I touched the edge of the cup with my lips, and its texture was strangely smooth.
The heart of the devil… no, rather a madhouse. I thought I was crazy, but I don't compare to these people; I still have a lot to learn from them until I reach their level.
" What the hell is this filth? "
I'm drinking from an empty cup? Do they think I'm the crazy one? And yet, the author had previously mentioned the existence of many methods of forced awakening; among them drinking the blood of a noble creature, or eating the white lotus flower, or having an external person stimulate your powers… and many others. I even think I forgot some of those methods, or perhaps they were among the memories I lost, and I'm not sure yet what I actually forgot.
But… let's try this and see what will happen.
After that, I swallowed what was inside the empty cup, if there was anything at all.
I didn't feel anything for a moment, which made a faint smile appear on my face unconsciously.
" What a joke… it was just a— "
But suddenly, I felt a sharp pain piercing my skull all at once, which made me grab my head instinctively.
It was as if a thousand needles were stabbing into my head from all directions, while the same feeling began to spread in my stomach as well. I tried to scream, but my throat was melting slowly. And it wasn't the only thing… my body from the inside was melting.
" I can't… I can't… I can't endure this anymore. " I muttered that while rolling from the intense pain, but suddenly, the darkness cleared from my vision, to find myself floating in a black space with no end, which made the pain I was feeling disappear all at once. And yet, I wasn't able to move, but I felt that this place was somewhat familiar.
"Ah, I was here when I thought I died last time… but there is something strange. How can I think now? Last time I wasn't even able to think… so, how is this happening?"
I felt confused by this thought, but it didn't last long, as I sensed as if the structure inside this dark space began to change slowly.
I wanted to see what was happening, but I wasn't even able to move my body, as all I could do was think only.
Fortunately, something began to appear within my field of vision. I saw a network of intertwined blood chains, taking the shape of a strange arc, as if it was drawing the form of a small infant, with one large eye in the middle of its stomach. And four black wings were sprouting from its back, while three horns above its head were moving randomly, as if they were a living creature.
As for its mouth, it was filled with sharp blue blades, surrounded by pale hands wrapping around it, and that creature was slowly rotating around a ball with no color and no form, a ball that seemed like pure void. And directly above them… there was an engraving of a strange symbol.
I was about to feel deep terror as I stared at that creature, it was as if I was worse than an insect, but suddenly… light appeared in my vision.
"Ah!"
I opened my eyes and looked around quickly, and found that I was still in the same spot. Before the scene I saw a moment ago returned to me, which made me feel fear, my body suddenly trembled without warning, and I grabbed my head with both hands while muttering like a madman:
"torment… this surpasses death and pain. What the hell is this? What did I see oh my God? Forget… I must forget that… I want to die… death… death…"
Boom!
I fell to the ground after receiving a strong kick from one of the masked ones, but I didn't feel it at all, as my mental state was so miserable that I was no longer able to feel what was happening around me.
He approached me, then grabbed my neck and began choking me with both his hands while he said:
"Death? Why don't I grant that to you if you want it this badly? Haha… let's see how long you'll stay on the same opinion."
My breaths began to choke, and my vision started to blur gradually. Yes… continue… just kill me…
But suddenly, a powerful aura burst out, making the masked one step back as he released me from his grip. I fell to the ground while catching my breath with difficulty, while Heinz, who had released that aura moments ago, looked at him with clear غضب and said:
"What is this behavior that you are doing in my presence? Do you think that he is a vase. So you act without my permission? Or do you see me as insignificant? Kill yourself… or I will do it myself the hard way. Choose."
The masked one trembled in fear and said in a shaking voice: "No, sir… I am sorry… I will end my life myself… long live the great."
And suddenly, a sword appeared in his hand, and he stabbed it directly into his neck.
Blood flowed heavily, to the point that some of it splattered on me, but I did not care much about that, as I still had a much bigger problem… which is what I saw a little while ago.
I approached his body while I was about to pull the sword from his neck, but suddenly, I felt a huge hand placed over my head.
And in the next moment, a strange feeling of comfort swept over me.
Then that huge hand was lifted from above me. After that, I felt that I had become much better, as if my mind had been completely cleaned, even when I tried to recall that memory again… I did not feel anything.
"You will be fine now. You can take some rest, take care of yourself boy, you still have a long life to live. Also, continuous death is not the best option for you, and you must avoid death if you can… there is no comfort in death. I will see you later."
"Ah…" I watched Heinz as he returned to the platform he was standing on.
His tone carried something I cannot express; how in the name of the Creator of the sky can someone like him be kind? Why do I feel as if he is kind-hearted?
Strange… but in the end, he helped me.
Therefore, I owe him an apology after I described him in my mind as a fool. Yes… I will apologize to him when I meet him again, a sincere apology, while my body was still trembling a little, I did not want to think about the matter at all, so I tried to occupy myself with other things.
"Hmmm… it seems that I have finally awakened, let me see my status."
In this world, every person who awakens gets their own system, but it is not a very advanced system; it only displays the basic status, and it had no significant benefit after that.
Honestly, it was just something simple… but I still hope for the best.
Lady luck… bless me this time.
And after a short moment, transparent letters appeared in front of me in my field of vision.
=====
Name: No name
Rank: —
Mind Essence: [ No dreams] [The ambitious ]
Path: No path
External Affinity: The reader
External Affinity Traits: [Future vision]
Affinity Points: [0/ 250 ]
Path Traits: [False truth] [Blood network] [Foggy shapes]
gift : [Hated by the night]
curse : [Air manipulation]
=====
"What is this in the name of the creator of hell? Is this real… or am I dreaming? What is this oh my God?"
I could not believe what I was seeing, as I stared at my status in shock. How can I do that? While I am looking at all these abilities that I have obtained?
I did not know whether I should laugh or be amazed, and for that, a strange expression appeared on my face at that moment. Therefore, I hit myself hard while muttering in a low voice:
"Calm down… all of this might just be show, and perhaps they are useless abilities, and I might regret it later if I rush behind the excitement… so, I must calm down."
I took a deep breath after that, then looked again at the mind essence. But I frowned immediately. I knew that this would happen…
But oh my God, it dispelled all the excitement that I was feeling moments ago, as if it evaporated in the wind.
And how not? Because this was the worst thing I could get: "No dreams."
This means that I will not be able to dream again about my future, or about what I want to become one day. It was as if something had been taken from me… as if my very will had been pulled out from inside me. But… wait.
It does not seem entirely bad. Dreaming is not something great for me in the first place, as I did not have many things that I wanted to achieve.
And yet… what does "The ambitious " mean?
I did not understand anything, so I tried to remember for a moment…
"Ah… Mind Essence."
It is what represents the involuntary inner self of a person, and it may be affected by external worlds, and it also reflects the mentality of the awakened person and their potential future, but honestly I do not care about this nonsense right now. I lowered my gaze downward toward the external affinity, and muttered in surprise:
"The reader…"
How is that possible? I did not hear the author mention something like this before, as all that was mentioned about external affinity was the mage or the duelist or the tank or the beast, and there were many types and each one of them was stranger than the other, but reader? I have never heard of this type before at all. Could it perhaps be related to me reading this bad novel? That is a possible possibility.
And while I was lost in my random thoughts, Heinz suddenly clapped his hands, so I raised my head toward him, then he said in a loud voice:
"Let everyone listen carefully, for from this moment you can fight each other freely. And you will be transported after the nightly training to the new place. This will be the last night for you here."
"What?!"
My eyes widened from the horror of what I heard, was he not kind a little while ago? Damn me, I who thought he was kind-hearted, what a fool I am.
"Every person you kill will be granted points that you can exchange for whatever you want, for things that may be useful for you in the new place. You can leave now, the matter will begin as soon as you arrive at the barn, and after that you can kill each other as you wish."
He said that and then left the place calmly, while the masked men began to lead us, I looked at Heinz's back as he moved away.
Blood... the bath has ignited blood. I must stay alive no matter the cost.