The dark, empty space was something Alex had grown accustomed to. He had been sent to this strange place several times before, and each time, a vision would play out before him, revealing something important.
But this time was different.
Right now, there was no vision. Instead, a system notification floated in front of him, glowing faintly in the darkness.
[System Update]
[0.000001% of Bloodline has been unlocked.]
Alex stared at the words, his mind racing. A new update had been made to his system, and it was related to his bloodline power.
When Alex became a Paragon, he discovered that he possessed something unique: a bloodline power. It was a mysterious ability that only those sharing his bloodline could access. However, there was a problem.
This power was locked.
No matter what he tried, Alex couldn't use it. He had no idea why it was sealed away or how to unlock it. All he knew was that it existed, a latent force buried deep within him, out of reach.
At one point, the system had provided him with a clue: if he wanted to unlock this power, he needed to uncover more information about his bloodline. That single hint had driven Alex's curiosity, but progress had been slow.
The problem was that Alex had no idea where to start.
He was certain that the bloodline power didn't come from his mother's side. It had to be from his paternal side. But there was one major issue: Alex didn't know who his father was, or where his family came from.
All his life, Alex had been told the same story—that his father had died in a car accident just days before he was supposed to marry Alex's mother. Beyond that, no further details were given.
Not a name, not a photo, not even a hint of his father's family background.
As a child, Alex had often wondered why no one would share more about his father. The lack of information made him suspicious of the story, but there was nothing he could do about it. Over time, he stopped asking questions. As he grew older, Alex simply stopped caring about a man he'd never known.
That changed when Alex became a Paragon.
Learning about his bloodline power had reignited his curiosity. He began to wonder if the answers he needed were hidden in his father's unknown past. Yet every time Alex tried to dig deeper, he hit a dead end. No matter where he searched, no clues ever surfaced about his father or his family.
And now, without any warning, the bloodline power had activated.
As Alex stood in the dark void, staring at the system notification, he felt a mixture of frustration and confusion. The activation had come out of nowhere, and he had no idea why or how it had happened.
[You have learned a piece of information about your family. 0.000001% of Bloodline has been unlocked.]
'Information about my family? But what did I learn...?' Alex wondered aloud, his thoughts swirling.
Then it hit him. "Wait a minute... I did learn something new today. My mother... she's not a normal person like I thought," Alex realized.
Earlier, through Saka, Alex had discovered something incredible about his mother. She possessed a powerful healing ability, one that surpassed any other healing mage or doctor. Her abilities were on a level that could regenerate limbs and heal massive injuries effortlessly.
"There was also the strange name people called her—The Witch Doctor."
As Alex pieced these two things together, he realized that he had learned something significant about his family.
But this realization also brought more questions.
"If learning about my mother's secret triggered the unlocking of a small portion of my bloodline power," Alex thought, "does that mean the power came from her side? Could my bloodline ability be connected to her healing power?"
Alex frowned, struggling to make sense of it all. The idea didn't sit well with him. He had always assumed his bloodline power came from his father's side, especially since he knew nothing about him.
But if it truly came from his mother, then that changed everything he thought he knew.
"I need to figure this out," Alex muttered to himself. "If my bloodline power is somehow similar to hers, then it must come from her. But I need to learn how to use it first."
With the screen still displaying in front of him, Alex decided to interact with the system and see what he could do.
[Activating bloodline in the body...]
A pause followed before the next message appeared:
[Error!!!]
[Activation failed. The host doesn't have sufficient bloodline points to activate the bloodline.]
[To activate the host bloodline, at least 1 bloodline point is required.]
Alex stared at the screen, disappointed. This wasn't the outcome he was hoping for.
Luckily, more information began to display, offering him an explanation:
[Bloodline Power: Energy]
[Energy Type: Unknown]
[Uses of Energy:]
1. Body: The bloodline energy can be activated within the host's body, granting different effects depending on the energy type.
2. Projection: The host can project this energy outward in its raw form.
3. Sharing: The host can transfer this energy to objects and items, enhancing their power and effects.
[Current Limitations:]
- Due to the host's low bloodline points, activating the energy within the body or projecting it outward is currently impossible.
- To activate the energy within the body, at least 1 bloodline point is required.
- To project the energy outward, at least 10 bloodline points are required.]
Alex read the details carefully, absorbing the new information.
He was surprised to see the three potential uses of his bloodline power. The idea of channeling energy into his own body for effects, projecting it outward, or even transferring it to enhance objects intrigued him.
However, disappointment settled back in as he realized that, out of the three options, he could currently use only one of them.
"At least I know where I stand now," Alex muttered to himself, frustration flickering in his tone.
"I learned one secret about my mother, and all it gave me was 0.000001% of a bloodline point. That means I need to learn about one thousand more things just to get a single point. How much more information do I need to uncover?" Alex wondered, frustration creeping into his thoughts.
If learning what seemed to be his mother's biggest secret—her incredible healing ability—yielded so little progress, Alex was left questioning how he could possibly gather enough knowledge to make a difference.
"This means I have to ask her. I need to ask her what she really is and also about my father," Alex concluded firmly.
But he knew this wasn't the time.
"For now, let's see what this bloodline power can do," Alex thought, shifting his focus back to the system.
According to the system, with his current bloodline point, Alex was only able to use the sharing function of the energy. This meant he could transfer his bloodline energy into items or objects to enhance their power or effects.
But how would it react? What would actually happen? Alex had no idea.
He decided to test it. Closing his eyes, Alex called out for his axe, intending to see if he could channel the energy into it.
However, nothing happened.
Instead of summoning his weapon, the entire space around him began to swirl. Colors blurred, twisting into a vortex, and before Alex could react, everything went completely dark.
When he came to, his eyes slowly fluttered open. His vision was blurry at first, but as it cleared, he found himself staring up at an unfamiliar ceiling.
It was adorned with shiny gems that reflected soft, shimmering lights. Cool air brushed over his skin, and the warmth of a glowing light filled the space around him.
Every now and then, a bump could be heard as the car moved along the road. Alex slowly became aware of his surroundings, noticing that his head was resting on something soft.
After a few moments of confusion, his thoughts began to clear, and he started processing everything.
Looking around, Alex realized where he was. He was in his mother's car, lying in the back seat with his head resting on her chest. Meanwhile, Sera was in the driver's seat, focused on the road ahead.
The realization jolted Alex. He quickly sat up, startling both Anna and Sera. Sera reacted instinctively, slamming on the brakes.
"Damn it! What is wrong with you?!" Sera yelled, turning to glare at Alex.
Alex didn't respond right away. Instead, he turned his head to look out the car window. His stomach sank when he recognized where they were.
"The family house? Why are we heading to the family house?" Alex asked, his voice tense.
Anna placed a hand on his shoulder, trying to calm him. "We're going because your grand-father wants us there," she explained.
Hearing this, Alex's expression hardened. He looked at Sera. "Turn back," he said firmly. Then, softening slightly, he added, "Please, turn back. I don't want to go to that place."
Sera gave him a sideways glance before smirking slightly. "Unfortunately for you, kid, we're already here. Did you really think I slammed the brakes because of your silly yell?"
When Alex looked through the windshield, he saw the large golden gate ahead, its gleaming surface reflecting light onto his face. The sight of it made his chest tighten.
"Why... why did you bring me here?" Alex asked, his voice low, trembling as if he might break down at any moment. "You know I don't like it here."
Anna sighed, her tone soft but resigned. "I know, Alex. But it's not up to us..."
Still uneasy, Alex turned to look out the back window. His eyes narrowed when he saw a sleek black SUV following close behind.
"I don't know what your grandfather is up to," Sera said, her hands gripping the steering wheel tightly. "But I don't like it."
Alex's fists clenched as he stared at the car trailing them. It wasn't hard to figure out what was going on now. They weren't just visiting the family house—they were being escorted there, whether they liked it or not.
Anger bubbled in Alex's chest. It was a reminder of why he hated this place, this family, and everything they stood for.
'This is why I hate them all,' Alex thought bitterly. His eyes glinted with determination. Maybe this will be a good chance to test my bloodline power.