Ancestral Lineage - Chapter 425

Chapter 425: Rewards After an Intense Night Battle

Ethan walked toward his personal hideout, mind replaying the chaos of the previous night like a cursed slideshow. The earlier family banter had taken the edge off his panic, at least enough for him to breathe normally again, but the weight still pressed on his shoulders like a thousand boulders.

The automatic glass doors slid open without so much as a whisper, and he stepped inside, sighing as his senses soaked in the familiar quiet.

The ritual, that stupid, insane, universe-tier ritual, had gone way too well for comfort. Linking Anbord and Old Gassendi was an act even the old gods would grumble and complain about before attempting, and he… he did it as a side task. The seeds helped, yes, but the real force behind it was his identity, First Primord, bearer of Order and Mysticism.

But nothing in life came free.

His core powers were sealed, slumbering like a cranky ancient beast refusing to wake up. Teleportation, telekinesis, some elemental nibbles, and raw physical strength that was all he had left to play with.

Creation? Blood authority? Primogenitor might?

All dead asleep.

And the cooldown wasn’t a “few months.” Oh no, he had lied confidently to everyone’s faces. It would take a year, maybe more.

“What the fuck have I gotten myself into…?” he muttered, flopping onto his oversized gaming cushion like a depressed pancake, fingers dragging through his hair.

A god of Death was breathing down his neck. An ego-bloated dragon emperor had secretly declared war. His wife, Barki, was already being summoned by the overgrown lizard of a dragon to prepare for the war.

And somewhere in that eternal nightmare checklist was him arranging a transformation ritual he should’ve done ages ago.

His eyes snapped open.

“Wait… Elaine!”

He shot upright like a startled cat.

She had fully bonded with him last night, existence sharing, and he had caught glimpses of what her awakening gave him.

“Stagnation Field… a time-based conceptual ability,” he whispered, excitement replacing dread. “And Mark of Serenity…”

His aura surged, flickering with restrained cosmic pressure.

“That’s it. Time to test it!”

His voice boomed telepathically across the estate:

“Maverick. Stygian. Meet me at the new colosseum.”

…

Outside the mansion, lying lazily in the grass, the two newly-ascended Spirit Guardians snapped awake, their eyes gleaming like predators in moonlight. Even the breeze seemed to pause out of respect.

“It’s about damn time…” Maverick smirked, pushing up to his feet, gray pigtails swaying.

“I just wanna sleep like big brother Gal…” Stygian mumbled dramatically, but still stood, unwilling, but obedient.

A moment later, Ethan’s voice echoed again, louder, sharper:

“Galeno. You too. Colosseum.”

Deep in the training complex, a pillow levitated angrily before being yeeted aside. Galeno emerged in his pajamas, eyes glinting gold.

“…and here I thought today was my off-day,” he grumbled.

Three flashes of power ignited the air, different yet harmonized, and with a ripple of space:

They vanished.

…

They appeared at the new colosseum, a grand hybrid structure merging futuristic alloys with ancient empire stonework. Towering pillars etched with glowing runes circled the wide arena floor, shadows of warriors past lingering in the air.

The stage was set.

The test and trouble were about to begin.

…

Maverick stretched his wings lazily, cracking his knuckles loud enough to echo through the walls of the colosseum.

“So, boss man finally wants to throw hands again, huh?” he said, grey pigtails swaying with each step he took toward the center. “I’ve been itching for this.”

Beside him, Stygian yawned… aggressively.

“I’m still convinced this is punishment for waking up…” he muttered, dragging his feet like a sulking cat.

Ethan appeared at the opposite end of the arena, hands in pockets, aura swirling subtly around him. His calm posture only made the atmosphere heavier.

“Don’t hold back,” Ethan warned, his lone active golden eye pulsing. “I need to see how well Sloth fits into me.”

Maverick grinned viciously. “Say less.”

A massive stone gauntlet erupted from Maverick’s arm as he launched forward, the ground exploding beneath his feet. Stygian’s shadow stretched into a sharpened beastly maw, rushing alongside him with a deep, distorted growl.

Ethan didn’t move.

Not even a blink.

He simply whispered:

“Stagnation Field.”

The entire arena froze.

Wind halted mid-sway. Dust stayed suspended in the air like stars. Maverick’s punch lingered an inch from Ethan’s cheek.

Stygian’s shadow-beast snarled soundlessly, locked in place.

Ethan stepped out of Maverick’s punch range, studying the field as if he were adjusting a new haircut.

Then he snapped his fingers.

Time re-engaged, violently.

Maverick’s punch slammed into empty air, sending him tumbling forward. Stygian’s attack bit into stone, shattering the ground and face-planting him into rubble.

Both guardians blinked, dazed.

“What!?”

“How!?”

Ethan folded his arms behind his back, casual as ever.

“That was the weakest version. I haven’t even tapped into Elaine’s full blessing yet.”He tilted his head. “Again.”

Maverick’s eyes lit up, excitement flaring like a challenge accepted by his DNA.

“Oh, NOW we’re cooking!”

This time, his wings turned metallic, Alchemy Resonance, and he took to the sky, unleashing razor-sharp sonic waves. Stygian melted into a pool of shadows, emerging behind Ethan with claws formed from pure compressed darkness.

Same result.

Ethan raised a hand lazily, fingers slightly curled.

Everything slowed to a crawl, but differently this time:

Not frozen. Just forced into a pace Ethan dictated.

Maverick struggled mid-air, trembling against invisible resistance. Stygian’s claws inched forward by mere millimeters, maximum effort, zero reward.

“You two are fast,” Ethan admitted, walking past them, coat fluttering in the halted winds. “Good. It means I’m not completely hopeless while my core sleeps.”

Then he smirked.

“But compared to time?” He tapped Maverick on the forehead lightly. “You both crawl.”

He released the field.

BOOM

Maverick cratered into the arena floor. Stygian crash-tumbled across the stone like a ragdoll.

“…ow…” Maverick groaned, buried to his shoulders.

Stygian just lay flat, staring at the sky.”I hate sloths…”

Galeno suddenly appeared beside Ethan, arms crossed, eyes analyzing sharply.

“Master… if this continues, you may kill them.”

Ethan lowered his hand, expression relaxing.

“You’re right.” He glanced toward the horizon. “The real enemies won’t give us warm-ups anyway.”

Maverick pulled himself free, dusting stone off his wings.

“No fair…”

“You didn’t say you were gonna break physics!”

Ethan shrugged.

“I’m the First Primord. Physics works for me.”

Stygian just raised a defeated hand.

“I vote nap…”

Ethan grinned with that familiar, infuriating challenge in his eyes.

“No naps. Not yet. We push harder.”

Because deep down…

He knew time was running out.

Creation is hard, cheer me up!

Your gift is the motivation for my creation. Give me more motivation!

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