The plaza emptied as the ceremony drew to a close.

Laughter echoed in the distance—some celebrating awakenings, others comparing bloodline rankings and discussing their system builds. No one looked back at the quiet boy still standing near the Lineage Stone.

Saiko stood motionless, his hands loose at his sides.

Sub-tier bloodline.

No name. No lineage.

Unlinked.

He could still hear the words spoken by the priest.

They stung—but not because he believed them. They stung because everyone else did.

The crowd had written him off in a single breath.

“Sub-tier,” the priest had said, not even bothering to whisper it. “No name. No lineage. Unlinked.”

The words lingered like a stain.

Everyone knew the ranks: Divine, High, Mid, Low, and Sub.

Most awakened somewhere in the Low or Mid tiers—especially those without noble roots. High and Divine tiers were rare, usually inherited through elite clans. But Sub-tier meant no visible affinity, no system compatibility, and no potential. It was one step above failure… and no step at all.

And yet…

[System Detected.]

Welcome, Saiko.

Eternal Clan System – Initialization Complete.

Processing…

Unique Evolution Protocol Engaged.

Support Structure: Customizable

System Tier: Hidden (Non-standard)

Compatibility 100%

Something flickered at the edge of his vision. Not a screen—more like a subtle pressure on his senses. A whisper directly into thought.

This wasn’t the basic interface others described.

No colorful stats. No common rank display. No elemental trees to branch from. It felt… aware. Silent. Waiting.

[System Notice: No legacy detected. No ancestral cultivation tree found.]

Default path unavailable.

Custom path granted

Progress will be earned, not inherited.

System Mode: Evolutionary Clan-Building

He didn’t know what any of it meant. Not yet.

But one thing was clear: this system wasn’t like the rest.

Would you like to designate a clan name?

(This name will govern your future growth and identity.)

He hesitated.

A clan? He didn’t have one.

But he remembered what it felt like to have nothing. The girl who gave him a name. The silence of belonging nowhere.

He remembered the ashes of himself.

“Ashborn,” he said quietly. “From ash, we rise.”

[Clan Name Confirmed: Ashborn]

Founding Realm: Initializing

Follower Slots: 0/10 (Tier 0)

Primary Trait: Unset

Clan Rank: Initiate Seed

⸻

He left the plaza alone. No congratulations. No curiosity. No attention.

By nightfall, he returned to the dormitory wing of the orphanage. Same stone walls. Same flickering lamps. Same small cot in the corner.

His tag still hung near the bedframe.

11277002

He sat down in the quiet. This time, he didn’t feel empty.

Something had changed.

[Starter Pack Claimed]

• Personal Realm Acquired: Hidden Realm Seed
  — A personal space tied to your bloodline. Evolves with your growth. Accessible only by you.
• Foundational Bloodline Trait – Selection Required

Three pulsing options appeared in his mind, each with a subtle presence.

[Option One – Devour]

Absorb power from defeated enemies, artifacts, and beast cores to evolve your bloodline.

Can incorporate traits over time with effort and risk.

“Consume the fallen. Rise beyond them.”

[Option Two – Fireborn]

Inherit fire affinity. Control and generate flame at will.

Grants resistance and access to unique fire-based martial paths.

“Let wrath burn your legend into the sky.”

[Option Three – Natureheart]

Draw strength from natural environments. Control terrain and ecosystems.

Create living weapons or structures with gathered materials.

“Shape the world, and it will shape you.”

Please select one foundational trait.

Saiko stared at the choices.

This wasn’t a joke. It wasn’t a glitch. This system was his.

No one had handed it to him. No one had told him what to do with it.

He was still alone in the world.

But now, the system was waiting… and the path felt obvious.

Was it even a choice?

His eyes narrowed on the first option—Devour.

That was the one.