"Riley!" Jones shouted, waving and rushing over to him. Riley was stunned as Jones approached him, and then..."What are you doing here?" they both exclaimed simultaneously.Riley glared at his friend. "You're supposed to be heading to the Military Science Academy. So why are you in the Abyss? You're not a fighter!"Jones glared back just as fiercely. "And you never mentioned going to Defense Academies. Are you crazy? You need to be at least stage 2 to survive in there! You're only stage 1. They'll tear you apart."They stared at each other for a moment before sighing in unison."I don't get it. The Management is insane," Jones confessed anxiously. "We, the science academy candidates, had a test. Those who passed got tossed into the Abyss. If we 'survive,' they'll accept us. We'll spend our lives in labs. Why put us through this Abyss nonsense?"Riley patted Jones's shoulder reassuringly. "Just steer clear of the city. There are villages nearby."Feeling conflicted, Riley admitted, "I
Riley confirmed his conjecture, but he still had questions he couldn't answer.But one thing was clear. Even though he didn't have any memory of her — Trish was real. And whatever predicament she was in, he needed to save her.The Sun was setting, marking the end of the month.Riley returned home and spent the next 5 days visiting the murloc islands. He spent all fighting the stage 1s and mastered his Awakner powers.But to his utter dismay, his progress bar never moved. It stayed stubborn at:"Body Path stage 1: 50/100"On 4th, Septa, Riley woke up earlier than usual.'Today is the day. I must make it!' He looked at himself in the mirror. 'I only got one shot to find Trish. Next year, I'll be 19 and I can't take the test.''I can do it!' Riley cheered himself. How successful it was, he didn't know.He reached the Starfish Spaceport. It was crowded with hover bikes and hover cars. Swarms of youngsters entered through the six entrances of the vast spaceport.Starfish was one of the fin
Riley felt like he had solved a puzzle, mentally snapping his fingers in realization."So, these three Aspects—Vital, Dimensional, and Ether—are the fundamentals of everything. They make up me, the universe, and the Immortality.Each Core represents one Aspect, offering Awakeners the means to pursue the powers of these fundamental aspects. The three Avenues allow Awakeners to progress in each of these aspects," he concluded, piecing together the significance of the Immortality and their relationship to the fundamental aspects.Riley's hover bike dashed through the skyways. It passed through the floating complexes, patrolling airships, and reached a quiet district. It had no floating buildings and only a few skyscrapers. The hover bike descended and Riley stopped before the familiar building. The old-fashioned LED nameplate of the orphanage greeted him as he entered the orphanage.The front yard was a playground with with a park."Hey! Catch the bluebird!""Catch the green one!""Dodge
Riley remained hopeful, thinking, "I've progressed halfway through stage 1 in a few days. This is crazy... I might really break into stage 2 and qualify for the Imperial Academy." Despite his astonishment, he credited his rapid improvement to combat and the system.Although talent was believed to be innate and determined one's progression in Immortality, Riley knew there were exceptions. Stories of individuals advancing rapidly, like those who consumed strange fruits in the Deva Ruins, inspired many.Curious about his talents, Riley asked the system, "What did you do to my talents?""Host, before you question about talents. You need to understand how the Immortality work. Let this system show you the truth"The mechanical voice of the system echoed, and Riley felt his consciousness being pulled away until everything went blank.When his awareness returned, Riley found himself in a dark space, devoid of sensation except for his presence. Unable to move his body, he realized he was here
Riley dashed through the muddy terrain, feeling like a gust of wind, freer and faster than ever before."Is this what being an Awakener feels like every time?" he pondered, leaping effortlessly to a treetop.With an adventurous smile, he removed his gauntlets and dove headfirst into the ground, channeling his strength into the impact.Dust filled the air as Riley landed, astonished to find his hands unscathed save for a few scratches."I would have surely fractured something before awakening," he mused, slowly adapting to his newfound abilities.Despite not mastering his path's powers, he could already sense the flow of aura transforming into something new within him — chi.Riley felt a surge of power, earning him "+5 Exp" and a sense of satisfaction.Suddenly, a distant sound caught his attention — the growl of murlocs. Equipping his gauntlets with a thought, Riley charged towards them, swiftly dispatching the creatures with deadly precision.Riley got better at fighting after battli
Riley sensed that Bigg must have been aware of the Byssted incident, which Explained his urgency that day.Once the incident became public knowledge, Riley would be barred from entering a Crypt, even if he desired to. Hence, Bigg's insistence for Riley to Explore the Crypt before it became too late.This also clarified why Arthur was chosen as Riley's escort, despite initially seeming excessive."You guys need to rest. Actually, take a shower first," Riley directed Jones and Maya away.It had been a day since he was hospitalized, and he was certain they had been in the ward since yesterday. They were beginning smell.Lying back on the bed, Riley glanced at the date. "The Defense Academy entrance is in six days," he realized with a gasp.Riley felt anxious; to gain admission, he needed to reach at least stage 2.Although he was eager to train, the medical AI advised another night's rest for complete healing."I'll visit the orphanage tomorrow and train. But for now...""System!" Riley
**Body Path: stage 1 (Exp): 0/100 Stats: 3% Greater Human**Riley planned to check his status with the system and visit the orphanage to see if he had been there.He attempted to sit up quietly to avoid waking the sleeping couple. Unfortunately, he barely dodged Jones's punch aimed at his face. Fury flashed in his friend's eyes. Meanwhile, Maya began to cry softly.“Dude, let’s keep it down,” Riley said, trying to calm the situation. As a seasoned Body Awakener, he easily evaded Jones's attacks but did not want to escalate things further.“Relax? How can I relax?” Jones replied, seething with anger. “You played the hero and put yourself in danger! We could have fought together and avoided this mess. If we hadn’t arrived on time, you’d be dead!” After venting, he grabbed a nearby pillow and started hitting it.“Calm down, man! Why did you have to act like a hero? We could have fought together! If we were just a little late, you would have died!” Jones continued to pound the pillow in f
Riley felt lost in his own mind. The fog around him thickened, making it hard to think. Suddenly, he heard a familiar voice.“Riley,” it called gently.He opened his eyes to see Minn. Her kind face and outstretched hands filled him with warmth. “Come here,” she said, her voice soothing.For a moment, he felt comforted, as if everything would be okay. But that peace shattered when he saw a younger version of himself. The eleven-year-old Riley stood before him, wide-eyed and curious.“Is that really me?” he asked, confusion washing over him.The younger Riley looked around, taking in the dream world. “What happened to you? Why do you look so tired?”“I… I don’t know,” Riley admitted, a wave of nostalgia hitting him. “I’m trying to find my way.”“Find your way?” the younger Riley echoed, tilting his head. “You always said you wanted to be a hero.”“I wanted to,” Riley replied, sadness creeping into his voice. “But things are different now.”“Different how?” the younger Riley pressed, his
Riley stood alone in the shadows of the Crypt, panic rising as he faced the Byssted. The sounds of battle echoed nearby, but Arthur’s team struggled against their opponents.The Byssted sneered, its sharp teeth glinting. “You should just give up, little Human. End your life to avoid the pain.”Riley clenched his fists, feeling the weight of despair. He understood the truth: Bysteds and Humans were sworn enemies. Surrendering would only lead to torture.“No way,” he muttered to himself. He took a deep breath and made a swift decision to flee.As he turned to run, the Byssted lunged, its claws swiping at him. Riley dodged just in time, adrenaline kicking in. He glanced back to see the creature’s eyes filled with malice.“You can’t escape! You’re too weak!” the Byssted taunted, chasing him through the dim corridors.Riley's heart raced as he pushed himself harder, fatigue from previous battles weighing him down. He spotted an opening ahead, a narrow passage that could lead to safety. “I