Ancestral Lineage

Ethan stepped out of the swirling black portal and into a world of towering stone and floating islands. His golden eyes scanned his surroundings, his expression shifting from curiosity to instant irritation as he took in the sight before him.

A colossal stone structure loomed ahead, stretching endlessly into the sky. It was monolithic and ancient, its weathered surface covered in strange markings that pulsed faintly with energy. Around it, dozens of floating islands drifted lazily, suspended in the air like forgotten ruins of a shattered world.

Ethan exhaled sharply, already regretting this turn of events.

"Not Babel's Hive again," he muttered, running a hand through his hair.

Before he could even take a step forward, the air around him shifted. A predatory stillness took hold, a weighty pressure that sent a familiar warning crawling down his spine. He knew this sensation well—he was being watched.

Then, they moved.

Massive forms detached from the building's upper walls, their shapes blending seamlessly with the stone before coming to life. The gargoyles descended in eerie silence, their grey bodies pulsing with veins of molten energy. They weren't mindless beasts—no, these creatures were something more.

Their forms were humanoid, each standing nearly eight feet tall, their faces chiseled with sharp, angular features that gave them an unsettling resemblance to ancient warriors. Their burning eyes locked onto Ethan with calculated malice. Unlike bestial gargoyles, these bore remnants of civilization—adorned in simple attire. Dark skirts of rough fabric wrapped around their waists, held in place by crude metal clasps, while broad, weathered neckbands encircled their throats like remnants of forgotten royalty.

And they were fast.

Without hesitation, the first gargoyle shot down like a meteor, its clawed hands outstretched, aiming to crush him. Ethan reacted instantly, sidestepping with effortless speed.

CRASH!

The impact split the ground apart, sending debris flying as the force of the gargoyle's attack cratered the stone beneath them. Dust and rubble filled the air, but before it could settle, two more were already diving toward him from above.

Ethan clicked his tongue, his irritation sharpening.

"Of course, it had to be these guys," he muttered.

Their wings sliced through the air with terrifying precision, their speed almost unnatural for something that looked as solid as stone. Their bodies may have appeared rigid, but they moved with a liquid-like fluidity as if they were not bound by normal physical constraints.

Ethan's golden eyes flickered with cold amusement as the first two lunged toward him in perfect synchronization.

"Fine, you want a fight?" His aura ignited, raw energy crackling through the air. "Then let's play."

With a flick of his wrist, the battle began.

Ethan exhaled through his nose, already bracing himself for the onslaught.

'System, why am I here again?' he asked mentally.

A familiar voice chimed in, soft yet carrying an edge of amusement. 'This is where the first beast is. It's a gargoyle, but you'll have to find it yourself. You have… history here, after all.'

Ethan frowned. 'Huh?'

'You heard me,' she replied teasingly. 'But before I give you more clues… give me a name.'

'Not this again.'

'...'

Ethan sighed as he dodged a descending gargoyle, its massive claws raking the air where he had stood moments ago. Another lunged from behind, but he twisted, delivering a brutal kick to its chest. The creature's body cracked upon impact, sending it spiraling into a floating island.

'Fine!' he relented. 'I'll name you.'

The system remained silent, waiting.

Ethan's mind raced, even as he reached out and caught a gargoyle by the face mid-air. With a burst of strength, he slammed it into the ground, shattering its skull upon impact. 'What about… Asteria?'

A pause.

Then, the system—no, Asteria—spoke, her voice softer now. 'Asteria… I like it.'

Ethan smirked, his movements becoming even sharper as he embraced the battle. "Then, Asteria, start talking."

But he received no immediate response. Instead, the remaining gargoyles surrounded him in a circle, their wings extending as their veins pulsed ominously. A sigil formed beneath them, ancient and glowing, crackling with contained power.

Ethan scoffed. "Oh? Trying to seal me in?"

He flexed his fingers, golden energy crackling around his body. Then, with a single step, he vanished.

The gargoyles barely had time to react before a shockwave ripped through their ranks. Ethan reappeared behind them, his hand still extended from a strike. The moment caught up—the air detonated where he had stood, sending the gargoyles flying in all directions.

One tried to recover mid-air, but Ethan was faster. He surged forward, grabbing the creature by the neck before hurling it straight into another. The impact shattered them both into debris.@@novelbin@@

'Still waiting, Asteria.'

'Tsk,' she huffed. 'You're stronger than before, I'll give you that.'

Ethan smirked. 'Was there ever any doubt?'

More gargoyles charged, but they were nothing to him now. With a simple gesture, the air around him compressed—gravity itself bending to his will. The creatures plummeted to the ground, pinned by an invisible force.

Ethan hovered above them, his golden eyes gleaming. "You should've stayed dead."

With a snap of his fingers, an explosion of condensed energy erupted, reducing them to dust.

The battlefield fell silent.

Ethan rolled his shoulders, shaking off the lingering energy from his attack. The battlefield was silent, save for the occasional crackle of residual power flickering in the air. The fortress stood undisturbed, its massive doors looming ahead. He stepped forward, his gaze sharp.

'Asteria, start talking.'

The system let out a soft hum as if she was enjoying herself. 'Patience. You barely finished warming up.'

Ethan's eye twitched. 'I just erased an entire squad of gargoyles in under a minute.'

'Yes, but the real challenge hasn't started yet.'

Ethan sighed, already expecting her to be difficult. 'Fine. You said I have a history with the first beast. What do you mean by that?'

Asteria paused for a moment before responding. 'The first beast isn't just some mindless guardian—it knows you, Ethan. Or rather, it remembers you.'

That made him stop.

'Remembers me?' His expression darkened. 'I've never fought a gargoyle like this before.'

'Not in this life,' Asteria corrected. 'But in a past cycle? Oh, you most certainly have.'

Ethan's jaw tightened. He had always known something was off—ever since the system fully awakened and the truth started slipping through the cracks. But the idea of a beast remembering him from another life? That was something new.

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'So, it holds a grudge?' he muttered, stepping closer to the fortress doors.

Asteria chuckled. 'More like unfinished business.'

Ethan placed a hand on the door, his fingers pressing against the ancient, cold stone. The engravings beneath his palm pulsed in response as if reacting to his presence.

Then the entire fortress shook.

A deafening roar erupted from within, the vibrations sending cracks through the walls. The heavy doors groaned, then slowly began to open. Beyond them, a suffocating darkness awaited.

Asteria's voice was lighter this time, almost teasing. 'Looks like it still remembers how much it hates you.'

Ethan smirked, stepping inside. 'Good. That makes two of us.'

The doors slammed shut behind him.

...

The darkness within the fortress was thick, pressing against Ethan like a living thing. It wasn't just the absence of light—it carried weight, whispering with unseen voices that scraped against his mind.

Ethan exhaled, letting his golden eyes glow faintly, illuminating the immediate area. The floor beneath him was smooth black stone, lined with deep carvings pulsing with an eerie red glow. The walls stretched impossibly high, vanishing into the abyss above.

He walked forward, his footsteps echoing. The air smelled of ancient dust and something else—something metallic.

Blood.

'Asteria, anything I should know before I run into this old friend of mine?'

Asteria's voice hummed in his mind. 'Yes. You lost to it last time.'

Ethan stopped mid-step, narrowing his eyes. 'Excuse me?'

'You heard me.' Asteria's tone was completely serious now. 'In your previous cycle, you fought this beast and failed. You died here.'

Ethan let that sink in.

His fingers twitched slightly, a deep heat simmering beneath his skin. Dying was nothing new to him—he had experienced it once already in the grand scheme of things. But the idea that this creature had been the cause? That it had stood over his broken body in another life?

A slow smirk stretched across his lips.

'Guess I owe it a proper rematch, then.'

As if on cue, the fortress trembled again.

Then, from the depths of the darkness, two massive red eyes ignited.

A deep, guttural growl rumbled through the space, like grinding stone and crackling fire fused. The glow of the eyes grew brighter, revealing the outline of an enormous figure.

The beast stepped forward, emerging into the dim light of Ethan's aura.

It was a gargoyle, but unlike the ones from before, this one towered over him—easily over ten feet tall, its humanoid form covered in sleek, dark grey stone, pulsing with veins of molten gold. Its wings were massive, half-folded behind its back, their edges jagged like sharpened blades. A thick, segmented tail coiled behind it, ending in a brutal spiked club.

The most striking feature, however, was its face.

It was eerily human-like, with a chiseled jaw and sharp cheekbones, though its features were locked in a permanent, grim snarl. A golden neckband gleamed at its throat, its tattered black-and-gold skirt shifting slightly with each movement.

Ethan could feel its gaze drilling into him, burning with recognition.

The gargoyle tilted its head slightly, then spoke.

"You came back."

Its voice was deep and resonant, like thunder rolling through stone halls.

Ethan flexed his fingers, cracking his knuckles. 'Oh, I've been waiting for this.'

The beast's eyes narrowed, glowing hotter.

"So have I."

The fortress erupted into chaos.

The gargoyle lunged, the very air shattering around it.

Ethan moved.

Their clash sent a shockwave tearing through the hall, the impact carving deep fissures into the floor. Ethan twisted midair, dodging a strike that would have split him in half, then countered with a palm strike reinforced with pure energy.

The force blasted the gargoyle back, skidding across the ground, but it dug its claws into the stone, halting its momentum. With a low growl, it launched forward again, its tail swinging—

Ethan ducked, letting the spiked club pass over his head, then caught the tail with one hand. His grip tightened, muscles flexing—

Then, with sheer strength alone, he swung the gargoyle like a rag doll, slamming it into the floor with enough force to leave a crater.

The beast snarled, pushing itself up—

But Ethan was already there.

His fist crashed into its face, sending it flying into the fortress wall. The stone cracked on impact, debris raining down as the gargoyle coughed out a deep, rumbling groan.

Ethan rolled his shoulders. 'Not looking so tough this time.'

Asteria whistled in his mind. 'You're enjoying this, aren't you?'

Ethan grinned. 'Maybe a little.'

The gargoyle slowly rose, wiping molten gold from its mouth. Its red eyes flared brighter than before.

Then, for the first time, it smirked.

"You've learned."

Ethan's grin widened.

"And I'm not done yet."

With that, the fight truly began.