Rivers of blood covered the ballroom’s floor, piles of mangled bodies littered around, shattered innards and crimson liquid flowing from their horrifying wounds. Yet the nefarious smiles on those who were fortunate enough to have their faces intact still remained, as if the action was carved into the very fibers of their facial muscles, making a creepy and surreal view.
The one responsible for the scene of horrors sat in the corner, unmoving, as she stared at her blood-covered hands, shame and self-disappointment on her face.
The drawback lasted for only half an hour, considering she only used {State of Detachment} for a few minutes.
However, this period of time was still enough to fill her with disgust at how she acted—unstable, distorted, and even suicidal. She remembered everything— how she ran into spells without any protection due to sudden fury, tried to bite her opponent’s necks, imitating them. And how she even ate a fucking eyeball, the horrible taste still lingering in her throat.
{State of Detachment} made her feel amazing, her instincts heightened to levels she never thought possible as her body was akin to a perfect machine whose every atom, cell, and fiber were carefully developed for battle. But as incredible as the skill was, the drawback was comparable, just to the other side. Now she had qualms over using it ever again, maybe only if she found a secluded place to train it first…
“Well never mind that now, there are other important matters, like leaving this wretched place… Finish.”
The word resounded, the command prompting the world to twist before Kiera again found herself near the mountain, immediately breathing in the fresh air of freedom.
“Open Status Window.”
[Name: Kiera Ashborn
Race: Human (Dimension Crosser)
Gender: Female
Age: 0 (physical age: 10)
Magician Rank: Silver Apprentice Magician Lv.19
Attribute: Tyrannical Lightning
Titles: {Voidborne} {Clear Sighted}
General Stats:
Health: 157,416/157,416
Stamina: 157,752/157,752
Mana: 157,416/157,416
Battle Stats:
Strength: 937
Dexterity: 938
Agility: 939
Wisdom: 937
General Skills:
Active: {Identify Lv.1}
Passive: {Crafting Lv.1} {Lightning Resistance Lv.15} {Physical Resistance Lv.30} {Pain Resistance (Adv) Lv.18} {Light Resistance Lv.18} {Cosmic Ice Resistance Lv.5} {Slaughter Resistance Lv.10} {Celestial Weaponry Resistance Lv.5} {Darkness Resistance (Adv) Lv.7} {Mental Resistance (Adv) Lv.11} {Soul Resistance Lv.9} {Gravity Resistance Lv.10} {Basic Shortblade Mastery Lv.2} {Influence Extension Lv.4} {Focused Enhancement Lv.3}
Attribute Skills:
Active: {Tyrant Regeneration (Adv) Lv.6} {Eye of the Tyrant Lv.17} {Eruption Lv.14} {Destruction Lv.26} {Flashburst Lv.22} {Vanishing Step Lv.26} {Tyrannical Thunderstroke Lv.8}
Passive: {Tyrannical Lightning Body Lv.11} {Way of the Tyrant Lv.13}
Skill Tomes:
Emotional Sovereignty Tome: {Climatal Aura Shift Lv.3 (Passive)} {Climatal Aura Control Lv.3 (Active)}]
Although she grew to hate that place, she had to admit it developed her strength at a pace she could never imagine. Her stats were also far above what she’d normally have. A slight consolation.
She also learned that every time Tyrannical Lightning Manipulation leveled four times, Tyrannical Lightning Body would gain a level. So although Tyrannical Lightning Body was Lv.11, Tyrannical Lightning Manipulation was actually Lv.15
She increased her manipulation proficiency so much during the latest battle so it was no wonder the skill leveled four times. Deciding she fought enough for a while, Kiera wanted to just go and take a hot bath and then laze around in the Redfly Inn until the Avelot Tournament.
She did not even consider going out and hunting Mana Beasts to reach level 20 and become a Gold Apprentice, that was how much Kiera was tired.
Retrieving the stuff she previously stored from under the tree, she was about to leave the world before Tynan Koriel’s voice stopped her in her tracks.
“Greetings, inheritor, supposing that you hear this message, it means you successfully passed the ‘Trial of the Three Vampiric Kings.’ Proving yourself as capable of carrying on the legacy of our lineage.”
“Seeing that you passed the trial, it is time to change your status from a mere inheritor to the true Lineage Master and unlock the dormant bloodline in your body. Please proceed to climb the mountain with Tyrannical Lightning Manipulation activated and chant I Command: Awaken when you reach your limit.”
Kiera knitted her eyebrows, unable to understand what Tynan Koriel meant by awakening her bloodline, was she of a different race?
“No, is it like the vampires and their bloodline ranks?” Kiera immediately remembered.
She despised her predecessor due to many reasons, but she was level-headed enough to understand all he did, although terrifyingly painful, helped her immensely. Deciding it was worthwhile to check it out, Kiera raced up the mountain, Tyrannical Lightning coursing throughout her body. Previously, 2,000 meters was her limit, but now she could reach the 4,000 meters mark before her body started breaking down.
“I Command: Awaken.”
Kiera uttered the phrase, curiously waiting for something to happen. However, her curiosity quickly turned into fright when she suddenly sensed horrifying energy locking her body in place, the entire apocalyptic lightning storm in the violet sky turning its aim from the mountain’s peak to her.
BOOM
Kiera’s ear rung as an enormous continuous lightning bolt struck her body, that was it— only her ears rung, she did not vaporize into utter nothingness like she expected to. On the contrary, Kiera felt as if a vacuum was formed inside her body due to the fact the extremely powerful Tyrannical Lightning energy around her was greedily absorbed by her body in a rapid face.
Then, uncomfortable pain assaulted her being as all her blood vessels burst open, the entirety of the red liquid inside them expelled from her body through her pores in one fell swoop. Causing her milky-white skin to rapidly gray out and wrinkle, her supernatural muscles turning non-existent.
Instead of a 10-year-old girl, Kiera now looked like a 120-year-old woman on her death door.
She collapsed on the cliff, her legs incapable of supporting her body even despite her new feeble weight. Even when she ran away from those wolfs, Kiera did not feel so weak— it was one of the most unpleasant experiences she had gone through in her life, self-weakness was her nemesis.
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But as her body continued to absorb the lightning bolt, Kiera found out new blood gradually emerged within her body, but now instead of pure dark crimson— it was slightly tainted by a violet color that matched her trademark looks.
Soon after, her shriveled body regained its glory as her wrinkled skin and withered muscles were replaced by even more lean but powerful muscles and healthy skin. She suppressed the desire to assess her body and forced herself to sleep, in order to recuperate from the severe mental fatigue she accumulated.
After an unknown time period, Kiera woke up as soon as she felt the process was completed. She stood up and looked at the sky, shocked when she saw the tremendous lightning storm was nowhere in sight, replaced by a clear violet sky.
Her attention was quickly drawn away from the storm’s ridiculous disappearance by three new notifications, quickly checking their contents— Kiera’s shock grew quickly.
[Hidden bloodline {Humanoid Lightning Paragon} successfully awakened (1%), +10 to all battle stats.]
[For unlocking an exclusive bloodline of a rare-rank, you are awarded, title {Superior One} gained.]
[Title: [Superior One}
Details: A race-exclusive hereditary Mythical Class title. Granted to the one holding an exclusive Rare Bloodline. Title skills: {Will of the Paragon}]
[Title skill: {Will of the Paragon}
An authority-type racial title skill. Grants the ‘Humanoid Lightning Paragon’ the ability to suppress individuals of a lower bloodline rank or awakening rate, even if their {Mental Resistance} skill is higher leveled. The level of suppression depends on the user’s bloodline awakening rate and the subject of suppression’s bloodline rank or own awakening rate. No mana cost involved in activation of the skill]
[Permissions imparted, {Tyrannical Lightning Lineage Master} title and position handed to the 11th Inheritor {Kiera Ashborn} by the 10th Inheritor and Lineage Master of the Tyrannical Lightning Lineage {Tynan Koriel}.]
[Title: {Tyrannical Lightning Line Master}
An exclusive and hereditary Mythical Class title. Granted to the one who was crowned as the Master of the Tyrannical Lightning Lineage. Title skills: {Attribute Imparting} {Attribute Termination}]
[Title skill: {Attribute Imparting}
An authority-type title skill. Grants the Lineage Master the ability to decide on the next Lineage Master of their respective lineage, create Ancestral Attribute Fruits with their mana, and take subjects or disciples under their lineage. In the case of fused attribute lineages, the skill grants the ability to create an Ancestral Fruit of each attribute. In case of impending death, the Lineage Master can decide to preserve the legacy through the system. Mana cost depends on the type of skill ability used.]
[Title skill: {Attribute Termination}
An authority-type title skill. Grants the Lineage Master the ability to completely erase the Tyrannical Lightning Attribute, the Power Attribute, or Solar Lightning Attribute of disciples or subjects under their Lineage. Mana cost depends on the type of attribute erased and strength of the disciple or subject.]
Kiera’s normally culled excitement peaked when she perceived the changes in her body. Sensing something inside her inherently changed as she felt unbreakable confidence stemming from the deepest depths of her bloodline while even her body height grew a little.
If a bystander was to gaze at Kiera, they would feel a faint sense of respect and fear. While her detached demeanor was enhanced by a noble aura that radiated from every inch of her body, her violet eyes now held a sharp, authoritative gaze— natural aloofness hidden within her deep eyes.
“Humanoid Lightning Paragon... I guess I am still classed as some kind of a human. I just hope it won’t cause a problem later on.”
“In the meantime, unless you are confident in killing everyone in the room, do not use {Will of the Superior}.” her senior’s stern voice suddenly echoed in the violet world.
“As for now… I have prepared a questline that would guide you on how to awaken the bloodline further. Unlocking it might have taken an enormous amount of energy, but I assure you tempering it further takes much less effort, at least in the early stages.”
[EX-Rank Questline: {Awakening} has been offered by {Tynan Koriel}, accept? Y/N]
Kiera was slightly surprised to see the concept of quests actually existed, but then again— this world had magicians and status windows, so she should have expected it. She might have discovered it sooner if not for the fact she spent most of her time inside a forest, an inn room, or an independent small world.
“Yes,” Kiera shrugged, as long as she didn’t need to find lightning storms that could vaporize, she had no problems, or so she thought…
[EX-Rank Questline: {Awakening} has been accepted.]
[First Quest of the {Awakening} Questline:
D-Rank quest {50% Awakening Rate.} Quest goal: 0/2,000 hearts or Condensed Blood Vials of Tier 2 or True Magician beings holding rare-rank bloodline consumed. Reward: {???}]
Waves formed on the surface of her eyes, shocked by the number of hearts she needed for merely a 50% awakening rate.
A being of a rare bloodline was a master of a small territory in the Grand Ranuros Forest such as the Earth Wyvern or the Inferno Leopard, so finding 1,000 of such beasts would take her a lifetime, maybe she’d even need to move to a higher ranked isle to complete the quest.
Kiera sighed deeply, her abilities and identity gave her strength far above her peers but each one of these abilities needed tremendous effort to upgrade.
“Do not be discouraged, 11th Lineage Master,” Tynan’s voice appeared in Kiera’s mind as if he read her thoughts in a time she was still far from coming into existence. “Do not forget the rewards from the Royal Blood Palace. However, unless you want to die, do not use any of the Pureblood Vampire Hearts until you are a Primal. For now, you can use a drop from the Condensed Blood Vial. Remember, only one drop each bloodline rank or you’ll explode.”
“And note that this world holds far more than you see…”
Rubbing her temples, Kiera shook her head at the fact he needed to remind her of the rewards. They were in her inventory, and she didn’t bother to check them due to the situation. How can she not connect the dots?
Well, if she didn’t hear of this warning, she’d probably die anyway.
Opening her inventory, she took out the vial, sudden dazzling crimson light subsequently hurting her eyes.
Adjusting to the light, Kiera looked at the vial, marveling at the powerful bloodline aura exuding from it. She could sense familiar auras from this vial, the auras of the Lords and Kings mixed with the aura of Nobles and their lessers.
Carefully opening it, she slowly let a single drop flow to her tongue before she quickly closed the vial and drank the drop.
Immediately, her blood began pumping dozens of times faster, causing her snowy skin to turn into an unhealthy tone of red as hot fumes escaped her pores. Extreme dizziness and pain assaulted her before she commanded her pain receptors to shut down.
The discomfort disappeared, and Kiera felt as if nothing was happening to her. Sitting down, she evaluated the danger of such a thing and concluded that she’d use it only during situations like these. During a battle, it’d be extremely suicidal to turn off her receptors for obvious reasons.
The process lasted several hours before Kiera’s body gradually became normal, her blood flowing at its normal pace.
[{Humanoid Lightning Paragon} Bloodline’s awakening rate increased to 50%, +50 for all battle stats.]
“Aside from being slightly stronger, I don’t feel anything new from this upgrade. I assume the true benefits will be shown when I am 100%, well at least the quest will bring me to completion instead of only 50%”
She opened her status window, a faint smile blossoming on her face when she saw her stats were 997, 998, 999, and 997 respectively. But that smile quickly disappeared when she noticed both her General Stats and battle stats had -15% written near them. Activating Tyrant Regeneration, Kiera raised her eyebrows when even it didn’t remove the debuff.
“This is the reason why he strictly said I should consume only one drop, it actually strained my body so much I can only muster 85% of my combat power?” Kiera sighed, truly feeling a little heavy. Well, her skills and stat bonuses’ growth would compensate that for now
Kiera then proceeded up the mountain, not forgetting the message’s last words.
She arrived at the peak and was surprised to see what welcomed her eyes was another long stretch of trees, at the forest’s end another mountain far bigger than this one. The mountain’s peak was constantly struck by a tremendous Tyrannical Lightning storm that dwarfed the previous one.
Kiera estimated she was hundreds or thousands of kilometers away but the aura coming from that lightning storm still made her body shudder, she understood that even a shockwave’s wisp could bury her.
Then, instead of turning back, Kiera descended down the mountain, her curiosity getting the better of her. But when she arrived at the foot of the mountain and tried to take a step into the forest, an enormous semi-transparent wall stopped her in her tracks.
[Individual {Kiera Ashborn} is not eligible to enter {The Second Trial Region,} Magician Rank {??} required.]
Kiera clicked her tongue and shook her head yet was honestly not too surprised she couldn’t know. But she did wonder many years would it take her to reach a rank beyond Skilled Magician, well, granted that she didn’t know which rank was it, she couldn’t even begin to calculate.
Retrieving her stuff, Kiera took out the World Key and dropped her blood on it. The scenery changed as Kiera found herself standing on the ancestral platform. She quickly raced to Lanvale, asking a random passer-by what day was it.
“26th day of the 9th month.”
“Thank you,” Kiera replied flatly but inside she was shaken, how did 26 days pass since she entered the hidden realm? She did not really keep track of time but almost a month’s worth of time shouldn’t have passed so quickly. It either meant time passed differently inside the world or her ability to perceive time was completely broken inside the realm.
Anyway, Kiera was utterly disappointed, she planned to laze around but now she needed to depart to the empire already. Taking a private flight to Ironfront, Kiera kept on eating for three entire hours, emptying the airship’s reserves.