Chapter 58: The Unknown Bloodline

A full year had passed since the superior races had begun withdrawing from the human lands, and a full year had passed since humanity had begun reclaiming its ancient territories.

Throughout that year, many things had changed across Gandalia. The reclaimed cities had begun to come back to life, human settlements had spread across the lands that had returned to human sovereignty, new roads had been built, ancient cities had been repaired, and vast fields had once again been cultivated.

As for the capital, the Sovereign Palace had become far larger than it had been a year before. Black and crimson walls stretched around the ancient palace, new towers rose into the sky, and the capital continued to expand in every direction.

Humanity's renaissance was moving forward.

But far from all of that, in a place untouched by the noise of the world, Fafnir remained in seclusion.

The hall was so dark that its boundaries could barely be seen. The only light came from faintly glowing inscriptions scattered across the walls, casting a weak radiance over the surroundings.

At the far end of the hall stood a massive and imposing throne, its sides rising as though it had been built to serve as the seat of a being who surpassed ordinary humanity.

Fafnir sat upon it, his back resting against the throne, his body completely still and his eyes closed. He neither moved nor spoke, his entire focus concentrated on his body and the power flowing within it.

Many long months of treatment had passed, and throughout that period, the energy extracted from the cosmic treasures continued to flow into his body. The System extracted the energy, analyzed it, converted it into usable energy, and then directed it into his body slowly but continuously.

The tissues that had been damaged five thousand years ago began to regain their vitality. His internal organs recovered their activity, while the power that had withered away over thousands of years gradually began to flow through his body once more.

As time passed, Fafnir's body reached a stage at which it had recovered nearly all of its vitality, strength, and regenerative ability.

But the healing was not yet complete.

Deep within his body, there was another power.

A power that was not part of his original energy.

It was a mysterious power that had remained hidden throughout all these years. It had not disappeared, nor had it dissipated, and it had not allowed Fafnir's body to rid itself of it.

It had remained dormant within his depths, as though waiting for something.

Fafnir remained seated without moving until the healing percentage displayed by the System rose to 98.7%, then to 98.9%, before finally reaching 99%.

At the very moment that percentage appeared, something within his body changed.

The mysterious power awakened as though it had emerged from a slumber that had lasted five thousand years.

It began to move deep within his body, slowly at first, but its movement soon became more pronounced as it gradually spread throughout his organs.

When the System attempted to push the healing process forward, it encountered powerful and sudden resistance.

Then the pain swept through Fafnir's body.

It was immense and terrifying, as though something were attempting to tear his body apart from within. His fingers tightened around the armrest of the throne, the muscles throughout his body tensed, and his breathing stopped for a moment as a slight expression of pain appeared on his face.

It was only the faintest change in his expression, but for a man like Fafnir, that subtle alteration alone was enough to reveal just how terrible the pain was.

The mysterious power grew increasingly turbulent. It struck from within his body, coursed through his organs, and collided with the System's energy as it attempted to complete the healing process.

His entire body had become a battlefield between two opposing forces—the healing and the resistance, the System and something whose nature it could not determine.

Yet Fafnir did not move.

He did not scream.

He did not open his eyes.

After several moments, the expression on his face returned to normal.

The pain had not disappeared.

Rather, Fafnir had endured it and brought his body's reaction under control, as though nothing had happened.

At that moment, new data appeared before Fafnir, followed by the voice of the System within his consciousness.

[Abnormal movement of the mysterious energy detected.]

Fafnir remained silent as the System continued its analysis.

[The mysterious power within the host's body has begun resisting the healing process.]

The System paused for a moment before displaying new information.

[Given that the host's body has recovered most of its vitality and strength, it is now possible to initiate the absorption of the mysterious power.]

Fafnir slowly opened his eyes and looked ahead, but the System continued:

[The System can absorb the mysterious power and merge it with the host's body.]

Silence filled the hall for several moments before another statement appeared.

[However, the fusion process will result in a fundamental change to the host's bloodline.]

Fafnir's eyes paused for a moment.

Then the next piece of information appeared.

[Resulting Bloodline: Unknown.]

Fafnir remained silent as the System continued displaying information.

[The nature of the new bloodline cannot be determined.]

[Its characteristics are unknown.]

[Its evolution is unknown.]

[The risks of fusion are unknown.]

[The probability of unforeseen changes: Unknown.]

Fafnir continued staring into the void.

The decision was not a simple one.

He had two clear choices.

He could continue attempting to heal his body through the current method and leave the mysterious power where it was.

Or...

He could take a risk whose consequences he did not know, absorb the power, merge it with himself, and accept the possibility that his bloodline might change completely.

He did not know what would happen after the fusion.

His power might become greater.

His nature might change.

He might gain abilities he had never possessed before.

Or...

Something might happen that even the System could not predict.

But Fafnir was not a man who retreated in the face of the unknown.

He had lived for five thousand years with an injury that the entire world had been unable to understand. He had fought conflicts that had surpassed the limits of humanity, and he had reached a level of power that no human before him had ever attained.

And now, there was a mysterious power that had remained within his body for five thousand years, and the System had finally become capable of dealing with it.

Fafnir remained deep in thought, not making his decision immediately, while the mysterious power continued moving slowly within his body.

Then Fafnir opened his eyes fully.

His gaze was steady and calm.

He said:

"Begin."

[Command confirmed.]

Another message appeared.

[Beginning the absorption of the mysterious power.]

[Beginning the fusion process.]

The mysterious energy stopped for a moment.

Then...

It exploded.

An immense force swept through Fafnir's body.

The hall trembled, and the energy surrounding the throne surged as the mysterious power began to be drawn out from the depths of his body, layer by layer.

The System absorbed it, analyzed it, reconstructed it, and then merged it with Fafnir's body, while Fafnir closed his eyes and endured the pain that had become even greater than before.

But this time, he was not attempting to resist the power.

Instead, he allowed the System to consume it and merge it with him.

His body began to change.

Slowly.

Little by little.

Yet the true transformation had not begun.

The mysterious power that had remained dormant within his body for five thousand years was finally beginning to break free, while the System began merging it with Fafnir.

And at that moment, the question was no longer whether Fafnir would regain his former strength.

The question had become:

What would he become once the fusion was complete?