Ten minutes later, murmurs broke the silence. The tension was thick, but finally, a girl piped up, eager to share her newfound abilities. Magic was entirely new, a thrilling unknown for everyone, myself included. It felt like the first day all over again.

One girl, practically bursting with pride, showcased her teleportation skill. In just a week, she'd rocketed it to level 8! A guy with physical manipulation, now able to clone faces at level 10, became the center of attention. Everyone bombarded him with questions about surpassing level 9. He patiently explained his meditation technique, urging them to focus on understanding the essence of the skill, not just its function.

A few attempted to mimic him on the spot, but he chuckled, reminding them it took him hours of dedicated practice.

As the group buzzed with power comparisons, three figures remained curiously detached. One was the power enhancer, another the other sub-admin, and lastly, Malinda. Curiosity tugged at me, and I settled beside her.

"So, how's it feel to be 25 again?" I inquired.

She stared, then spoke slowly, "Did you choose this for me?"

"Nope," I replied, "Actually, you were an admin candidate before me. I had no idea about the sub-admins until much later."

A flicker of irritation crossed her face at the mention of her sub-admin role. "I was ready. Everyone's gone. What am I supposed to do, live forever?"

"I can remove your pathways if that's what you want," I offered, "but I can't reverse your age."

Suddenly, Sim interjected, "Actually, I have a copy of your pre-convergence genetic sequence. With your permission, I can revert you."

"Hold on," Malinda interrupted, "Just because I'm alone doesn't mean I want to join them. Being old was awful! Everything ached, and all I did was drink tea. Besides, people stare now, and I kind of like it."

I chuckled, and she raised an eyebrow. "The system showed me a clip of you flipping the bird to a kid when I first learned about you," I confessed, a smile spreading across my face.

"Oh, you saw that, huh?" she chuckled back.

"It made me laugh," I said, continuing, "So, what about the Hero program?"

"Honestly, not interested," she admitted. "I just stayed to see who'd become the strongest. Master tier?" she scoffed, "Nah, let someone else have it. I'm stronger than I ever imagined, but I crave a quiet life. I'll help if needed, but that's it."

"Fair enough," I agreed. "Heading home alright?"

"Sure, do your thing," she winked. "Glad I didn't get your job. Too much work!"

With a final wink, I teleported her home.

Jabari was finally talking with two other people. They had approached him while he sat alone earlier. Though he still seemed troubled, it was a vast improvement from clutching his hippo.

"Sim," I said, "let's monitor him. His mana pathway is already over 30% open. We'll keep him here, but not for the hero program. I want to see if his mental health improves. He was the reason for the first message, remember?"

"Understood, I'll keep you updated."

Now for our star helper... He was gone from his previous spot. A quick scan revealed him in the center of a group, about 20 candidates strong.

"Looks like he revealed his power," I sighed. "They're all asking for boosts."

Teleporting next to him, I interjected, "Hold on everyone, I need to explain something."

He looked at me, confused yet strangely pleased, as I continued, "His power allows only one increase per person. Right now, your skill levels are too low. It's harder to level up once you hit master tier. To maximize this effect, we should wait until after the initialization."

Murmurs of agreement rippled through the group. A young woman approached, a smile on her face.

"Hi Jasmine," I greeted.

"What about those not chosen?" she asked. "I'd like any boost I can get before the nightmares become real."

A chuckle escaped me. I then turned to the group and gestured towards him.

"I'm Arhat," he announced. "While I lack technology or any modern means to assist you in contacting me, I can offer increases later. Seek me out and I'll help however I can."

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

"For those not chosen for the program," I added, "I'll help you find Arhat after the system initiates. However, program participants will need to wait until he levels up his skill for a more significant boost."

Silence descended upon the group for a moment. I winked at Arhat before turning to leave.

My gaze lingered on a particular girl. Everyone was expected to be attractive due to the mana alterations, but this girl, Mia, was breathtaking. Her beauty wasn't just physical; it radiated from her core. Despite her stunning looks, she seemed incredibly shy. She wouldn't make eye contact, fiddling with her hair and nervously crossing and uncrossing her feet.

A quick scan revealed her name and an impressive feat: Air Manipulation leveled to a staggering 19 in just a week. "Sim," I queried, "how'd she manage that?"

"Her intrinsic connection to the wind played a big part," Sim explained. "She's obsessed. Loves feeling strong winds, studies weather patterns – the girl practically breathes air. Since receiving the skill, she's used it constantly."

My fascination deepened. "I can't look away. Is it just her?"

"Charm is only level 9," Sim dismissed. "Part of the reason she's a candidate is her genetics. They closely resemble a bloodline – not quite a match, but incredibly close on 15 out of 16 aspects."

"Unactivated bloodlines?" I pressed. "Could she have one we don't know about?"

"Possibly," Sim admitted. "I need more data."

Unable to shake my curiosity, I called over Jeff, our bloodline expert. Even with him approaching, I couldn't tear my eyes away from Mia.

"Hey Jeff," I said, barely glancing away. "Need you to check something. Let’s go talk to that candidate, Mia. Did you meet her yet?"

Jeff chuckled. "Shy one, loves wind. About your age, but the mana channels made her look like she's back in her 20s."

"There's more to her," I insisted. "Can you assess her for an inactive bloodline?"

Jeff's eyes lit up. "Inactive bloodline? You think so? Maybe I can help her activate it!"

Hopeful, we approached Mia. She caught us looking and flinched momentarily before forcing a smile.

I couldn’t believe the beauty I was looking at. She was built on a tiny frame but had a fierceness to her presence that I couldn’t explain. A perfectly sculpted jawline accentuated higher than normal cheekbones. A little button nose with a singular freckle directly on the tip stared up at me from what couldn’t have been more than 5 feet high.

"H-H-Hi, Mia," I stuttered out, noticing Jeff’s confused look. He had never heard me stutter before. "You know Jeff already?"

"Yes, hello," she replied softly.

Her gaze dipped, then met mine. Her eyes were an arresting peach and cream color, framed by a unique white ring around the iris. One eye seemed to swirl with the essence of wind, unlike anything I had ever seen before.

“Your eyes… are amazing,” I proclaimed.

She shyly looked down again. “My mom told me that when I was a little girl, they used to be blue. I can’t remember when they changed to this, but it was gradual.”

“They’re perfect,” I said without realizing it was out loud.

Jeff looked at me with a sly smile, raising the corner of his lip.

A small smile played across my lips as well. "What do you think of all this?"

"Big crowds aren't my thing," she admitted. "But I want to be strong. Do whatever it takes to protect our homes. Especially my daughter, who just became an adult. I want her and her family to be safe."

"Speaking of strength," I said, "would you be okay with Jeff checking something? He can help with bloodlines. You've heard of those, right?"

"I thought they were just stories," she mumbled.

"Very real stories," I assured her. "If you have a bloodline, Jeff can help activate it, boosting your power significantly. Possibly even above master tier!"

"Do it!" she exclaimed without hesitation, a light shining in her eye.

Jeff, a little taken aback by her sudden enthusiasm, simply replied, "Oh."

Mia's gaze was intense, her cream-colored eyes sparkling like a puppy's with pleading sincerity. She looked at me with the same hopeful yearning, her voice trembling slightly. "I know this might seem crazy, but I feel like I've waited my whole life for this. Now that I know what it is, it feels like my calling. Like there's a power building inside me that needs to be unleashed. If you can help me find out what it is, I'm ready for anything!"

Jeff studied her intently. With my divine sight, I saw him channel blue mana into and around her heart, where a core might eventually form. He followed the flow of mana through her channels before stopping abruptly. Retracting his mana, he turned to me.

"Dad, she has a bloodline. I can activate it and build the necessary core and channels, but it can't be done here. It could take hours, even weeks, depending on the complexity."

I explained the situation to Mia. "You might need to stay perfectly still for weeks while everything forms. Are you prepared for that?"

"Absolutely!" she exclaimed without hesitation.

"Alright, Jeff. I'll teleport you both back to the house. We also have Gabriella, another awakened bloodline who’s unconscious at her own house. Focus on Mia first, then help Gabriella afterwards. Sound good?"

Jeff grinned. "This might be exactly why I have this bloodline. Let's do it."

Mia grasped Jeff's hand in gratitude. Then, tears glistening in her eyes, she turned to me. "I've waited so long to feel like I have a purpose. Even raising my daughter, before her father passed, there was always a void. I couldn’t explain it, but something always felt like it was missing. I think this is it. Thank you, so much."

She pulled me into a tight hug, her tears soaking my shoulder. For a minute, I held her close as she cried. Jeff shifted awkwardly beside us, glancing down at his feet, then back up at us. Finally, he coughed, prompting Mia to release me.

As she apologized, wiping tears from my shirt, I simply chuckled. "No worries." With a snap of my fingers, I dried her tears.

Her eyes widened in surprise, then a smile broke through. The amazement of those new to magic will always give me enjoyment.

I projected my voice for everyone to hear. "Thank you for coming, everyone. I appreciate it. Something urgent has come up. We'll contact you soon with any questions. In the meantime, keep leveling and practicing your skills!"

In a blink, everyone vanished except for Jeff, Mia, Alec, Chris, and Riley. I gathered them around and explained the plan. "I'm teleporting Jeff and Mia to the house. He's going to help her unlock her bloodline."

Everyone exchanged glances, then looked to Mia with curiosity.

"Which bloodline does she have?" Alec asked.

"We don't know yet," I explained. "Unlike you and Cookie, who had already awakened your bloodlines, Jeff will need to activate Mia's from scratch, build a core, and create the advanced mana channels. There's also a girl named Gabriella whose bloodline is activated but unconscious. Jeff will help her too, once he's finished with Mia."

After a round of congratulations for Mia, we all teleported back to the house.