The first light of dawn crept through the gaps in the hut's wooden walls, painting thin stripes of silver across the straw-strewn floor. Axel King stirred, body aching from the previous night's ordeal, yet alive in a way he had never known. His muscles felt different—tighter, more responsive—and an unfamiliar energy pulsed faintly within him.
He rose slowly, testing his legs. Each movement sent ripples of warmth through his body, a tingling sensation that seemed to hum in resonance with the air itself. His chest heaved as he breathed in the crisp morning air, the scent of damp earth and pine tangling with the faint sweetness of blooming forest flowers. There was a vitality here, raw and untamed, as if the very world itself were alive, aware, and observing him.
Axel's mind raced. The memory of his death, the void, the mechanical, ancient voice—everything had been real. He had transmigrated. He was in a world unlike any he had ever imagined, one pulsing with energy, danger, and promise.
And now, he could feel it.
Something deep within him—his dantian, his core, his bloodline—throbbed with life. Sparks of golden light traced veins beneath his skin, tiny threads coiling and uncoiling with a rhythm that resonated across his entire body. The bloodline, dormant for generations, had awoken, calling to the latent power of this world.
"Qi…" Axel whispered, the word tasting strange yet natural on his tongue. He had read about it in novels—about cultivation, meridians, dantian energy, and the great powers wielded by immortals—but this was different. This was real. Every heartbeat, every nerve, every breath thrummed with possibility.
He sank to his knees, placing his palms against the cold, damp floor. Closing his eyes, he reached inward, searching for the currents of energy. The forest outside whispered to him—the rustle of leaves, the trickle of a distant stream, even the faint movements of unseen creatures. Each sound, each vibration, was alive with Qi, and it flowed toward him, responding to his intent.
Axel concentrated, focusing on the pulse within him. He drew in a shaky breath, imagining the energy filling his body, tracing the meridians he had only vaguely understood from cultivation stories. At first, the Qi refused, erratic and chaotic, slipping away as quickly as it arrived. Doubt gnawed at him. I'm imagining it. Maybe this isn't real.
Then, a spark.
It flickered along his arms, warm and alive, winding its way toward his chest. He gasped. The energy surged in response to his intent, coiling, pulsing, seeking harmony with his body. A second spark followed, then a third, and slowly, the threads of light wove themselves into coherent loops inside him. His dantian glowed faintly, the rhythm steadying, the pulse growing stronger.
Axel's eyes flew open. He felt it—the first connection between body and world. Power flowed not merely through him, but through him into the world, and the world responded. Leaves trembled, the air vibrated, and the forest seemed to exhale, acknowledging his presence.
His hands itched. Instinctively, he flexed his fingers, guiding the Qi along the sinews of his arms. Sparks traced the veins like miniature lightning, coiling and uncoiling with every movement. Axel experimented, tentatively curling his fists, extending his arms, and even flexing his legs. Each motion sent ripples through the energy, subtle at first, then growing in intensity.
Hours—or what felt like hours—passed as he explored this newfound force. Time had lost meaning; he was suspended in a state of heightened awareness. The world was no longer separate from him. The soil beneath his knees, the air brushing against his face, the gentle morning light—it all pulsed with life, and he could feel the threads that bound it together.
And then, movement.
A rustle from the nearby underbrush froze him in place. A creature emerged, small but menacing, with glimmering fur that shimmered faintly in the pale light. Axel's heart hammered. Instinctively, his hands glowed faintly with golden energy, the Qi responding before his mind even caught up.
The creature circled, assessing him, teeth bared. Axel's pulse quickened. Fear gnawed at the edges of his mind—but beneath it, a thrill. This was the first test of his newfound connection to the world, the first challenge of a life far beyond the mundane existence he had left behind.
He raised his hands. The Qi surged forward, coiling along his arms, forming a protective barrier that hummed with warmth and light. The creature lunged.
The collision was unlike anything Axel had ever experienced. Sparks of energy flashed as claws met the flowing currents of his Qi. Pain radiated up his arms, sharp and real, yet he felt it muted by the energy coursing through him. Each instinctive strike was guided by the subtle currents within his body, a mix of his own intuition and the faint whispers of his awakened bloodline.
Minutes—or perhaps hours—passed in the blur of motion. Axel learned quickly: the Qi responded to intent, not thought. If he willed it to flow, it did. If he hesitated, it faltered. He began to move with precision, parrying, striking, dodging. Each breath, each heartbeat, each motion refined his control.
Finally, with a surge of focused energy, he unleashed a burst from his dantian. A wave of golden light knocked the creature back, and it fled into the underbrush, hissing, snarling, disappearing into the shadows. Axel collapsed, chest heaving, arms trembling.
He had survived. He had fought. He had learned.
And more importantly, he had glimpsed the first taste of power—the promise of the Golden Core, the stirrings of Nascent Soul, and the call of his ancestral bloodline. Tiny sparks of light danced beneath his skin, threading through every vein, connecting him to something far greater than himself.
Axel lay beside the stream, letting the cool water wash over his hands, fingers trembling. The forest around him was alive, every leaf shimmering faintly in response to his presence. His mind raced, thoughts spinning in a mixture of exhilaration and terror.
I'm weak… but I can survive. I can grow. I can become more than I ever was.
The words felt true, tangible, a vow to the world, to himself, and to the lineage stirring within. The pulse in his chest beat in tandem with the Qi of the forest, resonating across his body. His bloodline whispered to him, ancient and patient, threading guidance through his mind: Grow. Train. Awaken fully. The path is long, but it is yours.
Axel smiled, a mixture of awe and determination etched across his face. He knew the world was dangerous, that countless trials awaited, but he also knew that for the first time in his life, he was not helpless. He had power, instinct, and the whispering guidance of a bloodline older than kingdoms.
He rose, testing his legs again. The pulse inside him had strengthened, subtle but insistent, like a flame coaxed to life. A faint breeze rustled the leaves, carrying whispers he could not fully understand. Somewhere in the depths of the forest, a distant roar echoed—a reminder that life here was alive, aware, and waiting for him.
But Axel King, once weak, orphaned, and beaten, was ready.
"I will awaken. I will grow. I will become The Strongest."
The forest seemed to hum in approval. And in the depths of the night, the faintest golden light pulsed in rhythm with his heartbeat, a promise of potential, of power, and of destiny yet to be written.