Chapter 2: Primordial Bloodline Stirs
[Bloodline: Primordial]
[A Bloodline rumored to originate from the creators of the universe. Those who inherit it awaken exclusive abilities and experience accelerated growth, driven by an ancestral ambition to reclaim their rightful supremacy.]
[Special benefits have been applied.]
Leonard blinked slowly.
"Maybe a little light-headed, but otherwise fine. The interface looks identical to the manuals provided beforehand." Leonard replied in a calm tone.
’This is the first time I’ve heard of Primordial Bloodline. Based on the pain I was subjected to and the description, it surpasses Divine. Whether its existence is genuinely unknown or intentionally hidden, I must be extra vigilant.’ He analyzed rapidly, keeping his breathing steady.
Without time to flourish, potential was a dangerous metric that could easily backfire. Gideon, although obsessive in his heroic cause, had only sought to exterminate monsters and bring peace. Yet despite his best intentions, the Divine Bloodline he carried had invited betrayal from his comrades.
Leonard, who had already been declared irredeemable, would be in danger if the word that his talent exceeded his father’s spread. Those who had previously shunned him would try to eliminate him before he could properly cultivate his strength, fearing the possibility of him seeking revenge.
’Either with them or against them.’ Leonard was painfully aware of how the ruling nobility suppressed those who challenged their authority.
’I don’t intend to cowardly go into hiding, but I’m also not about to foolishly reveal my advantages to the world.’ He concluded rationally. ’Not until the traitors who deceived us are dealt with!’
Headmistress Jennifer was beyond impressed. Often, when descendants of powerful figures awakened the low ranked bloodlines, they would fly into fits of rage or despair.
But Leonard’s behavior hadn’t changed after hearing the news, remaining composed.
"If only those born into power shared your composure..." Jennifer remarked with a bitter sigh. She had grown tired of dealing with arrogant heirs from influential families, who expected everyone to comply with their unreasonable demands.
Daniel, a son of Royal Trade’s CEO, was a prime example. The company had made it clear that its heir was to be present during Leonard’s awakening, lest grave consequences follow.
"Mister Leonard, don’t be discouraged by the result. The rank of one’s bloodline is not the absolute determinant many claim it to be. I am certain that you can go far. Who knows, maybe you will be able to join the awakener’s academy after your first ascension." She offered a few reassuring words.
Leonard was surprised that the headmistress’s attitude remained unchanged, even though she believed he possessed the weakest bloodline.
"Thank you."
Once she confirmed he was stable, Jennifer rose and approached Miranda.
The maid had been quietly watching, ready to intervene if the need arose.
"Miss Miranda... Or should I say Demonic Angel?" Jennifer’s voice grew more respectful in acknowledgment.
"The Promised Land insisted that I invite you back to their headquarters. Supposedly, it’s possible to find a cure for your mana oversensitivity if you comply."
Miranda’s luminous golden eyes did not falter.
"My stance remains firm. I will not leave the Young Master’s side."
Jennifer smiled, expecting this response. She bid them farewell and left the apartment.
With the coast clear, Leonard turned his attention to studying the system in greater detail.
Name: Leonard
Level: 1 [Experience: 0/100]
Bloodline: Primordial
Vitality: 15
Strength: 17
Agility: 15
Endurance: 16
Magic: 0 → 10
Mana: 0 → 100
Skills: Basic Strike
Attribute Points: 0
Evolution Points: 0
Traits: Accelerated Manaflow, Hardened Physique, Devoted Summons
Titles: Lumberjack
He was stunned. Normally, after awakening, most people started with only one point in magic, granting them a mana pool of 10 points, following a 1:10 conversion ratio. However, his magic attribute had awakened with 10 points, ten times the norm, bringing his total mana pool to 100.
The other attributes also pleased him. Most people usually capped out at around 10 before awakening, so being at least 50% above average was a clear testament that his training had borne fruit.
His attention shifted to his traits next. They were abilities that activated passively most of the time, often granted by racial origins, whether elves, beastfolk, or other races, as well as bloodline ranks.
Until now, he had never heard of anyone awakening with more than a single trait.
[Accelerated Manaflow - Level 1]
[Increases the absorption rate of your mana pathways, passively restores 1 mana every 10 seconds.]
[Hardened Physique - Level 1]
[Enhances your body’s resilience. Natural recovery is accelerated by 50%, your skin becomes 20% more durable, and your resistance to harmful toxins is increased by 80%.]
[Devoted Summons - Level 1]
[Your bonded summons possess unwavering loyalty and are capable of evolving alongside you. Current limit: 2.]
’Such powerful traits are usually locked behind a class. Yet I possess three of them while still only Level 1. It’s no wonder why those with higher-ranked bloodlines view ordinary people as inferior. From the moment of awakening, the playing field had been engineered to be in their favor.’ He thought.
Leonard had witnessed and experienced firsthand the worst treatment humans inflicted upon those they deemed expendable. He made a silent promise to himself not to let arrogance and pride blind him.
Lastly came titles. They were earned by the deeds an awakener accomplished throughout their life.
[Lumberjack]
[Severing trees becomes 100% easier.]
Compared to every other revelation, his title surprised him the least.
Focusing inward, he felt the effects of Accelerated Manaflow. His mana pathways began to passively absorb the energy of the world.
[Mana: 0 → 1/100]
Leonard’s pupils enlarged. He was astonished by the refreshing sensation that the mana coursing through his body brought him.
’It’s like I’ve stepped into a whole new world...’
By now the storm had lifted. He was inclined to test the changes in his body under the cover of the night.
"The darkness can be dangerous. Please let me accompany you." Miranda requested with a faint trace of exhaustion in her voice.
Most would have overlooked her tiredness but not him.
Leonard shook his head. "You’ve done plenty. Don’t overexert yourself and get some rest."
He was aware of her mana oversensitivity. Excessive exposure to mana left her in a vulnerable state and could even endanger her life. Leonard wasn’t about to risk the life of someone he cherished.
"But I am your bodyguard." Miranda disliked not having her eyes on him at all times.
Leonard exhaled deeply. "My father was publicly executed today. I want to be alone with my thoughts for a while."
"Young Master..." Miranda bit her lower lip, realizing she might have overstepped her boundaries. "I understand. Please be careful."
He nodded, grabbed his reliable double-headed axe, and headed towards the dark forest.
Bordering the Lower Sector, invasive black trees grew in abundance, constantly spreading pollution. Without cutting every few days, they would grow to such an extent that they attracted monsters from the surrounding area.
When Leonard was certain he was alone, he prepared to sever the trunk of a tree... Only for the system to respond.
[You have performed over a million Basic Strikes in the course of your lifetime. You have met the necessary criteria for skill evolution.]
[Basic Strike is evolving from Common to Rare rank.]
[Basic Strike → Lightning Strike]
[Lightning Strike - Level 1]
[Rank: Rare]
[Infuses your strike with low-affinity lightning and amplifies your strength by 200%.]
[Usage cost: 10 mana.]
"So the system has been keeping track of me even before awakening..." Leonard mused.
His mana had already regenerated past 10. Without hesitation, he used the skill.
Lightning crackled over his weapon, propelling it to staggering speed. His multiplied strength, combined with the effects of Lumberjack, caused the axe’s head to slice through the wide trunk of the tree in a single swing, sending it crashing to the ground.
Leonard stared at the severed wood in shock. A Rare ranked skill was far more powerful than he had anticipated.
He used the skill a few more times to familiarize himself with it. At some point, he decided to take the experiments further.
Luckily, just then, he sensed a foreign entity creeping through the forest.
"A monster is approaching."
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