Outworld: Awakening

'What should I do? The others should have noticed the irregularities, too. Wait a minute, they won't know about this... since they believed they'd disposed the corpse.'

As different thoughts filled Klein's mind, he felt the grip on his mouth loosened.

"Only the leader knows the identity—"

Before he could finish his statement, Klein could no longer feel his arm. He swallowed hard as he lowered his gaze, only to see his mummified severed hand on the ground.

He knew the only reason he did not feel the hellish pain that would accompany such a gruesome injury was due to Adam.

"Do you think I am stupid? I can do this all day. Who sent you and who were you going to deliver the jar to?" Adam whispered.

His grip on Klein's mouth tightened for a second time. Slowly, darkness covered his white skin. Shattering the mask covering Klein's face.

At that moment, Klein's body jerked uncontrollably. His eyes bulged, with blood and mucus dripping down his nose. The chirping of the hidden insects buried his faint shrieks.

The gelatinous spike on his limbs had turned pitch-black, and the spikes pointed inward. Tearing the flesh around his limbs. Blood flowed unabated, Klein could feel the spikes grinding on his flesh and bones, slowly tearing it to pieces.

"Uhmmm... Uhmmmm..." Klein g.r.o.a.n.e.d.

"You're ready to talk, huh? Who sent you?" Adam whispered as he loosened his hold.

Bloodied froth spewed out of the sides of Klein's mouth as he struggled to breath. He didn't understand how Adam used his own Blessing to attack him.

While Klein caught his breath, a fierce blow landed on the back of his head, sending him plummeting to the ground.

"Last time, who sent you?"

Adam's eyes glowed in the dark. Klein's eyes bulged as he met them, dread overwhelmed his heart. Those were not the eyes of a human, he thought.

"Dom-Dominic... Dominic Rowe Armstrong..." Klein blurted.

'Dominic Rowe Armstrong? That name sounds familiar, but I can't remember where I heard it,' Adam mused as he stepped on Klein's c.h.e.s.t.

Adam kicked his brain into overdrive, needed to remember where he heard the name. A few seconds later, a sudden realization dawned on him.

'Oh? Dominic Rowe, it's that asshole from the flying ship. Damn it, I should've take care of him earlier.'

Finally, he had remembered the identity of the man behind the assassins. Lowering his gaze while applying more force to his foot, Adam stared at Klein who vomited and g.r.o.a.n.e.d for mercy.

"Where are you supposed to meet him?" Adam asked.

"In... in the alley behind Theodore's Brewery," Klein said.

"How did you know about my Blessing? Did he provide the information?"

"Yes. It's one of the guild's conditions before we accept an assassination request for an Awakened. Please, kill me. Just stop the pain," Klein pleaded.

'The rumor of what happened in the combat class has gotten to the ears of virtually all the Year One students, is that where Dominic got his Intel from?' Adam mused.

"What's the name of your guild?" Adam asked. Ignoring Klein's pleas for a swift death.

"If you promise to kill me... I will tell—"

"Do you think this is a negotiation?" Adam sneered.

He made gasping motions with his left hand, Manipulating the spikes to destroy Klein's body further. Unlike before, Klein's legs turned at insane angles with his bones protruding out of his flesh. His only arm dislocated at the elbow, while the spikes tore through his fingers.

Unable to scream due to Adam's boot on his neck, Klein's body spasmed on the ground while bloody froth leaked from the corners of his mouth.

"What is the name of your guild?" Adam asked as he removed his foot from Klein's neck.

"Rave-Raventhorn... We work for Raventhorn. Please... Please, kill me," Klein pleaded.

"Who finances Raventhorn? The Armstrong family?"

"Y-Yes..."

Klein's voice was as faint as a whisper. Adam knew he wouldn't last long. Not after the amount of blood he had loss.

'I don't think I can get anything out of this bastard in this state. I went overboard. Hmmm... maybe I should try that.'

Adam's lips curved into a smirk as an idea flashed into his mind. Saying nothing further, he manipulated the jar Klein held earlier. The moment he caught it, Adam made a beeline for Klein's face, gouging out his eyeball in an instant.

Despite being on the verge of passing out, the excruciating pain jilt Klein awake, and his screams reverberated throughout the grassy field.

With a flick of his wrist, Adam sent the eyeball into the opened jar. He stared at it with a dazzling grin like an artist appreciating a fine work of art.

'System, store this in the inventory.'

{Inventory}

-Cataclysm, Runed Blade of Delusions.

-Sealed Jar.

With a nod, Adam shifted his gaze towards Klein who writhed in pain on the ground.

[Establishing Connection to The Omen...]

[Connection Successfully Established.]

{Title}

-Dominator (Activated!)

-Manipulator (Activated!)

"Adam, this a meal for us to devour. Let's savour his flesh and blood. Tonight, we will eat our fill. Go on, Adam. Rip him to shreds!"

A lattice of thick black veins formed at the corners of Adam's eyes. Saliva dropped from his mouth as he stared at Klein's body. The whites in his eyes had turned black with his irises glowing blue. The same darkness had covered his hands and raced towards his neck.

Klein, still writhing in pain, suddenly felt a cold touch on his neck. The moment his eye met Adam's, his mind went blank, and he froze. He didn't know, and couldn't understand what stood before him. But he was certain it wasn't human.

"Get... get away from me..."

Despite Klein's cries, he watched as Adam's index finger made its way into his empty eye socket. His screams echoed, yet Adam continued plunging his finger deeper into the gaping hole.

A few seconds later, Klein's body trembled. The blackness covering Adam's hands rushed into Klein's skull, eliciting beastial screams.

A minute later, Adam removed his finger. Klein's body had shades of black. His body had swelled five times its normal size, and was on the verge of imploding.

The moment Adam made a grasping motion, Klein's body returned to its original size. However, all the blood in his body exited through his empty eye socket. It formed a blackened vortex above Klein's corpse, which swelled at irregular intervals. With each swell, Adam could hear bones and ligaments snapping.

The darkness from Adam's body had slowly modified Klein's corpse, turning it into a grotesque projection out of nightmares.

Two large horns donned the top of his head, while his servered limb and gouged eye had regenerated. Beastial claws had replaced his fingers, and his body had expanded to twice its original size. His previous facial features were indiscernible.

Repeating the same motion from earlier, the bloody pool poured into the aberration. Its body trembled, but it only lasted for a minute. A split second later, its body had a black and red hue.

"What a waste, Adam. We could have eaten him whole. What's the use of turning him into that? A mere rank D Awakened is best served as food. It isn't too late. You haven't connected it to The Omen yet. We can still eat him. It won't be as delicious as before, but it will do. Do you want to feel the hunger from the Devourer skill again? Listen to me, Adam. I won't lead you astray."

Used to the ramblings of the mysterious voice, Adam ignored its temptation. Instead, he approached the modified corpse in light steps.

'System, establish a connection to The Omen for it.'

[Establishing Connection to The Omen...]

{Skill}

-Summoner (Activated!)

After the system's message, a shockwave originating from the modified corpse spread in all directions. The eyes of the aberration snapped open as it rose to feet.

Towering over Adam, its soulless eyes met Adam's. Saying nothing, the aberration fell on both knees while lowering its head.

[Connection Successfully Established.]

[Familiar Successfully Created!]

Name: None.

Race: Familiar.

Class: Assassin.

Creator: Adam Staples.

Omen Rank: E.

[Congratulations! You have received 3 Omen Points!]

[Familiar will be transferred to the Inventory!]

Before Adam could utter a word, his first Familiar disappeared before his eyes.

[Establishing Connection to The Omen...]

[Connection Successfully Established.]

{Inventory}

- Cataclysm, Runed Blade of Delusions.

- Sealed Jar.

- Familiar (1/50).

Adam's face returned to normal after the system's message. Although his breathing was slightly heavy, he donned a dazzling smile.

'Who would have thought the summoner skill would enable me to create my own Familiars? Does that make me an Èṣù?' Adam giggled as this thought crossed his mind.

Apart from his Title Manipulator, he only knew a little about the other titles and skills. He used Klein and his colleagues to test the extents of the illusion Inducement Skill.

Just like his Title Manipulator, which granted him the ability to manipulate anything within a specific distance, Illusion Inducement allowed him to hypnotize anyone within fifty meters. Unlike Manipulator, it came with a time limit.

Adam also knew the skill would have little or no effects on higher ranked Awakened. The same rule applied to Manipulator. He theorized that he would fail in manipulating the Blessings of Awakened above Rank C.

Unlike illusion Inducement and Manipulator, Dominator , once activated, made every being within a range of fifty meters vulnerable to Adam's will. Used in tandem with illusion Inducement, Adam could project images or thoughts into the minds of others, and they wouldn't question its authenticity. However, like illusion Inducement, he can't use it for an extended period of time.

Summoner, on the other hand, granted him the ability to modify the body of any living being. Turning it into a vessel that could contain The Omen. Depending on the source of the vessel, it would determine the rank and class of the Familiar. However, the Familiar created would be weaker than the vessel by at least a rank. Due to his current rank, Adam wouldn't be able to create more than fifty Familiars. Adam knew that if he could raise his rank, he could create stronger Familiars, or maybe more.

Naturally, Adam knew he wasn't an Èṣù, and the only reason he could create the Familiars, or use any of his Skills and Titles, was because of the demonic soul.

"Theodore's Brewery. Revanthorn... I guess I should pay that weasel Dominic a visit. Who knows when next he'd come after my head? Let's find a place to get some new clothes first..."

Adam's words trialed off as he raced towards the East.