Chapter 12: Bloodline
Silence… everything vanished.
All light, all sound, all sensation—gone in an instant.
Only emptiness remained.
My body drifted in the vastness of space, floating as if carried by an endless current, surrounded only by starlight and distant galaxies.
'…Where am I?'
I tried to move my hand, but my entire body felt impossibly heavy, as if crushed under some enormous gravity. My chest tightened, breath stuck in my throat—yet somehow, I remained conscious.
Then something appeared.
Not someone—something that should not exist.
A colossal silhouette, not a full body, only a faint outline of something far too massive to be called a creature.
No eyes. No mouth. No face.
But its presence pressed directly onto my soul.
"AWAKEN, MY CHILD."
The voice was distorted—shredded—yet somehow clear.
At that same moment, a sharp pain tore through my chest.
I looked down—and saw star-like light pulsing beneath my skin, flickering in my chest like a living galaxy.
'Damn… this hurts!'
I clutched my chest, but energy poured out from it—cosmic, unfamiliar, like starlight trying to rewrite my entire being. It spread through me, igniting magical circuits I didn't know existed.
And then—something snapped.
Like chains breaking from deep within.
[System connected to Cosmic Core.]
[Access initializing…]
[Primordial power merging.]
The starlight around me began spinning faster—then—
BOOM!
Everything collapsed.
I was thrown back into the real world.
. . .
When my eyes opened again, I was already kneeling on the floor of the awakening hall. Dust filled the air, and cracks spread across the ground beneath me. The awakening orb… was gone.
Completely destroyed.
"R-Ren!!"
Abel's voice reached me, trembling, but distant—as if heard through water.
I lifted my head slowly. My vision blurred, but eventually stabilized. The starlight surrounding my body dimmed, fading until nothing remained—absorbed deep within me.
Silence fell.
Kyle, Mia, the priests, the sisters, and all the children stared at me.
Some were still on their knees, overwhelmed by the mana pressure. Others simply froze, unable to comprehend what they had witnessed.
I exhaled. A wisp of smoke escaped my mouth. My breathing was heavy…
But I was alive.
Ding!
[Updating system!]
[Initializing…]
[Complete. Cosmic System activated.]
[For more information, please open the Host's System.]
Ding!
[Congratulations. The Host has survived bloodline activation.]
[Class "Mythic Magic Swordmaster" confirmed.]
[Bloodline status: Unstable. Synchronization 49%.]
[Host's body cannot withstand full release. Bloodline remains partially awakened.]
I stared at the blue notifications in disbelief.
Footsteps echoed softly. The old bishop approached, face pale. His eyes darted between me and the silver dust that used to be the awakening orb.
He stopped in front of me, robes torn from the explosion, hands trembling around his staff.
"…Young man," his voice cracked, "what was that?"
I looked at the sparkling dust on the floor, then back at him.
"…I don't know," I finally answered.
The bishop's eyes shook—not with anger, but fear.
"That… that was not a being from this world. The aura earlier… far beyond mana or magic." He clutched his chest, breath ragged.
"But before that—are you sure you're unharmed? No strange sensation in your body?"
I nodded calmly. "Aside from some pain in my chest, I'm fine."
Silence fell again. Only the soft hiss of fading energy filled the air.
The bishop closed his eyes, exhaling long and deeply.
"Enough for today. We will close this temple temporarily. I will conceal this incident." Then he added gently, "So do not leave for now. The Emperor will surely hear of this."
I nodded. "Understood, Bishop."
He turned to Abel.
"And you, child… you will be taken to the Holy Church in the capital for protection."
Abel said nothing, gripping my sleeve tightly.
"…Don't go…" she whispered, head lowered.
I smiled softly and patted her head.
"It's okay. You said you wanted to save many people, right?"
"Now's your chance, Abel. As a Saintess, that dream will come true. Be proud. I'll visit you someday at the Church."
I gently pried her hand from my sleeve and smiled at her.
"If you want to stay by my side someday… then become someone strong, Abel."
I knew I couldn't stay with her forever.
But I wanted her to stand on her own.
"…Alright. I'll work hard… I'll become strong…"
Tears slipped down her cheeks, but she still smiled.
I nodded. "Good. That's the Abel I know."
I turned away, leaving her with two silent priests behind her—both watching me with strange expressions.
"'My Ren'…? Hehe. Yes… I'm your Abel, Ren," Abel whispered.
. . .
The next morning
Sunlight washed over Lumen, but the atmosphere was heavy.
Birds didn't sing. The air felt thick.
Rumors of the "sky crack" had spread everywhere.
Some claimed it was the apocalypse.
Others said it was the descent of a god.
But all agreed on one thing—something inhuman appeared yesterday.
Another rumor spread too: a new Saintess had been born after 500 years.
Many believed it was tied to the sky crack.
. . .
At Stella Orphanage, the morning was quiet. Too quiet.
No singing, no laughter.
Everyone moved carefully, as if afraid to speak. The sisters had ordered the children to stay silent.
I sat on my bed and summoned the system. I wanted to see what changed. Yesterday I had no chance—Milly lectured me nonstop, and I was exhausted.
'System.'
Ding!