Divine Descent

Eros's mind was full of questions. Just as he was about to ask them, a slender, fair finger gently touched the center of his brow.

Then his vision blurred again, and the scene changed yet again-and again, and again. This time, however, he returned to the gray mist space where it had all begun.

Cecilia paused briefly as the child abruptly vanished before her, then shook her head with a soft laugh. "So he ran out of power."

Without any further hesitation, she followed the river of bloodline downstream with her gaze, finally fixing it on the child seated at the center of the ritual formation at its lowest reaches.

With a slight exertion of force, she opened a cut on the soft, fair pad of her slender finger.

Looking at the crimson blood seeping from the wound, she extended her finger. That touch seemed to cross time and space.

From the very source of the bloodline, it landed directly on the center of Eros's brow at its farthest downstream point.

The Shadow Realm, the hall of the Divine Temple!

The elders waiting for the ritual's outcome all paled as Eros suddenly vanished before them. Several of the more impatient ones immediately moved forward to investigate.

Just then, the Silver-White Moon Wheel that served as an ornament behind the Ancestor Statue's head at the front of the hall suddenly glimmered and gave a soft hum.

Before the elders about to enter the formation could understand what had happened, an irresistible force pushed them back to where they had stood.

Finding herself pushed back, Estelle immediately tried to advance again, but Duke Renka caught her from beside her.

Duke Renka shook his head and said softly, "Since that esteemed being intervened to keep us from approaching, there shouldn't be any danger."

With that, he discreetly gestured to Estelle toward the Silver-White Moon Wheel, which had become unremarkable once more.

Estelle's anxiety eased a little. After all, she knew the origins of the Silver-White Moon Wheel.

It was a divine artifact forged by their ancestor. Surely it would not harm its master's descendants.

Someone nearby offered reassurance as well. "The formation is still running. Besides, we're in our ancestor's Divine Temple. Everything will be fine."

As if in answer to those words, Eros abruptly reappeared in the spot from which he had vanished, allowing everyone present to breathe a sigh of relief.

Though they knew he should be safe, not being able to see him had still left them uneasy. Yet before they could finish that sigh-

In the next instant, it was as though the heavens were collapsing.

An indescribable presence descended from the sky, seeming to freeze time and space throughout the entire Shadow Realm.

Everyone present trembled uncontrollably and struggled to breathe, as though something had seized their hearts in a crushing grip.

Just then, the Silver-White Moon Wheel, which had returned to its unremarkable state, suddenly blazed with light, shielding everyone from that terrifying, shudder-inducing presence.

Once the presence was blocked, they could no longer hold themselves up. One after another, they collapsed to the floor, gasping for breath.

Suddenly, someone cried out, "What is that?"

Everyone looked in the direction that person was pointing and discovered a finger so indistinct that they could not make it out clearly, extending out of thin air to touch the center of Eros's brow.

Then the phantom image of an ancient tree with luxuriant branches and leaves suddenly appeared behind him.

Along with it came a presence brimming with vitality, constantly emanating from the phantom tree and spreading outward.

Once that vitality enveloped them, they realized that all the discomfort they had just experienced-

Had now vanished completely, replaced by utter relaxation and ease.

Several elders even discovered, to their amazement, that the lingering ailments left by injuries in their youth were now gradually healing.

Someone recognized the phantom ancient tree behind Eros, their face filled with disbelief.

"The World Tree! That's actually the World Tree! Then... that presence just now... could it have been the Great One of the Elf Race? She... she's actually conducting the ritual for little Eros herself!"

Those nearby who heard this were equally horrified and incredulous, but their shock soon turned to wild joy, tears of excitement filling their eyes.

What extraordinary talent must he possess to receive the Great One's baptism in person? Their ancestor had shown them mercy. Their clan's rise was within reach.

Elsewhere, an old man with a grizzled beard muttered, "So our clan really does have elven blood."

Hearing him, Duke Renka looked stunned. "Uncle, weren't you the one who told me that our ancestor once married into the Elf Race?"

The grizzled old man looked rather embarrassed. "Your great-grandfather told me that when I was young. I always thought he was just boasting. After all, our clan has no clear record of which ancestor married into the Elf Race."

Duke Renka was speechless. So you fed me a story you didn't even believe yourself?

As though he had guessed what his nephew was thinking, the white-bearded old man scratched his head awkwardly.

"It seems it was true after all. But it's still rather hard to believe that little Eros actually drew the Great One's attention during Bloodline Tracing, and that she was willing to baptize him herself."

Indeed, even though Duke Renka had high hopes for his son, he still found the scene before him somewhat unbelievable.

It was fortunate he was not from Earth, or he would surely have shouted, "This defies science!"

After all, that was the Great One! A deity seated high in Heaven, gazing down upon the mortal world!

A long while later, once the phantom ancient tree behind Eros had become fully solid-

The finger slowly lifted from his brow, withdrew into the void little by little, and disappeared.

Just as everyone thought the ritual was about to end, they noticed that the formation was still running. In other words, the ritual was continuing.

Eros, however, knew nothing of what was happening outside.

At that moment, he was wandering aimlessly through the gray mist space out of sheer boredom, though there was nothing to see but gray mist.

Suddenly, a pale golden orb of light appeared out of thin air before him, accompanied by a passage of text that surfaced in his mind.

After reading it, Eros looked at the pale golden orb before him in surprise. "This is a spell I comprehended from my bloodline?"

So, as I understand it, this is my skill? But I didn't do anything. How did I comprehend it?

Whatever. Let's see what this skill called Divine Art: Chapter of Life does first. He immediately reached out to touch the pale golden orb.

The instant he touched it, the orb transformed into a streak of light, shot straight out of his palm, and sank into his brain.