Vidax gazed at the little boy lying motionless on the bed, his chest tightening with an ache that never seemed to fade. Over the past decade, the world had transformed in ways no one could have imagined.
Ten years ago, the world had experienced what was later called 'The Awakening'. It was a time of chaos and panic, as the fabric of reality seemed to unravel. In cities across the globe, mysterious portals appeared out of nowhere.
These portals, now known as 'Miniverses,' were gateways to other-dimensional planes. At the time, fear gripped humanity. Were these portals harbingers of monstrous invasions? Would humanity's fragile existence be overrun by the unknown?
Contrary to every fearful prediction, the Miniverses were... silent. Utterly harmless. For the past ten years, there hadn't been a single reported outbreak or invasion.
These Miniverses appeared to herald the dawn of a new age. Moments after the portals began manifesting across the world, humanity was introduced to the ultimate perk straight out of a fantasy protagonist's dream. Every person gained access to something that called itself the 'God-making System.'
Rather than being bestowed upon a single individual, this system was shared with everyone. Yet, this didn't diminish the excitement among the world's famous 'otakus'—for them, it was a dream come true.
With the help of this System, humanity unlocked an ability known as 'Bloodline Tracing.' Each person awakened powers tied to their ancestral bloodline. However, this period also became one of the bloodiest chapters of the past decade. Powerful families with weak or undesirable bloodlines found themselves targeted by those who lusted after their wealth and status, leading to widespread conflict and violence.
No one could have anticipated that, while the metaphorical guillotine blade of the Miniverses loomed ominously above their heads, some individuals would exploit their newfound powers to embark on crime sprees.
Fortunately, not all who gained immense power had sinister intentions. Within a year, a semblance of order was restored through the emergence of 'Humanity's Paradise.'This organization was formed by the unification of all the world's continents, an unprecedented alliance aimed at maintaining peace. Once the God-making System granted humanity the ability to trace their bloodlines and harness incredible abilities, it seemed to retreat into a dormant state, showing no further activity.
Just as the world began to settle into this new normal, believing the chaos had finally subsided, an incident occurred that shattered their illusions of stability.
One of the world's most infamous criminals was cornered by Paradise agents near a Miniverse portal. Despite their pursuit, the criminal—Dolber—escaped into the portal. Scientists had long warned that humans could not withstand the energy emanating from the Miniverses, even with their bloodline abilities. Confident in this assumption, the agents abandoned their chase, deeming it unnecessary.
It was a mistake they would come to regret.
Four hours later, Dolber emerged from the Miniverse. Though his bloodline ability remained unchanged, his power had skyrocketed beyond anything humanity had ever seen. That day, he embarked on a massacre, single-handedly killing hundreds of agents from Humanity's Paradise. His killing spree ended only after five of the region's top families gathered to kill him, incurring massive losses despite their numerical advantage.
Realizing there could be untapped power within the Miniverses, the higher-ups of Humanity's Paradise made a controversial decision. Despite warnings from their scientists, they formed elite vanguard teams tasked with exploring these mysterious portals.
Each team was led by the head of one of the top families in their respective regions. As the prominent family of the Green Birch region, the Viridian family was called upon to form their own team. Vidax, the family head, took charge as its leader.
Standing at the window, Vidax's gaze drifted to the portal. He vividly recalled the events that led them here.
Standing before the portal, its pulsating glow seemed to beckon Vidax and his team forward. He took a deep breath and stepped through, feeling an inexplicable pull as he crossed the threshold.
On the other side, they found themselves in an endless expanse of tall grass swaying gently in the wind. The serene atmosphere was deceptive, masking the sense of foreboding that loomed over them.
Suddenly, Vidax froze as he felt the long asleep System's presence once again as a translucent screen materialized before his eyes, hovering in midair like a hologram.
[ Name: Vidax Viridian ]
[ Age: 41 ]
[ Bloodline Legacy: Pele ]
[ Bloodline Ability: Spirit Summoning ]
[ Current Power Level: Mortal ]
[ Experience Points (EXP): 0 / 5000 ]
Attributes:
- Strength: [ 8 ]
- Agility: [ 7 ]
- Endurance: [ 8 ]
- Mana Reserves: [ 10 / 10 ]
Special Abilities:
- [ None ]
Notifications:
1. *Congratulations! You are the first to enter the Ethereal Zone 497.As a reward you're given the chance to pick one more beginners ability *
2. *You are eligible to select beginner abilities based on your bloodline. Available abilities are being calculated...*
Vidax's eyes narrowed slightly as the screen shifted once more, now displaying a list of abilities.
Ability Options:
1. **God of Summons (Low Tier)** – Grants limited control over all summons, including hostile ones.
2. **Spirit Sharing** – Allows you to share energy with your summons to strengthen them, or receive their power to enhance yourself.
3. **Limit Breaker** – Provides a chance to evolve your summons (success rate not guaranteed).
He carefully analyzed the options, understanding how Dolber might have gained such immense power in a short time. While tempted to have all three abilities—an impossible wish—he made his decision.
With the cool-headed demeanor of a leader, Vidax selected *God of Summons*, recognizing its unparalleled potential despite its low tier. After a brief hesitation, he chose *Spirit Sharing*, appreciating its reliable functionality without any risk of failure.
As soon as his choices were confirmed, the system's voice resounded directly in his mind:
[ Congratulations on fully entering the beginner level. Best of luck on your journey to godhood. ]
The message left him both intrigued and wary. Before he could fully process it, a voice broke his thoughts.
"Leader, the system is asking me to choose between two abilities. Is there anything I should be careful of?" one of his team members asked, their tone edged with apprehension. Vidax glanced around and realized the rest of his team was also staring blankly at unseen screens, clearly waiting for his guidance.
"Choose abilities that maximize your chances of survival," he advised calmly. "We don't yet know what this Ethereal Zone holds."
At first, Vidax considered forbidding members of the Viridian family from selecting *God of Summons*—the ability could disrupt the family's internal power balance. Ultimately, he refrained, keeping his personal desires in check.
"Heh, I got a Spirit Detonation ability!" one of the team members exclaimed excitedly.
"Nice! I got Yin-Yang Summoning —it lets me summon two spirits for the cost of one!" another chimed in.
As they shared their abilities, Vidax realized that each person had been presented with different options, even if they shared the same bloodlines.
"This can't be everything Dolber experienced," Vidax muttered, taking a step forward. "There must be more to this Ethereal Zone. Let's move further in and find out."