My Anime Shopping Tree & My Cold Prodigy Wife!
Episode : 79

Chapter : 157

"Right, System," Lloyd murmured, closing his own eyes, sinking into the relative quiet. "The bloodline awakening. Let's… let's see what maternal grandmother Austin decided to pass down, shall we?" He focused on the pulsing notification in his mental interface, the one that had gleamed with promise amidst the chaos of Galla Forest. [Bloodline Awakening Ritual now available for initiation. Proceed?]

With a silent, mental affirmation, Lloyd triggered the process. Yes. Proceed.

He braced himself for… something. A surge of power? A blinding flash of light? Perhaps a choir of spectral ancestors singing slightly off-key praises to his newfound genetic potential? "Come on, Great-Aunt Mildred from the Austin side," he muttered under his breath, "don't let it be something lame like 'enhanced embroidery skills' or 'the ability to perfectly fold a fitted sheet'. I need something that screams 'don't mess with me or I'll turn your internal organs into a charming wind chime display'."

Instead, there was… nothing. No immediate sensory overload. No dramatic transformation. Just a subtle, almost imperceptible shift deep within him, like tumblers clicking into place in a complex, ancient lock. It wasn't a rush of raw energy, but a quiet awakening, a gentle unfolding. "Huh," Lloyd mused. "Underwhelming. Or maybe just fashionably late to the power-up party. My Ferrum Steel was all 'hello, I'm here to slice and dice!' This is more like… 'excuse me, would you mind awfully if I subtly reconfigured your molecular structure?' Polite, yet potentially terrifying. I can work with polite terror."

Then, he felt it. A new sensation behind his eyes. Not pain, but a strange, cool pressure, a subtle reordering of perception. It was as if a filter he hadn't known existed had just been removed, or perhaps, replaced with something far more sophisticated. "Okay, eyes are tingling. That's… new. Please don't let me shoot lasers. Lasers are so last century on Earth. Unless they're really good lasers. Like, 'vaporize-a-small-moon' good."

[Maternal Bloodline (Austin Family - Enhanced Sensory & Void Manipulation) - Awakening Protocol Complete!]

[Unique Bloodline Trait Manifested: Black Ring Eyes]

[No System Coins Deducted. This is a free power addition to the user, as per System Protocol 7.3: 'Initial Bloodline Manifestations are inherent rights, not purchasable commodities'. Subsequent enhancements or related ability acquisitions may incur costs.]

Black Ring Eyes? Lloyd thought, intrigued. Sounds… dramatic. And slightly ominous. Like something a villain in a badly written fantasy novel would have. 'Behold, Lord Gloomshadow and his terrifying Black Ring Eyes!' Hopefully, they come with an instruction manual. Or at least a decent optometrist recommendation. Protocol 7.3, eh? Good to know there are some freebies in this cosmic capitalist nightmare. He wondered what other ‘inherent rights’ he might be entitled to. A lifetime supply of decent coffee, perhaps? Unlikely. "Probably more like 'the inherent right to be perpetually broke and chased by mythological nightmares'. Thanks, System. You're a real pal."

He slowly opened his eyes. The world looked… different. Sharper. More defined. Colors seemed richer, textures more pronounced. "Whoa. It's like someone cranked up the saturation and resolution on reality. The leaves on that willow tree… I can almost see the individual cells. Or maybe just the aphids. Either way, impressive. And slightly unsettling. Am I going to start seeing dust mites in HD now? Because that's a horror show I don't need." But the most startling change was internal. He could feel a new kind of energy resonating within him, distinct from the fiery thrum of his Ferrum Steel power, different from the faint, buzzing potential of his sluggish Spirit Core. This was cooler, more controlled, almost… ethereal. It felt like focused thought given tangible form. "Okay, this new energy… it doesn't feel like 'Hulk Smash'. It feels more like… 'Jedi mind trick with a side of existential dread'. I like it. Subtle. Understated. Until it crushes your windpipe with an invisible energy hula hoop, presumably."

He needed a mirror. He glanced around the secluded garden. No convenient reflective surfaces. "Of course not," he grumbled. "This estate is all ancient tapestries and disapproving ancestral portraits. No one ever considered the practical needs of a newly awakened, potentially demonic-eyed heir needing a quick vanity check. Typical." He tentatively raised a hand, focusing his will, trying to access this new power, to understand its nature. "Alright, new eye-power-thingy, show me what you got. Don't just sit there looking spooky."

The System, ever helpful (when it wasn't being cryptic or extortionate), provided a pop-up.

[Black Ring Eyes - Basic Abilities Unlocked:]

[Visual Manifestation: Sclera (white of the eye) transforms to pitch black. Iris and pupil are replaced by a single, luminous bluish-white ring. Pupil function (light regulation) is maintained through subtle ring diameter adjustments, imperceptible to casual observation.]

Chapter : 158

"Pitch black sclera? Bluish-white ring?" Lloyd whistled softly. "Okay, so less 'Lord Gloomshadow' and more 'interdimensional owl who moonlights as a goth rockstar'. That's… a look. Definitely a conversation starter at the Summit. 'Good morrow, Duke Snodgrass, lovely weather we're having. Don't mind my soul-piercing abyss-eyes, they're just a family trait. From the… uh… really distant side of the family. The one that vacations in voids.'"

[Primary Power: Ring Projection & Constriction. User can project rings of cohesive, bluish-white energy from their gaze or hands. These rings can encircle any targeted object or being within line of sight. Once formed, the rings can be mentally commanded to tighten, constrict, or bind with considerable force. Effective as a restraining tool or a focused crushing attack. Strength and duration of constriction dependent on user's focus and Void energy reserves. Multiple rings can be projected and controlled simultaneously with practice.]

"Energy rope that chokes things. Got it." Lloyd nodded slowly. "Simple. Elegant. Brutally effective. Like a metaphysical boa constrictor. I can see the applications. 'Excuse me, Viscount Grumblegrumps, your tedious monologue on turnip tariffs is becoming unbearable. Would you mind if I just… ring your neck for a moment? Metaphorically, of course. Mostly.'" He grinned. "Okay, maybe not out loud. But the internal monologue potential is fantastic."

[Advanced Potential: Further abilities related to spatial manipulation, energy absorption/redirection, and enhanced sensory perception may unlock with increased mastery and understanding of the Austin bloodline. (Further information available via dedicated Bloodline Skill Tree – Access Cost: 50 SC. Just kidding… for now.)]

Lloyd almost snorted at the System's dry humor. Always a catch. Or a future paywall. "Fifty SC for a skill tree? For my own bloodline? You're a cruel mistress, System. A cruel, sarcastic, coin-grubbing mistress. But, 'spatial manipulation'? 'Energy absorption/redirection'? Okay, now we're talking. That sounds less 'goth owl' and more 'reality-bending badass'. I am so grinding for those fifty coins. Assuming I don't get eaten by another giant snake first. Or my father doesn't actually break my legs." He focused on the immediate. Pitch black sclera? Bluish-white ring for an iris? He was going to look like something out of a particularly disturbing ghost story. Good thing he didn't have any important social engagements lined up where 'demonic entity chic' wasn't the desired aesthetic. Oh, wait. The Ferrum Family Summit. With outsiders. Brilliant. He could just picture the whispers: "Is that the Ferrum heir? Or did they accidentally invite a minor deity of despair and misplaced eyeliner?" "Perhaps he's just really committed to the 'brooding nobleman' aesthetic this year?" "I hear abyss-black is the new black for Spring Summiteering."

He tried to visualize the change, focusing on his reflection in the still, dark surface of a nearby ornamental birdbath. The water was murky, the light dappled, but he could just make out the transformation. His sclera, the whites of his eyes, were indeed a deep, unnerving black, absorbing the light. And where his irises and pupils should have been, there was now a single, luminous ring of pale, bluish-white light, glowing faintly, almost ethereally. There was no distinct pupil visible within the ring, yet he could see perfectly, his vision sharper than ever. It was… strikingly alien. And undeniably cool, in a terrifying, 'don't mess with this guy, he might turn your soul into a pretzel' sort of way. "Okay, Valerius had his Stormwing," he muttered, examining his reflection. "Ken has his… well, his inner Demon Lord Butler of Doom. I guess I'm going with 'creepy owl-eyed void-constrictor guy'. It has a certain ring to it. No pun intended. Mostly."

"Ring Projection," he murmured, intrigued. He focused on a low-hanging willow branch swaying gently in the breeze, about ten feet away. He extended his hand, pictured a ring of that bluish-white energy forming around it. "Alright, willow branch. You've been chosen for a great honor. The honor of being my first, vaguely menacing, energy-ring victim. Try not to scream."

With a faint, almost inaudible hum, a perfect circle of glowing, ethereal energy snapped into existence around the willow branch. It wasn't solid, yet it possessed a tangible presence, a visible boundary of contained force. "Ooh, neat trick," Lloyd commented, impressed by the visual. "Very minimalist. Very 'less is more, especially when 'more' involves crushing your opponent's internal organs'." He willed it to tighten.

The ring constricted smoothly, silently. The willow branch, thick as his wrist, audibly creaked, then snapped with a sharp crack, the severed end falling to the grass.