Dante woke up the next morning with a strange sense of clarity. The events of the previous night felt like a fever dream, but the faint glow of the mark on his palm reminded him that it was all too real.
The system's voice chimed softly in his mind:
"Good morning, User. Initiating tutorial phase: Understanding Your Bloodline."
Before Dante could respond, a series of translucent screens appeared before his eyes.
[Tutorial Mission: Learn to Harness Bloodline Energy]
Objective: Access the dormant power within your bloodline.Reward: Unlock [Bloodline Insight]."Great. Homework from a system now," Dante muttered.
Leah knocked on his door, barging in without waiting for an invitation. She carried a tray with breakfast and an armful of books. "You look like you've been up all night," she said, placing the tray on the desk.
"I had a lot to think about." Dante gestured to his hand. "The system wants me to 'understand my bloodline.' Whatever that means."
Leah raised an eyebrow. "Sounds like it wants you to dig into your family history. Do you know anything about it?"
Dante hesitated. His parents had always been secretive about their lineage, brushing off his questions with vague answers. All he knew was that the Blackthorn name carried weight in certain circles, though no one ever explained why.
"Not much," he admitted.
Leah sighed and handed him one of the books. "Then we start here. If your family's history is the key, we'll find something."
The day passed in a blur of research and experimentation. Between the system's cryptic guidance and Leah's determined digging, Dante began to piece together fragments of his heritage.
The Blackthorn family was old—older than most could trace. Whispers of their power were buried in forgotten texts, references to a "blood pact" that granted them abilities beyond human understanding. But with that power came a curse: the mark.
"The mark is a binding contract," the system explained. "It is both a blessing and a burden. Only those who prove themselves worthy may wield its full potential."
Dante frowned. "And how do I prove myself?"
"Through survival. Through growth. Through understanding. Your bloodline holds secrets that only you can unlock. Begin by focusing on the mark. Feel its energy."
That evening, Dante and Leah snuck into the academy's abandoned library, a place rumored to hold forbidden texts. Dusty tomes lined the shelves, their spines cracked with age. The air was thick with an eerie silence, broken only by the soft rustle of pages as Leah searched for anything useful.
Dante sat cross-legged on the floor, his eyes closed. The system's voice guided him:
"Focus on your breath. Let the mark's energy flow through you."
At first, there was nothing—just the faint hum of his heartbeat. But then he felt it: a spark, small but insistent, radiating from his palm. The sensation spread through his veins, warm and pulsing like liquid fire.
His eyes snapped open as crimson tendrils of energy coiled around him. Leah gasped, stepping back as the glow intensified.
"You're doing it!" she whispered.
Dante gritted his teeth, struggling to maintain control. The energy surged, wild and unrestrained, threatening to consume him.
"Calm your mind," the system urged. "Channel the energy, don't fight it."
Taking a deep breath, Dante focused. The chaotic tendrils began to stabilize, forming a faint aura around him.
A new screen appeared:
[Bloodline Insight Unlocked]
Ability: [Bloodline Vision]Effect: See traces of hidden power and ancient bloodlines.Leah stared at him, wide-eyed. "What was that?"
Dante stood, his legs shaky but his resolve strong. "The first step," he said, a faint smile playing on his lips.
As they left the library, Dante's newfound ability revealed itself. The world around him seemed sharper, more vibrant. He could see faint trails of energy leading toward the academy's restricted section.
Leah noticed his change in demeanor. "What is it?"
"There's something here. Something important." He pointed toward the sealed door at the end of the hallway.
Leah frowned. "That's the headmaster's archive. No one's allowed in there."
"Then we'll just have to find a way," Dante said, his mark glowing faintly.
For the first time, he felt a flicker of hope. If the system was guiding him toward answers, he was ready to follow. But deep down, he knew this was just the beginning—and the trials ahead would only grow more dangerous.