Ancestral Lineage

Ethan silently took in his subordinates’ changes, unable to mask his awe. The connection he shared with them now felt infinitely stronger, especially with his soul-bound partners. He subconsciously retrieved some clothes from his system storage—donning a grey sweater, black trousers, and matching shoes—while the haze concealing everyone gradually faded, revealing faces both familiar and foreign. They were still his companions, but now they exuded an aura of strength and maturity that hadn’t been there before.

Trevor stood out immediately. His once unkempt hair now cascaded in a long mess of white-streaked crimson, reaching his knees. His skin was almost as pale as Ethan’s, marked with strange crimson patterns running across his chest, arms, and beneath his glowing, vengeful crimson eyes. Towering at a daunting 7.5 feet, he now dwarfed Ethan in height, his usual devilish smirk plastered across his face. However, the only thing covering him was his boxers, which weren’t exactly doing a great job of being modest.

’You could do well with some clothes,’ Ethan said telepathically, his tone dry.

"Got some spare ones, Big Bro?" Trevor quipped, his smirk widening.

’Piss off! Do I look like a boutique?’

Read the latest on novelbuddy

Visit fгee𝑤ebɳoveɭ.cøm for the best novel reading experi𝒆nce.

"Then what’s the point of saying that?!"

’…’

"Wait! I’m taller than you now! Finally—sob…" Trevor dropped to his knees dramatically, pretending to cry into his hands.

Ethan glared at him, his gaze deadpan, before tossing a spare set of clothes at his dramatic brother.

"Babe, can I get some clothes too?" A meek, embarrassed voice rang out from the group.

"Me too!"

"I’m dying of embarrassment!"

More voices joined in, each layered with a mixture of desperation and mortification as everyone tried their best to cover up using whatever was at hand. Without even thinking, Ethan spread his massive wings wide, shielding all his girls beneath their cover while simultaneously pulling extra clothes from his system inventory. In a matter of moments, the group was decently dressed, and Ethan was finally able to study the changes in their appearances.

Clara was the first to catch his attention. She had grown taller, now standing at 6.5 feet. Her hair was a pure, unblemished white, falling gracefully to her knees. On top of her head, beautiful white fox ears twitched subtly whenever she felt his gaze linger. Her beast-like blue eyes were breathtaking, with golden rings circling her pupils. Her fair skin radiated a seductive charm that made Ethan’s lower brother stir. But the most striking feature was her tails—four massive, pristine white fox tails swayed gently behind her like a tranquil breeze. Despite their serene appearance, Ethan could sense the latent danger hidden within their elegance.

Turning his gaze to Harley, his make-do sister and lover, Ethan found himself nearly overwhelmed. She looked divine. Her golden hair cascaded to her bare feet, shimmering like sunlight. Her serene, golden eyes radiated a calming presence, and her fair, glowing skin was flawless. A golden tattoo of an olive leaf adorned her forehead, glowing faintly as though alive. At 6.4 feet tall, her figure had become impossibly more defined and alluring. Ethan fought back a nosebleed at the sheer sight of her.

Andriel wasn’t any less stunning. Her silvery hair seemed to glow faintly in the dawn’s light, and her violet eyes carried hints of silver within them, creating an ethereal charm. Her slender frame was now more refined, and a glowing silver tattoo of a full moon adorned her neck, just above her chest, radiating a soft luminescence.

Lisa, Ethan’s personal blood bank, had undergone a striking transformation as well. Her once short black hair had grown into long, spiky locks streaked with gold. Her golden eyes now shone like glowing orbs, and her fair skin seemed to emit a faint glow. Scar-like golden markings stretched across her face and hands, adding to her striking presence as the air around her crackled faintly with latent energy.

Standing beside Trevor was Emily, her transformation equally enigmatic. Her long brown hair now fell to her knees, tipped in red. Her eyes flickered between vibrant red and green, as though unable to settle on a single hue. Pale skin contrasted with red band-like tattoos wrapping around her wrists to her elbows, creating a mysterious and dangerous allure.

Sixtie, meanwhile, retained much of her original form but had become even more striking. Her horns had grown longer and darker, and her wild hair had lengthened. A second tail swayed behind her, adding to her demonic yet commanding presence. Her eyes, now fully draconic, glinted with a dangerous glimmer.

Jerry, once the slim and quiet one, now looked almost emaciated in comparison. His split hair—red on one side and silver on the other—contrasted sharply with his equally dual-toned eyes. His pale skin bore tattoos identical to Emily’s, a mix of silver and red, while his gaunt appearance only added to his ominous aura. Despite his frail look, he stood nearly as tall as Trevor, surpassing Ethan in height.

Reginald had undergone a transformation similar to Clara’s, his shimmering hair giving him a surreal presence. Beast-like blue eyes with orange rings shone brightly, while two magnificent fox tails swayed behind him. At 7.3 feet tall, he was nearly a mirror of Ethan’s towering stature.

Lusamine, the group’s muscle mommy, now carried an even more commanding presence. Her dark skin had lightened to a smooth brown, and her pupil-less golden eyes shimmered like stars. Her hair, a golden white, fell in waves, and her muscular yet refined figure exuded raw power.

Then there was Tia, the chain of wills. Her transformation was perhaps the most shocking of all. She had grown into the size of a late-teen, her silvery-blue hair glimmering faintly. While her face remained featureless, her presence carried a weight it hadn’t before. Before Ethan could fully process her appearance, she suddenly transformed into a bracelet and wrapped herself around his wrist, her presence now resting within him.

Finally, Ethan’s gaze fell on Lamair, who remained lifeless on the ground. His once vibrant presence had been reduced to a cold corpse reeking of death. Ethan’s face grew solemn as he approached, the weight of loss heavy on his shoulders. Just as he prepared to kneel, a scream pierced the silence. Instinctively, Ethan stretched out his arms, and something soft, bouncy, and cold fell into them.

"Aaahhhh!!!"

...

Lisa Richards, famously known as Pisces, had been following Ethan mindlessly for what felt like an eternity. Ever since she witnessed his overwhelming power as he took down a Platinum-ranked beast before collapsing from exhaustion, she had been watching. Watching his friends carry him away, she made up her mind to get close to him, hoping to weave her way into his circle.

But her plan derailed the moment she saw her brother, Leon, dangling like a broken doll in Trevor Barnes’ grip. Trevor—the then heir of the Barnes family, to which the Richards were subordinated. Normally, Lisa wouldn’t dare lay a finger on anyone from the main family, not even with her status as a Zodiac wielder.

But seeing Leon in that state triggered a storm of memories. Flashes of the torment she had endured because of Leon flooded her mind. She recalled being whipped mercilessly like an animal after a stray ice spell Leon had cast struck him under her supervision. Despite being blameless, she had been punished brutally, made to kowtow for three days to appease the spoiled heir. Memory after memory surfaced—each one a reminder of the pain, humiliation, and fear she had suffered for his sake.

Her body trembled with rage and fear as she stared at the battered Leon. She wanted to attack Trevor, to break free from the chains of her past, but every time she gathered the courage, the image of Ethan appeared in her mind, halting her.

It wasn’t just admiration for Ethan—it was a growing obsession. Each failed attempt to act against Trevor fractured her sanity further. Torn between the desire to save Leon and her need to get closer to Ethan, her mind spiraled into chaos.

Even in her confusion, she continued to follow Ethan and his group, her Zodiac instincts trying to guide her back to clarity. But it was futile.

Then, hovering above the cave where Ethan’s group had taken refuge, everything changed.

A searing pain shot through her body, sharper and more overwhelming than anything she had ever felt. It was as if her very soul was being torn apart and reforged. The agony only worsened her fragile mental state, pushing her deeper into madness, until… darkness.

When she woke, she felt powerful—no, more than powerful. Something about her was different. Her mind was calm, her body refreshed, but she wasn’t entirely herself.

She also felt constrained, as though suffocating within an invisible shell. Instinctively, she lashed out, her Zodiac power responding to her will with greater force than ever before. Ice exploded outward, freezing and shattering the invisible bonds around her. The sheer magnitude of power shook the cave and its surroundings.

But then, as quickly as it began, everything stopped.

A voice cut through her confusion, powerful yet soothing. A voice she would recognize anywhere. His voice.

Though deeper and more authoritative than before, she knew it was Ethan’s. Hearing him caused the storm of memories threatening to break loose to dissipate like smoke. A strange, unexplainable calm settled over her as if he alone had the power to anchor her turbulent emotions.

As her restraints faded, she realized she was falling. Her body, now free from its constraints, plummeted uncontrollably toward the ground. Instinctively, she screamed, but the next thing she knew, she was caught in strong arms.

His arms.

The arms she had dreamt of so many times, in scenarios both innocent and... far less so. Her pale face turned a deep shade of red, and steam practically erupted from her head as her embarrassment consumed her.

She looked up into his face—handsome, composed, yet undeniably powerful. Her heart raced uncontrollably as her icy demeanor melted away, replaced by a flustered, almost childlike awkwardness.

The wielder of the Pisces Zodiac, once feared as the Ice Maniac, now lay in Ethan’s arms, burning with an intensity that had nothing to do with her powers. White smoke billowed from her shimmering blue hair as she stammered incoherently, completely undone by the one man she had obsessed over.

Ethan looked down at her with a mixture of amusement and confusion, his voice breaking the silence.

"Hello... are you okay?"

Her face turned even redder, and she buried it in his chest to avoid his piercing gaze. "What is wrong with me?!" she screamed internally. But no matter how much her pride as a Zodiac wielder protested, she couldn’t bring herself to let go.