CHAPTER 248: BLOODLINE AWAKENING (1)

[A Few Days ago..]

The human continent was vast, its cities and settlements connected through countless roads, railway tracks, and even teleportation points. Yet despite all this development, a large portion of the continent remained untouched. Not everything had been cut down or destroyed in the name of civilization.

Only about sixty percent of the land was claimed and populated by humans, while the remaining forty percent remained covered in wilderness, with forests, lakes, mountains, and even forbidden zones.

Forbidden zones were just as their name suggested, regions where entry was strictly prohibited. Some existed because they contained high-ranking dungeons that could break at any moment, areas that were initially dangerous but eventually became safe zones over time. These were known as temporary forbidden zones.

But there also existed permanent forbidden zones. These were shaped not by dungeons but by the sheer power of nature itself, where the environment was so hostile that humans simply could not survive there.

One such permanent forbidden zone existed within the human continent, though there were many others spread across the world.

At the entrance to this zone, the air shimmered unnaturally and two figures appeared. One of them was tall and poised, her presence radiating quiet authority. Her black hair was neatly tied back, and her onyx eyes seemed deep enough to swallow the space around her.

The other was in sharp contrast. A much younger girl, barely fifteen or sixteen, stood there with messy hair, tired red eyes, and heavy dark circles beneath them. Her appearance alone told the story of sleepless nights and inner turmoil.

"Miss, we are here."

The older woman’s voice carried a slight tension as she spoke, her gaze settling on the girl beside her. Yet the younger one did not respond. Whether she ignored the words or simply had no strength to reply was hard to tell.

They were Nyra and Melissia.

Nyra could not understand what had happened to Melissia. Ever since the girl entered the academy, Nyra had not been able to watch over her closely, though gathering information was not difficult for someone like her. Still, even with her resources, all she could learn was surface-level. The only thing of note she discovered was the rise of an unexpected student within the academy, a boy named Ash, who had become something of a dark horse.

What are the chances that it is the same boy we gave a ride to the Academy..?

She quickly dismissed the thought. To her, the chances were almost nonexistent. Ash had been far too weak back then, and she had been certain he would never even qualify to enter the academy.

The academy maintained strict control over information. Anything truly important would be filtered first through the Tower Master, Saint Lucan, which meant outside knowledge was limited and heavily restricted.

In the end, Nyra still could not find the reason why Melissia had become so frail and disheveled. Seeing her once-bright figure now reduced to this messy, almost lifeless state, left Nyra unsettled. Her chest felt strangely tight, and her hands clenched unconsciously before she took a deep breath to steady herself.

"This way... come quickly."

Even as Nyra was lost in thought, Melissia suddenly broke into a run across the blackened ground. This forbidden region was known as the Land of Black Ashes.

Nyra followed her closely, striding quickly to keep up. But no matter how far her eyes searched, there was nothing here but emptiness. Not even air existed naturally in this place. The very land had been scorched by flames ages ago, flames so fierce that even after centuries, the marks of their destruction remained.

The ground was pitch black, cracked and lifeless, with not a single tree in sight. Broken stones littered the wasteland, their surfaces scarred as if they had been cursed. It was a desert of darkness where ashes rained endlessly from the sky, falling like a reminder of what this land had once endured.

Both girls wore protective artifacts just to breathe here. Though it was a forbidden zone, such rules only applied to ordinary people and the weak. For those with strength and power, these restrictions were nothing more than a suggestion.

Why are we even here?

Nyra’s gaze stayed fixed on Melissia’s small frame as she ran ahead; her steps carried a sense of restless urgency.

Right, we came here because... Miss claims to have found a way to awaken the bloodline slumbering deep within her mortal flesh...

When Melissia had called her in a rush, insisting it was important and that it could affect the family, Nyra had expected some kind of danger, perhaps a hidden discovery or a threat that needed to be dealt with.

But when she heard the truth, that it had all started from a dream, Nyra found herself doubting.

A dream? Could Miss have an affinity for revelations...? I do not think so...

Still, it was not about what she believed. Melissia had made her choice, and Nyra’s duty now was to protect her no matter what. Even so, Nyra could not shake off the discomfort that settled in her heart as she watched Melissia’s weary figure.

Her thoughts were cut short when Melissia suddenly stopped. They stood before a narrow crack in the ground, just wide enough for a person to squeeze through.

"We have to go in there."

Melissia’s voice was calm yet heavy, carrying both determination and fatigue. Her eyes, though dim and stripped of their usual glow, still burned with an unshakable resolve.

Nyra opened her mouth, wanting to object, but when her gaze fell upon Melissia’s expression, she swallowed her words and silently shifted her eyes toward the crack.

"Alright. Move aside, miss. I will widen the opening first so that—"

"NOO!!!"

Before Nyra could finish, Melissia threw out her arms, shielding the crack with her small body. Her desperate shout cut through the silence, startling Nyra into stillness.

"You cannot widen the crack. We must enter it as it is... otherwise, everything will collapse."

Her tone was steady, almost commanding, as if she knew exactly what she was doing, as if she had already foreseen the consequences of any mistake.

Though Nyra hesitated, Melissia’s persistence eventually wore her down. With effort, she allowed herself to be convinced. Taking the lead for safety’s sake, Nyra crawled into the narrow gap first.

The passage was uncomfortably tight, but not impossible. Her body could move through if she angled herself correctly. It was not her size that made it difficult... it was something else.

Her chest made the movement awkward, forcing her to twist and struggle a little more than she would like.

...This is quite embarrassing... I’m glad no one can see me like this...

Her cheeks warmed faintly, a light blush softening her flawless face as she crawled deeper. Since the crack’s entrance began at ground level, the path slanted downward with a slow but steady descent, leading them further into the earth.

After what felt like several hundred meters, the path abruptly ended at a wide opening. A gaping hole stretched below, swallowing all light into endless darkness. Nyra instinctively hesitated. Her mythical senses, which normally never failed her, were being muffled as though something unseen was actively cutting them off.

What in the world is down there...?

"We have to go down."

Melissia’s calm declaration came just before Nyra could even voice her concern. Without warning, she grabbed Nyra tightly and pushed them both into the abyss.

Shit!!!

The tunnel behind them was too narrow for Nyra to react in time. She could not brace herself against the walls, and Melissia’s sudden push left her no choice. They plummeted into the void together.

The fall was swift and merciless. Their bodies tore through the empty air, yet strangely, there was no resistance. It was as if they were plunging through nothingness, their speed only growing faster and faster without end.

Nyra opened her mouth to shout, but no sound escaped. Her voice could not travel, for there were no particles here to carry it.

This was not just a cavern. This was a true Forbidden Zone. The surface had merely been the entrance... a warning of what lay beneath.

As the fall continued, Nyra clutched Melissia tightly, her mind racing.

I cannot seem to fly... looks like I need to use my mana...

At her level, flight was second nature, a skill that required no conscious effort. Yet in this place, with no molecules to push against, even the simplest movement was impossible. To take control, she would have to rely on her own energy.

Then, Melissia raised her hand. A small flame flickered to life, only to vanish instantly into the void, snuffed out by the absence of oxygen. But in that single heartbeat of light, Nyra caught a glimpse of the ground far below.

It was only for a split second, yet it was enough. She measured the distance and predicted the moment of impact.

When Melissia summoned a second flame, Nyra made her move. Rather than waste mana on flight, she activated her skill. The world shifted, and in the blink of an eye, she teleported to solid ground, pulling Melissia with her.

The instant her feet touched the surface, a ripple of invisible energy spread out from her body, forming a protective layer. She had opened her domain, sealing a portion of the space around them. Here, her mana replaced the missing atmosphere. Even if she could endure this strange place, Melissia would not survive without it.

But what is this strange place...?

As the domain expanded, air and energy flowed once more. Melissia conjured another flame, and this time it burned steadily, feeding on the mana-filled air around them.

The light spread outward, revealing the world hidden in the abyss.

Nyra’s breath caught in her throat, her lips parting in disbelief.

Her eyes widened as she stared ahead, unable to comprehend what lay before her.

By the damn gods... why is this... here...?

***