It was the year 20,025 of the Empirral Calendar. Some thirty thousand years earlier, beings from an unknown world had descended upon this realm, bringing chaos and devastation unlike anything ever witnessed.
Their invasion ignited a cataclysmic war that forced the proud races of the world—elves, dwarves, humans, dragons, and countless others—to set aside their differences and stand together. The struggle lasted for a thousand grueling years, a millennium of endless bloodshed and shattered skies where legends were born and entire civilizations were erased.
Yet, in the end, the war ceased. From the ashes of that age of ruin, twenty thousand years ago, the Supreme Heaven's Empire was born—a monumental union forged from the 12 strongest races. It stood as the pinnacle of cooperation and power, the greatest empire that had ever existed or ever would. Together, they built an empire meant to endure through eternity, a symbol of what the world could achieve when all creation stood as one.
There was no single king who ruled over this mighty empire. Instead, twelve rulers shared its governance—each representing one of the twelve great royal families. At the heart of their grand palace stood an empty throne, untouched and eternal, serving as a sacred symbol of truth and equality. It reminded all who gazed upon it that no one among the twelve stood above the others, that unity—not dominance—was the foundation of their strength.
Among these twelve noble lineages was the Dragneel Royal Family, the proud bloodline of the dragonkin. They were not true dragons—those colossal, serpent-like beings who once soared through the heavens—but rather dragon humans, born from the fusion of draconic might and mortal form.
They possessed the power and resilience of dragons, yet retained the intellect and adaptability of humankind and other races. Of course, not every Dragneel inherited such divine traits; only the most gifted among them were blessed with the full breadth of their ancestral power, standing as living testaments to the legacy of both dragon and other races.
Speaking of talents, today was the day the man blessed by the heavens was going to awaken his magical power. Vector Dragneel, a man whose father was born from the union of the Dragneel Royal Family and the Ashburn Royal Family, stood on the verge of his long-awaited awakening. The moment carried great significance, a moment that both the common people and the nobility looked forward to.
The Ashburn Royal Family was a race of demons, beings whose strength and pride were unmatched. This meant Vector's father was known as the first ever demonic dragon, a figure whose power inspired both awe and fear. His hell's Dragons' breath was infamous across the lands, a flame said to burn away not just the physical, but the spiritual, reducing both body and soul to nothing.
His mother was born from the union of the Fireheart Royal Family and the Evergreen Royal Family. The Fireheart line belonged to the noble phoenix race, known for their eternal flames and power of rebirth, while the Evergreen Royal family was of the proud elven royals, beings of nature and unmatched grace.
Because of this union, Vector carried within him the blood of four great races—the demon, dragon, elf, and phoenix. Such a lineage was unheard of, for it was well known that unions between different races were exceedingly rare, often considered impossible. Yet through fate, circumstance, or divine will, those powerful bloodlines converged in him, making Vector a being unlike any other in existence.
It was like telling a human to sleep with a dog and expecting to birth a half-human. While such a thing wasn't completely impossible, it was considered extremely rare—so rare that most dismissed it as nothing more than myth. Yet, in the rare chance a child was born carrying the blood of more than one race, that offspring often inherited the greatest strengths of both lineages, rising to surpass their parents in every way imaginable.
For this very reason, even though Vector's parents were married, both understood the true nature of their union. Their marriage wasn't born from love or desire but from an agreement—a calculated decision meant to ensure no child could ever result from them, pretty much killing off their bloodlines. After all, the union between two such extraordinary beings was thought to be incompatible. But against every expectation, Vector was born, a phenomenon never before witnessed in history.
Anyways, Vector walked up to the stage where a large crystal stood, its surface glowing faintly with a soft, shifting light. In this world, there existed two known types of awakenings: the natural awakening, which occurred through powerful emotions such as rage, grief, or determination, and the crystal awakening, which required one to place their palm upon a special crystal that guided and triggered the process.
When a person awakened, they gained what was known as a job class, a talent that shaped the course of their entire life. These classes defined not only strength but destiny itself. Most people received simple and common job classes, farmer, babysitter, swordsman, mage, or archer—roles respected yet ordinary. However, beyond these were far rarer and more complex job classes, ones so powerful that they made those basic titles seem insignificant in comparison.
Simply awakening wasn't enough; the job class one gained held far greater weight, for it determined the very path of a person's future. Strength, potential, and even social standing were all shaped by it. For instance, Vector's mother had awakened to two never-before-seen job classes—Eternal Flame and Tree of Life—both job classes that carried awe and reverence across the empire. These classes reflected the union of her phoenix and elven blood, embodying both rebirth and vitality.
As for Vector's father, he had awakened the job class Demonic Dragon Lord, a title that left even other royals speechless. It was believed to be the direct result of his fused dragon and demonic heritage, and like his wife's, it was a power never recorded in history before.
"Why are you so nervous?" asked Vector's mother, walking beside him with a warm, loving smile. She had once believed she would never have a child, so when her baby boy was finally born, her happiness had gone beyond words. No language could fully describe the joy and gratitude she felt each time she looked at him.
"Relax, you'll surely awaken a powerful class," she said gently, reaching out to ruffle his hair. Her touch was soft and reassuring, filled with the quiet confidence only a mother could give. Vector tried to return her warmth with a smile, though it felt forced, his nerves tightening as he stepped forward. Slowly, he placed his palm upon the crystal… But what he had expected to happen… didn't happen.
As someone who had reincarnated into this world seven years ago, Vector had already prepared himself for disappointment, like those MCs in those novels he read back in his past life. He was ready to be branded as trash, the kind of child born from greatness yet destined to achieve nothing. But what appeared before him defied all his expectations—he had awakened, and not only that, he had gained an extremely rare job class.
"The Anime Summoner?" his mother whispered, her voice trembling as her legs nearly gave way beneath her. The moment she saw the name of the job class, everything began to make sense. No wonder her son's body had always seemed frail while growing up. Summoners were known to rely on the power of their summons rather than their own strength. They could call forth beings to fight alongside them… but that was usually the limit of their ability.
Even the strongest summoners in the world struggled to call forth beings stronger than B-tier. In other words, her son was effectively cursed—fated to remain at B-tier for life, or at best, reach A-tier if he pushed beyond his limits. It was a cruel reality, one that no parent would ever wish upon their child.
"My baby…" she whispered, her voice breaking as tears filled her eyes. Overcome with emotion, Vector's mother pulled him tightly into her arms, trembling as she wept. The weight of her sorrow was heavy, for everyone knew the truth—those who could not surpass A tier were bound by fate to live no longer than seventy-five years. And for those with powerful bloodlines, the cost was even greater. The stronger the lineage, the shorter the lifespan. Those born with two great bloodlines were said to live only about fifty years.
Those with three powerful bloodlines were known to live even shorter lives, their flames burning out in only thirty years. So how long did her child have? Twenty? Fifteen? Or perhaps even less? The thought alone tore at her heart, each possibility more painful than the last.
"It's alright," Vector said softly, forcing a faint smile. He had expected as much—after all, fate had never been kind to those born too gifted. But while he had prepared himself for a short life, there was one thing he had never anticipated… the way everyone around him would change. Overnight, every face he knew, every voice he trusted, shifted completely—people who once smiled at him now looked at him differently, their kindness turning into something cold and unfamiliar.