The city was quiet—but not normal quiet. A heavy hum vibrated through the air, subtle but undeniable. The streetlights flickered once, twice, then stabilized. Cars sat idle on the roads, their electronics glitching, screens flickering with static.
Rian stepped onto his balcony, hood still up, eyes scanning the horizon. He could feel it—the energy. It wasn't just spiritual. It was alive, coiling through the air, stretching into every corner of the city.
The first wave had begun.
⸻
Animals and Plants Respond
It started small. Birds that had been silent for days suddenly stirred. Their feathers shimmered faintly, the tips glowing with a silver light. A stray cat crouched low, muscles rippling unnaturally as if it were absorbing strength from the air itself.
Rian frowned. "Not yet... not fully. But they're starting to feel it."
Trees along the boulevard pulsed subtly. Leaves glowed faintly blue, then green. Roots shifted beneath the asphalt, sending small cracks across the sidewalk. The energy wasn't selective—animals, plants, all of it reacted. Some stabilized, some struggled.
System Prompt:
Observation Only. Absorption Restricted. Stability Phase Active.
Rian's hands twitched. He wanted to absorb, to stabilize, to understand. But the system wouldn't allow it—not yet. This was a test, not a reward.
⸻
Humans Begin to Awaken
From blocks away, he saw the first humans react. Most stumbled, clutching their heads, grimacing at the sudden influx of energy. Some vomited. Some collapsed entirely.
Only a few stabilized on their feet. Those lucky enough to survive the initial shock felt... different.
• Their vision sharpened.
• Their senses extended.
• Subtle strength surged in their limbs.
Not everyone would survive the first wave. Not everyone would even stabilize. But those who did were the first potential class candidates, the first generation to awaken under this new world.
Rian's eyes narrowed. He could see it clearly—the weak ones would die, the strong ones would grow.
This was survival. This was evolution.
⸻
Subtle Distortions
The energy didn't stop with living beings. The city itself seemed affected. Cracks appeared in walls, faint glows emanated from the asphalt, and neon signs shimmered unnaturally, casting colors that didn't exist.
Above, the moon pulsed faintly. Stars flickered like candles in a storm. Rian felt the pulse through his chest, a resonance that reminded him of the bloodline energy he had reclaimed.
System Prompt:
Planetary Threshold Breached. Spiritual Veil Integrity: 4%.
Final Synchronization Pending. Time Remaining: 03:00:00.
Three hours.
He felt the urgency in every fiber of his body.
⸻
Rian Observes, Not Intervenes
He didn't move toward the chaos. Not yet.
He watched as animals and plants began to absorb the energy, some flourishing, others distorting. Wolves ran with unnatural speed, their eyes gleaming with Yang energy. Trees bent unnaturally toward glowing patches in the sky, leaves thick with Yin energy. Small pockets of danger were forming—creatures unstable, unpredictable.
System Prompt:
Absorption Denied. Observation Only.
Energy Variance: High.
Rian understood clearly: he wasn't meant to act. Not now. Not until the world decided who could survive.
⸻
The First Rare Awakenings
Here and there, humans adapted unusually quickly. A young man near a crumbling storefront stood unshaken as the energy swirled around him. His pulse synced with the energy, his eyes glimmering faintly silver. A girl in the street, crouched in fear, began glowing faintly with green energy—her aura shaping around her like a protective shell.
Not everyone would see these first transformations. But Rian did.
He knew what was coming.
⸻
Night Falls Again
By night, the world had shifted irrevocably. Energy pulses lit up the horizon in soft, undulating waves. Animals and plants now carried the marks of transformation—some beautiful, some frightening.
The humans who survived were battered, weakened, but changed. Some whispered in shock; some screamed. Most simply stared, frozen, as the invisible tide of energy washed over the city.
Rian returned to his apartment, hood up, and sat cross-legged. His mind didn't race with panic.
He had seen this before. He had lived it.
But this time, he was ready.
System Prompt:
Primordial Bloodline System: Observation Mode.
Bloodline Lock: Active. Absorption: Restricted. Techniques: Unavailable.
The countdown ticked.
Time Remaining: 01:00:00
One hour.
Outside, the city quivered, alive with energy.
Rian closed his eyes, calm, focused, prepared.
"This is it," he whispered.
"This is the beginning."