Ares stepped out of the School Hall, his gaze steady, but inside, his mind was already calculating.
'SSS bloodline...'
The implications of those three words weighed heavily on him, and the cold logic of the situation began to unravel in his mind.
The Heralder, the saviour prophesied to lead humanity against the Primordials, was the only one meant to possess such a bloodline.
He remembered clearly that this was stated in the synopsis of the novel he had been transported into. No other human could awaken such a bloodline.
But if that were true… what did that make him? Was he the Heralder?
Definitely not...
Ares was sure he wasn't the chosen one. Although he hadn't even finished reading the first chapter, he knew the protagonist's name was Zarek, not Ares.
Also, the protagonist was most likely born in another part of the world entirely.
They were two completely different people, yet they faced the same problem!
They were both in danger.
Ares' thoughts didn't race; they moved with precise clarity, each realization fitting into place like pieces of a puzzle.
'The Heralder dies three weeks after being exposed. That is a fact...'
In fact, that was all he knew. How and when the death would occur, he didn't know. By whom, he also didn't know.
All he knew was that whoever held this power was doomed to be hunted by humanity itself, even before the Primordials got involved.
After all, such a human would likely lead humanity if they ever succeeded.
Naturally, there were many who would prevent that from happening at any cost.
The conspiracy surrounding the Heralder's death ran deep, and if people discovered Ares' secret, there would be no negotiations.
Only a death sentence.
Beside him, the ZMA official who had overseen the ceremony offered a polite nod, his demeanor almost reverent.
"This way, please," the man said, his tone respectful, but Ares didn't miss the shift in his eyes.
He was being handled.
They weren't just escorting him; they were isolating him.
'Of course they are...' he mused quietly, his steps even as he followed.
Although his awakening had only shown seven circles, Ares guessed that was the limit to the number of circles that could form during awakening. It didn't directly specify whether the bloodline grade was S, SS, or SSS.
Signs of the Great Bloom were already appearing. Humanity was more on edge than ever, waiting for the SSS bloodline holder to show up and save them.
Something as serious as awakening a high-grade bloodline definitely had its protocols.
'They suspect something.' The politeness, the swift attention—it was too careful, too calculated...
Since reincarnating into this world 18 years ago, Ares had done everything possible to prepare for the inevitable.
He had trained hard while others played, studying different martial arts, weapons, bloodlines, Primordial Zones, and most importantly, the Primordials themselves.
He had done all of this to survive the apocalypse that would inevitably come when the Heralder was killed.
He had mastered martial arts, survival skills, and even learned how to control a zone, all in preparation.
But he wasn't prepared for this at all.
Suddenly, the mark on the back of his left palm flared with a faint glow.
He glanced down, his pulse quickening.
There, where his skin had been bare moments ago, a strange symbol was condensing.
Dark, smoke-like tendrils formed a symbol on the back of his hand, split cleanly down the middle as though a blade had cut through it.
His brows furrowed. 'What the hell is this?'
He wanted to hide it, cover it up before anyone saw, but it was too late. The official had already noticed.
The man's eyes widened for a fraction of a second, then his expression softened back into that falsely courteous mask.
"It's nothing to worry about," the official said, his voice unnervingly calm.
He gestured for Ares to step aside, away from the prying eyes of the other newly awakened youths. "We'll conduct further tests once we reach the camp."
Ares narrowed his eyes. 'That's going to be a problem.'
Camps were compulsory training programs for any youth who awakened a D-grade bloodline or higher.
They were taken into camp for three months, where they were taught how to activate, train, and most importantly, control their bloodlines.
It was like a compulsory school for the newly awakened, organized by the government. Only after completing camp would they be able to apply to academies.
The ZMA officer pulled out a phone and began speaking quietly, but Ares' sharp ears caught the key details.
"...We'll conduct a full test at the camp. We need to determine the exact nature of his bloodline."
Ares' jaw tightened, but outwardly, he remained calm.
'So, they don't know the full extent yet. But once they perform that test, it's only a matter of time.'
His mind calmly went through the variables. Once they confirmed his bloodline was SSS, it wouldn't be long before they made the connection. And then... the conspiracy would close in.
He ran his thumb over the mark again, his mind racing. 'I have to suppress this. But how?'
He had never heard of anyone suppressing their bloodline grade before.
Was he really going to be forced to die like this?!
Suddenly, a soft chime echoed in his mind.
[Ding! Initialization complete. Welcome, Host. Primordial System now online.]
Ares blinked, clearly stunned.
His current predicament had almost made him forget this crucial detail. He had actually unlocked a system! An actual system!
'Wow... Systems are real?!'
As an avid webnovel reader in his previous life, Ares had devoured dozens of novels with this tag. He was no stranger to the concept.
He had originally believed he would receive his own cheat system when he reincarnated 18 years ago.
But after waiting for years, he had slowly accepted the fact that it wasn't going to happen.
Yet now, here it was. He had gotten it when he least expected it. But can it help with this immediate problem?
As he sat on a simple chair offered to him by the ZMA official, Ares asked the system in his mind:
"Bloodline suppression," he said softly. "Is it possible?"