Level 1 to Infinity: My Bloodline Is the Ultimate Cheat!

Ethan stood within his Mindscape, watching the subtle yet monumental changes unfolding around him. It felt like an eternity had passed—centuries, even—as though time itself had lost meaning in this place.

The Energy Pool had grown significantly. At its center, Mindscape Island expanded in tandem, gaining size and structure. Then something unexpected happened—a bridge began to stretch out from the island's southern edge. From where it ended, the Energy Pool stirred violently. Water churned upward in a chaotic surge, and from its depths, an earthy-yellow crescent platform slowly ascended. Its emergence stained the surrounding energy with the same hue, altering the entire southern section of the Pool. The Source Energy shifted with it.

Ethan observed in silence, a mix of awe and curiosity brewing within him. What was this new area? What was its purpose? The white mist around him continued its slow descent, and the Energy Pool pushed outward in a pace so gradual it was almost imperceptible. In this place, time had no weight. There was no sun, no shadow, no moment to measure.

Boredom gnawed at him. He tried slamming his consciousness against the Gate of Ascension again and again, hoping to force his way out and return to his physical body. That was how he'd escaped last time—rushing the gate from the opposite side. But this time, the gate remained firmly shut. Worse still, he couldn't draw upon the Source Energy. It was like his powers were being held just out of reach.

Time blurred. Ethan organized and re-organized the contents of Mindscape Island more times than he could count. He even considered summoning the Ethereal system just to revisit a lingering question—why his Forbidden spells hadn't gone on cooldown at the same time. But in this stasis, he couldn't access anything, not even that.

The stillness was maddening.

Then, just as his patience neared its breaking point, a sound cut through the silence—a soft, creaking noise, like the hinges of a door slowly giving way. In this realm of absolute quiet, it thundered.

Ethan's eyes flew open. He'd been sitting cross-legged in front of the Gate of Ascension, and now, that very gate had opened… just a sliver.

---

"Ethan… Ethan… wake up!"

The instant he passed through the Gate, his consciousness was swallowed by darkness. Then a voice—sweet, bell-like—echoed through the void, calling his name. He tried to open his eyes, to see who it was, but everything felt heavy. Sleep took him once more.

He didn't know how much time had passed before he felt it—a warm, soft hand brushing gently across his forehead. Someone was cradling his head, whispering his name. That familiar scent, soft and floral, stirred something in him. He smiled unconsciously.

"The young master is awake! Quick, tell everyone! The young master is awake!"

"I'll go! I'll go!"

Footsteps scrambled away.

"Oh, he's finally woken up after three years!"

"Yes, if he hadn't, we'd have grown old waiting!"

The voices were musical, light-hearted—but eerily similar, as if one person were talking to herself. Yet there was conversation, laughter—distinct personalities behind the identical tones. Ethan stirred, confusion clouding his already groggy thoughts. Was it one person? Several? He didn't recognize the voice.

More footsteps approached. This time, the voices that followed were unmistakable.

"Ethan… Ethan…"

"Uncle Ethan!"

"Ethan… if you're awake, open your eyes."

Clara. Nora Vance. Dot.

"Squeak, squeak, squeak…"

Something landed heavily on his chest. Two furry paws grabbed his face and shook it like a rattle.

"Little Empty, stop that!" a child's voice scolded.

Despite the chaos, the shaking helped clear Ethan's head. He groaned, strained, and finally cracked open his eyes.

"Damn—!"

The first thing he saw was a giant head inches from his face. Golden fur, an upturned snout, flaring nostrils, and rows of sharp white teeth grinning gleefully.

"Squeak, squeak, squeak!" the monkey squealed. Seeing Ethan's eyes open, it clapped its paws and began bouncing excitedly on his chest, triumphant.

"Get off!"

A flicker of strength surged through Ethan's limp body. He sat up in one swift motion and swatted Little Empty away.

"Ah!"

A startled scream rang out. Only then did Ethan realize where he was—and who was in the room.

Seven women stood nearby. Two had turned their backs in haste. The remaining four, all unfamiliar to him, looked about seventeen or eighteen. They were beautiful—almond eyes, rosy cheeks, skin as smooth as fine linen—and every single one of them was identical. Quadruplets, perhaps? No wonder their voices had blended together earlier. They not only looked alike, but sounded alike, too.

One of them quickly knelt and covered Dot's eyes.

Still foggy, Ethan blinked at the scene. "Dot? Nora? Clara? Why are you…?"

"Ouch!"

His strength vanished in an instant. He collapsed back onto the bed, completely drained. Not a muscle would respond. From his lowered gaze, he saw bare skin.

…His bare skin.

Horrified, Ethan realized why Clara and Nora had turned away.

"Where are my clothes?" he asked weakly.

"Young master," one of the quadruplets said with a flushed face, "we just finished bathing you. We haven't had time to dress you yet."

She turned Dot around gently and stepped toward the bed, her cheeks red but calm. She bent over him and reached across to pull the blanket up from his feet. As she leaned closer, the scent of fresh blossoms filled his senses. Ethan groaned inwardly.

'This is torture.'

When the blanket reached his hips, it met some resistance. She pressed it down lightly with her hand—warm and soft—then tugged again. Ethan's weakened body trembled from the sensation. His whole being screamed in protest.

She chuckled softly and leaned in to whisper at his ear. "Your humble servants have cared for you for three years, young master. No need to be shy."

Her warm breath grazed his skin, and Ethan clenched his teeth, desperately willing his body to behave. But it betrayed him instantly. Humiliated, he slammed his eyes shut, refusing to meet anyone's gaze.

The young maid stifled another giggle and turned around. "Nora, Clara, the young master has fallen asleep again."

They hesitated, clearly unsure if he was truly out or just pretending.

"Asleep?" Nora frowned and approached. "Or did he pass out again?"

She looked down at Ethan's face. His breathing was steady, eyes gently closed.

"Snore… snore…"

A small, staged snore escaped his nose.

"Uncle Ethan's really asleep!" Dot leaned in close, watching him intently.

"Squeak, squeak…" Little Empty chirped again.

"Little Empty! Don't be noisy! Uncle Ethan's not pretending to sleep!" Dot marched off to scold the monkey.

'You traitor,' Ethan thought grimly. 'Just wait till I get up again…'

Clara and Nora exchanged a glance and smiled knowingly.

"We'll leave him for now," Clara said, taking Nora's hand. "Let's inform Uncle Jed and Ormund. Also, we should find Priestess Dana—she'll need to notify the acting City Lord. And… the old City Lord and his team left just three days ago. If Nightwing pursues them, they might catch up."

The four identical maids bowed slightly. "Yes, Clara. We'll go now."

As their footsteps faded, Ethan's mind buzzed. Acting City Lord? The old City Lord left? Where did they go?

He reached out cautiously with his Soul Sense…