The city was no longer quiet.
Screams echoed through the streets, but not all of them were human. Animals, transformed and aggressive, tore through vehicles and small groups of people. Plants had grown wildly, some sending out thorned tendrils that ripped apart pavement and concrete as if reclaiming the land.
The apocalypse had begun in earnest—but this was the first wave, not the final storm.
⸻
Humans Awaken
Rian moved through the chaos, observing.
Humans who had survived the initial energy surge now awakened fully to their respective energies:
• Mana users displayed elemental bursts or increased strength.
• Spiritual users could sense threats before they happened, their auras flaring as they instinctively dodged attacks.
• Natural energy users manipulated flora or instinctively reacted with animal-like agility.
A few rare individuals awakened dual energy sources, allowing them to combine perception and physical prowess in ways that seemed superhuman.
Still, most were clumsy. Energy surged through them, but they lacked control. Some attacked recklessly, others froze in terror. And the unlucky? They collapsed, overwhelmed by the raw force.
⸻
Animals Lead the First Attack
In the park, a pack of wolves—now partially infused with mana and natural energy—attacked a group of humans. Their speed was uncanny, claws elongated, eyes glowing faintly with intelligence and instinct beyond natural limits.
A man with a shadow bloodline leapt to intercept, his limbs moving faster than the eye could follow. But one wolf lunged from the side, knocking him off balance. Another human, imbued with natural energy, raised a bush like a shield; it transformed into a tangle of living vines that threw the wolf back.
Rian didn't intervene. Not yet.
Every action, every survival instinct, was data. Every awakening human, animal, and plant was a variable in this apocalypse equation.
⸻
Minor Bloodline Acquisition
As Rian moved silently through the chaos, his Primordial Bloodline System hummed.
Fragments of energy floated around him—leftover from human awakenings, animal surges, and plant reactions.
He extended his senses.
• A wolf's agility flickered in his mind.
• A rare bird's keen eyesight danced along his aura perception.
• A flower's natural energy radiated stability and resilience.
Absorption Recommended.
He touched the ambient fragments, carefully weaving them into his bloodline.
System Prompt:
Bloodline Fragment Absorbed
• Agility: Minor Wolf Trait
• Perception: Minor Bird Trait
• Natural Resilience: Minor Plant Trait
• Bloodline Evolution Progress: 2%
Rian smiled faintly. Each fragment was another step ahead. Humans could awaken once and struggle. He could grow continuously, combining multiple energies into his ever-expanding bloodline.
⸻
The First Real Threat
A building nearby shuddered.
A creature, massive, unnatural, emerged from the energy storm. Its body pulsed with both mana and spiritual energy, a hybrid monstrosity born from the initial surge. Humans fled, plants twisted defensively, and animals instinctively attacked—but none could hold it back.
Rian stepped forward. The creature's presence was entirely detectable by his multi-energy senses.
• Mana: High density, volatile.
• Spiritual: Corrupted, chaotic.
• Natural: Overlapping, aggressive.
• Bloodline Residue: Strong, unique signature.
"Looks like it's time to get my hands dirty," he murmured.
He didn't charge blindly. Every movement, every energy pulse, was measured. This wasn't a fight for survival—it was observation, absorption, and perfect execution.
⸻
System Analysis
As Rian approached, the Primordial Bloodline System displayed new information:
Enemy Detected – Energy Source: Hybrid (Mana + Spiritual + Natural)
Bloodline Potential: Extremely Rare
Technique Acquisition: Possible through Observation & Assimilation
Danger Level: EX
Warning: Energy overloading possible.
The creature roared—a sound that rattled windows blocks away. Energy waves radiated outward, distorting reality.
Humans screamed, some attacking out of instinct. Animals bolted or fought. Plants extended vines to defend themselves, but none could match the creature's sheer chaotic energy.
"Time to see what my bloodline can really do," Rian said.
He extended his hand, touching the air thick with energy, letting his mana, spiritual, natural, and bloodline energy merge with the ambient power. The system pulsed as if alive.
System Prompt:
Energy Synchronized: 4/4 Sources Active
Bloodline Evolution Accelerated
Touch-to-Bloodline Assimilation Ready
Rian's eyes glowed faintly as the creature surged forward.
⸻
The First Clash
A blur of motion—faster than any human could track—Rian struck the ground. Energy rippled outward, not recklessly, but precisely, creating zones of control.
The hybrid creature recoiled, shocked by the concentrated force.
"This is just the start," Rian whispered.
The apocalypse wasn't just beginning—it had officially arrived, and he was already steps ahead.