“Well, young one,” the voice rumbled again, its words carrying an unnatural weight, as if the void itself bent to its will. “I see that you have been causing trouble. A few lesser gods are... intrigued by your bloodline.”


    I opened my eyes. I was once again in the void, mysterious symbols swirling around me.


    “What are those?” I asked.


    “Ha, ha, ha.” The voice spoke. “The young one speaks. Those, child, are called runes. Not only are they the standard form of writing in the Multiverse, written correctly they can hold much magical power.”


    “Why couldn’t I select ‘Team’ and ‘Impossible’ difficulty?” I asked another question.


    Then the void darkened. The runes pulsed faster, their rhythm erratic, like a panicked heartbeat. The voice that had once filled the void with mocking laughter now felt sharper, almost dangerous. Its words hung heavy in the air, each syllable rumbling like distant thunder.


    “It seems my cohort does not... appreciate you,” It muttered, “They see your bloodline as a threat, an anomaly that should not exist within the System. And so, they sought to erase you. But their interference changed the balance, allowing me to act.”


    “What’s so dangerous about my bloodline?” I demanded, my voice cracking.


    “You will learn, in time,” the voice replied, almost mockingly. “Assuming you survive.”


    “What exactly is this?” I demanded, my voice cracking as I tried to gesture at the swirling runes and oppressive darkness. My body wouldn’t move. I could feel the pressure pressing down on me, thick and suffocating.


    The darkness seemed to tighten, the runes swirling faster as the pressure around me grew unbearable. My chest felt heavy, my breath shallow, like the void itself wanted to crush me.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    “Stop,” I choked out, though I wasn’t sure if I was speaking to the voice or the runes.


    “I am sorry. It is necessary for what comes next.” The voice said.


    “And what comes next?” I demanded.


    The voice did not answer. “Just accept the System prompt.”


    Do you wish to be sweeped for a bloodline? Please remember, a bloodline is an intricate part of someone, and one of the biggest rules in the multiverse (A-00024) is that none shall do anything to a bloodline without their utter and express consent, after the Great Bloodline War of the 4th Era. The System will know if anyone tries to manipulate you into agreeing.


    Agree to Bloodline Sweep?


    Y/N


    It was easily the biggest System message I had ever seen. The pressure continued to grow.  My breath hitched as I stared at the message. A bloodline sweep? The words meant nothing to me, but the weight of them pressed against my chest. The mention of a war—a Great Bloodline War—twisted in my gut like a knife. What exactly was I agreeing to?


    And yet, the pressure wasn’t just physical anymore. It was in my mind, a growing urgency clawing at me like I was running out of time.


    “Please accept the message,” the voice repeated, softer now, almost soothing. “You have questions, young one, and this will bring answers. The sweep will awaken truths buried within you—truths that may decide your survival.”


    “And if I don’t?” I asked, my voice barely a whisper.


    The voice didn’t respond immediately, and that silence terrified me more than its words ever could.


    “What is my bloodline?” I barely managed to get out, my mind slowly shutting down from the pressure.


    “Your bloodline is a gift,” the voice said, “but it is locked away. Refuse this, and you will remain blind to its power. Accept it, and you may yet survive what is to come.”


    “And if I accept?” I asked, though I wasn’t sure I wanted to hear the answer.


    “You will change,” it said simply. “Whether for better or worse depends on you.”


    “Very well then.”


    Agree to Bloodline Sweep?


    Y/N


    I let out a deep breath. “Yes, I agree to a Bloodline Sweep.”


    The voice chuckled softly, its tone both amused and reverent. “You have taken the first step, young one. The path ahead will not be easy, but then... it was never meant to be.”


    “What do you mean?” I asked, my voice shaking.


    “You will see,” it replied, and for the first time, the voice sounded almost... proud.


    The runes flared one final time, their golden light piercing the void—and then, for a moment, everything was still. But I could feel it, a shift in the air, like the universe itself had taken notice.


    “What happens now?” I whispered, but the voice was gone.


    And then the pain hit.