Ares stood alone in the vast Hall of Genesis, surrounded by thousands of youths in matching black uniforms sprawled across the floor, writhing in agony.
Groans of pain filled the air, echoing off the high walls like a grim symphony of suffering.
The other participants clutched their bodies and twisted in discomfort as the Primordial essence coursed through their veins, breaking open their hidden potential.
He stood still, hands in his pockets, as if nothing had happened.
His gaze flicked between the sea of suffering around him and the system notification blinking in his mind.
[The concentration of Primordial Essence is too low for host's Bloodline. Bead formation failed.]
Ares exhaled softly through his nose, feeling the panic rising in his chest.
'Really?' He had been ready for the excruciating pain, even bracing himself for it. But instead, it had come and gone in the blink of an eye, barely a sting compared to what everyone else was enduring.
Now here he was, standing awkwardly while thousands of other students groaned like they were being torn apart from the inside.
He rubbed the back of his neck, feeling the weight of curious stares. Officials on the platform whispered among themselves, their gazes darting between Ares and the other participants.
The longer he remained unaffected, the more suspicion grew in their eyes.
'They probably think the essence they gave me was defective—or that I'm some kind of freak with a pain tolerance off the charts.'
Ares' brows furrowed. 'This is going to get complicated!'
Deciding there was no point in standing there any longer, he made his way toward the intimidating figure at the front of the hall—the vice-captain overseeing the process.
Ares approached her with steady, deliberate steps.
The writhing students on the floor groaned as he stepped over them like an unbothered spectre. When he reached her, she folded her arms and fixed him with a hard look.
"What's the issue, Solovar?" she asked, her voice sharp and direct.
Ares kept his expression neutral, though a flicker of uncertainty tickled the back of his mind.
He hated drawing attention to himself, but there was no avoiding it this time. "The unsealing didn't work."
The vice-captain's brow arched, her expression shifting to a mixture of disbelief and suspicion. "Didn't work? What do you mean?"
"The pain stopped too quickly," Ares explained, his voice steady. "And my Bloodline bead didn't form."
The vice-captain's sharp gaze lingered on him for a moment longer, trying to pick apart his calm exterior. Then she gave a curt nod and gestured to one of the officials. "Bring me Officer Talker."
Soon, the ZMA scientist from earlier arrived, his lab coat billowing as he stormed over. He had been unfriendly toward Ares from the start, and now, he looked even less pleased to be summoned.
"What's going on?" the scientist asked impatiently.
"The unsealing didn't work for him," the vice-captain replied, gesturing toward Ares.
The scientist shot Ares a cold, suspicious look. "Didn't work? That's impossible."
"Test him," the vice-captain ordered, her tone leaving no room for argument.
Grumbling under his breath, the scientist pulled out a sleek device and began scanning Ares with quick, precise movements.
Ares stood still, feeling the chill of the metal instrument against his skin. The device beeped and buzzed as the scientist checked the readings—and then his expression shifted to disbelief.
"This… can't be right," the scientist muttered. He adjusted the scanner and ran the test again.
The results didn't change. His frown deepened.
"What's wrong?" the vice-captain asked sharply.
The scientist looked up, his frustration visible. "His bloodline potency is far too strong. The 25% dilution of Primordial essence isn't enough to unseal his Bloodline."
The vice-captain gave Ares a strange look, as if trying to decide whether he was some kind of prodigy or an anomaly. "What dilution do we need, then?"
The scientist rubbed his temple. "Most Bloodlines, even the good ones, are fine with a 10% essence concentration. I'll prepare a 50% batch—but that's highly unusual."
Ares nodded silently, though deep down, unease bubbled.
'So the stuff they gave me before wasn't strong enough... but if 50% doesn't work either, this is going to get even weirder.' he thought.
The scientist returned with a new vial, the liquid inside much darker and denser than the last one. "Here," he said, handing it over with an annoyed grunt.
Ares took the cup and drank it in one smooth motion. The bitter essence burned as it slid down his throat, and almost immediately, searing pain exploded through his body.
His muscles tightened, his bones throbbed, and his nerves felt like they were on fire.
'Finally!' Ares thought, clenching his jaw to stop himself from groaning. 'This should work.'
For a few agonizing seconds, the pain swelled to an unbearable level... and then, just as suddenly, it vanished.
[Ding! The concentration of Primordial Essence is too low for host's Bloodline. Bead formation failed.]
Ares blinked, feeling both disbelief and frustration creep in. 'You've got to be kidding me!'
The scientist looked at him expectantly, but Ares shook his head. "It didn't work."
The man's jaw dropped. "Still?!"
The vice-captain scowled. "Prepare the 70% batch."
The scientist muttered a string of curses under his breath and ran back to his station. When he returned with the 70% vial, he shoved it into Ares' hand without saying a word.
Ares drank it without hesitation, bracing himself as the wave of pain hit harder than before.
His muscles seized up, and he nearly doubled over, but he forced himself to remain standing.
The pain faded just as quickly as before. Ares let out a slow breath, already knowing the answer before the system confirmed it.
[Ding! The concentration of Primordial Essence is too low for host's Bloodline. Bead formation failed.]
Ares closed his eyes for a moment, suppressing the panic and frustration building inside him. He could feel the growing confusion and unease from everyone around him.
The vice-captain let out a slow breath. "This is... unprecedented." She pulled out her comm device and contacted the captain, her voice low as she explained the situation.
After a long pause, she gave a sharp nod. "Understood."
She turned back to the scientist, her expression grim. "The captain's orders are clear—give him undiluted Primordial essence."
The scientist paled. "Undiluted? That's dangerous! He could—"
"Do it," the vice-captain snapped.
Ares met her gaze, his expression calm but determined. Did he even have a choice at this point? He needed to do this sooner or later. "I can take it."
The scientist hesitated for a moment, then reluctantly retrieved a vial filled with pure, undiluted essence.
The liquid shimmered ominously, swirling like a storm cloud.
"Here," the scientist muttered. "Good luck. You'll need it."
Ares took the vial and drank it down in one gulp.
The moment the liquid touched his tongue, a violent surge of pain tore through his body, far worse than anything he had ever experienced.
It felt like his very bones were being set on fire, his muscles twisted and stretched beyond their limits.
He dropped to one knee, gasping as the world spun around him. His vision blurred, and the ground beneath him seemed to tremble.
His body convulsed as if every nerve was being electrocuted, and he couldn't stop the pained cry that escaped his lips.
[System Notification: Bloodlines Unsealing Initiated.]
Through the haze of pain, relief bloomed in Ares' chest. 'It's finally working...'
He clenched his fists, feeling his bloodlines unlock, his hidden potential unfurling inside him like a blooming star.
The officials stared in stunned silence. The scientist, for the first time, looked genuinely impressed—and terrified.
Ares gritted his teeth as the unsealing process continued, his body trembling under the weight of his awakening. But even through the pain, one thought burned bright in his mind:
'This is only the beginning.'