Ares lay sprawled on the cold, hard ground, his body aching from head to toe. His vision blurred, and every breath felt like it could be his last.
The battle with the Primordial Fragment had left him battered and bloodied. His clothes were torn to shreds, and his spear had numerous small cracks on it's shaft.
The only thing that reminded him he was still alive was the piercing pain running through his body.
The cat-like creature that had nearly killed him was finally defeated, its shadowy form now lifeless, but the cost had been high.
Ares could hardly move, his chest heaving as he gasped for air.
Just as he was about to let his head fall back, a cold, detached feminine voice sliced through the quiet of the forest like a knife.
"Pathetic."
Ares' eyes snapped open, the pain momentarily forgotten. His body was frozen, half from exhaustion and half from shock. He slowly turned his head towards the voice, and what he saw left him speechless.
Standing at the edge of the clearing was a young woman. She couldn't have been much older than twenty, yet she exuded a presence that made Ares' heart skip a beat.
Her fiery red hair gleamed in the sunlight, falling in loose waves down her back. Her face, as stunning as it was stern, showed no sign of warmth or amusement.
She was dressed in the unmistakable dull grey uniform of the Zone Management Authority (ZMA), but it wasn't the uniform that shocked Ares.
It was the four golden stripes stitched onto her sleeve.
Four stripes!
Ares' mind whirled. He'd only ever seen one-stripe and two-stripe officials before, and they were already considered powerful. But this woman… a four-stripe official? And so young? It seemed impossible.
Ares tried to push himself to his feet, but his body protested, too weak to cooperate. He coughed, feeling the metallic taste of blood on his tongue. "Thank you… for saving me."
Her gaze remained cold and unemotional. "Save you?" She crossed her arms, her voice sharp. "You have a death wish. I merely fulfilled my duty."
As she spoke, a brown pouch materialised in her hands. It looked old and crusty, but when she poured it's contents on her palm, Ares' eyes widened slightly.
'Healing dust...'
Healing dust was a magical, healing powder that could heal wounds at a faster speed than normal. It could only be made from specific special ingredients and fetched a good price at the market.
Seeing as she sprinkled this powder all over his injuries without even flinching, Ares could only sigh. 'She probably has an uncountable amount in her stash...'
The dust was so magical that, upon contacting with his injuries, they began to glow brighter and brighter, causing the wounds to tingle in a weird sort of way.
Then, the wound began to miraculously heal, and within a minute, Ares was as good as new.
Ares wanted to thank her again, but she merely waved him off before he could voice his gratitude.
Then, without warning, she raised her hand and made a lazy grasping motion.
Immediately, Ares felt an invisible force wrap around him like iron chains, lifting him off the ground. His eyes widened in pure shock. 'Telekinesis. Her bloodline ability was telekinesis!'
His feet left the forest floor, and he was floating alongside her as she levitated into the air, completely at her mercy.
Swoosh!
Before he could react, Ares was suddenly hurtling through the sky alongside her.
The trees below became a blur of green as they shot forward at an incomprehensible speed.
He couldn't even see anything clearly—just a rush of wind and colors smearing together.
And then, as quickly as it had started, it was over.
Ares blinked, disoriented, as they landed at the entrance to the Irongate Bastion. He stared around in disbelief. They had crossed miles of thick forest in seconds.
'How powerful is she?' he thought, his heart racing.
He had never left the Bastion before and had only seen glimpses of the outside world through videos.
But now, for the first time, he felt how truly powerful people could become. The sheer strength of someone like her made him feel small, insignificant.
As they arrived, the ZMA officials stationed at the gate rushed out. Their eyes widened in shock, and they quickly saluted the red-haired woman with a mix of awe and fear.
One of the officials, the same one who had earlier escorted Ares to a private spot, stared at him, mouth agape. "You… aren't you supposed to be saying goodbye to your family? How did you end up out of the bastion and with the commander?"
Ares blinked in confusion. Commander? He looked at the woman beside him. She was the leader of these men?
The red-haired commander frowned slightly. "You mean to tell me that he is part of the new batch of Bloodliners? And he sneaked out of the bastion?"
The official's voice trembled. "Yes Commander. He is the one who awakened the S-grade Bloodline among this batch."
At the mention of his bloodline, a hush fell over the entire group. All eyes were now locked on Ares.
The Commander's piercing gaze shifted towards him, her expression unreadable.
Slowly, her lips curled into a displeased frown. "So, let me get this straight," she said, her voice laced with disdain. "You awakened an S-grade bloodline, and you thought that made you strong enough to take on a Primordial Fragment? Is that what you were thinking?"
Ares opened his mouth, but no words came out. He couldn't explain why he had fought the Primordial Fragment without revealing too much. He just stayed silent, meeting her gaze, though his heart pounded in his chest.
With a dismissive wave of her hand, she turned on her heel and started walking away, motioning for Ares to follow. "Come with me," she said over her shoulder.
Ares followed her, still confused, his legs feeling like they might give out any second.
They entered a large, private room inside the Bastion, its walls lined with ancient books and glowing technology.
She stopped in the middle of the room, and without saying a word, she tossed a small, shiny object to Ares.
He caught it instinctively, looking down at the object in his hand. His eyes widened in shock.
It was a ring.
But not just any ring. A space ring.
These rings were rare and extremely expensive, capable of storing items in a separate dimension. Ares had only ever seen them in textbooks, and here he was holding one in his hand.
"The ZMA higher-ups have made a decision," the Commander said, her eyes fixed on him. "They want to make you an offer. After you finish your training at the camp, they want you to join the ZMA Academy. Once you graduate, you will become one of our officials."
She paused, her eyes narrowing. "In exchange, you'll receive these benefits."
Ares listened carefully as she listed the offers:
"Access to ZMA's Elite Training Facilities: The best equipment, the best instructors, all designed to hone your bloodline abilities to their maximum potential.
Personal Mentor: An experienced, high-ranking ZMA official would personally oversee your growth, giving you one-on-one training and guidance.
Exclusive Bloodline Enhancement Materials: Rare resources that could elevate your bloodline even further, helping you unlock hidden potential.
Priority Mission Assignments: Be part of critical, high-reward missions that provide valuable experience and significant merit.
Financial Backing: Generous financial stipends, enough to ensure you never had to worry about money again.
Political Influence: As a high-ranking ZMA official, you'd gain influence in the government, opening doors to power and control over the direction of humanity's future.
Protection for Loved Ones: Any family or close friends would receive protection and support from ZMA, ensuring their safety.
Guaranteed Promotion: Upon graduation, you would automatically be elevated to a 2-stripe official, giving you authority over lower-ranked ZMA personnel.
Also, consider the items in the space ring and the ring itself as a token of our sincerity."
Ares' mind spun. Each benefit was more tempting than the last.
The training alone would make him far stronger than he could ever imagine. The financial support would take care of his every need.
And the bloodline enhancements... those could push him to heights even beyond SSS-grade potential.
The Commander looked at him, her eyes narrowing slightly, already sure of his answer. "Well?"
Ares stayed quiet, his thoughts racing. Every logical part of him wanted to accept the offer. The benefits would skyrocket his growth, and being under the ZMA's protection was no small thing. But…
[Absorbing Bloodline... 6%]
Was that really the right choice? Was that the safest option at the moment?
Finally, he took a deep breath and shook his head.
"No."
The Commander's eyes widened slightly, her expression unreadable.
Ares placed the ring swiftly on the desk, but his voice was steady. "I can't accept."
The room went silent. The Commander said nothing, her gaze piercing through him. Whatever her thoughts were, she didn't share them.