Location: Demi-human region, Ortenosse Main family.
POV: Unknown.
Humans, especially those not from any long-standing clan, are the very bottom of the barrel when it comes to talented races.
They had no extraordinary bloodline power passed down from their ancestors, nor do they have longevity like some other races.
Their unique abilities are rapid reproduction with other humans and adaptation to improve through innovative thinking.
A baseline human, while one of the weakest species, can quickly change as they find ways to integrate exceptional bloodlines from other species into themselves, making them their own.
Depending on how efficient the refinement process was, this external bloodline can be fully integrated into the existing human bloodline, making it an exclusive bloodline.
This means that if an individual successfully completes the refinement of their obtained bloodline, gaining its traits and special abilities, they can pass those traits down to their children.
This, in turn, created a society where humans were divided into different families with different traits obtained from other existing species to supplement their somewhat lacking bloodline power.
The status of a family in human society is determined by its bloodline grade, which ranges from first tier to twelfth tier in ascending order.
The Ortenosse family is a tier 8 bloodline family, descended from an ancestor who possessed the Incubi bloodline. Incubi are male demons that gain strength through sexual intercourse. They are creatures of lust and can induce such feelings in their victims, whether willingly or not. This ability has caused many problems for the Ortenosse family in the human realm. As a result, they are often regarded with disgust, which is one of the reasons, among many, that they left the human domain when the opportunity arose.
They conquered the weakened Demi-human region five hundred years ago. It was a brutal takeover that led to the death of many and the annihilation of the Demi-human royal family.
The Ortenosse family could not be considered good rulers. Their leadership has been nothing but torture to the residents of the demi-human species around. This had led them to flee the region for greener pastures.
Escaping a territory is no simple task. The size of a territory can range from 10 million light-years to 100 million light-years in diameter, and the space between each territory is thousands of times more expansive. To cover such vast distances with their families, individuals would need to be at least in the late stages of the core nurturing phase.
This only left weak mortal practitioners suffering under the rule of the Ortenosse family. The once-thriving realm is now riddled with death and poverty.
Tucked away in the far eastern corner of the Ortensosse estate stood a pathetic hut of straw and mud, so small it could scarcely hold three people. It crouched in the shadow of the soaring family mansion, a wretched, trembling thing that looked as if it would vanish in a strong gust of wind.
Inside was a rough, dark-haired young man sitting on a mat spread on the cold, hard ground. Resting on his leg was the head of a cute little girl with her eyes closed as she shivered from illness. They were twins, barely 13 years old.
Inside the small hut, there wasn't much to see. A few clothes were laid on a square rock, three straw mats were spread out, and some eating utensils were scattered around.
The young man slowly stroked the hair of his twin, gently, singing her favourite song. This action soothed her well as she started to tremble less.
It continued for a while before the boy stopped, seeing his sister already asleep.
"Mother will soon be back with some medicine." He whispered to no one in particular.
His name was Modred Spectre, his sister was named Aria, and they lived together with their mother, Alicia Spectre. They were not considered members of the ortenosse family; they were considered a disgrace to the family line.
His grandfather, Adam Spectre, was a man who had the fortune of obtaining a very rare and mysterious bloodline of a race they had come to call 'Time Imps'. This race had an innate affinity for time-related laws and techniques, which Adam came to acquire after refining their bloodline essence.
Being a loose practitioner trying to climb the ladder of society at the time, he was continually pushed back by the families that were stronger than he was. This led him to believe that if he wanted to make a name for himself, he would have to join a family, and so that is precisely what he did.
He chose to join the Ortenosse family, who showed that they valued his talents. Life became easier from there on, as he gained resources he would never have had access to as a loose practitioner.
He was allowed to establish a branch family with a time-related bloodline affinity. However, as a practitioner gains power, it becomes increasingly difficult for them to conceive, even in a race known for high birth rates like humans. He was only able to have one child before he passed away during the takeover of the Demi-human region, where his accomplishments were recognised, five hundred years ago.
The child was believed to have inherited the bloodline of the man who led the takeover effortlessly and was treated lavishly as a result. However, by the time he turned 14, his bloodline power had diminished to the point where it was seen as an insult to his father's legacy. Consequently, he fell from grace within the Ortenosse family. This loss of status was a significant blow to his psyche, as he had always been treated with respect before this change.
As a result, he could barely make any progress as a practitioner. Being a practitioner isn't just about refining the body and origin energy or seeking to elevate one's bloodline power, it is also a battle of will. Without a certain threshold of willpower, one cannot progress.
Hundreds of years passed since then, and he died just three years ago, leaving Modred, his twin sister and mother, to fend for themselves.
Ever since birth, Modred has always been mistreated by the children of the prominent family and his father did nothing about it; all he did was wallow in his misery all day long, ignoring his precious children.
Maltreating him was fine by him, but adding his sister to the mix is just bad taste, so he roughed up anyone who would dare to maltreat her, which is what he would like to say, but in truth, he tries to defend her but gets beaten as a result.
After his father's death, life became much worse. The taunting and attacks increased in frequency, and food became scarce. Whenever he left home to gather herbs and edible plants in the forest near the mansion, he would return beaten, to the point that his mother could barely recognise him.
As the only man in the house, he felt it was his responsibility to protect his family. Despite being in constant pain from past assaults, he wakes up every morning thinking of ways to find food and provide whatever little he can for them. Through sheer determination, he strives each day to put a smile on his sister's face and make his mother proud. However, they now face a new problem.
The Ortenosse family has been blessed with a young man who awakened in their family a year ago. He is a handsome youth carrying the main family bloodline with remarkable purity.
In a bloodline like that of the Ortenosse family, the blessings tend to enhance its most prominent feature: dual cultivation. Typically, this is advantageous, as the family bloodline empowers both the bloodline holder and their partners through sexual activities, even though the bloodline holder often gains more benefits than their partner. Having a chosen partner would significantly boost their cultivation speed.
In today's world, being blessed often means having a flaw, and that flaw can sometimes be a liability for those around you. The young genius in question had an insatiable lust that served no purpose for anyone but himself.
He lusted over every female he saw, those older, married, and younger. He didn't care and couldn't control it. What's worse is that he was only 13 years old.
He was largely despised and viewed with revulsion by those around him, as he behaved like a savage whenever he encountered someone he found attractive. Every maid assigned to him was left emotionally shattered, and he even tried to assault members of his own family but was promptly stopped and prohibited from ever laying hands on them, so he turned his attention to the Demi-human in the territory.
Recently, he had begun to fancy a young maiden who resonated with him one fine morning when he decided to take a break from his usual sensual pursuits. When he found out she had a fine woman for a mother, he lost control of himself.
He immediately demanded they be brought to him as soon as he was done with the batch he was having.
Those two, being Modred's sister, who was only 13 years old, and his mother. Modred couldn't help but grit his teeth, remembering the report this morning demanding his sister and mother.
'I will kill that bastard'
But he couldn't do much else than seethe in anger. The blessed was heavily guarded, and even if he were not, there was no guarantee he would stand a chance against him.
From the corner of his eyes, something seemed to catch his attention. Lying on the pile of clothes on the square rock was a folded piece of paper and a blue gemstone.
'That definitely wasn't there before.'
He looked around in wonder.
'Maybe I did not notice before, is it mom's?'
He carefully laid his sister's head down as he approached and picked up the paper. Unfolding it, he glanced at what was written and his expression changed to one of shock.
His eyes glimmered with a sense of hope.