“Is anyone here?” Archie's voice echoed through the room as he ascended to the tenth floor, his eyes scanning the surroundings for any sign of life.

The room was bare except for a small table, its legs adorned with drawers. Black walls enclosed the space, and a sliver of dim sunlight filtered in through the opening Archie had entered.

“Welcome, young warrior.” A deep voice resonated from behind Archie, causing him to whirl around. A towering figure stood in the opening, his silhouette outlined by the light.

“How are you feeling, warrior?” the man boomed, striding towards Archie.

As the man neared, his features became clear: a giant of a man, almost six feet tall, with a thick brown beard and long hair cascading onto his shoulders. He was clad in black armor, lending him an imposing air. His massive form completely eclipsed the sunlight streaming in from behind him.

He circled Archie before positioning himself in front of the table. With a swift movement, he retrieved a box from one of the drawers.

“Here, warrior. Your egg stones.” He extended the box towards Archie, who accepted it with a hint of trepidation.

“Warrior, before you begin your exam, can I entertain you with our origin story and how we acquired Ethereal?” The man perched himself on the table, which surprisingly held his weight.

Archie remained silent. He had heard this tale countless times since his childhood and had even studied the subjects of Rifts and Ethereal until middle school. However, he nodded in agreement, partly out of intimidation and partly out of curiosity. Perhaps this man's version would differ from the one he had learned in school.

A faint smile tugged at the corners of the man's mouth, hidden beneath his voluminous beard.

“Then, listen closely.500 years ago, our planet was barren. We were plagued by natural disasters, and crops failed to yield. All we did was prolong our suffering until blue rifts began to materialize out of nowhere around the world.

When our ancestors entered the rifts, nothing happened. They merely transported to another part of the planet or a parallel place akin to our ocean and lands. Nothing beyond that.

But one day, the first red rift appeared in a district and sucked in everything within it.

I still remember the tale of the first wave. My grandmother used to narrate how my ancestor was sucked inside the red rift.”

‘Could he be a Bloodline?’ Archie pondered, intrigued by the man's narrative.

A Bloodline is a lineage of individuals who were engulfed by the very first red rift 500 years ago, known as the First Wave.

Nowadays, students at the age of fifteen consume the red egg stone of monsters to acquire Ethereal power. However, those of the Bloodline are born with Ethereal abilities.

Egg stones are the hearts of monsters, resembling small eggs. When a monster is slain, it vanishes, leaving behind an egg stone.

In the present day, students are granted egg stones during their ROT trial. However, during the First Wave, people hunted monsters themselves, consuming their flesh and hearts before the creatures perished. This bestowed upon them unparalleled Ethereal power.

Upon their return to our planet, they gradually lost consciousness and went berserk, unable to control the raw mana of their Ethereal power swirling within them.

To counter this, humans engineered blue egg stones by fusing monster hearts with modern technology, enabling them to harness the power.

It took approximately 100 years to create the blue egg stone following the First Wave. Until then, those who had gained Ethereal power either perished due to the raw mana ravaging their insides or exploded in a fit of madness.

Despite these harrowing times, some managed to control the Ethereal before the advent of blue egg stones. The raw Ethereal power within them rendered them unrivaled. This power fused with their blood, spawning a new bloodline and transforming them into a unique species.

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

After numerous unsuccessful attempts to replicate the bloodline through research, it was established that the only viable method was procreation with those who had survived the berserk state of Ethereal and had managed to control it, known as Originals.

Children of the Bloodline can wield Ethereal power at a remarkably young age, unlike others.

400 years have passed since then. The Bloodline has ascended to the pinnacle of society, from conducting ROT tests to governing countries worldwide.

The man standing before Archie now was one of the Bloodline.

The man reminisced about the story his grandmother had narrated and shared it with Archie.“What are you doing here, Bruno?” A female voice cut through their conversation.

Archie turned his gaze to his left, from where the voice had originated. Justina was stepping out of the elevator, her figure emerging from the black wall as she approached him.

Archie then shifted his focus back to where the man had been standing, but he had vanished, leaving no trace of his presence. The only evidence of his existence was the egg stone box and Justina’s call to him.

‘Bruno! What the hell is he?’ Archie mused as Justina drew closer, a scowl etched on her face.

“Archie, right? It seems you already have the egg stone box.” As Justina began to speak, other students gradually started to arrive on the floor.

Justina clenched her fists in frustration upon seeing the students and muttered under her breath, “Trashes.”

Once nearly twenty students had assembled, Justina dialed Max to prevent more from ascending the stairs to this room. She found it bothersome to deal with everyone simultaneously and even whispered into the phone, “I only came here to see that Archie kid.”

As she conversed on the phone, the students shot Archie cold and hostile glances. Archie paid them no mind; his attention was solely on Justina.

Justina ended the call and distributed an egg stone box to each student. Then, she began to instruct them on what to do. “Pay attention, trash.”

A giggle escaped Archie at Justina’s words, earning him glares from everyone present.

Normally, Archie disliked being the center of attention, but at that moment, he was reveling in it. He felt a sense of triumph, as though he had bested these people. He knew it was a petty thought but couldn't help but smile slightly, taking pride in the fact that he had reached the top floor first, even though that hadn't been his initial goal.

“SNAP!” Justina flicked her fingers, drawing everyone's attention towards her. She began to instruct, “Listen carefully to what I have to say. There are two egg stones in the box. Consume the red egg stone when I give the signal. As soon as you do, you will experience a burning sensation and be rifted instantaneously.”

Individuals who are not of the Bloodline are prohibited from consuming egg stones until they reach the age of fifteen, when their bodies are fully mature and capable of absorbing Ethereal power. Each year, tests are conducted on students to assess if their bodies are suitable for Ethereal power absorption.

When someone consumes their first red egg stone, the heart of a monster, they are rifted from their location without warning. The reason behind this phenomenon remains unknown, but it is believed to be a trial bestowed by the rifts themselves.

Those who are rifted are teleported to a specific natural area, known as a nature encounter. This determines the type of Ethereal they possess.

For instance, if someone is teleported to an ocean area, it signifies that they possess SS-graded Ethereal. If they are teleported to a pond, it indicates that they have F-graded Ethereal and will be granted the ability to manipulate water. If they are teleported to a forest, they gain control over trees and plants. Each individual possesses a unique Ethereal.

However, those of the Bloodline inherit their parents' Ethereal power. The Ethereal infused into their blood since birth renders the Bloodline unrivaled compared to Offshoots (individuals who gain Ethereal through Egg stones)

Justina explained what to do after being rifted by consuming the red egg stone: “Once you are rifted, observe your surroundings. Whether it's an ocean or a tree, that is your Ethereal. Immediately swallow the blue egg stone to control your Ethereal power and return here. Without consuming the blue egg stone, you won't be able to use this...”

Justina pressed a spot just below her right eye, above her cheek.

A small blue light emanated from where she touched.

“Ohh!” The students gasped in surprise as a blue system screen materialized before her.

They couldn't decipher the letters on the screen, only perceive the color of the screen.

“Do you see this blue screen? It's called an E-Screen. It monitors your Ethereal power and enables us to identify the grade of your Ethereal. You can buy and sell skill books or reward items. You'll learn more about it when you attend your academy…” Justina chuckled, “If you prove to be useful.”

“CLAP!” Justina clapped her hands together to conclude the conversation and issue one final set of instructions before they ate, “As soon as you are rifted, consume your blue egg stone within a few minutes before your Ethereal power goes berserk and you lose consciousness. The only way to return is by swallowing the blue egg stone. If you fail to do so, you will be trapped there forever.”

“Now, embark on your journey.” Justina raised her hands, signaling them to eat.

One by one, everyone swallowed their egg stones.

Archie hesitated for a few seconds but eventually swallowed it in one swift motion. The egg dissolved in his mouth like tasteless snow, but he felt a burning sensation coursing through his body. Before he could let out a scream.

“SWOOSH!” he was rifted. The place where he disappeared left a glass-like crystalline shimmer on the ground.