Level Up: Assassin.

[A/N_ Just a heads-up: To avoid any confusion later on, the main character's name will be changing from Timmy back to his original name, Alastor. This change starts from this chapter onwards.]

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A blur shot across the vast field, moving so fast that the human eye could barely register it. The grass and weeds trembled in the wake of this speeding figure. It was Alastor, deep in the throes of a training simulation set up by the system.

Out of nowhere, the ground fractured. A wall of solid earth erupted from the newly formed chasm, its speed almost a match for Alastor's, attempting to cut off his path.

But Alastor was faster.

[Flow Acceleration], he thought, activating the skill.

His movements shifted, becoming fluid and almost impossible to track. He slipped past the earthen barrier without breaking his stride, maintaining his incredible velocity.

The challenge, however, was far from over. Even as he cleared the wall, a harpoon whistled toward him, moving at a terrifying speed.

Alastor didn't panic. His eyes remained fixed on the incoming projectile as he maintained his momentum. At the last possible second, he acted.

[Flow Control], he commanded internally.

His upper body twisted with impossible flexibility, a feat no ordinary human could manage. The harpoon zipped past, missing him by a hair's breadth. Alastor, still moving at a speed of 350 meters per second, didn't miss a beat.

Obstacles continued to appear, each more challenging than the last. Alastor navigated them all with a combination of raw speed and precise application of his [Flow Control].

"Fuck," Alastor swore as an arrow whizzed past, barely missing its mark. He had managed to react in time, using [Flow Control] to shift his body just enough to avoid a potentially fatal blow. Finally, the open field ended, signaling the completion of the training round.

Exhausted, Alastor collapsed to the ground. He closed his eyes, ignoring the system notifications that pinged in his mind, choosing instead to focus on the events of the past few hours.

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[A few hours earlier, back in Alastor's room...]

After receiving the notification about the training simulation. He had used the brief window of time to make some quick preparations. He contacted his friends, informing them that he would be unavailable for the next day, unsure of how long the simulation would last.

Then, he was gone, transported from his room to an empty white void. The environment quickly shifted, forming the open field where he would be put through his paces.

The training focused on four key aspects: speed, accuracy, mental retention, and precision.

The first test was deceptively simple: Alastor had to reach his maximum speed.

For someone with his level of the [Speed] ability, the normal range was between 80 and 150 meters per second. 150 meters per second was considered the absolute peak at his level. Yet, when Alastor hit that benchmark, it didn't feel like his limit. Not even close.

He pushed further, his speed climbing higher and higher. 200 meters per second… nothing. 300 meters per second… still, his body felt capable of more. Finally, at 350 meters per second, he began to feel the resistance of the air, a pressure building against him.

It felt like a wall, a physical barrier he shouldn't be able to push past. But the system had yet to declare the first test complete. So, Alastor ignored the increasing pressure, the feeling that his body might tear itself apart, and kept going.

At 367 meters per second, he was forced to stop. His body felt like it was on the verge of collapse, unable to withstand the force of his own speed. It was official: his maximum speed at his current level was 367 meters per second.

He had broken the sound barrier. At the lowest level of ability development. It was unheard of, a terrifying display of raw power.

It took Alastor a few moments to process the reality of his speed. The true terrifying nature of 100% bloodline activation was finally dawning on him.

'Does this mean I have the potential to be the most powerful person on Earth someday?' Alastor mused, a small smile forming on his lips.

His moment of pride was short-lived.

"[Idiot host, why are you comparing your high-quality Aerilian bloodline to those half-baked Earthlings?]" a childish voice echoed in his mind.

Alastor had recently learned that the system had a voice, a rather jarring discovery that involved an unexpected alien voice in his head. Now, it seemed, the system also had opinions.

"What do you mean by 'half-baked bloodline'? Is there something wrong with their bloodlines?" Alastor asked, no longer surprised to hear his heritage referred to as Aerilian.

Earlier, after a relentless barrage of questions directed at the system, Alastor had received a shocking revelation: he wasn't from Earth. He was Aerilian, hailing from a world far beyond this one. The system refused to elaborate any further, much to Alastor's disappointment. Still, he clung to these small glimpses into his shrouded past.

Now, the system's childish voice explained the reason behind its earlier comment. Apparently, the bloodline optimization process used on Earth was inherently flawed.

"[The fluid they use acts like a blunt force, ripping through the bloodline stream to activate it. This method severely damages the bloodline, permanently reducing its potential]," the system explained.

"[Even if someone on Earth achieved 100% activation, their damaged bloodline would never come close to your potential]," it concluded.

Alastor's mind raced. So many questions sprang to mind.

"Wait, if Earth's method is so flawed, wouldn't they have noticed by now?"

"[Precisely. Perhaps they have noticed but lack the knowledge to fix it. Or, they might be hiding the truth to avoid widespread panic. It's also entirely possible they remain oblivious, as the intricacies of bloodlines are beyond the understanding of most]," the system's voice reasoned.

Alastor nodded slowly. The system's logic was sound.

'Which is it, then?' he wondered.

'Or is there another reason altogether?'

He thought back to the story of the bloodline optimization fluid, a tale known to every human. It was a story of heroism, centered around the legendary figures known as the Founders—ten individuals who had changed the course of human history.

The story began thirty years ago, with the arrival of the Rift—an enormous, ominous tear in the sky that appeared as if some colossal entity had sliced open reality. But the Rift itself wasn't the threat. It was merely a gateway.

Shortly after the Rift's appearance, the first Abyssal Seed formed. These smaller portals, appearing throughout the world, were believed to lead into the Abyss, the dark and monstrous dimension on the other side of the Rift.

The first Abyssal Seed opened, unleashing a horde of grotesque creatures driven by bloodlust and an insatiable hunger for destruction. These were the Abyssal beasts, and their arrival plunged Earth into chaos.

Humanity was completely unprepared for this new threat. As more and more Abyssal Seeds opened, unleashing wave after wave of monsters, fear and uncertainty gripped the world.

Then, a glimmer of hope emerged. Humanity discovered a way to stop the Seeds, a small window of opportunity before the portals fully matured. If they could conquer a Seed during its development phase, they could prevent it from opening altogether.

Armed with this knowledge, humanity organized the first Seed exploration. Individuals with potential from all over the globe were assembled and sent into the Seed.

It was a bloodbath. Of the many who ventured into the Seed, only ten returned alive.

These ten survivors, brought back with them knowledge that would change the world. Knowledge that led to the creation of the bloodline optimization fluid, giving humanity a fighting chance against the Abyssal creatures.

These ten individuals became known as the Founders. Their courage and resilience became a symbol of hope in a world teetering on the brink of destruction.