The Useless Prince Is A Gangster
Chapter 72. Upgrade

Chapter 72: 72. Upgrade

Liana ran towards him, her face alight with disbelief and joy. "Young Master, you’re awake?" she cried, tears spilling as she threw herself, wrapping Leo in a fierce, trembling embrace.

Her warmth enveloped him, her sobs muffled against his bandaged chest. "I thought you were gone," she choked out, voice raw with fear and gratitude. "When they brought you in—blood everywhere, barely alive, I prayed, Young Master Leo. Thank the gods you’re here!"

Leo wheezed, her hug squeezing the breath from his aching lungs, a half-smile breaking through his pain. "Liana... gonna... suffocate me," he rasped, voice hoarse but teasing, his hand weakly patting her back.

She pulled back, cheeks flushing, wiping her tears with a shaky laugh. "Oh, gods, I’m so sorry!" she stammered, her brown eyes sparkling with embarrassment and relief.

"I’m just... you’re awake, Young Master! I couldn’t—" She stopped, her smile softening, radiant. "You scared me so much."

Leo managed a crooked grin. "What, I was out for a few hours, right? No big deal."

"Four days, Young Master."Liana’s expression shifted, her gaze turning cold, voice low. "You’ve been out for four days."

The words hit like a thunderclap. Leo’s grin faded, his mind reeling, the Adrenaline Surge’s brutal recoil flashing back. "Four days?" he muttered, shocked in his tone. "What... what happened after I went down?"

Liana’s eyes softened, uncertain, her hands twisting nervously. "The academy breached the dome, saved the students. They found you... unconscious, torn apart." Her voice wavered, a flicker of awe in her gaze. "They said it was a miracle you were alive."

She stood abruptly, brushing her hair back, urgency returning. "Stay here—I’m getting the healers!" She darted out, her footsteps echoing, leaving Leo alone with the morning’s quiet.

He sank into the pillows, confusion swirling. Birds chirping outside, sunlight spilling across his bed.

He looked at his hand, the wedding ring catching the light. Chloe... was that you? He thought thinking about dream he had

Then, the hooded woman flashed in his mind—"You belong to me, darling"—a shiver crawling down his spine.

Before he could dwell, a vibrant flash appeared in his vision—Elynn’s system window.

[Good Morning, Reo Carter!]

"Elynn," Leo groaned, rubbing his temple, voice rough. "Not now, alright? Need a minute."

[Negative!]

[Critical System Updates Demand Immediate Attention!]

[System Elynn: Full Upgrade Complete!]

"Upgraded?" Leo sat up slightly, wincing, curious. "What’re you talking about?"

[ALERT!]

[NEW FEATURES UNLOCKED!]

[LEVEL SYSTEM ACTIVATED: HOST WILL LEVEL UP BY GAINING EXPERIENCE!]

A glowing interface materialized with holographic edges.

[CURRENT LEVEL: 12!]

[EXP POINTS: 4,250 / 5,000]

[Current Stats:

STRENGTH: 60

ENDURANCE: 51

DEFENSE: 49

SPEED: 62

STAMINA: 58

MANA CAPACITY: 39

INTELLIGENCE: 70

BATTLE INTELLIGENCE: 83

SOUL RESONANCE WEAPON: ????]

[ALERT!]

[HOST CAN ALLOCATE STAT POINTS TO ENHANCE STATS!]

[STAT POINTS AVAILABLE: 8]

[ALERT!]

[NEW FEATURE UNLOCKED: SHOP]

[HOST CAN PURCHASE ITEMS USING MANA SHARDS]

[CURRENT MANA SHARDS: 400]

[ALERT!]

[TWO REWARDS AVAILABLE!]

Leo’s head spun, the interface flickering before his eyes like a glitchy hologram. The menus, the options, the whole damn system—it was all different than before, like he’d been dropped into someone else’s game.

"This... this isn’t right," he muttered, rubbing his temples. His red hair fell messily over his forehead as he sighed, frustration bubbling up.

[Nothing’s wrong, Reo!] Elynn Chirped, its voice gratingly cheerful.

[I just evolved into a better version!]

Leo groaned, slumping back. "Evolved, huh? Feels more like a headache." He couldn’t wrap his mind around it now, too many changes.

"Whatever," he grumbled, running a hand through his hair. "Just... open rewards."

[Rewards available!]


 [New Reward Acquired: Soul Resonance Weapon: Blood Dragger (Lvl 1)]


 [Effect: Blood Dragger enhances the user’s strength and speed while equipped.]


 [Mana Cost: 1 per 10 seconds]

A smirk crept across Leo’s face as the image of a sleek red dagger materialized in the interface. "Finally," he muttered, eyes glinting. "Got what I wanted." But his grin faded as he noticed the level—1—and the mana cost. "Tch. Barely useful for now," he sighed, leaning back. "At least it’s something."

[Blood Dragger moved to Item Space.]

Before he could dwell on it, another notification pinged.

[New Skill Acquired!]

[Skill: Pride Ehodh]

[Type: Summoning Ability]

[Effect: Summons three shadow monsters. One moves freely; two require user’s mana to sustain.]


 [Mana Cost: 1 per 3 seconds for one monster]

Leo’s eyes widened. "Pride Ehodh?" he whispered, the name stirring something in his foggy memory. Flashes of an adrenaline surge back—Valtharion, defeated, his parting gift.

This skill. But why? Why give him something so powerful? He opened his mouth to test the command—"Ope—"

"You really woke up, Leonhardt?" a voice interrupted. Leo’s head snapped toward the infirmary entrance. Professor Vaelem stood there, his glasses eyes softening with relief.

"Is he really awake?" a rougher voice followed. Professor Gidon ducked under the doorway, his massive frame barely fitting. Liana trailed behind.

Gidon’s broad grin lit up the room as he lumbered over, patting Leo’s head with a hand that could crush stone. "Thank goodness, kid! You know how sad I was when you wouldn’t wake up for days?"

Leo winced, fixing his now-messy hair. "Sorry ’bout that," he said, voice dry. "Didn’t mean to sleep for days."

"Oh, come on, you idiots," a female voice cut in, sharp but warm. Professor Isolde walks into the infirmary, her blue hair catching the light.

She approached with a smile, bending slightly to meet Leo’s gaze. "Really, Leonhardt, I underestimated you. Like everyone else did." Her eyes sparkled with something like pride. "You’ve changed."

Leo shrugged, his voice cool. "It’s fine." Isolde laughed, ruffling his hair—much to his annoyance.

"Damn it," he muttered, smoothing his hair back as she continued. "You’re not acting like someone who killed a demon commander and saved everyone."

"I didn’t do it alone. Lucian battled him up before I even got there." His words hung in the air, and a sudden realization hit. His eyes flicked up, searching their faces. "Wait. How’s Lucian? And Rin?"

The room went deathly silent. Vaelem’s gaze dropped. Gidon’s smile vanished. Isolde’s hand froze mid-air. Their faces paled, like they’d seen a ghost—or worse, like they couldn’t bear to speak.