Harem Stealer: Reborn with the God-Tier Sharing System Chapter 5 5: Awakening (2)

Slurp. Slurp. Slurp.

Disturbed by the sound, Noah let out a low groan while still half-asleep.

"Neko… quit the licking."

Slurp. Slurp. Slurp.

"Damn it, Neko!!"

His silver eyes flew open, fixed in a glare at the tiny black feline sitting on his chest. Neko simply stared back, her tongue poking out as if she were preparing for another round.

Sighing deeply, Noah rubbed his face. Sleep had been elusive last night. The sheer adrenaline of acquiring an SSS-rank talent had kept his mind spinning until dawn.

Yet, even with the fatigue, he couldn't suppress a grin.

He reached out and pulled Neko into a snug embrace.

"You really are adorable. Those purple eyes are a perfect match for my hair—it’s like fate. Together, we’re going to steal some hearts, you and I."

A smirk played on his lips.

"Just make sure to play cute when I give the signal."

Neko blinked at him. Then, without any warning—

She let out a snarl and began clawing at his face.

"Argh! Damn it, Neko! If you don't like the plan, just say so! Why go for the face? This is my best feature, you little brute!"

Noah struggled to pull her away, but the small cat was relentless in her assault.

Knock. Knock.

A voice from outside the door ended their scuffle.

"Young Master, Lady Selene is awaiting your arrival in the Awakening Room."

Noah let out a defeated breath. He placed Neko back down and stood up from the bed.

"I’ll be out in five minutes."

His demeanor shifted instantly. The playful spark vanished, replaced by a cold, quiet resolve.

Today marked the true beginning of his journey.

…

Noah eventually stood before a grand, decorated door.

Neko was perched atop his head, her violet eyes shimmering in the dim corridor, echoing the shade of his own hair.

He pushed the door open and entered.

The interior was simple yet captivating—the walls were finished in a rich purple hue, accented by intricate silver threads.

As he scanned the room, his eyes caught on a specific detail.

One of the woven patterns was unmistakable—it was the image of a cat, skillfully integrated into the silver embroidery.

Noah glanced up at Neko, his eyes narrowing with suspicion.

"I knew it. You’re such a cliché. What exactly is your connection to my family?"

This specific detail had never been mentioned in the original novel.

He wondered why it was left out.

Shaking off the distraction, he focused on the center of the chamber. There, an Awakening Crystal sat upon a magnificent pedestal.

This relic had been recovered from ancient ruins and later duplicated by the world's most skilled runesmiths and artificers.

Its function was straightforward.

It allowed a person to seamlessly channel mana into their body to form a core, thereby awakening their innate talent and taking that first step into the supernatural realm.

It was supposed to be a simple process.

"You’ve arrived, my baby."

Noah turned to find Selene standing to his right.

She was draped in a stunning purple gown, her silver-white hair flowing down her shoulders. She radiated an aura that was both elegant and authoritative.

For a fleeting second, Noah thought—

"This family really does have an obsession with purple, don't they?"

Then, he noticed something odd.

Selene’s attention was fixed entirely on Neko.

Her violet eyes flickered with a rare emotion—pure shock.

'Luminara, why is your daughter with my son?'

She projected the thought toward an unseen entity.

Neko met her gaze without flinching, looking almost arrogant as she shifted comfortably on Noah’s head.

A voice, both smooth and freezing, resonated in Selene's mind.

'She wouldn't give me a moment's peace last night. She was adamant about seeing Noah. I was worried I might actually freeze her solid if she kept pestering me, so I let her go.'

Selene’s expression darkened.

'And you didn't think to tell me?'

'It is a matter for the younger generation. Don't be such a mother hen, Selene.'

Before Selene could retort—

"Mother, is something wrong? Can we begin or not?"

Noah’s voice broke her concentration, pulling her back to reality.

She sighed softly and offered a smile.

"Of course. Simply rest your hand on the crystal. I have already prepared everything."

But she sent one final mental message—

'Luminara, we aren't done talking about this.'

A faint, amused chortle was the only reply.

Selene shifted into an instructional tone.

"The moment you touch the crystal, mana will start to permeate your body."

"The element of that mana depends on your personal affinity—our Weaverheart line has always commanded Ice Mana."

"Your objective is to seize control of that mana and condense it into a core within your Dantian."

"Your talent will manifest once that core is stable."

"Is that clear?"

Noah gave a firm nod.

"Yes, Mother."

He didn't actually need the lecture; he was already well aware of the mechanics.

Selene pointed toward the pedestal.

"Then, you may begin."

Noah walked forward until he stood directly before the Awakening Crystal.

Huuuu…

He took a long, steadying breath.

This was the moment.

He pressed his palm against the crystal.

A few seconds ticked by. The crystal pulsed as if scanning his soul—then, a torrent of Ice Mana flooded into his system.

A piercing chill raced through his veins, causing his body to shiver instinctively.

"Stay focused, Noah! Subdue it and construct your core!"

Selene’s voice commanded.

Noah clenched his teeth.

He reached out to the mana swirling inside him—and to his amazement, it felt… incredibly easy.

Almost natural.

His eyes widened in realization.

"This must be the power of my SSS-rank affinity…"

His self-assurance surged. He directed the ice mana with absolute authority, shaping and compressing it—

In just a few minutes, a radiant blue core had solidified within his Dantian.

It vibrated, emitting a gentle, frosty luminescence.

Then—

Everything changed.

Deep inside his soul, something ancient stirred—as if a sleeping giant had finally opened its eyes.

Noah’s entire frame began to shake.

Then—

BOOOM !!

The room was suddenly consumed by an explosion of ice.

The Awakening Crystal froze solid before shattering into a million shards.

Frost surged outward, crawling up the walls and cracking the masonry.

The air turned lethally cold, sparking with an overwhelming, raw power.

Ice claimed everything in the room.

And standing in the eye of the storm—

Noah remained perfectly still, his purple hair sparkling with frost crystals.

It appeared as though the concept of Ice itself had reached out to embrace him.

Selene’s breath caught in her throat. Her pupils narrowed to pinpricks.

The temperature plunged even further—not because of Noah, but because of her own shock.

"…This is impossible…" she breathed, her voice a mere whisper.

The fragments of the shattered crystal crunched under her boots as she took an instinctive step back. She had witnessed many awakenings—prodigies with massive potential and monsters who broke records… but this was completely unprecedented.

SSS rank?

For the first time in decades, her hands were shaking. She balled them into fists to hide the tremor.

'Luminara… tell me I’m not dreaming.'

'Oh, it's quite real,' the voice in her head laughed, sounding thoroughly entertained. 'Your son has just evolved into something the world hasn't witnessed in centuries.'

Selene’s disbelief slowly transformed into a different emotion.

A fierce, soaring sense of pride.

Her lips curved into a breathtaking smile. It was a look of pure triumph and dominance—the expression of a mother who had never doubted her child's greatness.

She exhaled, her eyes shining like razor-sharp shards of ice.

"Just as I expected from my baby."

Noah, however, was experiencing something else.

A chime rang out in his mind—distinctly different from his usual system alerts.

Ding!

A golden interface materialized before him.

{Congratulations, Noah Weaverheart.}

{You have successfully established a connection with the Akashic Records.}

{Two talents have been awakened:}

— Hand of Ice (D-rank)

— Sovereign of Ice (SSS-rank)

{The D-rank talent has been consumed by Sovereign of Ice.}

{Evaluating your existence…}

{Ding! Ding! Ding!}

{EXCEPTIONAL.}

{A title has been bestowed upon you.}

{Title Acquired: "The Reincarnator."}

{Your level of existence has been significantly heightened.}

Noah stared at the shimmering text.

Slowly, a smirk spread across his face.

Life was about to get much more interesting.

—End of Chapter 5—

A/N:

Still with me? I appreciate you reading!