon gaining access, before I finalize everything."
"Wait, he already has the power of a god?" Lenora asked, doubting her own words.
"Well, the power of a low-level god from the godly pantheons of the lower planes... Why do you think I let those lower-plane gods bless him if I didn't believe he could handle dealing with them?" Eden replied with a smile.
"How long has it been since he started climbing the tower?" Lenora asked, narrowing her silvery eyes.
"Well, the system first registered him as an Awakener about three months ago, and it's been one month, seven days, five hours, ten minutes, and forty-three seconds since he started climbing the tower," Eden answered.
"The power of a god in just one month? This is... Did he...?" Lenora couldn't believe her ears, but she knew it was true because Eden said so.
"Yes. He finally attained what he needed to unlock his true potential. His talents still haven't reached their peak form, but it's happening."
"It has already begun. And this time, nothing can stand in his way. He will finally become what his existence was meant to be," Eden said.
"But how, why now? Why this time? What's different?" Lenora asked with a restless expression. "I mean, nothing he did before worked, so why now?"
"I don't know. I'm still processing all the information, past and present. I can't say anything for sure yet," Eden replied.