The warmth didn't fade as long as her hand continued to glow green. Noticing Max's stunned expression, Rosalia giggled.
"Am I so pretty that you lost your breath?" she teased, leaning in closer.
"No, I mean, yes, but no—not because of that, I..." His face flushed red as panic set in, but he quickly let out a breath and tried to steady himself. "You're pretty..." Rosalia pulled back slightly at his honest words, a pink blush spreading across her pale cheeks. "But what I meant to say is... I've never seen this before..." He pointed at her glowing hand.
"You've never seen magic? How?" Her eyes widened. The man before her seemed more and more mysterious. "Is that why you nearly died from a blade wound? You haven't awakened your powers yet, have you?" She smiled gently, but that smile still sent a chill down Max's spine.
Not knowing what to say in a situation like this without sounding too suspicious, he nodded. The thought of magic made his heart race, but at the same time, he knew it shouldn't have been possible. He was not like her. He came from a world where magic had never existed, or at least, in his time, no one had even spoken of it.
"Don't worry. After your wounds recover, I'll take it upon myself to find out what powers you have and awaken them." She pressed a hand to her chest, and the movement of her large breasts made Max nearly choke on his own spit. He had been so drawn to her face that only now did he notice how blessed the rest of her body was.
"Thank you, Rosalia..." he forced out, trying hard not to stare at the temptation before him, though his eyes still drifted toward it every now and then during the treatment.
They chatted for around half an hour as she constantly channeled her magic to heal his wound. Only when the color drained from her face did she finally stop, breathing heavily.
"Done..." she sighed heavily, wiping the sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand.
"Just like that, my wound is gone?" Max wore a stunned expression. He pulled aside the animal skin and checked the place where his wound had been. It had sealed up and vanished as if it had never been there. "It's amazing. You're amazing, Rosalia."
He was so excited that he didn't notice the dark expression on Rosalia's face. She looked cold, as if staring at an enemy. But the moment their eyes met, her face lit up with a warm smile.
"Rest well for today. Somebody will come see you and bring you some food." She got up, swaying slightly, but quickly caught herself.
"Will I see you again?" Max blurted out, his eyes scanning her face desperately.
"Of course." Rosalia gave him a faint smile before slowly leaving the old hut, which had no windows and only a creaking wooden door.
-------
A few rays of sunlight spilled through the poorly fitted wooden walls, washing over Max's solemn face. He didn't know what to do now. On one hand, he wanted to go home. On the other hand, he didn't know how—or why he would even return to that hole. Here, life seemed better with Rosalia by his side, but he also understood that there was no way in the world she would ever like him back. He had gotten used to women rejecting him back in his school days.
"What the hell is going on..." he sighed, peering through the cracks in the wall at the outside world, which looked a little too simple. He could spot a few villagers carrying hay. "Maybe village life wouldn't be so bad..."
But then, the air in front of him rippled like water disturbed by a pebble. Something dark began to take shape—a small screen he quickly recognized. He had seen things like that in movies before: a digital screen floating right in front of him. He studied the black panel carefully, his fingers reaching for it. When they brushed its surface, it felt solid, far too real to be called a hallucination.
"What are you?" he whispered unconsciously.
Suddenly, the black screen lit up with letters as blue as ice, quickly taking shape to form words.
[I am the system assigned to aid you in your quest, dear user.]
Max quickly pulled his fingers back, his expression turning dumbfounded.
"I must have hit my head too hard... or am I really dead? All of this... doesn't feel real... how... what?" he muttered to himself, shaking his head and slapping his cheeks. The events of today had completely shattered his composure.
[You are neither dead nor dreaming. You have traversed worlds. Your physical body and soul now reside in the world of magic, far beyond any visible galaxy from your old world.]
Max snorted. "So, you're trying to tell me that I somehow ended up somewhere unimaginably far away in a single moment? That's impossible—" But then he stopped himself from speaking further. After all, he had just witnessed magic with his own eyes. If that was possible, then why not what the system was saying? "Then if that's true, why me? I don't even have magic. What can I do in this world?" he asked calmly.
[That is why I have been assigned to you: to rebuild your body so it may be ready to house the powers of magic, and most importantly, the power of Supreme Bloodline Evolution.]
The words read like a myth. Somehow, Max could feel his own blood churning, as if craving that power. It was a feeling he could not quite explain.
[Your body will be ready in 24 hours. Once that time has passed, you will awaken your first magical powers based on a simple human bloodline.]
Yet the greed in Max's heart could not suppress his next question. "So how do I evolve from a simple human bloodline? What do I need to do?" The words came out too eagerly, almost as if his life depended on it.
[Find women with ancient bloodlines and impregnate them. At first, you will gain partial bloodline powers, and once your offspring is born, you will gain the full bloodline of the clan's ancestors—the purest and richest blood that no longer exists in this world. Such potent blood will not only enhance your magical powers tremendously, but also bring benefits to the entire clan.]
Max read the words speechlessly, as if he had been struck by lightning. For a moment, he even forgot how to breathe.
[Conquer the world, Max, and become the god of this realm. Spread your seed through the universe, and one day you shall become the ruler of all.]
The system's words made his heart race. For once in his life, he had found something to live for. For once in his life, he had found a desire and a goal he could not refuse...
But while Max was busy speaking with his newly acquired system, two people were talking not far from his hut. It was a middle-aged man and a young woman.
"So what do you think? Can he be trusted?" The deep voice seemed to make the air ripple. It was Henry, the chief of the village. He held himself with strength, his muscles like iron forged in a volcano.
"No. He hides too many secrets, and I can't get into his head at all." Rosalia spoke in a cold tone, her gray eyes fixed on her father's face. "Not only does he refuse to explain where he came from, only claiming to be from the west, he also says he has no magic, which is impossible. Anyone his age would have awakened at least something by now..."
"No magic..." Henry scratched his chin in thought. "What do you think we should do with him then? As the future leader of the clan, I will let you make that decision." His large hand patted her small shoulder.
"I will observe him a little longer. Despite being mysterious and suspicious, I quite like his character. If he shows no hostility toward us and proves himself useful, I will make sure he never leaves this clan and never leaks our location to the outside world."
"And if he does not meet your expectations?" Henry's prideful eyes scanned his daughter's face, trusting in her judgment.
"I will personally kill him..."