Have you ever had that unexplainable feeling, like you could conquer the world with ease, as if greatness was just meant for you?
Yeah, me neither—especially when Miss Han called out:
"Mel Meyers."
Even in my past life, there was something about a teacher calling my name in front of the class that made my hands tremble. And now? Nothing had changed. Except this time, instead of giving a speech or reading aloud, I had to awaken my Abyssal bloodline.
So yeah, the stakes were pretty high. Especially when you consider that failing would mean a lifetime of disappointment from my mother, and more harassment from that b#tch-
"No. Focus."
I pushed the thoughts away and stepped toward the Awakening Pillar. Each step made my hands tremble and my heart race, like I was a radar getting closer to something I wasn't ready for. An irrational urge to turn back surged through me, but fear of regret kept me moving forward.
The pillar loomed above, much taller than it had any right to be. I shuddered at the thought of standing at its top, but I had to focus. For Ma's sake.
I glanced at Miss Han, who gave me her usual lioness stare—calm, indifferent, yet somehow intimidating. I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself, and bit my finger. Blood oozed from the wound, and I pressed it to the pillar.
Instantly, my legs buckled. My breath came in short gasps as my heart pounded wildly in my chest. If I didn't know better, I'd think I was having a heart attack. But that wouldn't explain my newly-elongated canine teeth.
Not that it mattered. I was unconscious before I had time to process it.
…
Meanwhile, in a place where the only warmth came from the slow decay of everything around it, the ground itself was a reminder that things could always be worse—even for the most anxious of souls.
In these dreadful conditions, you'd expect no life to survive. But life did exist, though it was a germaphobe's worst nightmare—a stain no amount of scrubbing could remove. The creatures that roamed there were a testament to the filth and decay of their environment. But soon, that environment would be cleansed.
A massive boulder, engulfed in flames, appeared in the sky. As it descended, a cold dread swept through the land. Hearts raced as the fiery mass drew closer, until it slammed into the earth with the force of a magnitude 6 earthquake. The ground trembled, entire lives were snuffed out in an instant, and yet, it was only the beginning.
The impact shifted the tectonic plates beneath the land, causing a massive crack to form. Lava began to ooze from the rift, slow at first, like pus from a wound. But the destruction spread rapidly. The ground started to melt, transforming into a reddish-black semi-liquid from the intense heat. Steam rose into the air, creating ash-filled clouds that blotted out the sky.
By the time the chaos settled, the once wretched land had become a sea of molten lava. And amidst the fiery expanse, an egg-shaped white rock—about the size of a human head—floated on the surface like a solitary boat on an endless ocean.
…
The scene would have made any sane person fear for their life, but that wasn't the case for those watching the pillar. They were stunned, their attention fully captured.
An apocalyptic flame, dark and all-consuming, enveloped the pillar, casting a shadow that blotted out all other light. Though dangerous, the flame had a peculiar effect on those nearby, making them appear intoxicated. Some of the girls blushed, trying to hide their faces in embarrassment, while the sight of every boy's "little soldier" standing at attention was too obvious for them to ignore.
This was a common side effect of a Second Awakening ritual, where Abyssal cores began to stir, instinctively forming avatars.
The reason for this strange reaction? An Abyssal core is the heart of an Abyssal Plane, and they were witnessing the birth of such a plane. How could one not be affected by the birth of a world?
However, the amount of influence it had on the students was weird.
Miss Han, although was unaffected by the flame's aura, briefly wore an unsettled expression. But she quickly returned to her usual calm demeanor before any of her students could notice.
The flame, however, was far from finished. It began to show an image—a pack of giant wolves surrounding someone. A girl, specifically—an elf, helpless as the wolves closed in, their elongated fangs gleaming. The air around them carried a potent, terrifying scent that seemed to fill the elf's heart with regret, expressed only by a single tear sliding down her perfect, statuesque face.
The elf tried to speak, but before any sound could escape, the wolves pounced, pinning her down. One of the wolves morphed into a tall, hairy humanoid, its vampiric fangs and razor-sharp nails betraying its otherwise human appearance. Covered in fur over all its sensitive parts, the creature approached the pinned elf, giving her a chilling smile before the vision abruptly went dark.
The class stood in stunned silence, jaws slack, the weight of what they'd just witnessed sinking in. Miss Han finally broke the tension.
"Disappointing," she said flatly.
"Type of Player: Warrior
Grade: E Rank
Focus: Longing
Avatar: Barghest"
"True," a student muttered, frowning in agreement, clearly flabbergasted by the result. "What a shame, I was really expecting more. A wolf gave birth to a goblin."
The class shared these sentiments. After all, it was common for an Abyssal Warrior to appear, but never from a student with Mel's vassal or potential. Because to be at the top of your class throughout high school is not something that could be ignored.
"Indeed," another student chimed in. "But what do you expect from a Variant? All of the—"
Damian, scowling, tried to add to the conversation but was quickly cut off by Miss Han.
"Children, save those comments for outside the school."
Despite her reprimand, some of their frustrations were justified. The key difference between Abyssal Lords and Abyssal Warriors was significant, particularly when it came to soul points. Abyssal Warriors had a corrosive aura that degraded higher-quality souls, causing a major setback. While there were ways to counteract this, they were anything but cheap.
The real issue lay in the nature of Warriors. Unlike Abyssal Lords, who commanded loyalty and power through a rigid structure, Warriors had no concept of order. They preferred raiding and pillaging over organizing and governing.
Where Lords controlled a "Sin"—something they could turn on and off or even use to influence others—Warriors had a "Focus." This wasn't something they could control, but rather something they were inherently drawn to, making their path more chaotic.
In essence, being a Warrior was like playing an already difficult game on the hardest possible setting. For someone like Mel, who lacked any kind of financial support, this would be crippling. And to make matters worse, he was a Variant.
....
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