Return of the Swallow - Chapter 17: To View With New Eyes

[Will you accept the special quest “Idol – Cheon Ise”?] Lim Hyunsung, “Master of Taste”, who pioneered the myth of the restaurant industry. After being killed in some kind of incident, he possesses an idol according to the guidance of an unidentified system.

“This guy… he’s been a failed idol for 5 years?”

Will he be able to save this failed idol with his own hands?

After a tragic accident that claimed the lives of his parents and little sister, Leo, just 17 years old, found himself shouldering all responsibilities alone.By some miracle, he survived the past four months on his own—attending high school, juggling multiple part-time jobs, and enduring sympathetic gazes that pained him.The only respite he found was in books, which offered him an escape and some semblance of joy.One day, while engrossed in the book 'Path of Heroes: Battle Against the End,' his life took an unexpected turn.Halfway through the story, he inexplicably found himself transmigrated into the world of Path of Heroes, inhabiting the body of Azriel Crimson—a character never mentioned in the story's first half.An extra.Someone seemingly irrelevant to the plot.Unfortunately—or perhaps fortunately—fate had other plans, and Leo soon discovered that being a mere extra was not his destiny after all.

For He Yi, life was like a coffee table laid with all sorts of coffee mugs resembling her misfortunes. She lost her virtue and had a premarital pregnancy—without knowing the father’s identity—right before her engagement. Her father passed away due to a heart attack when his company wound up. At that point, He Yi’s child was one-month-old and the culprit behind these tragedies was her trusted husband.

Under despair and rage, she drove toward her nemesis to knock him down. That had resulted in her becoming a destitute divorcee who could not afford proper meals after she had finished serving her sentence in prison five years later. She lost everything and her child was snatched away by her nemesis.

Her ex-husband eventually married his mistress who was contemptuous of her. “How are you able to live with this? I’d die much earlier if I were you.”

He Yi only gave a slight cold smile. “The reason I’m still alive is to witness how you go to Hell!”

In a realm where power is determined by affinities—elemental forces that shape magic, combat, and survival—Ethan is an anomaly. While most people are born with a single affinity, Ethan stands apart, wielding a vast range of abilities granted by a mysterious Ancestral-line System. This unique system taps into the untapped potential of his vampire and dwarven bloodline, unlocking ancestral powers far beyond the norm.At just 18 years old, Ethan's journey begins when he accidentally awakens this system, discovering that he is the heir to a forgotten lineage that blends the strength, resilience, and mysticism of both vampire and dwarven ancestors, a perfect hybrid of both. Though he must awaken and evolve to harness their power. However, the more power he gains, the more he learns about the dark secrets of his lineage—secrets that others would kill to possess.Unlike everyone else, Ethan's affinities are not innate; they are granted by the system based on his bloodline’s ancient heritage. As he levels up, he acquires abilities that no one in the current era has ever seen: the Psychic powers of telekinesis and telepathy from ancient vampire lords, the earth-shaping skills of dwarf warriors, and a host of hidden abilities that challenge the world’s very understanding of magic.But power comes with a price. Ethan quickly finds himself targeted by powerful factions and hidden enemies who fear what his bloodline could mean for the balance of the world. Ancient forces tied to his ancestry awaken, each with their own agenda—some seeing him as a threat to be eliminated, others as a tool to be used.Accompanied by a diverse group of companions, each with their own affinities and secrets, Ethan embarks on a perilous journey. Together, they traverse beast-filled forests, ancient ruins, worlds and perilous dungeons, all while facing foes who seek to exploit or destroy Ethan’s unique powers. Along the way, bonds are forged, fates are entwined, and the line between friend and foe blurs as Ethan learns that his destiny is far greater than he ever imagined.But with every new ability comes a deeper question: What is the true purpose of the Ancestral-line System? As he battles monstrous creatures, rival affinity users, and ancient curses, Ethan must confront the reality that his bloodline holds the key to either the salvation or the destruction of their world or something else entirely.In a world governed by affinities, Ethan’s unmatched power sets him on a path that could change everything—or lead to his downfall.Will he master the secrets of his ancestry and forge his own fate, or will the weight of his heritage drag him into the depths of a history best left forgotten?