Level 1 to Infinity: My Bloodline Is the Ultimate Cheat!

Discover more stories at My Virtual Library Empire

The golden seed finally settled in the core of Ethan's body. Suddenly, it flared with brilliant light, revealing the state of his inner energy center.

It was rumoured that most people's energy cores had a distinct shape, usually spherical. But as Ethan observed his own, he realized something was very, very different.

It stretched endlessly in all directions, like a boundless void.

They said the larger the core, the greater the potential. Did this mean he was some kind of prodigy?

"Stop flattering yourself. You don't even have an energy core, how could it have a shape?"

Morzan's blunt remark crushed his excitement in an instant.

"…Huh?" Ethan blinked in confusion.

The golden seed floated within him, drifting until it reached a specific point. Then, it trembled twice and went still.

Ethan was just about to ask what to do next when—

Crack.

A fine split appeared along the seed's shell.

A single root sprouted from the gap, extending downward. Under Ethan's stunned gaze, it embedded itself into the very void of his core, as if taking root in thin air.

Moments later, two small green leaves emerged from the seed, unfurling gently.

Wait… Wasn't this supposed to be his life energy? How had it turned into a literal seed?

And now it was taking root in the empty space where his energy core was supposed to be?

Ethan had a hundred questions, but before he could voice any of them, a massive pull surged from the tiny sprout.

All around him, an invisible force gathered.

Countless wisps of faint green energy rushed toward him, surging into his body and flowing straight into the seedling. Wrapped in that dense energy, the tiny plant began to grow.

At an absurd speed.

It shot upward, extending along the space where his energy core should have been.

Ethan stared in shock and a hint of worry.

Shock, because the growth speed was insane, like someone was forcing a sapling to mature overnight. Worry, because instead of thickening as it grew, the stem only became thinner.

By the time it reached his chest, it was as fine as a spider's silk strand, delicate and fragile, as if a mere touch could snap it in two.

"…Old man, what the hell is this?" Ethan asked, his voice tinged with unease.

Morzan had been watching closely. His eyes gleamed with excitement, though he kept his thoughts to himself.

'It sprouted… it actually sprouted… So this Vessel could nurture the Seed of Life after all…'

There was hope. For his old comrades, for everyone. The only question was… How far would this Tree of Life grow in five years?

Of course, he wasn't about to share any of that with Ethan. Instead, he simply scoffed, "It's just a sprout. What's there to be surprised about? Hurry up and get back to leveling in the game."

Ethan exhaled, releasing a faint green mist with his breath.

Morzan's nonchalant tone was enough to kill his curiosity. Pushing everything else aside, he refocused and opened his eyes.

What greeted him was a wrecked campsite; collapsed tents, scattered supplies.

Leo, Victor, Celeste, and even Doe—who was currently just a floating soul, were all staring at him in shock.

"Did you gather your energy into your core?" Victor asked. his brows furrowed.

"…Something like that," Ethan replied hesitantly. Even he wasn't sure what had just happened.

Not like he could tell them there was a tree growing inside him. They'd think he was a damn monster.

"That's impossible. You didn't even—"

Doe had just started speaking when she froze. Her face drained of color, eyes wide in terror.

Because in that instant, an immense pressure crashed down on her, and a voice whispered coldly in her ear:

"Speak another word, and I'll erase you from existence."

For the first time in years, despite being a wandering soul, Doe felt something eerily close to cold sweat.

She stared at Ethan in pure disbelief.

Who the hell was watching over this guy? That presence just now was terrifying.

If only she knew Morzan couldn't actually do anything—that he was just bluffing, she might not have been so shaken.

"…What's wrong?" Leo asked.

The others also turned to Doe, curious.

"Ah… I was just wondering," she quickly covered, "how he figured out how to channel energy without any assistance."

Ethan blinked.

Wait, was there supposed to be some secret method? Wasn't it just a matter of using his will to pull life energy into his core? That seemed obvious enough.

What he didn't know was that he was missing something fundamental.

If he had ever seen how other warriors' bodies worked, he'd immediately notice the difference.

He had no energy pathways. Even an ordinary person had them. He had none.

Doe studied Ethan's expression. Yeah, he didn't even realize. Better to change the subject.

"Alright, enough of that. You two, get ready to move," she said. "We've wasted three days in this dump, Celeste's curse mark shifted again."

Three days?

Ethan was stunned. He had completely lost track of time. This whole mission was about removing the curse mark on Celeste. Twelve other people were waiting on them to find a solution before their own time ran out.

And he'd wasted three whole days standing around?

Ethan scratched his head, feeling guilty. "That's on me. Let's move fast. I'll carry all your packs."

After a quick meal, the group set off again.

By the time they neared their destination, it was already past ten at night. Doe, who had been scouting ahead, called out, "We're close!"

Twelve straight hours of trekking had finally paid off. And it was all thanks to Ethan.

Not just because he was hauling everyone's gear, but because, while asking Doe how to control his life energy, he made an accidental discovery.

When he let his energy seep outward, vines, brambles, tree branches—every plant around him instinctively moved aside, clearing a path for him.

With that, Ethan naturally took the lead, making travel much smoother.

After all, it wasn't like he had to do anything special. He just had to walk.

Compared to hacking through the undergrowth with machetes like Leo and Victor were doing, Ethan's method was ridiculously efficient.

Twelve hours of uninterrupted movement later, the air around them thickened with mist.

Doe glanced at the fog and nodded. "This is the barrier we set when we left years ago."

She explained that it was designed to keep ordinary people from stumbling into danger.

One of their team's spellcasters had created it, anyone who entered without the proper guidance would unknowingly find themselves turned back the way they came.

Hearing that, the group couldn't help but be intrigued. A magic barrier that had been running for years without fading?

"That's some serious craftsmanship," Leo commented.

Doe smirked. "Magic like this borrows from the wind, the water, the land itself. As long as it isn't critically damaged, it can run indefinitely."

Leo raised a brow. "Then why have most of the strongest barriers in history disappeared?"

Victor, who hadn't been paying much attention, suddenly looked over in surprise. "Wait, you actually know about magic barriers? Which ones?"

Leo gave him a disdainful look. "Ever heard of the Thousandfold Ward? The Executioner's Seal? The Plague Shroud? The Tenfold Lock? The Ninefold Riverbind?"

Victor shook his head.

The others also stared at Leo, surprised. Since when was he this well-versed in magical theory?

"…Wait," Leo narrowed his eyes. "None of you have heard of them?"

He studied their faces and suddenly came to a horrifying realization.

"…Don't tell me—none of you have read Legends of the Eternal War?"

For a second, the group almost took him seriously, until they realized what he was talking about.

Victor clicked his tongue. "The hell are you on about?"

The others rolled their eyes. Leo had just lost all credibility.