Chapter 2 – Bloodline Awakening

Haru sat nervously in that black chair as the man slowly approached him with a large orb. He watched it anxiously but didn’t move a muscle until the man was right next to him.

“Put your right hand on it” is all he said as he handed the orb to Haru.

Haru looked at the orb dubiously, wondering whether his palms were so sweaty that he might drop it. He grasped it with both hands. The orb was simply too large for his small childish hands.

After waiting for what seemed like an eternity, Haru’s patience was walking a thin rope as he wanted to ask ‘Now what?’ unable to stop himself from voicing his thoughts “Excuse me, what’s ne-“

His sentence wasn’t finished before he felt a prickling pain on each one of his finger tips!

“Ouch!” his scream loud as he instantly let go of the orb. The pain was registering but the moment he let go and the orb was falling all he could think of was whether he would get in trouble ‘Oh no it’s going to break! I’ve ruined it!’

The orb fell to the floor with a loud ‘clank’ and Haru’s gaze followed the orb only focusing on the fact that it didn’t seem to have broken. He anxiously lifted his gaze to the man next to him only to find that he was calmly looking at Haru without a care in the world.

As Haru gazed down at his fingers he saw a prickle of blood on each one of his finger tips and without even a chance to think about anything he suddenly felt a loud ‘throb’ coursing through his entire body. His gaze losing focus.

Everything in his surroundings seemed to melt away as his senses heightened but out of focus. He could feel his organs, his blood flowing, his heart heating against his ears and suddenly all he saw was red. He wasn’t seeing it but he could feel it as if a picture was forming in his mind. Inside of his mind a small snake, a tiny barely larger than worm, snake opening it’s eyes for the first time. He could feel a faint weakness from that tiny creature and it felt like it was him. His mind switched places and suddenly he found himself in the body of that tiny creature surrounded by an unknown space and a confusion enshrouded him… But even within that confusion there was an unmistakable pride, a faint strength that didn’t seem to belong to this world much less to that tiny creature he found himself. A strength that simply didn’t belong.

If he were able to focus at all, he would notice the red blood on his finger tips turning a faint barely noticeable shade of silver before re-entering his fingers and the small needle-prick wounds closing up miraculously.

Haru felt as if he was about to pass out and his body was leaning forward and nearly out of the chair as a hand grasped him in place giving him a moment to catch his barings.

“Congratulations. It seems you have a bloodline after all.”

Haru’s thoughts finally stopped racing as that strange fuzzy sensation that had overwhelmed him seemed to recede as a warmth spread from his shoulder through his entire body.

It took him a few moments to realize what had happened and gain his barrings and even a few seconds longer than that to register those words. Instead of feeling pride all he could feel was a weight lifted off his entire body and a large smile forming on his lips before an unmistakable giggle escaped his lips. Moments later that giggle turned into a full blown laugher that he couldn’t mask at all.

“hahahaha….”

As he struggled to contain his laughter his eyes wandered over to the instructor next to him and he couldn’t help but notice the strangely smug smile on the man’s face.

“Go ahead and laugh young one. You deserve to feel a sense of pride at this moment! Moreover… Your blood held a trace of Spirit Power! It seems there is mana in your blood! Congratulations” a smile was held at the corner of the mans lips.

He waited a few moments for Haru to calm himself down “Now tell me so I can note, what is your bloodline related too? As much detail as possible.”

He already held a notebook in his hands and his eyes betrayed his expectations. Haru felt a little embarrassed but he didn’t lie, he already knew that a person’s bloodline was bound to be revealed sooner or later, it wasn’t something that could be lied about “I saw a small snake. It wasn’t very large and the red covered my view so I couldn’t truly make it out the color either…”

Even now Haru was still flushed, his skin exuding a faint red hue. There a light hint of steam being exuded from his body and only now did he begin to notice. Haru’s eyes flashed and the instructor; mistaking his expression for fear, chimed in “That’s just a normal side effect from a bloodline being stirred into awakening. Don’t mind it.”

It was then that Haru noticed the change in tone from the man. There was no longer a joyful smile but rather an unbothered expression as if his time was being wasted.

“Have I done something wrong sir?” Haru couldn’t help but ask.

“No. Low tier bloodline. You’ll have to work hard if you want to make something of yourself.” Was all the man said. These instructors did nothing but go to various cities and undergo the awakening process for children across the continent. Their bonuses and special privileges were premised around finding amazing talents. Unfortunately, from this man’s perspective Haru was destined to toil in an uphill battle. The description he gave of his bloodline was nothing short of meager and mediocre. Almost immediately after hearing it did he lose interest.

Although Haru showed signs of having spirit power, it was also barely noticeable, not enough for anyone within the organization to take special note of him. He was above average, that was all – which meant nothing other than he would live a better life than an average commoner.

Haru could tell he was no longer being viewed with any regard by the instructor. He also had a vague idea that from what he’d already said and seen himself his bloodline was not one to take note of… But he still smiled with a purely genuine expression of happiness that wouldn’t go away.

His nervousness, his anxiety had already melted away the moment he’d been told he had a bloodline. That was all he’d wanted to hear, to hear that he wouldn’t be a burden on his family. The moment he knew he wasn’t worthless, that all he could ask for. ‘So my bloodline isn’t exceptional. Whatever! I’ll improve myself one step at a time. From this moment forward, my parents will begin to look to me when they need help! I will finally no longer be a burden!’ he thought to himself with his fists clenched already forgetting the earlier pain.

Off to the side the instructor could see the silly smile on the child’s face and although he no longer held any interest in him. He could tell this child was genuinely happy, he had no plans to squash that happiness “Your parents will be proud. Now run along. Go back the way you came.” He said with a forced but encouraging smile as he continued to note down the information from the testing.

Haru nodded and began to walk back the way he came. His foot steps no longer slow or burdened. His outward demeanor actually matching the joy he was feeling this time.