After Asty finished explaining the Ruler's Bloodline, Aurora's mouth dropped open in shock. She had known her bloodline was powerful, but to think it was this strong was beyond her imagination. Her mind froze, unable to process the magnitude of this revelation.
The ability to control any type of lightning... What kind of absurd power was that?
Asty left Aurora in her daze, understanding how overwhelming this information must be. However, there was one thing Asty intentionally left out about the bloodline, deeming it unnecessary for now.
After a moment, Asty snapped Aurora back to reality by lightly smacking her face with her small paw.
"Alright, enough daydreaming. Yes, this bloodline grants you the ability to control any type of lightning and command it, but only if your bloodline is pure and concentrated. Otherwise, you'll be no different from any ordinary person," Asty explained.
"So, what about my bloodline, Asty?" Aurora asked, now feeling excited about its potential.
"You haven't even awakened it yet, and right now, it's quite diluted. But, with hard work, you can increase its concentration over time," Asty replied.
Aurora nodded, then asked, "Asty, since we're talking about bloodlines, and bloodlines are inherited, does that mean my birth parents have this same bloodline?"
"It's possible," Asty responded. "Or maybe one of your ancestors carried it, and it just happened to manifest in you by chance. Do you want to find them?"
"When I first learned I was adopted and someone left me at the clan, I wanted to find my birth parents to get some answers. Back then, I thought they had abandoned me," Aurora said, taking a deep breath. "But over time, I realized it was pointless, so I let it go."
After a pause, Aurora continued, "Now, though, after hearing about the power of the Ruler's Bloodline, I'm sure my parents were powerful people if they possessed this ability. Maybe they left me because of some difficulty. That's why I want to look for them. Even if they didn't raise me, they gave me life, so I owe them."
"Well, it looks like you have a goal now," Asty said with a slight smile. "So, let's begin our training. Go over to that rock and sit down. First, we need to temper your body and soul so you can handle the bloodline; otherwise, the awakening process could be fatal."
Aurora walked over and sat on the designated rock as Asty made some adjustments to it.
"Are you ready?" Asty asked in a serious tone. "This will be painful—enormously painful. Awakening this bloodline without preparation could take years, or it might never happen at all. But if we do it now, be prepared for intense pain, even in your soul."
Aurora's body trembled, memories of the previous pressure filling her mind. But as she thought of her parents and her master, her resolve strengthened. She needed to become stronger, and if that meant enduring pain, so be it.
With determination, she replied, "I'm ready, Asty. Whatever it takes."
Asty's face twisted into a sadistic grin. "It's your choice. Don't regret it later."
Seeing that expression, Aurora hesitated and asked nervously, "Uh, Asty… maybe I should train a bit more first?"
Asty's grin widened. "I'm afraid it's too late for that."
Before Aurora could respond, a bolt of yellow lightning surged from the rock beneath her and shot into her body.
"Aaaaaaagggghhhhhhhhhhh!"
Aurora's agonized scream echoed through the endless desert as her body felt like it was being torn apart. Every cell ruptured and repaired itself in an unending cycle, her bones crushed to dust only to reassemble, and her organs felt as if they were dissolving.
But the pain didn't stop there; it intensified as if her very mind was being shattered, her consciousness assaulted by countless hammers. She didn't know how she was enduring it, only that she had to.
Amidst the onslaught, a pale yellowish flame appeared, surrounding her body. The flame countered the yellow lightning, extinguishing it instantly with a terrifying might.
Now, Aurora lay in a pool of her own blood, her body a mess. But thanks to the array Asty had set up, her injuries began to heal at a visible pace. Within moments, she was fully restored. If not for the blood on the ground, no one would have known what had transpired.
Watching from the side, Asty mumbled to herself, "Oh, I forgot about the protection seal her father left on her. I'll leave it alone—it'll be useful later. For now, I'll just stimulate the bloodline."
With that, Asty placed her tiny paw on Aurora's chest, her eyes turning a brilliant gold. A bolt of red lightning appeared behind her and, under Asty's control, entered Aurora's body. This wasn't ordinary lightning; it was pure Ruler's Bloodline energy, radiating with overwhelming power.
The red lightning didn't cause as much harm as before; Aurora's body was now stronger, and Asty was controlling its intensity.
Inside Aurora's body, certain parts of her blood began turning golden and flowed toward her heart. These particles gathered into a sphere of golden blood that began to rotate rapidly.
From now on, all of Aurora's blood would flow through this golden sphere, purifying it and imbuing it with special properties.
This marked the first stage of her Ruler's Bloodline awakening.