After Kael opened his eyes, instead of sand, bodies, an enemy, and the scorching sun, all he could see were reinforced walls of a hospital room.
His body had completely healed; in fact, it was as if nothing had happened to him.
He examined his whole body to confirm his state, but there were no wounds—not even a small cut.
'Right, it was a system challenge.'
But what would have happened if that guy had killed me? Would I have turned into an abyss creature?'
"Uhn, my body still feels a bit sore, what the hell did that guy do to me.
I thought he really was going to kill me."
He then noticed that he was restrained
The chains looked like they were forged from the same materials as the wall.
He saw a button close to his bed labelled "Call help."
They even thought this far ahead.
'Oh right, the system was saying some stuff about my core and armament; let's see.'
"But how do I open it? Is it system call, or simply system?"
Suddenly the display screen appeared before him.
[Personal Information] [Core details] [Stats and Inventory]
Personal info
Name: Kael
Age: 18
Innate ability: Negotiator [You can use the power of contracts to bind others to your will by mutual consent.]
Skills: [Contract negotiation] [Contract details] [Contract clause] [Contract skill] [Linguist]
[Contract negotiation: you can create and enter any contracts with anyone with their consent.]
[Contract details: You can specify details of the contract.]
[Contract clause: If the contracted party acts against the terms of contract, you can deal substantial soul damage to them.]
[Contract skill: You can borrow the abilities of your contracted companion temporarily.]
[Linguist: You can understand and speak the language of any specie.]
Kael stared at the screen without saying a word.
'Damn it.
What sort of crazy ability is this?'
He had known that all abilities were unique, but he'd never heard of anything like this.
'Let's think about this calmly—though it might not be a direct combat-suited ability, it could definitely be useful in the long run.
It's not even limited to humans—from what I see, it can be used on any living creature as long as they agree to it.
Even a regular animal like an abyss creature could work, and I can also use its ability.
If they try to betray me—this passive skill [Contract clause] will deal soul damage to them.'
He continued reading.
Core details
[Soul core potential: Sovereign]
Kael jerked as if he'd been electrocuted; he would have fallen if not for the restraints on his arms.
"S-Sovereign?"
He could barely believe what he saw—sovereign soul rank was only heard of in stories and myths about the era of heroes.
Soul core potential meant the highest amount of cores an individual could possess.
There were seven soul core potential ranks: Feral—which was the most common; in fact, more than 80% of the awakened were feral rank, which meant they could only ever have one soul core.
Then there was beast—which only about 15% possessed—while there was monster, tyrant, terror, titan, and lastly, sovereign.
People with monster core potential were extremely rare; less than 5% possessed it.
While the widely smallest known group possessed the tyrant core.
There weren't even up to 1% of them, so they were the most highly coveted group of awakened.
People with ranks from beast to monster were highly valued by top guilds and even some smaller clans.
While those with tyrant cores were practically revered by most and mostly joined the biggest clans.
If someone found out about his core potential, his life could be in danger.
Having a tyrant core potential would make one to be considered amongst the strongest in the world—in fact there were less than 30 known people with a tyrant core potential, but anything from terror to sovereign was mythical.
And people feared what they didn't understand.
He continued reading:
[Soul count: 450/5000]
[Counter accumulates soul core and acquired soul essence.]
[Contract count: 0/100]
Kael thought for a bit.
'This is also different; I heard that the soul increases only per soul core of enemy absorbed and was a maximum of 1000—but this counter adds soul core and soul core his opponent had absorbed in his life.
But what does the contract count lead to then?
This is really too much.'
Stats & Inventory
Memories: [Harun's black sword] [Pocket dagger] [Cloak of comfort]
Memory name: Harun's black sword
Rank: Awakened
Ability: [Unyielding] [Blood reaper]
[Unyielding: This knife can pierce through armor of a low resistance.]
[Blood reaper: Drains foes' energy faster the more they bleed.]
'That would explain why the archer kept getting weaker.
Memory name: Pocket dagger
Rank: Ascended
Ability: [Unyielding] [Poison fang] [Feather or rock]
[Unyielding: This dagger can pierce through armor of a high resistance to a certain extent]
[Poison fang: Quick reacting poison causes fatal damage to foes depeneding on their strength]
[Feather or rock: Can change its weight as commanded by the welder]
Then there was the cloak of comfort.
He couldn't hide his joy.
'So, the archer was using an ascended weapon?
This one seems to be quite impressive.
Then he continued checking
On the screen it read:
Stats
[Strength: 23]
[Stamina: 28]
[Endurance: 31]
[Agility: 55]
[Intelligence: 79]
[Essence: 150/150]
'Hmm, I don't know how normal standards are I terms of stats but I look weak.'
Just then, the memory of his challenge flooded into his mind.
His blood boiled as he tried to quell the emotions that threaten to drown him, he bit down so hard on his lip that it drew blood.
Memories of how helpless he felt in the face of overwhelming strength, no abilities – just pure strength.
The primal fear he felt in that moment, and the desire and determination to never feel such fear again.
'Damn it, there's so much to think about.'
He shrugged off the swarm of emotions he was feeling and continued reading.
[Demonic eyes] [Mask of fate]
[Demonic eyes]
You have inherited a fragment of the demon of fate and chaos
Memory rank: Celestial
Description: When weaver descended to the world after the war, he gifted fragments of his power to his seven most devoted followers.
Abilities: [Essence sight] [Inquire] [???]
[Essence sight: Allows you to perceive the flow of essence in the world]
[Inquire: This allows you to see the details about people and things]
[Mask of fate]
You have inherited an artifact of the demon of chaos.
Memory rank: Celestial
Abilities: [Demonic presence] [Where are you?] [???] [???]
[Demonic presence: You possess the aura of a demon when wearing this mask, all opponents will be affected by the insulting fear as a result.
Due to your level, you can only use one-twentieth of the power]
[Where are you: This mask possess resistance against all mental and all foresight abilities.]
'Talk about a jackpot.
Although it can't work well for now'
Kael sat still for a couple of minutes, trying to assimilate everything just received.
'There's actually very few of these that I actually tell most people.
And there's also a few things I need to practice upon and master, and I also need to plan how my life going to go –'
As he was thinking, the door to his room suddenly burst open – filling the room with deafening sound as the reinforced steel door slammed into the side of his bed.
Kael reacted just in time and dodged slightly to avoid any secondary impact.
'What the hell'
A tall figure appeared from the entrance and stood a good distance from, with an intent that seemed as if she wanted to attack him if needed.
Her face looked calm but serious, but after observing him for a bit she eased up.
"Oh, I thought you'd turned into a monster.
Sorry kid."
The figure was a tall, lady with a lean, athletic, long-limbed build, she had a slightly sun-kissed tone skin.
Her jet-black hair flowed down to her grey military overwear, her facial features were highlighted by her sharp cheekbones and straight brows.
Kael stared for a few seconds, mesmerized by her beauty.
The only person he had ever seen that was more beautiful than her was Altair – who he, ironically also met at the hospital.
'Is the hospital always filled with beautiful ladies?'
The few seconds he stared for were long enough for her to notice his gaze.
"What are you staring at kid?"
Kael let out a cough as a slight blush appeared on his white cheeks.
"Oh sorry, it's just that waking up and seeing a beauty isn't exactly a daily occurrence for me."
She laughed as she picked an unaffected chair beside the bed.
"Well what you know, he's smooth talker too.
First of all, congratulations on passing your challenge.
The reason I broke in here was because the nurse told me that the mana monitoring device had broken so I rushed here."
He looked at the broken device that was attached to his forearm.
'Oh this thing, it must have broken while I was in shock earlier.'
He turned back to the lady.
"So, you were here to kill me right?"
Without hesitating, she replied.
"Yes, exactly.
If you had become corrupted and somehow made it outside, a lot of people would have been killed – And it's my job to prevent that."
Kael cleared his throat and raised his hands.
"Then could you please release me now, or is there something else I need to do?"
"Right, of course."
"By the way, my name is Freya.
What's your name? I didn't really have time to ask from the guy."
"It's Kael."
He kept stealing glances at her from time to time.
She moved with the grace of royalty and looked extremely stunning.
"Jeez, have you never seen an ascended?"
"No, not really."
"No wonder, you'd better get used to it because all awakened look gorgeous.
And the further people go in the evolution, the more the physique becomes more refined.
Even you look like a runway model already, by the time you ascend –"
Kael cleared his throat again and blushed.
"Okay, so what's the next thing?"
He changed the topic.
"Well, we're going to the testing facility, you'll be registered as an awakened and then you'll go back to your normal life."
As she walk towards the entrance, she turned back.
"A little tip, if you're from the outer settlement – you can apply to work at the gates doing menial work.
Honestly, it's not much but it should be enough to get you the basic living essentials.
All workers are provided accommodation and two meals a day, so that should get you started."
Kael listened carefully to what she said.
"Thank you. By the way, you said your job is to kill abyss creatures, does that mean that you're from the AEF (Abyss Extermination force)?"
Freya chuckled gently.
"I wish, but no – I'm simply a military officer."
The AEF are the most elite human force in the NUSC, and they comprise of the best of the best in combat, intelligence gathering and other things.
There are mostly transcendent and the best ascended around.
I did apply to join this year, and I'm waiting for the recruitment results to be released."
" But you look really strong though"
"Sure I do, I'm an ascended after all.
I give a piece of advice you didn't ask for, even among people of the same levels – Some are much stronger than others, mainly because of core potential but also just by pure strength.
Kael simply listened as they stepped outside, an armored vehicle was waiting on the side of the road.
"Is that yours?"
"Yes."
He stopped and took a quick look at the vehicle.
He had never been inside one before, only seeing them from afar.
Armor cars were a privilege only a few were able to afford.
Which meant that Freya wasn't simply "just a military officer."