A sharp pain pierced his chest. His breath caught, his knees buckled, and everything went black.
Kael collapsed.
The warmth of the world disappeared, replaced by an unconscious cold. The last sound he heard was a scream:
— KAEL!
...
When he opened his eyes, everything was blurry. A golden light filtered through silk curtains, and the familiar ceiling of his room slowly came into focus. A scent of medicinal herbs hung in the air.
— You're awake...
Siria.
She was there, sitting at his bedside, eyes red from fatigue and worry. Her gaze softened the moment it met his.
— You scared us, idiot. You collapsed right in front of your training hall… The family physician found you unconscious.
Kael blinked slowly, trying to gather his thoughts. Every muscle in his body burned. But deep inside… something had changed. A new force. An energy.
— How long was I asleep?
— Four days.
He sat up abruptly, but dizziness forced him back down. Siria placed a hand on his chest to hold him in place.
— Don't move too much. The doctor said you went through some sort of energy overload… your body adapted, but the process was brutal.
Kael gave a faint smile.
— I did it.
Siria frowned, puzzled.
— Did what?
Before he could answer, a knock came at the door.
— Come in, said Siria.
The Thundrael family physician, an elderly man with a gray beard and immaculate robes, entered. He nodded gently upon seeing Kael awake.
— I'm glad to see you conscious, young master. Your body is remarkable… I've never witnessed such a reaction to aura awakening. It's as if your very blood called for it.
— The awakening…? Siria repeated, stunned. You awakened your aura?
Kael nodded weakly.
The doctor turned to Siria, his tone serious.
— We must inform your father. Immediately.
...
The Thundrael patriarch entered the room minutes later. His icy blue gaze swept the room before settling on his son.
— You awakened…
Kael met his eyes. His father's aura wasn't flashy, but an invisible pressure emanated from him. It was the weight of a man who had seen war and bore its scars.
— In just three days… he murmured. That's… madness.
A tense silence followed.
Then the father looked away and stated coldly:
— Rest. When you're strong enough, come see me in my office.
And with that, he left.
...
Four days later.
Kael sat up in bed. His body was still stiff, but he moved more easily. Siria, who had dozed off in a chair, jolted awake.
— You're finally up!
She smiled, eyes sparkling with relief.
— Father said to see him as soon as you woke up.
Kael nodded and stood. He dressed in fresh clothes, adjusted his belt, then headed toward the manor's east wing—where the man who embodied his greatest challenges awaited.
...
The patriarch's office was vast and austere. A deep red carpet covered the floor, and military maps lined the walls. As always, the Thundrael patriarch stood straight as a blade, looking out the window.
— Enter.
Kael obeyed.
— You awakened your aura, the patriarch said without turning. Congratulations. You may now participate in the imperial selection exam. From now on, your future is in your hands.
— Thank you, Father.
The patriarch turned, scrutinizing him.
— How did you do it? Three days… Without a mentor, without a catalyst. Even among ancient bloodlines, this is unheard of.
Kael offered a light smile.
— I'm a genius. And maybe… the gods were on my side.
His father raised an eyebrow. For a brief moment, his lips seemed to twitch toward a smile. But it was fleeting.
— You're a poor liar, he said simply. You have the eyes of someone caught with his hand in the jar.
Kael shrugged, amused.
— Results matter more, right?
His father sighed.
— Very well. The imperial exam is in one month. It will determine whether you are worthy of facing the Central Academy's trial. Prepare yourself… and don't make me regret giving you this chance.
— I won't disappoint you.
— You may go.
Kael gave a slight bow, then left the office, closing the door behind him.
...
He walked for a moment in the silent hallway. Awakening his aura had changed everything. He felt stronger, faster… but this was only the beginning.
He opened the system.
[System Update — Bloodline Quest Complete]
Rewards Unlocked:
• Location Revealed: Tomb of the First Lightning Warden
• Passive Trait Gained: Primary Resonance – Lightning techniques +15% efficiency
• Item Received: Aura Manual – Fundamentals of Aura Mastery (Intermediate)
Kael remained silent for a few seconds.
— A tomb I've never even heard of… not even in my first life.
He rubbed his chin. The place was located in the old Thundrael domain. A territory now situated on Mount Celeste… within the lands of Zhànlóng, the nation of martial arts.
A nation that never forgets. The war between Zhànlóng and the Lumen Empire had left scars.
And though peace had been officially signed… Kael knew better than anyone that some hatreds never die.
He clenched his fists.
— If I want to go there, I have to grow stronger. Much stronger.
...
A few hours later, he made his way to the manor's training grounds. A large open space where knights trained daily in swordsmanship, hand-to-hand combat, and aura techniques.
As he arrived, silence fell.
The field commander, a sturdy man with salt-and-pepper beard, approached, clearly surprised.
— Young master Kael? What… what brings you here?
Kael raised an eyebrow.
— To train.
An awkward silence followed. Then murmurs erupted among the knights.
— Is he serious? — You think he's possessed? — Or just sick…
Kael ignored them. He walked to a wooden dummy and placed his hand on the hilt of his sword.
— Starting today… I'm no longer the person you knew.
A booming laugh echoed.
— Now that's what I like to hear!
A massive figure stepped forward through the crowd.
He stood nearly two meters tall, arms as thick as tree trunks. His blond hair was braided in the warrior style of Iskard. A double axe hung on his back.
— Olav…
Kael smiled as he recognized him.
In his first life, they had fought through battlefields, tournaments, and fortresses together. Olav, the disgraced son of an Iskard warrior clan, had lost everything when his father fled battle, bringing shame to their name.
Exiled, he had found refuge in Lumen… and forged an unbreakable friendship with Kael.
But back then, Kael hadn't known Olav had once lived within the Thundrael estate.
— So, Olav said as he approached, finally waking up from your slumber? I heard you awakened…
— And you? Grown again? You're nearly two meters now?
— 1.97. And I plan to hit two meters before the exam!
Kael burst into laughter.
— Want to test your strength against mine?
— Oh, I've been waiting for that, brother. How about a friendly duel?
Kael raised his sword, a gleam of challenge in his eyes.
— I say: get ready to fall.
And amid the laughter and cheers, a new chapter opened for Kael.
But he knew the real challenge… awaited far beyond.
At the summit of Mount Celeste.