Cain woke the next morning feeling different. The instant his eyes opened, he knew something fundamental had changed. Strength thrummed through his limbs like a current, and his senses—sight, smell, and hearing—were sharper, clearer, almost predatory.
He stumbled to the bathroom and froze.
The boy staring back from the mirror was not the same one who had collapsed the night before. His frame had stretched by at least five centimeters, muscles thicker and more defined across his arms and chest. His once plain green eyes now glowed an uncanny, electric blue, the color of storm-tossed skies.
Cain leaned closer, fingertips brushing the glass as if the reflection might shatter.
Before he could sink too deep into awe, a dry, mocking voice cut through his thoughts.
"Your ugly face won't change no matter how much you stare at it."
Cain almost laughed despite himself. Apex's timing was infuriatingly precise. He drew in a steadying breath, pushing aside the flicker of irritation. Excitement outweighed everything else. He had awakened a bloodline—and that meant his Wave Talent must have changed.
There was only one way to know.
"System, scan."
The familiar surge of energy pulsed through him, and a glowing virtual screen appeared.
[Scanning Vessel
---
Name: Cain Laurifer
Race: Godslayer Humankind
Path of Power: None
Lineage: Lightning Lupus
Wave Talent: Low Tier 4
Stats
* Strength: 0.04
* Agility: 0.06
* Vitality: 0.06
* Wave: 0.0]
Cain's breath caught. His hands trembled as he read the words again, just to be sure.
'Low Tier 4.'
Jonathan's mocking face flashed through his mind—the boy who flaunted his Peak Tier 3 Wave Talent like a crown, tormenting Cain for being "trash." Yet now, in one night, Cain had surpassed him. The power gap that had defined his suffering for a year had reversed.
Not only that—his stats had shifted. Vitality, once his weakest attribute, had surged to match and even outpace the others. He clenched his fists, marveling at the vigor in his body.
Then his gaze fell on the new entry: Lineage: Lightning Lupus.
A frown replaced his smile. He hadn't thought much of the "Lineage" field before, but now it seemed important—crucial even.
"Apex," Cain said aloud, voice steady despite the rush in his chest, "what exactly is a Lineage?"
The System Spirit answered without hesitation.
"Lineages are unique constitutions. They alter the essence of your being. Most awaken through bloodlines, though not all Lineages are bloodlines. Put simply: every bloodline is a Lineage, but not every Lineage comes from blood."
Cain absorbed the explanation. Before last night, he had been a pure human. Now, thanks to the [Basic Genetic Stimulation], he carried the blood of something else—something fierce.
Apex continued, his tone as sharp as steel.
"As for your Lightning Lupus Lineage, the Empire Science Academy records it as powerful—very powerful. But it is also categorized as flawed."
Cain's stomach tightened. "Flawed?"
Apex didn't leave him in suspense.
"A Lineage can be flawed in many ways. In your case, the Lightning Lupus carries emotional instability. At times, your emotions will burn out of control. Whether you master them or let them master you will depend entirely on your willpower."
Cain exhaled slowly. Dangerous, yes—but not crippling. Emotional instability was a weakness he could face, a burden he could train to control. In exchange, he had gained talent and strength he once thought impossible.
Besides, the [Genetic Coder Module] was his. If anything could one day repair the flaw, it would be that.
"Anyway," Apex said, tone turning brisk, "now that your Wave Talent has risen, you should focus on training. Don't forget—you'll be sent to the Imperial Military Academy soon."
The reminder hit Cain like a splash of cold water. The Imperial Military Academy was a universal mandate. Every citizen of the Godslayer Humankind Empire had to serve one year in the military unless accepted into a Wave University.
For common people, it was a trial. For Cain, it was a chance.
"I still have two months," Cain murmured. "Two months to train, to grow stronger. I can't waste a single second."
He was ready to leave and test his new body when Apex interrupted.
"Wait, brat. Since you've awakened a Lineage, you should reconsider your cultivation path. Instead of the Essence Evolution Path, you may want the Astral Rebirth Path of Power."
Cain blinked. The words meant nothing to him, but Apex anticipated his confusion.
"Most commoners know little of the Astral Rebirth Path," the System Spirit said. "Even among nobles, few understand more than its name. What I share now comes from data I pulled from the Empire Science Academy's networks. It's knowledge freely available in Wave Universities—no great secret."
Cain leaned forward, focusing.
"As you know, the standard path of cultivation is the Essence Evolution Path. You draw Life Wave from the environment, store it in your Evolution Core—the Sacred Organ of all Godslayer Humankind—and refine it into Essence Wave. This path shapes elemental control. Fire, water, wind, and so on."
Cain nodded. It was the only method he had ever known.
"But those who awaken a Lineage," Apex said, his voice slowing for emphasis, "also awaken their Rebirth Heart. That organ allows the transformation of Life Wave not into Essence Wave, but into Astral Wave. This is the Astral Rebirth Path of Power."
Cain's heart pounded.
"The difference is profound. The Essence Evolution Path focuses outward, on elements. The Astral Rebirth Path focuses inward, on the body itself. It makes flesh as strong as steel, blood as volatile as fire, bones as unyielding as stone. Both paths are powerful. But even the Academy admits the Astral Rebirth Path eclipses the other—at a cost. The difficulty is far greater, and the resources required are immense. Pursue it, and your road will be longer, harsher… but far more rewarding."
Silence stretched as Cain weighed the choice. The safer path would be the Essence Evolution Path. It was known, tested, achievable. The Astral Rebirth Path promised greatness—but also suffering, scarcity, and struggle.
Cain's jaw tightened. When had he ever been afraid of hardship? Since childhood, he had endured ridicule, fists, and humiliation. He had killed to survive, and he had sworn to keep moving forward no matter the cost.
He sat cross-legged on the floor, straightened his spine, and closed his eyes. Drawing a deep breath, he activated the Soldier Cultivation Technique, pulling threads of Life Wave from the world around him.
But this time, instead of guiding it into his Evolution Core, he sent it surging into the new organ pulsing faintly within him—the Rebirth Heart.
The choice was made.
Since when had hard work ever scared Cain Laurifer?