As the golden ball spun on its axis and Asty thought the awakening was complete, a terrifying blue flame erupted within Aurora's heart, enveloping it entirely. Asty watched in surprise and interest as small runes began appearing around the heart—seven in total, with one on the golden ball itself.
"Interesting. Her father really thought far ahead. By using the Bloodline's Awakening momentum, he engraved the Seven Apertures Array on her heart, forming a modified Eight Exquisite Pill Heart. Normally, this would be impossible, but with the Ruler's Bloodline and the Heso Phoenix Flame, he actually succeeded. What a clever man," Asty mused, clearly amused by Aurora's father's planning.
"With this heart, she'll progress in alchemy by leaps and bounds. Well, that's Aadi's domain, so he can handle it," Asty muttered to herself.
After the awakening was complete, Asty gave Aurora a Mind Calming Pill and let her rest a bit; with the healing array in place, she herself dozed off on a nearby rock.
An hour later, Aurora woke with a start and immediately sat up, her face going pale as she recalled the pain. She hoped never to experience anything like that again. Yet, despite it all, she felt surprisingly calm, wondering when she had developed such resilience.
"Oh, you're awake, huh?" Asty said, sensing Aurora stir. She added, "Your Bloodline has awakened now. It's only at the initial stages, but that's more than enough for now."
Aurora's pain faded as excitement took over, and she asked eagerly, "What can I do at the initial stages? Wait, but I'm a cripple, so can I even use these powers?"
"You don't need any type of energy to use Bloodline abilities. Here, try controlling this low-level lightning," Asty said as she threw a small yellow bolt of lightning towards Aurora.
Aurora, a bit unsure of how to control it, focused on the lightning bolt. It hesitated momentarily before hitting her, sending a mild shock through her. This time, though, the damage was minimal.
"That's your task for now. Try to control them. You won't need Profound Energy, but your spirit will get fatigued, so be careful," Asty advised before tossing more lightning bolts and then curling up to nap.
Soon, yellow lightning bolts danced around Aurora as she continued to practice, each bolt stopping for a moment before striking her. Frustrated but determined, Aurora moved to another boulder, sitting down to meditate and concentrate on controlling the lightning bolts.
This was the sight that greeted Aadi when he arrived.
---
"…and that's pretty much what happened," Asty concluded, giving Aadi a summarized version of recent events.
Aadi facepalmed and murmured, "So that's why 'The Netra' was awakened. Here I was, thinking this universe had a problem."
Asty looked intrigued. "Oh, it awakened here? Now that's got me interested. I'm really looking forward to facing those old guys again. So, where's the person who awakened it?"
"Sigh, it happened because of you. You awakened her Bloodline just like that, without creating a proper barrier. The heavens' will sensed it, and I'm sure it would have interfered in her Awakening if it weren't for this space you created," Aadi said, exasperated.
"So, the heavens awakened 'The Netra' to counter the Ruler's Bloodline, huh? She's going to face some powerful people down the line—I'm looking forward to it," Asty said with a mischievous smile.
Meanwhile, Aurora had finally retracted the lightning into her body, having gained some control over it. Hearing their conversation, she was puzzled, so she asked, "What's this about 'The Netra' and my challenges, Master?"
"Well, nothing comes free in this world. Because of your Bloodline, you're going to have to face some formidable opponents in the future," Aadi said. "Do you want to know about them?"
Aurora's expression turned serious. If someone like her Master considered these people powerful, they must be leagues above her. Still, she nodded, knowing she would have to face whatever came her way.
It was, however, a bit of a misunderstanding on her part, as both Aadi and Asty viewed these potential opponents as mere playthings in comparison to themselves. Still, the series of events unfolding within the same universe was an interesting coincidence to them.
"Ugh, more info dumping—I'm going back to sleep," Asty grumbled as she rolled her eyes at Aadi, knowing he had a habit of explaining things like a third-rate antagonist.
Aurora glanced curiously at Asty, but seeing Aadi ignore her, she refocused, eager to listen to what he had to say about her future adversaries.
"Well, first, you need to understand that there are many worlds, each with smaller realms within them. The realm you live in is only one of many. When a realm or world faces a potential calamity that could destroy it, it selects an individual, granting them a blessing so they can grow strong enough to protect it. Your realm's boundary is now connected to a nearby realm inhabited by war-hungry beings, so there's a high chance of it facing destruction. This realm's heavens' chosen has been given the 'Heart's Desire' blessing," Aadi explained, pausing to let Aurora absorb the information.
After a moment, he continued, "I can't explain too much about the 'Heart's Desire' since you wouldn't fully understand it now, but know that its power extends even to the Divine World that this realm is connected to."