3 Awakening

There was only darkness he could see. Rama, who had been swallowed up by despair, felt resigned. He's dead now, it's all over. All his efforts to survive all this long could only bring him here. Inside a dark and forgotten underground cave.

A light came to him amidst the darkness. No, it wasn't a light but a white mist. It was just that everything around him was so dark that the mist seemed like a glimmer of light.

'Is it what people say? About the light you will see when you die?'

The white mist moved gently towards him like a snake slithering in the dark. When the mist reached his face Rama heard a voice.

[ "Holy Tomb Gridd recognizes the owner of Szylomon family blood." ]

[ "Power detected. Allow unlocking access to hidden power?" ]

'That's weird. I feel like the voice is asking me.'

Rama, who still could not understand his current situation, could only remain silent. But the voice sounded again as if asking for an answer from him.

[ "Power detected. Allow unlocking access to hidden power?" ]

'What does it mean? I don't know. Maybe it's just a dream before I die. Allow.'

After Rama said that - inside his mind - another voice sounded.

[ "Blood of the Szylomon family permits access. Preparing to unlock the host's hidden power." ]

After that, Rama not only heard a voice but he also saw a writing floating in his eyes.

[ "[Soul Fusion] power awakening process: 5%" ]

~~~

Donovan and the other Hunters walked into the room. A moment later the light flashed like in the room before and illuminated it.

Donovan, Alexa, and the Hunters' eyes widened.

"This is indeed the Holy Tomb!" Donovan shouted in delight.

In the vicinity, there is a lot of treasure stored in neat stone shelves. There are all kinds of weapons, books, armor, and other artifacts.

'Finally. Father will be proud of me!' Donovan screamed inside.

So far, all he has done is to please his father. But his father only pays attention to his older brother who continues to produce extraordinary results. While Donovan only received small praise. He had never received a big compliment.

But that will all end now. He had found a Holy Tomb. The tombs left after the Supernatural Great War where warriors of that era were buried and surely housed precious treasures.

'With this... With this for sure...'

[ "Sacrifices are required! Give one soul to pave the way!" ]

Donovan was surprised to hear the same message ringing in his head. When he looked back Donovan saw the others had heard the same thing.

'That means... there are more rooms to open?'

Donovan's mouth curved into a grin. This is a big opportunity for him. If there is still a way, it means there is still another room filled with treasure!

Donovan's eyes darted around for his next victim.

"Donovan!" Alexa shouted while holding Donovan's hand from the side. "Enough! This is enough!"

Donovan stared at his girlfriend with a frown as if what Alexa was saying was nonsense.

"What do you mean enough? We've just started. There's still another room for us to open, Alexa!" said Donovan.

"But... How did you open it?" Even though she already knew the answer to that question, Alexa still asked because she didn't like the answer that would come out of Donovan's mouth.

"You don't see?" he asked. "There's a lot we can give here."

The Hunters heard Donovan's reply and they immediately widened their eyes.

Donovan is the son of the Cross family. A man who had gone through all kinds of training and had a talent for magic, he was extraordinarily skilled. The blood of warriors who had defeated the strongest Supernaturals thousands of years ago flowed through his veins.

The Hunters present here knew they wouldn't be able to match him even if they charged at him together.

"Listen to me," Donovan said looking at the Hunters. "I'll only take one of you. After that, we can return with all these treasures."

His words immediately awakened their instincts. The greed for wealth and the fear of survival mix into one feeling that drives their next move.

Screams and aggression exploded. The Hunters started hurting each other to determine who was the weakest among them so they could be sacrificed to open the door.

Of course, Hunters who focused on support abilities like healing magic were at a disadvantage.

~~~

While chaos was going on in the other room, Rama was still on the altar with the stone stakes piercing his body. It was just that his consciousness was going somewhere else.

In that place, Rama could only see darkness and writing indicating the development of something he did not know.

'What exactly are you? Am I dead?' Rama asked. But no answer came.

[ "[Soul Fusion] power awakening process: 50%" ]

The process goes pretty fast. In just a few minutes whatever was going on was already at the 50% stage.

[ "[Soul Fusion] power awakening process: 57%" ]

'Ah, I just hope that whatever it is can prevent me from dying. It's not because I want to live longer. Once I get my revenge on Donovan I can die in peace.'

[ "[Soul Fusion] power awakening process: 60%" ]

Rama remembered the writing that had appeared at the beginning.

'This text says about Szylomon's lineage. What's that?' Rama wondered. 'Here there is only me. So am I a descendant of that Szylomon family?'

There is a mystery in this cave. The writing just now had also told him about the awakening of a hidden power.

'Is that my power?'

The thought of that excited him. If indeed he gets a new power, then his fate full of bad luck will maybe change for the better.

[ "[Soul Fusion] power awakening process: 70%" ]

Suddenly Rama felt excited when he saw the writing. He smiled in his mind. His physical body also smiled.

[ "[Soul Fusion] power awakening process: 90%" ]

[ "[Soul Fusion] power awakening process: 99%" ]

[ "[Soul Fusion] power awakening process: 100%" ]

[ "The hidden power awakening process is complete!" ]

A white light came out and enveloped Rama's sight. He had completely lost consciousness now.

~~~

'Rama, this is a small gift from us. Forgive us. We won't be able to be by your side.'

~~~

Rama opened his eyes. What he saw now was a dark sky studded with stars. The full moon was right in the center of his vision.

'Midnight...'

Rama could not immediately process what was going on in his head.

'Wait. Am I not dead?'

He tried to raise his hand and immediately did. The wound that should have been caused by the stakes was also gone.

Rama tries to sit up and he too can do it easily. Even his body became lighter and fresher now.

There were holes in his pants and clothes where stakes had punctured him. But there are no more wounds.

'Something clearly happened.'

Rama recalls the incident before he opened his eyes. He was forcefully dragged by Donovan to the altar so he could become a sacrifice. Remembering that his anger boiled again. Now, that it turned out that he wasn't dead, his revenge intentions became even clearer.

'But why am I outside now? Where is the cave?'

When looking around Rama did not see any traces of the ground being split.

'Whatever. Now I have to get out of here first.'

He stood up and saw that the dagger was still in his waist. Rama smiled because of that.

Suddenly, a Ghost flew towards him. Rama was shocked, yet he was still able to act in time to swing his dagger.

*SRRSSHH!*

He killed the Ghost easily. What came after that made Rama frown in surprise.

A transparent blue writing appeared in his vision.

"W-what is this?!" Rama was so amazed that he screamed in the middle of the forest.

'I got a soul from a Ghost? What does it mean?'

Rama stopped in place, stood, and stared at the writing. If someone were looking at him they would only think that he was staring at empty air with greater concern than he should.

'Let's try using that. There's no harm in trying, right?'

Rama focused his mind on using the power he just gained, the soul of a Ghost. Although he did not know the consequences and risks and didn't know how to use it yet.

Rama saw his body turn into a transparent white fog and felt much lighter. Even his dagger became transparent as well.

'W-What happened to me?'

Then his brain worked faster to give Rama an answer.

The blue writing earlier said that he had gotten the Soul from the Ghost he killed and now he can turn into that Ghost, just by focusing on it. He didn't know about what 'Mana' is, but it can wait later.

'Does that mean I can gain power from what I kill?'

Rama's lips formed into a smile. If that was true, then he had obtained an extraordinary power.

A rustling sound suddenly sounded from the side. Rama turned and suddenly widened his eyes.

There was one humanoid creature with dry brown skin like bark and completely dark eyes.

'A Ghoul?!'

The Ghoul opened its mouth and revealed rows of spiky teeth covered in slime.

Rama feels scared. He had never personally fought a Ghoul alone before.

But if he didn't fight that thing now he wouldn't be able to live. After all, didn't he now have this new power?

'Time to give this ability a try!'

His anger at Donovan was still burning. Rama used that as fuel to dampen his fear. He stared at the Ghoul still in his transparent form.

'It's better if I can find out the Ghoul's weakness.'

Ghouls can be killed with normal weapons, magic attacks, or fire.

If Rama could see the Ghoul's weak point, he could send out an effective and efficient attack.

Suddenly, something new appeared again in Rama's vision.

Rank: E

HP: 50/50

Weaknesses: Head, eyes, spine.

Besides the writing, Rama could see the red dots on the Ghoul's eyes, and head which he knew were the creature's weak points.

Rama grinned. With his new transparent body, he charged towards the Ghoul.

~~~