Creeeaaak!
Creeeaaak!
The massive gates of the Ilarisen Wall groaned open, the sound echoing for hundreds of meters like a storm's arrival.
Before Nerion and Mia, the gates revealed towering buildings, modest homes, and sleek black carriages drawn by finely groomed horses. People bustled through the streets, most of them elves. The elf-to-other ratio in the Nature Empire was roughly 2:1, resulting from this empire being the ancestral homeland of the elves. It was famed for its wealth, especially its rich deposits of black iron found in a mine near the city's borders.
Still carrying Nerion in her arms like a princess, Mia walked confidently through the gates and stopped a passing carriage.
"Take us to the central building of the Medical Guild of the Nature Empire on Rashton Street, please," she instructed the driver.
The driver glanced at her for a second. "One silver."
"Ten bronze. No more," Mia snapped, boarding the carriage without giving him a chance to object.
Before the driver could argue, the light in his eyes dimmed, and he replied in a monotone, "Yes, ma'am."
"Was that too much for the distance?" Nerion asked, curious.
"Yes. Rashton Street isn't far. But it's the most famous street in the Nature Empire—it's at the heart of the capital and home to the finest services. That's why he charged that much."
"Wait, what? How is the capital so close to the first defensive line?! And you slashed the price from a whole silver to ten bronze—like a tenth!" Nerion blurted out, baffled by her stinginess despite her obvious influence and wealth.
"Well, the capital is nearby for strategic reasons. If the wall ever needs reinforcements, they can arrive quickly. But it's not literally *next* to the wall—it's about 100 kilometers away. Most drivers charge around fifty bronze for a trip like this," Mia explained calmly.
Her words hit Nerion like a thunderclap.
"What the hell?! Why are we traveling that far?! Isn't there any damn doctor nearby?!" he snapped, unable to contain his frustration any longer.
He'd been doing everything he could to escape this cursed state, yet the people who rescued him kept delaying things with their choices.
Mia blinked, startled by his sudden outburst. She didn't understand why he was so upset.
"I-I'm sorry, dear Nerion. I just wanted us to go to the best place for a proper diagnosis. The guild is renowned. I didn't mean to upset you... I just thought you needed rest," she said gently.
Looking at her expression, Nerion realized his mistake. She had no idea about his system.
"I'm sorry for yelling, Mia. I just feel like we're wasting time on things that don't matter. I did tell you I'm fine. Still, I really appreciate your care. Thank you," he replied with a sincere smile. For a moment, he forgot she could kill him with a thought—but she didn't.
Mia was taken aback by the apology. From her study of Nerion's personality, she knew his pride was unparalleled. He would rather die than bow, even to someone vastly stronger. She understood how much this apology meant—and she quietly rejoiced at his emotional awareness.
"It's okay, dear. I'm not upset. Would you like to rest your head on my lap until we arrive?" she asked, eyes trembling slightly with anxious hope, afraid he might say no.
Noticing her nervousness, Nerion nodded without hesitation.
"Sure, Mia. Thanks for the wonderful pillow," he said, resting his head on her lap with a soft smile.
Her smile widened, almost splitting her face with joy. She began mumbling incoherent things while gently stroking his hair.
Nerion looked into her eyes for two seconds, gave her a faint smile, and then closed his eyes.
He wasn't worried about her doing anything to him. If she wanted him dead, he wouldn't even feel it.
Closing his eyes, he called inwardly:
'Dear system.'
[What are your orders, host?]
'Can you begin the integration process now?'
[Yes, host. Your current condition allows for a successful integration with the Origin Bloodline System. Afterward, your bones will begin producing primordial blood, and you'll recover fully in approximately two days—provided you get enough rest and nourishment. Your body will require significant nutrients.]
'Can you start it now? How long will it take?'
[Approximately three hours. You will enter a coma-like state, but your body will continue functioning normally.]
'That should be fine. I doubt this carriage will reach Rashton Street in under three hours.'
'Alright, begin the integration.'
But to his surprise—
[Apologies, host. It's not that simple. You must have direct physical contact with the Will Core of the minotaur. The system needs to extract its core will energy. Don't worry—the system handles everything. You just need to touch it.]
'Damn it! Why isn't this system overpowered like those in protagonist stories? You should've seen how they shattered bottlenecks like melons and ascended to the next cultivation world.'
[You and I both know, host, you'd rather die than follow that shallow path.]
Nerion fell silent.
The system was right.
'Fine... I just need physical contact with the Will Core. That's doable, right?'
[Correct, host.]
'Alright, let's give it a try.'
He opened his eyes—and found Mia still gazing lovingly at him.
"Umm, Mia, could I see that Will Core you gave me again?" he asked gently.
"Of course, darling!" she chirped, delighted by his interest. She pulled out the strange, ever-shifting cube. From time to time, the silhouette of a minotaur's head flickered within it, but older and far more majestic.
"Wow... What does it do exactly?" he asked.
"Well, the best way to use it, sweetheart, is to sell it. It could get you at least 100 gold coins—equivalent to 2,000 silver or 200,000 bronze."
(Gold = 20 Silver = 2,000 Bronze)
"What?! 100 gold?! That's insane! Thank you, Mia," Nerion said, choosing to act thrilled.
In truth, he was a little heartbroken about consuming such a precious item.
Is he stingy? No, you fools—he's broke. If Mia left him now, he'd survive five days at most. Still, once the system was active and he recovered, earning money wouldn't be an issue.
"Mia, could you place it in my hand? I'd like to sense it."
"Of course, love." She gently took his pale right hand, opened his palm, and placed the Will Core in it.
The moment the cube touched his skin, a shiver ran up his spine—a chilling, powerful energy poured into his arm.
'Good God! This is just the residual force? Imagine his strength alive... And Mia's strength... or those even stronger!'
"Mia, it feels warm to me. Could you... Place it under my shirt? I want to feel it more directly," he lied, flawlessly.
Mia blinked in surprise. Warm? Usually, the core felt cold.
Still, she didn't mind. She'd do anything to make him happy.
"Alright, love. Here you go," she said, lifting his linen shirt gently and placing the cube on his bare chest as requested.
Her breath caught. His skin was softer than she remembered. She hadn't realized how smooth he was. She touched his chest *accidentally*, cheeks reddening.
Mia already viewed Nerion as her husband. Nerion noticed her fluster but chose to ignore it.
Focus.
He closed his eyes.
'System, can you begin now?'
[Yes, host. We can begin at any moment.]
'Then do it.'
[Command received.]
[The host has chosen to consume the Will Core and six months of lifespan to activate the system.]
[Confirm: Yes – No]
'Yes.'
Ding!
[Command accepted.]
Ding!
[Origin Bloodline System integration initiated.]
Ding!
[Injecting hormones to induce temporary coma.]
Nerion felt his eyelids grow heavy.
A cold current streamed from the cube on his chest and into his body.
Ding!
[Absorbing energy from the Will Core.]
Ding!
[Integration has begun.]
His mind faded. Mia, seeing his stillness, assumed he was sleeping and let him rest.
...
[Integration progress: 5%]
...
[Integration progress: 15%]
...
[Integration progress: 45%]
...
[Integration progress: 80%]
...
[Integration progress: 99%]
...
Ding!
[Integration of the Origin Bloodline System complete.]
Ding!
[Host regaining consciousness.]
Ding!
[Bones have begun producing Origin Blood.]
Ding!
[Body repairing health issues: poor vision, poor hearing, bone fragility, hormonal imbalances, and complete paralysis.]
Ding!
[System Name: Origin Bloodline System]
[Status: Active]
[Bloodline Holder: Nerion Valdegar (Noah)]
[Origin Blood Purity: 40% (Upgradeable)]
Ding!
[Please open Host Status Window to track your progress.]