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

Ethan crouched low, a silent spectator to the brutal clash unfolding in the skies above. The two combatants were locked in a relentless dance of violence, each strike shaking the air like thunder.

His thoughts, however, wandered. The system had labeled this Crowling God as "Pseudo-Divine." Beyond that was "Divine." Did that mean the rank above Voidbreaker was filled with true Divine-rank powerhouses? He gnawed at the thought, but no answer came.

Up above, the fight dragged on. A blur of wings, claws, and fists. Neither side gained the upper hand. On the surface, the Crowling God seemed to be taking more punishment, yet its dark aura never dimmed. Aldric the First pressed his assault with ruthless precision, but Ethan could see the cracks in his Imperial Aura; it was fading by the minute.

"Caw, caw, caw… Your long imprisonment has drained much of your Ancestral Dragon's aura! Unlike me, my power of faith never falters—"

CRACK!

The Crowling God never got the chance to finish its gloat. Aldric's fist connected clean with its jaw, spinning the colossal bird a full circle in the air. Its lower beak snapped like brittle glass. The sight was grotesque—like a man with his jaw torn off, tongue hanging loose and obscene.

"Too much bluster. Why waste breath?" Aldric's voice cut like steel. "Die instead."

Words were wasted on him. He was a man of action, and even as his aura waned, he locked onto the Crowling God and hammered it with merciless blows.

Ethan watched and felt an odd calm settle in. This was no game anymore—this was reality. But compared to his arsenal now, compared to the monsters he'd already faced, this felt manageable. A Peak Voidbreaker? Hardly worth losing sleep over.

He thought back to the Blood Clan fiend he and his mother had fought. That thing's aura had dwarfed both these brawlers, and hadn't he vaporized it with a single shot?

The Crowling God shrieked, its broken jaw knitting back together with an audible crunch. "Caw, caw, caw… you insignificant worm, perish!"

Its arrogance was gone. Aldric's fists had driven out the mockery. The bird understood now—faith power alone couldn't save it.

Ethan smirked and cupped his hands around his mouth. "Feathered freak! You're nothing but a glorified pigeon picking fights with mortals! Faith power? Don't make me laugh — your believers are probably too busy watching soap operas and skipping prayers!"

The Crowling God's feathers flared, a wave of violet rage rippling through the clouds.

Ethan grinned wider. "Oh, touched a nerve, did I? Well, let's fact-check that divine ego of yours. Time to see what your faithful are up to."

He tapped his wrist console. A massive holographic screen exploded across the sky, bright enough to blot out the sun. Words scrolled across in bold, glowing letters:

"Devotion of the Serpent Isles — Unfiltered Reality!"

A split second later, a very different kind of "worship" filled the air. Gasps, moans, and cries of ecstasy blasted through the battlefield like a stadium speaker caught on the wrong channel.

Ethan winced, stuffed in earplugs, then turned the volume up. "Ladies and gentlemen, this is what divine faith looks like on a Friday night!"

Aldric paused mid-swing, glancing upward in bewilderment. The Crowling God froze too — its eyes wide with disbelief, reflecting the scandalous light.

"Don't just stand there gawking, Your Majesty!" Ethan yelled into his mic, voice booming over the unholy chorus. "While our bird-brained deity's busy having a crisis of faith, punch it in the beak!"

He strutted beneath the flickering glow, arms wide like a sports announcer. "Behold — the proud worshippers of the great Anzu! Saints of self-control, paragons of piety!" He laughed and pointed to the screen. "That guy's definitely from the Serpent Isles…and wow, someone tell him he's ramming it like there's no tomorrow!"

He flicked to another scene and almost choked. "Hold up — what even is that? Is that… humanly possible? My guy, you need a license for that thing!" Ethan leaned closer to the mic, mock whispering, "Seriously, buddy — are you sure it's gonna fit?"

The Crowling God lost it. Its eyes burned purple, feathers standing on end as it shrieked like a banshee, "Caw, caw, caw—! I will annihilate you all! Even Amaterasu and the Serpent Isles!"

"Yeah, good luck smiting them," Ethan shot back. "They're a little… occupied right now."

The god dove toward him in fury, but Aldric intercepted, his blows hammering against divine plumage. Fire erupted in every direction as the Crowling God tried to scorch the hologram out of existence, but the screen held firm, being a mere projection.

Meanwhile, Aldric's movements grew sluggish — each strike stiff, like fighting through static. Ethan realized his ridiculous broadcast was messing with both of them. Still, it was working — the Crowling God had gone feral, forgetting even to heal its wounds.

Satisfied, Ethan shut off the projection and tugged out his earplugs. Immediately, a piercing shriek split his skull.

"Caw, caw, caw… I will annihilate you all!"

The god had snapped completely, threatening even its own worshippers.

"Just hot air," Ethan jeered. "Your Majesty, finish it off! I'll even bring you back to Earth—you can have every woman from the Serpent Isles you want!"

He leaned back on one leg, lips curled in a mocking grin, though his stance betrayed a slight tremor.

Aldric struck the Crowling God in the back, then turned his gaze on Ethan. His eyes burned with something unreadable. "Is what you say true? Do not lie to me."

Ethan froze. He'd only been joking, hurling taunts without thought. Bringing Aldric the First back to Earth? The man would start conquering the world by sundown. A third world war wouldn't be far behind. And if Lyla found out he'd even entertained the idea, his life wouldn't be worth living. He already had his hands full at home—one more promise like that, and it would be his own personal apocalypse.

Still, with Aldric staring daggers at him, there was only one possible answer. He rubbed his nose, awkward and guilty. "No deception. No deception…"

Aldric's reply was a single word, deep and chilling. "Good."

Ethan stiffened. The emperor had seen through him. That "Good" carried a weight that made his skin crawl.

And then Aldric whispered two more words, soft but terrible.

"Nether-form."