ch 3 : ghost mother

The young man stood resolutely bare-chested in the dim prison light, gripping a gleaming sword with unwavering determination.

His closed eyes conveyed a mix of profound regret and smoldering anger, tinged with a hint of melancholy.

After a deep breath, he slowly opened his eyes, filled with an unwavering determination, shining brightly with resolve.

Gripping the sword tightly, he unleashed all his might in a single, decisive strike, demonstrating his formidable strength.

Bang

The immense sword pressure struck a crystal pillar at the center of the prison room, its surface remaining unscathed yet changing color, displaying a number.

The crystal's hue turned crimson, indicating a ranking of 2,15,000, revealing the extent of his power.

The device, named "Strike Ranking Analyzer," was a magical apparatus that evaluated a person's striking power and provided detailed information, blending technology with enchantment.

In just decades, the War-Light Kingdom had achieved modern advancements beyond other nations' imagination, merging technological progress with the magical energy synthesized from unique gene sequences encoded within their cell nuclei.

The color of the crystal indicated a connection with the main AI server, unveiling his ranking among other youths of the empires.

"Years of effort only to achieve such a large digit and a few colors," he exclaimed, his tone brimming with heavy exhaustion from life, punctuated by bitterness.

Zen continued with a hateful gaze on the device, reflecting the sharpness of his silver sword as he dismissed its purpose as merely a tool for nobles and royals to incite jealousy among each other, utilizing a metaphor.

The power ranking system was limited to non-Awakeners, designed as a test program to identify extraordinary youth for the royal academy, serving as a selective mechanism.

Just as genes determine a person's appearance, gender, physique, color, and skills on Earth, on this planet, 99.9% of every trait is determined by genes. An additional gift is incorporated within the DNA of this planet — magic, a fantasy word turned reality after the planet underwent an unknown evolutionary phenomenon many centuries ago, employing a simile.

A small child, surrounded by amniotic fluid, developed from a single-cell fetus, gasped for his first breath, emitting a cry, "quak, quak," reminiscent of a symbolic representation.

The boy named Zen Night Rider by the royal priest of the Almighty God temple, a world where royal family children suffix their names with their mother's, embodying a cultural tradition.

"Congratulations, 100th queen. Congratulations to the matriarch of the Night Rider family. By the blessings of the hero king, that boy will be known as Zen Night Rider, the 100th Hero Son of Grade Warlight Empire," announced the priest, pouring the boy's delicate body into a sacred golden liquid, symbolizing a divine connection.

After a moment, the priest hesitated, his eyes revealing concern as he continued, "I am sorry to inform you, my lady, the reaction rate of the Night Rider family blood on the child's skin is very slow," revealing a troubling revelation.

Exhausted, the dark pupils of Zen's mother, assisted by multiple maidservants covering her delicate skin under white clothes, shrank in worry, highlighting her distress.

"No, that's impossible. How can the blood of the emperor hero and one of royal family lineage carry a cursed bloodline?" Strange for a mother to inquire about her child's blood rather than worrying if he is alive or dead, showcasing her disbelief.

The hesitant priest continued, "No, my lady, it's not a cursed bloodline, but in other words, in this modern age, it's called 'nil magic sequence annotations.' Slow liquid absorption rates signify the chance of having a limitation band on the child's DNA( blood ). In short, the future chance of the child awakening dominant genes is nil, and as for recessive genes, only low or middle-grade magic attributes can awaken, which is equivalent to not having any gene power in the jungle of royalty," explaining a complex concept.

Listening to the priest's conversation, incomprehensible cursing words cried out of the small child's mouth, "quak, quak," indicating his distress.

Inside the underground prison below the Night Rider family mansion, Zen's mother, with a gentle yet concerned voice, appeared in the dark room, expressing her love and affection for Zen despite the circumstances, using a juxtaposition.

"My son, here you are, and I was searched everywhere. Why have you again locked yourself in this rotten place? I can't bear your torturous training every day. Look at the scars on your skin. I always said ranking and the matter of gene ranking never concern me. No matter which kind of magic power you awaken, you will always be my dear son," she said, her words filled with maternal warmth and concern.

Under the gentle touch of his mother's power, Zen's wounds vanished, revealing the unique healing gift granted by his genome, resembling an elf bloodline. Despite his mother's affection, Zen remained emotionless, seemingly unaffected by her loving words, utilizing irony.

Exhaling slowly, Zen relaxed his tense muscles and responded, "Okay, since you spoke, I will take some air now," showcasing his stoicism.

As he stepped away, the air turned even colder, and a sudden chillness swept through the area, reflecting the tension between Zen and his mother.

His mother, now in a dark shadow, revealed her bloodthirsty black eye replaced by a deep purple-red pupil, glaring at Zen, embodying a metaphor.

In an instant, she disappeared and appeared, grabbing Zen's neck, demonstrating her dominance.

Laughter echoed in the underground dark prison, in a ghostly tone, adding an eerie atmosphere.

"Jijiji, quite funny, my weakling son. I am absolutely aware of your thirst for mother's love. Curse your own fortune line. And how dare you think of rest when the awakening ceremony is soon approaching," she declared, showcasing her authority.

Despite the pain, Zen's expression remained unchanged, symbolizing his resilience.

Zen's eyes protruded as he choked, and blood dripped from the corner of his lips, illustrating his struggle.

His mother released her grip, only to grab him tightly again, this time with a menacing smile, indicating her malevolence.

"Years of punishment, and you still have the guts to speak in front of me. Your resistive behavior only fuels my desire to torture you more," Zen's mother declared with a cold laugh, showcasing her cruelty.

She threw him toward the wall, but before his spine crumbled into pieces, Zen, with a swift movement, redirected his body, landing on the wall and launching back toward her, demonstrating his agility.

A white sword gleamed in the air, stopping just an inch away from cutting Zen's mother in half. Zen's voice roared, expressing anger and determination, symbolizing his defiance.

"If you're not my mother, I would have already cut your neck..

Whoever you are, ghost or spirit, I don't care. Leave her body. From now on, don't even think of capturing me again. Since birth, I endured all your torture willingly, because I myself want to train my body and mind until I become strong enough that no one can challenge me.

However, all remained futile. From today, enough of all suffering," Zen's voice resonated with the intensity of someone who had experienced a hundred deaths, showcasing his resolve.

As she spoke, she tightened her grip on Zen's neck, causing cold sweat to drip down his brow. Despite the agony, Zen's expression remained stoic, his resolve unshaken.

Zen's eyes bulged as he choked, blood trickling from the corner of his lips, a testament to his mother's relentless assault.

She hurled him toward the wall, but with a swift maneuver, Zen redirected his body, landing back on his feet with determination.

malevolence.

"Jijijin, my torture was training for you, amusing," his mother's taunting words hung in the air, a reminder of the twisted bond between them.

Zen's eyes held an unexplained emotion as he stared at the woman before him.

[ Flashback ]

From the moment he was a fetus in his mother's womb, he could see glimpses of this new world through eyes.

From the darkness of a prison cell to sudden soul travel through multiple multiverses and dimensions, crossing into a stone giant circle wheel at the center point of the Omniverse, engulfed by a super black hole swallowing billions of stars and splitting them out.

How he still had intact memories of past lives, he was unaware.

Nor was he interested to know, for as a level 1000000 novel reader, he was perfectly aware of what was happening.

"Finally, the end of a boring life, a world of magic and cultivation. Whatever I am, I'm coming to conquer you."

With all kinds of possibilities and imagination, he was projected into the small fetus of a woman from the royal family, with multiple women taking care of her.

1. Learn every magic in the world, become the strongest, kill demons, save the world, become a hero, marry a beautiful girl, and enjoy the rest of his life.

2. Enjoy his royal life with his sweet mother, fight royal battles, become a ruler, and marry many wives.

3. Embark on an adventure, make lots of friends, kill demons, and marry beautiful women.

4. Become the wealthiest using modern Earth knowledge and marry many girls.

However, the harsh reality differed greatly from his dreams. Instead of being a hero born without power or a villain with overwhelming strength, he found himself burdened with a rare congenital disorder known as Bond Limitations, restricting his gene sequences. He was a side character with limited growth, no matter how many swords he swung.