I Was Born With A Bloodline That Ended The World-Chapter 122: The Signal

"It’s time."

The voice was low and firm, cutting through the quiet of the deep forest. Two ravens lifted into the air, black wings slicing cleanly through the trees as they moved together in perfect sync.

They didn’t waste time circling. They flew straight, fast and direct, rising above the dense canopy until the forest stretched beneath them like a dark sea.

Ahead, the city came into view.

Tall buildings framed by haze, roads lined with static lights, all surrounded by the edges of the very forest they had emerged from.

The ravens flew over the outer walls and crossed into the heart of it.

They veered toward the northern district, where the houses grew larger and the space between them wider. Their destination was clear.

A large mansion stood at the end of a private road, gates wide open, lights already on.

The birds descended without hesitation, landing on opposite sides of the iron fence. Moments later, the front doors opened. 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

Inside the mansion, a man sat at a wide oak desk near the window. His dark suit was crisp, jacket folded neatly over the chair beside him.

His tie was loosened just enough to suggest a long day, and a half-empty glass of whiskey sat untouched at the edge of the desk.

Papers were spread out in front of him, reports, signatures, schedules. He worked through them quietly, pen in hand, focused.

The door behind him creaked open.

A woman stepped in, dressed in a sleek black uniform that fit more like a high-end tactical suit than standard security.

Her stride was confident, and she moved with the kind of calm that came from knowing she could handle herself.

"You called for me, sir?" she asked.

"Just keep the gate clear. Someone’s been lurking near the perimeter," he said without looking up. "No mistakes this week."

"Yes, sir."

She turned, but before she reached the door, a sharp tapping hit the glass behind him.

He froze, brow twitching. The tapping came again, fast and deliberate.

He looked over his shoulder.

Two ravens stared at him through the window, perched on the railing outside. One pecked the glass again, louder this time.

"For god’s sake," he muttered, pushing back from the desk.

He walked over and opened the window a crack. "Shoo. Off you go."

The ravens didn’t move.

He grabbed a folder and waved it at them. "I said get lost!"

With a sudden flap, both birds darted away, one narrowly missing his face as it took off.

"Damn things," he muttered, slamming the window shut.

He stood there for a second longer, watching the treetops in the distance before locking the latch and drawing the curtain.

"They’ve been showing up all week," he said, mostly to himself. "Someone’s playing games."

Then he turned and walked back to his desk.

The man was halfway through reviewing another file when the sound of glass shattered behind him.

He turned instantly.

Two ravens burst through the window, shards flying inward with them. One hit the floor and skidded before flapping up again. The other stayed in the air, wings wide, eyes fixed on him.

"What the—!"

Before he could finish, both birds moved.

One shot toward him. He stumbled back, raising his arms in defense. Its claws raked across his shoulder, tearing through the fabric of his shirt.

The second bird veered toward the open door, just as the woman from earlier rushed in.

She didn’t hesitate. Her hand went for her weapon, but she never got the chance.

The raven struck her face head-on. It didn’t peck or claw. It pierced.

The beak punched clean through her left eye, exiting through the back of her skull.

She collapsed without a sound.

Blood spread quickly beneath her as the bird pulled free, landing neatly beside her body.

The man stood frozen, breathing hard.

One raven perched on the edge of his desk, the other now circling him slowly.

He backed into the wall, reaching for the small firearm under the shelf, too late.

The first bird lunged again, this time driving its beak into his shoulder. He shouted and dropped to one knee, blood spilling down his arm.

The two ravens stood near him, unblinking.

Blood still trickled from the man’s shoulder as he leaned against the wall, breathing hard.

Then a voice echoed through the room calm, deep, and completely unnatural.

"I have an offer for you."

He froze.

The sound hadn’t come from the hallway. It hadn’t come from the comms.

It came from the ravens.

One of them tilted its head, watching him with unnatural focus. The other stepped closer, its claws tapping against the floor.

The man stared. "You’re talking..."

He wasn’t weak. He’d survived worse. But two birds had broken in, killed his head of security in seconds, and left him bleeding on the floor. That wasn’t normal. Not even close.

The voice continued.

"I know your family came into possession of something important... the Idunn apple."

His breath caught.

He tried to mask it. "I don’t know what you’re talking about."

The raven closest to him gave a short flutter of its wings.

"You do," the voice replied. "You have it locked in your family treasury. Don’t lie."

His eyes narrowed. He didn’t answer right away.

He did know. It was real. The artifact his grandfather had acquired decades ago, rumored to be divine, dangerous, and sealed away for a reason.

Just its presence had killed an A-Rank hunter through exposure alone. He hadn’t touched it. No one had.

"What do you want?" he asked slowly.

The raven stepped forward, feathers sharp against the floor.

"I want you to eat it."

His eyes widened.

"You’re insane," he said without thinking.

Silence followed.

The raven stared. The body of the woman still lay nearby, her blood already dried into the tile.

"No one survives it," he muttered. "That thing kills on contact, its aura alone—"

"And yet," the voice said calmly, "I want you to eat it."

The man sat still, pulse pounding. He didn’t know who, or what, was behind the voice, but he knew one thing for sure:

He was trapped.