Unholy Player-Chapter 176: Bloodline Talent

As Adyr wrestled his bloodlust back under control, he shifted his focus outward, steadying his perception of everyone around him.

He might have the instincts of a predator, an unchecked hunger lurking in his nature, but beneath it all, he was still human—one who had mastered his emotions more thoroughly than most. Pulling himself back into that discipline wasn’t difficult.

In a matter of moments, the oppressive, frigid tension in the room melted into a steady, reassuring warmth.

Rhys Graves felt it first. The daggers in his hands no longer felt so vital. His grip slackened, arms lowering as his rigid, wary stance eased without him realizing it.

The sharp, defensive glint in his eyes softened, transforming into something closer to cautious curiosity.

"What is this power?" Rhys muttered, his voice hushed as if uncertain he was even speaking aloud.

Before his very eyes, Adyr had changed—the savage threat, so close to breaking loose, had vanished. What remained was simply an eighteen-year-old who radiated calm and a quiet sense of trust. Rhys struggled to register the abrupt shift.

And he wasn’t alone.

Every other gaze in the room reflected the same dizzying reversal. STF operatives lowered their weapons, their muscles uncoiling as their posture changed from combat-ready to uncertain but no longer hostile.

Those who had blacked out began to stir, pulling themselves upright, breaths coming in long, steady gulps as though they’d just been pulled back from the edge of a cliff.

The panic and oppressive terror that had been choking them only moments before were gone, replaced by the unmistakable sensation that whatever threat had been lurking was no longer there.

Adyr observed every subtle shift around him, still mildly taken aback by this new skill.

It wasn’t active, but it wasn’t passive either. Frankly, it was hard to even call it a skill. It felt more like something that had always been there—his very nature—amplified and brought to the surface.

Adyr’s nature had always been clear—he appeared either as a friend or as a foe, just like black and white with no middle ground. To those who saw him as a friend, he always inspired a deep trust and sense of calm, and to those who saw him as an enemy, he always instilled fear. Now this part of his nature felt as if it had suddenly been buffed many times over.

This isn’t so bad, Adyr thought with a faint, satisfied flicker.

For someone like him, who always kept his true self hidden behind a mask, this skill would only make that mask all the more convincing.

"Sorry," Adyr said with an apologetic scratch at the back of his neck, his tone sheepish and perfectly genuine. "Got carried away for a second."

Every word, every gesture, every subtle shift in his voice rang true, reinforced by that new, intangible presence. freewebnøvel_com

"I see," Rhys replied, exhaling slowly.

He had no interest in prying deeper. Whatever strange pressure had rolled off Adyr before was clearly personal, and right now all Rhys felt was a quiet assurance that Adyr was safe to trust. That was more than enough for him.

But someone else wasn’t so willing to let it go.

—

Lucen Varnerest stared at Adyr with a sharp, unyielding gaze. The intimidating air that had hung around him moments ago had shifted into something warmer, more graceful, as he finally spoke.

"You unlocked something, didn’t you?" His voice was deep, weighted. "And it’s not just a swordplay talent."

There was an edge in the way he said it—as if he already suspected the answer.

Adyr had no intention of sharing his new talent at first, but the knowing look in Lucen’s eyes stirred his curiosity. Too much of this world still eluded him. Every unanswered question gnawed at him, and leaving one more untouched felt like a wasted chance.

He gave a small nod.

"I did. A talent very different from the ones before," he answered carefully. "The system classified it as a Genesis."

He chose his words strategically, hoping Lucen’s response would give him the lead he needed.

"Genesis?" Lucen’s brow lifted, genuine surprise breaking through his usually impassive mask. "I’ve never heard that term before. But it sounds like a bloodline talent."

That word hit Adyr like a jolt. "Bloodline?"

Lucen inclined his head slowly. "I don’t have deep knowledge of it. If you want real answers, ask Lady Liora. She must know more."

Adyr didn’t hesitate. "Alright."

There was more to this than he realized. And if anyone could give him the answers, it was Liora—by far the most experienced and formidable practitioner among them, practically a walking encyclopedia.

Lucen summoned his flying white duck with a thought. Moments later, the two were gliding away from the mountaintop mansion, and not long after, they returned to Colossith’s side.

"It looks like it’s pulling back," Lucen observed as the Rank-4 Spark began to withdraw. Its titanic form turned slowly, vibrations fading as it moved. It was finally satisfied; it would retreat to its hidden lair to sleep until its next hunger.

"Hey! Perfect timing," Malrik called up with a broad grin, waving them over.

Liora and Mirela stood nearby, looking equally relieved. For the first time in years, they’d forced the Rank-4 Spark to withdraw without losing anyone.

The white duck glided smoothly to the ground, settling between them.

"Too bad we only delayed it," Lucen remarked as he dismounted and dismissed the duck, his face unreadable as ever.

"Don’t be such a killjoy, Lucen," Mirela shot back, lips pursed in a playful pout. Her rainbow-hued eyes glimmered before she softened. "Still, it’s a big step forward. Anyways—weren’t you two training swordplay?"

Lucen dropped into one of the empty black leather seats, gaze fixed on the Spark as it receded into the distance. "We already finished. He unlocked his talent."

"Oh?" Liora laughed lightly, clearly unsurprised. "No wonder he carries two swords with him."

The system didn’t acknowledge talent without reason. Even without saying more, everyone present assumed Adyr had the foundation for it.

That casual acceptance lasted only until Lucen spoke again, voice flat as ever.

"He didn’t just get a swordplay talent. He got a bloodline talent."

The effect was instant. Every gaze snapped toward him as if a bomb had gone off in their midst, disbelief and shock frozen on their faces.

When Adyr saw their reactions, he realized this was something far greater than he’d assumed.

Lucen’s blank stare had lulled him into thinking it was just a rare occurrence. Sure, uncommon, but nothing to cause this much surprise. Yet as Adyr looked around at the others, he could see the raw disbelief painted across every face—and it was then he truly understood just how unreadable Lucen normally was.

That stone-like composure, the total lack of expression Adyr had taken for granted, was what had kept him from sensing the true weight of this reveal. Liora and the rest weren’t bothering to hide their shock at all.

Adyr gave a quiet, almost amused chuckle as he eased into one of the empty seats, settling in to hear what this bloodline ability really meant.

"Are you sure it’s a bloodline ability?" Liora finally broke the silence. She’d masked her shock as quickly as she could, moving to sit close by as she studied him with sharp eyes, as if gauging the impossible.

"I’m not," Adyr answered evenly. "The system classified it as Genesis."

That name made her pause, brow knitting as she thought it over. A faint tension appeared in her expression, betraying a trace of unease.

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