"What is this?" Draven exclaimed in fear. He was deeply shaken by the sight before him.
He had been wondering how a normal book could suddenly explode without warning.
The whole idea made Draven shrug.
There was something strange about this book—something more than met the eye.
Draven stood up and moved toward the book. By now, the blinding light that had flashed earlier was gone.
Upon reaching the place where the book had landed, he was surprised by what he saw—the book was finally open.
What a coincidence, he thought as he reached forward to open the book—but instantly pulled his hands back in pain. The cover was still burning hot.
Draven looked around for a cloth he could use to touch the book without hurting himself.
Once he managed to open it, the first page revealed the words: The Forbidden Bloodline.
Surprised, he flipped to the next page. His eyes narrowed, flickering with a strange mix of confusion and disgust.
Draven muttered something under his breath, clearly disappointed. As he turned to the next page, he saw a message written in ancient Gothic:
You can awaken the forbidden bloodline. Details on the next page.
Draven was stunned. At that point, he felt like tossing the book aside—it seemed pointless now.
But something about those two words—forbidden bloodline—held him still.
If I'm going to die, at least I should know my bloodline, Draven thought, flipping to the next page.
The Forbidden Rituals.
Those were the first words he saw. He continued reading.
Warnings:
This ritual is considered unstable and cruel, which led to its complete ban. Out of each billion trials, only one person survives.
A glint of excitement appeared in Draven's eyes. He had found something rare. But even then, as an F-ranked ascendant, he was sure he wouldn't survive it.
Reading further, Draven discovered that 8 out of every 10 survivors ended up going insane.
Draven, surprisingly intrigued, dove deeper into the text.
Procedures: Cut your hands under the moonlight. Three drops of blood must touch the floor. Sit, and place your hands on the blood.
Begin the ritual while repeating the mantra.
Note: For this book to be open, the forbidden bloodline has already been detected in your system.
This is a very dangerous ritual—capable of killing demons, immortals, celestials, and even gods.
Wow, this is cruel. No wonder it was wiped out, Draven thought silently.
But none of that mattered. He was going to go through the ritual anyway.
Turning to the next page, Draven continued reading about the procedures.
After going through all the information, he stood up. He had finally understood what the ritual required and how to perform it.
He was certain he wouldn't survive either way.
The perfect way to die,
Draven muttered, reviewing the steps once more.
He needed to go outside and cut his hands under the full moon's light while seated.
Then, at least three drops of his blood had to touch the ground.
After that, he would place his hands over the blood and begin chanting the mantra.
Draven took the book with him outside. He needed it nearby so he could quickly glance at the mantra before beginning the meditation.
Once outside, Draven took a moment to observe the flowers and grass around his small, portable bungalow.
He walked a little, savoring the calm of the night air. This would likely be his last night alive.
Though the peace comforted him, it also hurt to realize that even in death, no one would look for him—or care.
After a while, Draven finally settled down to begin the ritual.
He took out a small pocket knife and gently sliced through the flesh on his hand. Within seconds, the three drops of blood fell to the ground.
Draven opened the book again to glance at the mantra one last time.
Then, he sat down, placed his hands on the blood, and began meditating while reciting the mantra.
Draven wasn't new to this. He had practiced meditation often before going to prison, in hopes of unlocking his bloodline.
Now, he began chanting the mantra, gradually focusing on his chakras.
At first, everything felt normal. But slowly, a burning sensation began to spread through his hands—deep and intense.
Soon, his chest began to burn as well. The pain grew stronger, and Draven opened his eyes in shock.
Nothing's happening, he whispered under his breath.
Judging by the sky, a long time had already passed.
Still unwilling to quit, Draven closed his eyes again.
He inhaled deeply, then started the mantra and meditation all over—but this time, with sharper focus.
Soon, his veins began to heat up again, much more violently. The sensation was overwhelming.
It felt as though his entire bloodstream was being baked alive. Yet despite the pain, Draven didn't stop—his focus sharpened like never before.
After enduring the torment for nearly an hour, Draven suddenly heard a loud banging sound in his head. His body began to tremble.
The sound grew louder—and so did the burning. Draven felt like tearing his chest open with his bare hands.
Trying to stay conscious, he continued reciting the mantra, trembling in agony. He was in unbearable pain—barely hanging on.
Within another minute, Draven reached his limit. The banging sound became deafening, and the heat surged to an impossible level.
Draven began slipping into unconsciousness.
This is it, he thought to himself.
He was finally leaving this painful world behind.
And then… silence.
Time passed. Draven slowly opened his eyes. He was lying flat on the ground.
He slowly opened his eyes to a glowing screen hovering above him. Then a voice echoed in his head:
[System Awakened]
[Forbidden Bloodline]
[Blood Cultivator]