Joseph's earliest memories of this world were not sights or sounds.
They were sensations.
Warmth. Safety. A steady rhythm that came from the arms holding him. Though his mind belonged to a grown man, his body remained that of a child, fragile and helpless.
It took time—weeks, then months—for his thoughts to become coherent again.
At first, everything felt distant, like he was submerged underwater. Emotions dulled. Memories slipped through his grasp no matter how tightly he tried to hold onto them.
But one thing never faded.
The warmth inside his chest.
It was always there.
A quiet, pulsing heat that felt completely different from the warmth of a blanket or a fireplace. This heat felt alive—patient, heavy, ancient.
Joseph didn't understand it.
Not yet.
His parents named him Joseph.
The moment he heard the sound repeated again and again—Jo-seph—something inside him settled. Whether it was coincidence or fate, he didn't know. But the familiarity grounded him.
This was his life now.
Joseph Valemont.
As the months passed, Joseph began to notice patterns.
This world was not modern.
There were no screens. No phones. No electricity. The estate was lit by candles and strange glowing stones embedded in the walls. Servants wore simple uniforms. Knights occasionally visited, clad in armor adorned with flame-shaped crests.
And yet, despite the medieval atmosphere, nothing felt primitive.
If anything, it felt… power-oriented.
Everything revolved around strength.
Presence.
Authority.
Joseph sensed it most clearly from his father.
Marcus Valemont rarely raised his voice. He didn't need to. When he entered a room, people straightened instinctively. Even experienced knights bowed their heads slightly when greeting him.
But beneath that calm exterior, Joseph felt something else.
Restraint.
Like a blade kept permanently sheathed.
The System revealed itself again when Joseph was three years old.
He had been sitting in the garden, legs crossed clumsily as he watched the servants train nearby. One of the knights swung his sword, the blade slicing through the air with a sharp hiss.
Joseph focused.
Not on the sword—but inward.
The warmth in his chest responded.
Suddenly, the world trembled.
And the System screen unfolded fully.
[Ascension System – Active]
Host: Joseph ValemontRace: Human (Dormant Dragon Hybrid)Age: 3
Joseph's breath hitched.
The screen expanded, lines of glowing blue text arranging themselves neatly, as if waiting for him to read.
Level: 1Experience: 0 / 100
Core Attributes:
Strength: 1
Agility: 1
Vitality: 2
Intelligence: 3
Mana: 5
Derived Stats:
Health: 20
Mana Pool: 50
Mana Recovery: Low
Joseph absorbed the information slowly.
Levels. Stats. Mana.
This wasn't just a system for fighting.
This was a framework for growth.
Then another section appeared.
Elemental Affinity:
Fire: ★★★★★ (Perfect Compatibility)
Wind: ★☆☆☆☆
Earth: ★☆☆☆☆
Water: ☆☆☆☆☆ (Incompatible)
Light/Dark: Locked
Joseph felt his chest grow warmer at the sight of the fire affinity.
Five stars.
Perfect.
Before he could celebrate, the screen darkened slightly.
Bloodline Detected: Ancient Fire Dragon (Royal Variant)Bloodline Purity: 12%Status: Sealed
Bloodline Passive Effects (Active):
Heat Resistance (Minor)
Enhanced Vitality
Increased Mana Density
Bloodline Abilities (Locked):
Dragon's Core
Draconic Physique
Flame Dominion
His mind reeled.
Royal Variant?
That sounded… dangerous.
Then came something unexpected.
Titles Available:
[Reborn Soul] – Increases learning speed by 30%
[Bloodline Heir] – Resistance to bloodline suppression
[Unawakened Dragon] – Potential growth rate increased
Titles: Auto-equipped
Joseph almost laughed.
So I really died once.
The system wasn't subtle about it.
As the screen faded, Joseph clenched his small fists.
This wasn't just reincarnation.
This was an opportunity.
Over the next few years, Joseph learned how the system functioned.
Experience was gained not just through combat, but through understanding, training, and milestones. Learning the language granted experience. Successfully controlling mana granted experience. Even enduring hardship strengthened his stats.
This world rewarded growth.
And Joseph grew quickly.
The system assisted him subtly—nudging his mind, clarifying concepts, accelerating comprehension. By the age of six, he fully understood the language spoken around him.
That was when he truly began to see.
He saw magic for the first time when a maid injured herself while cleaning.
Blood stained the floor. Panic spread.
Before anyone could react, Elena Valemont knelt beside her.
"Hold still," his mother said softly.
Her hands glowed with a gentle green light. The wound closed as if time itself had been reversed.
The maid wept in gratitude.
Joseph stared.
Healing magic.
Later that night, curiosity led him to the training yard.
His father stood alone beneath the moonlight.
Marcus raised his hand.
Fire bloomed.
Not wild flames—but disciplined ones. Controlled. Dense. The heat pressed down on Joseph even from a distance.
For a brief moment, Joseph's vision shifted.
The flames twisted.
And behind them—
A shadow.
Massive.
Wings.
Then it vanished.
Marcus lowered his hand, breathing slowly.
"I'm not what I used to be," he murmured.
Joseph retreated silently.
So that's it.
Magic wasn't rare.
It was power.
Years later, after fully unlocking Advanced Language Comprehension, Joseph returned to his father's office.
He wasn't searching aimlessly.
He was looking for answers.
Hidden behind sealed drawers and false panels were documents marked with imperial insignia.
Titles.
Ranks.
Orders.
One name dominated them all.
Marcus ValemontFormer Title: Grand Duke of the Eastern FlameImperial Rank: Fire Knight Commander
Joseph's heart pounded as he read.
Descriptions of battlefield feats followed—flames that consumed armies, endurance beyond human limits, power likened to that of dragons.
Then came the decree.
Bloodline Sealing ActIssued by the High Nobility
Reason:
Unstable power growth
Dragon-like manifestation
Threat to balance
Marcus Valemont had been sealed.
His strength forcibly suppressed.
His title stripped.
That's why.
Joseph finally understood.
The dragon bloodline had not appeared randomly.
It was inherited.
Sealed in his father.
Dormant in him.
The system's warning echoed in his mind.
[Bloodline Suppression Detected – External Origin]
Joseph closed the document carefully.
This world wasn't kind to those who grew too strong.
And if the nobles had feared his father…
What would they do to a true dragon hybrid?
Joseph returned to his room that night, staring at the system interface once more.
His level was still low.
His power insignificant.
But his potential?
Unmeasurable.
This world ran on strength.
And this time—
Joseph intended to climb all the way to the top.