Chapter 6: Bloodline Devouring System
While Athena tried to sell off her necklace, Raven had already arrived at school. He stepped into the classroom just as a blonde-haired woman pulled a notebook from her leather bag and began calling out names.
She had striking amber eyes, a heart-shaped face, a high-bridged nose, and pale white skin—utterly unique in this town. Her attire, a refined navy-blue office dress, captured the era's modest elegance. The high-necked bodice was adorned with delicate lace, and long sleeves gracefully covered her arms. A tightly cinched waist emphasized her silhouette, and the ankle-length skirt swayed as she moved.
A small brooch rested at the center of her lace collar, adding a touch of charm. Her blonde hair was styled neatly into a bun, with a few loose curls framing her face delicately.
She was none other than the Class Teacher of Grade 2 Elementary—Elizabeth.
Yet, what caught Raven's eye wasn't her appearance. It was the pendant she wore: a unique velvet gem embedded within a circular symbol hanging around her neck.
Why does Teacher Elizabeth always wear clothes so different from the other staff? he wondered.
"Raven."
His name snapped him out of his thoughts. He stood up immediately.
"Present, ma'am."
Elizabeth raised an eyebrow thoughtfully as she looked at him.
"Today is your birthday, isn't it?"
Surprise flickered across Raven's face.
"Don't look so shocked. I'm good at remembering these things." She chuckled. "Happy birthday, Raven. May the blessing of the Mother Eclipse be with you."
"Thank you, ma'am." Raven bowed respectfully.
She returned to her professional demeanor and resumed the roll call.
"Chris."
"Present, ma'am."
"Silvia."
"Present, ma'am."
"Mary."
"Present, ma'am."
...
Once the attendance was complete, Elizabeth retrieved a language book, turned to the blackboard, and began writing with a piece of chalk.
"Before we dive into the lesson, I'll teach you something about the Walkers." She paused and looked at the class. "Does anyone know who they are?"
A girl with bright blonde hair raised her hand eagerly. "They're the protectors of the Empire!"
"A good start, but not the complete picture." Elizabeth smiled and began writing again.
"In truth, Walkers are those who walk the path to seek the pinnacle of strength and uncover the truths of the world. They may be knights, swordsmen, spearmen, archers, fighters, assassins—anyone who possesses strength beyond that of normal humans. A single punch from a true Walker could shatter a massive tree."
The children's eyes sparkled with awe.
A curious student, Sylvia, raised her hand. "What's the difference between an Apprentice Walker and an Official Walker, ma'am? And how does someone become one?"
Elizabeth raised her eyebrows, impressed by the question.
"An Apprentice Walker is still a human, but with better reflexes, skills, and combat training. Official Walkers are on a whole other level—their strength is doubled or even tripled. Once an apprentice becomes official, they are qualified to face monsters."
"How do you become an Apprentice Walker?" another child asked.
"To become one, you must learn a Mana Extraction Technique and form circles inside your body to store it. If you've formed one to three circles, you're considered an Apprentice Walker. Four to six is the domain of Official Walkers. And seven to nine… that's the realm of the Elite Walkers. All of these come under the rank of Mortal Walkers."
Elizabeth suddenly realized she was getting carried away with complex topics and smiled apologetically.
"You'll learn more about Walkers properly in fifth grade. For now, let's begin our language lesson."
The rest of the day passed uneventfully. Raven remained attentive, though he found it hard to retain the information. It felt like a strange, invisible wall was preventing him from fully understanding the lessons.
The teachers noticed this—especially Elizabeth—but didn't consider it alarming. In their minds, theoretical knowledge mattered far less than the Walker Training curriculum. Even if a child failed every subject, as long as they had strong elemental affinity, they could still have a bright future.
By 5 P.M., school was over.
Unlike the others, Raven stayed behind and quietly practiced writing the equation tables from one to thirteen.
Some of my classmates have already reached the fourteenth equation table… I need to work harder if I want to keep up. But I want to play with Robert too… he sighed as the sun dipped toward the horizon.
Then, he noticed Robert's Logistic Calculation and Grammar books under the desk.
He didn't even check for these. I wonder how he'll do his homework…
"It's getting late. I should leave too." He packed his books into his bag and dashed toward the exit.
Outside the school gate, he spotted his beautiful sister, Athena, waiting with a warm smile. Standing beside her was a familiar woman with blonde hair.
"Aunt Shirley!" Raven's face lit up, and he broke into a run—but slowed down as he began gasping.
"Huff… Huff…" He took deep breaths and finally reached them.
"I'm tired!" he said with a grin. Shirley scooped him into her arms.
"What's for dinner, Sister?" she asked Athena.
"I'm planning to make fried pork and vegetable stew," Athena replied thoughtfully. "But first, I've got a little present for our birthday boy."
"Present?" Raven's eyes widened in delight.
"I'll only tell you once we get home," Athena said with a smug smile.
"Tell me now!" Raven pleaded, but she ignored him.
The three of them walked home together along the roadside, chatting peacefully. Soon, they reached 15a Alm Street.
Athena opened the door with a heavy iron key, stepping into the dimly lit house before switching on the main light.
Shirley locked the door behind them and led Raven to the bedroom.
"Why are we going to the bedroom?" he asked, puzzled.
Without answering, Athena took out a strange greenish vial from her pouch, uncorked it, and handed it to him.
"Raven. Drink this—no questions."
Startled by her solemn tone, Raven obeyed. He took the vial and downed it without hesitation.
A moment later, his body burned as warmth surged through him. Sleepiness overwhelmed his senses.
"I feel… tired…" he whispered as darkness took him.
Athena looked at Shirley with concern. "Will he be okay, Aunt?"
"I'm not sure," Shirley replied. "But this is the best we can do. That Walker Spirit Potion is only meant to recover stamina and willpower, but it's all we could find in this rural town. Let's hope it helps."
They left the room quietly, checking on him every few hours.
Then, around 2 A.M., something changed.
Raven stirred—but couldn't open his eyes. His consciousness slipped again into a deeper slumber.
Unseen by all, a glowing blue screen appeared in his mind.
…
[System Awakening... Error... Re-updating the System...]
[Remnant of the '**** ****' detected in Host's soul]
[Suspected corruption: Threat to Host integrity]
[Initiating protective measures...]
[Searching for method to erase remnant...]
[Search failed.]
[Searching for alternative method...]
[Analyzing remnant...]
[Analysis complete — Fusion Possible.]
[Would you like to fuse? Success Rate: 20%]
[Error — Host unconscious!]
[Emergency Protocol Activated.]
['Tower Spirit Zera' forcibly awakened.]
[Zera to decide on fusion request...]
[Approval granted.]
[Fusion initiated...]
[1%... 3%... 10%... 30%... 70%... 95%... 100%]
[Fusion Complete.]
[System renamed under Zera's request.]
[Congratulations — You have awakened the Bloodline Devouring System!]