The moon hung silently above the Frostfang Mountains, bathing the endless white wilderness in a soft silver glow.
Every snow-covered pine tree shimmered beneath the moonlight, while the frozen rivers reflected the stars like polished crystal.
The icy wind drifted gently across the mountain ridges, carrying with it the scent of snow, ancient forests, and distant predators.
Upon a weathered rock overlooking Blackfang Forest, a lone snow wolf cub sat quietly, his white fur dancing with every passing breeze.
Ash remained motionless as the transparent blue screen floated before his eyes.
The glowing symbols upon it pulsed softly, illuminating his sapphire-blue eyes.
Had this happened to him during his previous life on Earth, he would have doubted his own sanity.
But after awakening in the body of a Snow Wolf, witnessing intelligent beasts build civilizations, and surviving his first seven days in Aethelgard, the impossible had long since become reality.
He slowly exhaled and forced himself to calm down.
Countless novels and fantasy stories he had read during his human life resurfaced within his memory.
Many protagonists became blinded by excitement the moment they obtained a system, rushing to claim rewards without understanding what they possessed.
Ash had no intention of making the same mistake. This world was far too dangerous for careless decisions.
"If this system is going to accompany me for the rest of my life," he thought quietly, "then I need to understand every part of it before taking even a single step."
Almost as though responding to his determination, the blue screen rippled gently before several elegant lines of text appeared.
Bloodline Ancestor System
Current Functions Available
Status Panel
Bloodline Vision
Perfect Beast Language Comprehension
Instinct Synchronization
Beginner Gift Pack
Ash carefully read every line without skipping a single word. There were no flashy animations or exaggerated introductions. The interface remained clean, simple, and strangely dignified. It felt less like a magical treasure and more like an ancient guide patiently waiting for its owner to ask the right questions.
"Show me the Status Panel," Ash said softly.
The transparent screen shifted before another panel slowly unfolded.
Name: Ash
Race: Snow Wolf Cub
Age: 7 Days
Cultivation: None
Bloodline: Common Snow Wolf (0%)
Talent: Ordinary
Skills:
Keen Smell Lv.1
Keen Hearing Lv.1
Passive Skills:
Instinct Synchronization (Locked)
Bloodline Points: 0
Descendants: 0
Ash examined every line with complete attention.
His cultivation was listed as none, which was hardly surprising. He was only a week old and could barely run properly. What caught his attention instead was the bloodline section.
"Common Snow Wolf..."
"So bloodlines are divided into ranks."
His gaze lingered on the percentage displayed beside it.
Zero percent.
"What exactly does that mean?" he asked.
The system responded almost immediately.
Bloodline Purity represents the degree to which a beast has awakened the potential hidden within its ancestral bloodline.
Higher purity allows greater growth, stronger abilities, and access to advanced evolutions.
Ash narrowed his eyes.
"So even if two wolves belong to the same race, their potential can be completely different."
Correct.
A thoughtful expression crossed his face.
That single explanation completely changed how he viewed Aethelgard.
Strength wasn’t determined solely by species.
Bloodline mattered.
Potential mattered.
Growth mattered.
This was far more complicated than simple survival.
His attention shifted toward another function.
"Bloodline Vision."
The screen shimmered once before a calm response appeared.
Bloodline Vision allows the Host to observe basic information regarding beasts within visual range.
Ash slowly raised his head toward the highest rock overlooking Blackfang Forest.
The Alpha stood exactly where he always did.
Even beneath the moonlight, his towering figure radiated quiet authority. His scarred forehead, broad shoulders, and calm sapphire eyes carried the weight of countless battles. He stood alone, silently watching over the sleeping pack while the cold wind flowed through his thick white fur.
Ash focused his attention upon him.
Immediately, the world seemed to shift.
A faint blue outline surrounded the Alpha before transparent words appeared above his massive figure.
Name: Blackfang Alpha
Race: Snow Wolf
Age: 16 Years
Bloodline: Elite Snow Wolf (68%)
Cultivation: Unknown
Threat Level: Extremely High
Potential: High
Ash’s breathing instinctively slowed.
His first reaction wasn’t excitement.
It was disbelief.
"The Alpha..."
"...only has sixty-eight percent?"
He had witnessed the Alpha defeat an Ice Bear through leadership, experience, and overwhelming strength. To Ash, the Alpha already seemed nearly invincible.
Yet...
His bloodline had not reached one hundred percent.
That realization sent countless thoughts racing through Ash’s mind.
"If sixty-eight percent is already this powerful..."
"What kind of monster would possess ninety percent?"
"And what about one hundred?"
He slowly lifted his gaze toward the distant horizon where endless mountain ranges disappeared into darkness.
Beyond those mountains lay lands he had never seen.
The Sky Dominion.
The Endless Ocean.
The Ancient Wildlands.
Countless continents stretched across Aethelgard.
Somewhere within those forgotten places...
There must exist beasts whose bloodlines far surpassed anything within Blackfang Forest.
For the first time since his reincarnation...
Ash truly understood how vast this world was.
His gaze returned to the Alpha.
The mighty wolf remained standing silently beneath the moon, completely unaware that a tiny cub had just learned something capable of reshaping his understanding of the world.
Ash quietly lowered his head.
"My goal..."
"...is much farther away than I imagined."
The system remained silent.
It neither encouraged nor discouraged him.
It merely presented reality.
Ash appreciated that.
A guide that spoke only truth was far more valuable than one offering empty praise.
After a few moments, his attention shifted toward another unlocked function.
"Perfect Beast Language Comprehension."
Almost instantly, a warm sensation spread through his mind.
It wasn’t painful.
Nor particularly pleasant.
It simply felt...
Natural.
As though something forgotten had quietly returned.
At that exact moment, several scout wolves emerged from the northern forest before approaching the Alpha. They exchanged a series of low growls, ear movements, and subtle tail gestures.
For the first time...
Ash understood everything.
"There are fresh tracks near the northern ridge."
"The scent belongs to multiple Ice Bears."
"They’re moving together."
"We believe they’re searching for something."
The Alpha remained silent before asking another question through several calm growls.
"How many?"
"At least six."
Ash’s ears twitched.
His heart skipped a beat.
Six.
The previous battle had nearly cost the pack a warrior against only one adult Ice Bear.
Now...
Several were moving together.
One scout continued.
"The scent grows stronger each day."
"They’re following the trail left by the warrior that never returned."
Ash slowly looked toward the northern mountains.
The peaceful moonlit landscape suddenly felt much colder.
The Ice Bears...
Had not forgotten.
Ash remained seated upon the cold stone long after the scouts had disappeared into the darkness.
The conversation he had just overheard lingered in his thoughts like a shadow that refused to fade.
Until now, the approaching Ice Bears had only been a possibility discussed by the elders. Hearing the scouts confirm it with certainty transformed that possibility into reality.
Somewhere beyond the northern mountains, several powerful predators were already following the scent of the fallen Ice Bear toward Blackfang Forest.
The peaceful night no longer seemed quite as peaceful.
The moon still illuminated the snowfields with gentle silver light, and the frozen pines continued to sway beneath the mountain breeze, yet Ash could no longer look upon the landscape without sensing the danger hidden beyond its beauty.
Aethelgard was breathtaking, but it never allowed anyone to forget that survival demanded constant vigilance.
Ash slowly turned his attention back toward the transparent screen floating before him.
There was still one unopened function.
The Beginner Gift Pack.
He stared at the words quietly.
During his previous life, he had learned one lesson through countless disappointments.
Nothing truly valuable came without a price.
Even kindness often carried expectations.
A mysterious system capable of changing one’s fate should be no different.
Ash raised his head slightly.
"System."
The blue screen responded immediately.
Awaiting Host’s command.
Ash asked calmly, "Before I open the Beginner Gift Pack, answer one question."
Question accepted.
"Does accepting this gift require me to pay any hidden price in the future?"
Several moments of silence passed.
Finally, elegant blue words appeared across the screen.
No immediate cost detected.
The Bloodline Ancestor System does not demand payment for beginner rewards.
However, all future growth requires the Host’s own effort.
Ash slowly nodded.
That answer satisfied him.
A guide that demanded effort instead of blind dependence felt trustworthy.
"Open the Beginner Gift."
The blue interface shimmered softly as countless particles of light gathered before him.
Unlike the dramatic explosions he had imagined, the system remained surprisingly restrained.
One notification quietly appeared after another.
Beginner Gift Pack Opened Successfully.
Reward One: Mythic Bloodline Seed (Locked).
Unlock Conditions:
Reach One Month of Age.
Survive the First Great Crisis.
Become an Official Hunter of the Blackfang Pack.
Ash read the conditions twice.
He couldn’t help smiling.
"So even the rewards have to be earned."
Instead of feeling disappointed, he felt relieved.
If tremendous power had been handed to him without effort, he would have questioned whether it truly belonged to him.
Strength gained through perseverance always lasted longer than strength borrowed through luck.
Another notification appeared.
Reward Two: Passive Skill Acquired.
Instinct Synchronization
Description: Human intelligence and wolf instincts will gradually synchronize, allowing the Host to think and react as one. This skill grants no direct increase in strength, speed, or cultivation. It improves only the Host’s ability to use his current body efficiently.
Ash blinked.
"That’s all?"
He almost laughed.
Many protagonists dreamed of overwhelming techniques capable of shattering mountains.
His first ability merely allowed him to move naturally.
Yet...
The more he thought about it...
The more valuable it seemed.
He carefully climbed down from the rock.
The moment his paws touched the snow, he noticed something different.
Every movement flowed naturally.
He no longer needed to consciously remind himself how to balance upon four legs.
His body simply knew.
He sprinted a short distance across the snow.
His breathing remained perfectly coordinated.
His paws landed instinctively upon the firmest patches without conscious thought.
When the cold wind shifted direction, his ears automatically adjusted before his mind even processed the sound.
His nose instinctively separated dozens of scents drifting through the forest.
It didn’t make him stronger.
It made him complete.
Ash stopped beside a snow-covered pine tree.
A satisfied smile formed within his heart.
"This..."
"...is exactly what I needed."
He had never wanted shortcuts.
He wanted a foundation.
A strong building always required solid ground before reaching toward the sky.
The system quietly displayed another notification.
Reminder:
The Bloodline Ancestor System cannot replace the Host’s effort.
It only provides opportunities unavailable to ordinary beasts.
Ash nodded slowly.
"I understand."
"You can show me the road."
"But walking it..."
"...is my responsibility."
For the first time, the system responded with something beyond simple information.
Acknowledged.
Host mindset evaluated.
Growth potential increased.
Ash raised an eyebrow.
"So mentality matters too?"
Every ancestor shapes not only bloodlines... but future generations.
Those words lingered within his thoughts.
Future generations.
Descendants.
Clan.
Bloodline.
Until now, he had viewed the system as something focused solely on personal strength.
Now he realized...
Its purpose reached far beyond a single lifetime.
Ash gazed toward the sleeping Crystal Cave.
Inside rested his parents.
His playful brother.
His sleepy sister.
The curious little cub who constantly explored everything around him.
The young female guardian who patiently watched over every newborn as though they were her own siblings.
The healers.
The hunters.
The elders.
The Alpha.
A quiet warmth filled his heart.
Only a week ago...
These wolves had been strangers.
Now...
They had become the family he wished to protect.
He slowly lifted his gaze toward the endless stars above Aethelgard.
Beyond the Frostfang Continent existed countless unknown lands.
The Verdant Continent with its mighty lions and tigers.
The Sky Dominion ruled by colossal birds whose wings covered the heavens.
The Endless Ocean where leviathans slumbered beneath freezing waters.
And finally...
The Ancient Wildlands.
A forbidden realm whispered about even by the elders.
If the Blackfang Alpha possessed only an Elite Bloodline at sixty-eight percent...
Then what terrifying beings ruled those forgotten lands?
Ash couldn’t even imagine it.
Legendary beasts.
Ancient rulers.
Creatures that had survived for centuries.
Compared to them...
He wasn’t even an ant.
He was merely a newborn wolf cub who had lived for seven days.
Yet strangely...
He wasn’t discouraged.
Instead...
He felt excited.
A small smile appeared upon his face.
"This world is much bigger than I thought."
"And that means..."
"My journey has only just begun."
He lowered his head toward the sleeping cave once more.
"I don’t need to become the strongest tomorrow."
"I don’t need miracles."
"I only need to become stronger than I was yesterday."
"One step..."
"One lesson..."
"One battle at a time."
The system remained silent.
It had nothing further to teach.
Those were conclusions Ash had reached by himself.
As the eastern horizon gradually brightened, the first rays of dawn spread across the snow-covered mountains. Golden sunlight reflected from countless ice crystals, making the entire Frostfang range appear as though it had been carved from diamonds.
A deep, commanding howl echoed throughout Blackfang Forest.
The Alpha.
Every wolf immediately began another day of life.
Hunters prepared to leave.
Scouts assembled.
Guardians gathered the cubs.
Ash climbed down from the rock and returned toward his family.
Near the nursery entrance, the young female guardian who had watched over the cubs during the past few days noticed him approaching alone from outside.
She tilted her head curiously.
Most cubs greeted the morning by tumbling through the snow or chasing one another.
Ash...
Had returned from watching the distant northern mountains.
She quietly followed his gaze.
The horizon appeared calm.
Peaceful.
Nothing unusual could be seen.
But Ash knew better.
Beyond those mountains...
Danger was already walking toward Blackfang.
He took one last glance into the distance before turning back toward his family.
No matter what awaited him in the future...
He had already decided how he would face it.
Not with fear.
Not with arrogance.
But with steady determination.
The first step toward becoming the ancestor of the strongest bloodline in Aethelgard...
Had finally been taken.
To be continued...