The Bloodlines Choice

Chapter 36 — The Bloodline’s Choice

The Bloodline Shrine reached ninety percent.

The entire forest trembled.

Crimson light rose from the ground like pillars, piercing the dark sky.

Aether stood several dozen meters from the shrine, his Origin Blade held firmly in one hand.

The creature remained embedded in the ancient stone.

Cracks covered its armored body.

But Aether could feel it.

The thing beneath that armor was not weakening.

It was waking.

[Bloodline Shrine Awakening: 90%.]

[Critical threshold reached.]

[Origin Zone stability: 41%.]

[Warning: Further instability may cause spatial collapse.]

Aether looked toward Lyra.

“Can you keep fighting?”

Lyra wiped a small trace of blood from her cheek.

“Ask me after we win.”

Aether gave a faint smile.

“Fair enough.”

A violent roar came from the shrine.

The creature ripped itself free.

Its outer armor fell away.

Beneath it was a much leaner body covered in black scales.

The four arms had disappeared.

So had the four weapons.

Only the broken chain remained, wrapped around its chest.

Silver energy leaked from the cracks between the scales.

The creature looked completely different now.

Smaller.

But far more dangerous.

[Analysis failed.]

[Target Origin output increasing.]

Aether's eyes narrowed.

The creature raised its head.

“Now…”

Its voice was deeper.

“…we can speak properly.”

Aether didn't lower his sword.

“Start talking.”

The creature stared at him.

“You carry the Origin Mark.”

“Yes.”

“You carry the Origin Blade.”

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“Yes.”

“And you possess the Infinite Origin Physique.”

Aether's expression changed slightly.

It knew about his physique.

“How?”

“I can feel it.”

The creature touched the chain around its chest.

“That is why I cannot kill you.”

Aether frowned.

“Can't?”

“Not yet.”

Aether didn't like the answer.

Before he could ask anything else, the creature's attention shifted toward Nyx.

The silver mark on Nyx's forehead glowed.

The creature's eyes widened.

“And the unfinished one carries another fragment.”

Nyx growled.

Aether moved slightly in front of her.

Not because Nyx couldn't defend herself.

Because he didn't trust the creature.

The creature noticed.

“You protect her.”

Aether shook his head.

“She is my partner.”

Nyx's ears moved at the word.

The creature stared at them for several seconds.

Then it laughed quietly.

“Interesting.”

The Crimson Fang Wolf suddenly roared.

Aether turned.

The wolf was surrounded by crimson energy.

Her three bloodline symbols were rotating above her.

The first symbol shattered.

The second symbol shattered.

The third remained.

[Bloodline Evolution Trial.]

[Path One: Rejected.]

[Path Two: Rejected.]

[Path Three: Confirmed.]

Aether's attention sharpened.

[Unknown Bloodline Path confirmed.]

[Name: ???]

[Classification: Beyond standard bloodline evolution.]

[Requirement: Trial completion.]

[Phase Two: Protection.]

[Progress: 61% → 79%.]

[Final Phase approaching.]

The wolf raised her head.

The crimson energy around her became denser.

The three pups were standing behind her.

She wasn't transforming yet.

She was still incomplete.

But the shrine had recognized her choice.

The ancient wolf spoke.

“She chose neither pure destruction nor simple protection.”

Aether looked at it.

“Then what did she choose?”

“Her own path.”

The answer was simple.

But somehow, it carried more weight than the others.

The Crimson Fang Wolf suddenly turned toward Aether.

Their eyes met.

For a moment, neither moved.

Then the wolf turned away.

She wasn't asking him to decide her future.

She had already decided for herself.

Aether nodded slightly.

“Good.”

The creature beneath the shrine suddenly attacked.

Aether barely raised his sword in time.

BOOM!

The impact sent him sliding backward.

The creature followed.

Its speed was completely different now.

Aether blocked one strike.

Then another.

The third broke through his defense.

Its fist struck his chest.

Aether flew backward.

He crashed through a stone pillar.

Pain spread through his body.

[Warning.]

[Internal damage detected.]

Aether stood slowly.

The creature appeared in front of him.

Aether swung.

The creature caught the blade.

Its hand tightened around the sword.

The Unknown Origin Blade vibrated violently.

[Foreign Origin attempting weapon interference.]

[Resistance detected.]

The creature smiled.

“You don't understand your weapon.”

“Not yet.”

Aether released his grip.

The creature's eyes widened.

Aether stepped forward with an empty hand.

Origin Energy gathered in his palm.

He struck the creature directly in the chest.

BOOM!

The creature staggered.

Aether caught the sword as it fell.

He immediately slashed upward.

The blade cut across the broken chain.

CLANG!

A small crack appeared.

The creature's expression changed.

“No.”

Aether noticed.

The chain was important.

He attacked again.

The creature blocked.

Aether attacked again.

And again.

Every strike targeted the chain.

The creature's movements became increasingly frantic.

Lyra understood.

“Aether! The chain!”

“Keep it occupied!”

Lightning descended.

The creature turned toward Lyra.

That was enough.

Aether appeared behind it.

The Origin Blade struck the chain.

CRACK!

A piece broke away.

The creature screamed.

A massive burst of crimson energy erupted.

Aether was thrown backward.

Lyra was forced onto one knee.

Nyx shielded herself with her own Origin Energy.

The Crimson Fang Wolf lowered her body over the pups.

The ancient shrine began collapsing.

[Bloodline Shrine Awakening: 90% → 94%.]

[Origin Zone stability: 41% → 28%.]

[Warning.]

[Spatial collapse imminent.]

Aether looked around.

The shrine was failing.

If it collapsed now, everyone nearby could be dragged into the unstable space.

The ancient wolf shouted.

“Aether!”

Aether looked at him.

“You must choose!”

“Choose what?”

“The shrine or the creature!”

Aether's eyes narrowed.

The choice was obvious.

He wasn't going to sacrifice the shrine just to kill something that hadn't fully awakened.

But he also wasn't going to let the creature complete its awakening.

Aether raised his sword.

“I don't need to choose.”

The ancient wolf stared at him.

Aether's Origin Energy surged.

“I'll stop both.”

The Unknown Origin Blade released a powerful silver-black glow.

[Adaptive Resonance: 17% → 24%.]

[Origin Severance: 9% → 12%.]

[Unknown Origin Blade Synchronization: 5% → 7%.]

The creature's eyes widened.

“You cannot.”

Aether stepped forward.

“Watch me.”

The sword descended.

CRACK!

The remaining chain shattered.

The creature screamed.

At the same moment—

the Bloodline Shrine reached 100%.

A blinding crimson light consumed the entire forest.

And beneath that light, something ancient opened its eyes.