I turned my gaze back to the hunters, sprawled unconscious across the battered chamber. Their breaths were steady, and the worst of their injuries were superficial, but the fight had pushed them to their limits.
I walked towards them.
Angela lay closest to me, her large sword resting loosely in her limp hand. Her face, though dirtied with soot and blood, still bore the lines of determination that had carried her this far.
'Awà.' I thought, kneeling beside her. 'Can you do anything for them? Something to help them recover faster?'
[Analyzing...] Awà's voice filled my mind as a soft blue glow emanated from my hand, scanning over Angela's body.
[Yes, Host. While their injuries are minor, I can smooth their mana flow. This will not only accelerate recovery but could also improve their overall strength. This process is known as reawakening.]
'Reawakening!' I said, raising an eyebrow.
[Reawakening refers to a phenomenon where hunters undergo a second awakening, receiving a significant boost in strength and bypassing their previous natural limits. The results can be drastic. There are documented cases of E-Ranks rising to C-Rank or higher and B-Ranks ascending to S-Rank. However, it's a rare and often uncontrollable event, typically tied to extreme circumstances or interventions by external forces.]
I glanced at Angela, my hand still hovering above her forehead. 'You're saying you can just reawaken them that easily?'
[Not exactly, Host.] Awà clarified. [I am not granting them a new awakening. I am merely clearing and smoothing the pathways through which their mana flows. This enhances their connection to the source of their powers, allowing their potential to fully manifest.]
I frowned, my thoughts racing. 'The source of their powers... You mean the Rulers, right?'
[Correct.]
The answer sent a chill down my spine, though I kept my expression neutral. 'The same Rulers who created this system of hunters, dungeons, and monsters to begin with?'
[Yes, Host.] Awà's tone was matter-of-fact. [The hunters' abilities are granted by the Rulers, who serve as intermediaries for the mana that powers them. By clearing these pathways, I merely remove inefficiencies in the hunters' connection to the Rulers and their mana distribution.]
I took a moment to process that. My fingers brushed Angela's forehead lightly as I mulled it over. 'And you can't do the same for me, I'm guessing?'
[Correct, Host.] Awà replied. [When your soul and body merged with the nano machines, you became an independent existence. The Rulers have no authority over you. Nor can they detect you, unless they personally descend to Earth to seek you out.]
The implications of that hit me hard. I wasn't just outside the system; I was invisible to the ones who controlled it. Free from their rules, but also cut off from their power.
'So, what does that mean for me?' I asked. 'If the Rulers can't influence me, does that mean I can practice techniques outside their system? Like martial arts in manhuas, for example?'
[Affirmative.] Awà confirmed. [But I cannot create something from nothing. If you wish to cultivate or enhance yourself through martial techniques, you will need realistic frameworks and practices to base them on.]
I nodded slowly. 'Makes sense. I had a vague idea about that, but I didn't expect the nano machines to be this powerful.'
[Obviously.] Awà said, a faint trace of simulated sarcasm in her tone. [They were created by a higher being, a true creator. Not those fakes calling themselves the Rulers.]
I chuckled softly, shaking my head. 'You're not afraid to throw shade, are you?'
[Stating facts, Host.]
'You're pretty expressive for a machine.' I thought, smirking as I kept my hand hovering over Angela's head.
[Incorrect.] Awà's voice came through, calm yet laced with a hint of amusement that seemed almost human. [I do not have consciousness. I am merely an advanced system, emulating emotions for a more dynamic interaction with you. Without it, you would find conversations with me dull and unengaging.]
I chuckled softly, shaking my head. 'Yeah yeah, i know, you already said it, just like my body design, you took my preferences into account.'
[Affirmative.]
Her blunt response made me grin. Awà might be a machine, but she knew how to keep things interesting.
'Alright, then.' I said, standing and glancing around the room. The hunters were still sprawled across the floor, unconscious but alive. 'Let's reawaken them. Stronger hunters mean more money for them, and for me, that's more potential customers when I start selling my… future products.'
[Understood.]
A faint blue glow emanated from my body as Awà activated, her energy washing over the unconscious hunters like a gentle wave. I watched as the light traced their forms, faintly illuminating their veins, muscles, and mana pathways.
[Beginning the process. Smoothing mana pathways to optimize their connection to the source of their abilities.]
Angela's body responded first. Her breathing quickened for a moment before slowing again, her muscles twitching slightly as the glow intensified around her. The transformation was subtle at first. Her broad, muscular build began to shift, her frame becoming leaner and more defined. She still looked strong, but now there was a sharpness to her that hadn't been there before.
[Angela has ascended to B-Rank.] Awà reported. [Her physical structure has been optimized for efficiency, reducing unnecessary bulk while retaining strength and agility. Her mana reserves have increased substantially, and her pathways are now far more efficient.]
I whistled low. "B-Rank, huh? She'll be a powerhouse when she wakes up."
The glow continued to spread across the other hunters, their bodies reacting in varying degrees. Most of them underwent noticeable changes, broader shoulders, enhanced muscle density, or improved posture. It was clear they had all grown stronger, but as I watched, one in particular caught my eye.
[Of the remaining hunters, one has ascended to A-Rank.]
I blinked, stunned. 'Wait, what? A-Rank? Who?'
Awà highlighted the figure with an AR arrow in my vision. I followed it, my gaze landing on a young man lying near the chamber's edge. Recognition hit me instantly.
The guy with the missing arm.
I walked over to him, my steps echoing softly in the now-quiet chamber. I crouched beside the young man who lay at the edge of the chamber. His right arm, the only one he had left, was clenched tightly against his side, though his body radiated a new sense of strength that wasn't there before. Even unconscious, he put pressure on me.
His face was sharper now, with an angular jawline and taut features that gave him an aura of authority. His frame had filled out, not bulky but solid, like a weapon honed for battle. Despite the absence of his left arm, his remaining limb exuded power, its veins faintly glowing as though the mana within was surging uncontrollably.
{A/N: Imagine Shanks since i literally took the idea from that design.}
I leaned closer, my eyes narrowing as I studied him.
'Awà.' I called. "You said one of them reached A-Rank. Is it him?"
[Correct.] Awà's voice confirmed, her tone steady. [His transformation is unique among the group. Despite his physical disadvantage, his mana pathways have adapted to compensate, concentrating his power into his remaining arm and core. This resulted in an exponential increase in his strength, elevating him directly to what i think is the A-Rank.]
I tilted my head, intrigued. "So losing the arm didn't hold you back. If anything, it forced your body to evolve beyond its limits."
[Precisely. The phenomenon is rare but not unprecedented.]
I rose slowly, staring down at the man. His breathing was even, his expression serene.
"Stop faking sleep." I said flatly, my voice cutting through the silence.