Back in his room, Ethan lay sprawled on his bed, a whirlwind of thoughts racing through his mind. He took a deep breath and focused on his last two rewards: the war hammer, Xenos, and the Pathfinder. With eager anticipation, he summoned the war hammer first.
As it materialized, he was immediately struck by its obsidian black hue, gleaming under the soft light of his room. The design was deceptively simple yet striking—the long handle perfectly balanced for two-handed grips, and the gavel-shaped head adorned with red, snaking veins pulsing rhythmically, as if alive. Just holding Xenos filled him with a sense of power he had never known before. The sheer weight of it felt reassuring in his grip.
His excitement was palpable, but he also felt a nagging thought in the back of his mind. He wanted to test out his new body and this magnificent weapon, but it was already late, and the absence of a training ground or gym in the house left him with no options.
Ethan directed his attention to the weapon's identification system:
System Identification:
Tier: Silver (Sealed to Bronze)
Description: A war hammer of great power, once wielded by the legendary Xen in his youthful days. The weapon has become a symbol of the famed Hammer Warlock, a weapon he never abandoned, even in death. A seal was placed upon it to ensure it finds a rightful wielder. Its true tier is Silver, but the seal has regressed its power to align with the wielder's level. Notably, it is nearly indestructible. Another trait will be revealed once the seal is lifted.
Ethan's heart raced as he absorbed the information. A Silver-tier weapon—despite being sealed—was still an incredible find, valued at over a thousand Silver Cards or ten Gold Cards. He couldn't fathom how he had come to possess such a treasure. His mind drifted momentarily to how he would explain its origins, but he quickly pushed those thoughts aside.
Next, he summoned the Pathfinder from his system storage. In his hand appeared a plain silver metal object, ordinary in appearance but radiating an unsettling power. Confused, Ethan attempted to activate the identification feature, but to his astonishment, the metal vanished from his palm and reappeared hovering in front of his forehead.
It began to spin, gathering speed until it seemed to merge with the room itself. Ethan watched, mouth agape, unsure of what was happening.
Just then, a voice broke through his confusion—it was Zark, his system companion. "The Pathfinder is an artifact designed to assist those at the start of their cultivation journey, or in your case, newly awakened individuals, in identifying their paths more easily than through meditation and experience."
Ethan's heart dropped. "Nations would go to war for something ?"
Zark sensed Ethan's fear and continued, "It's a one-time-use artifact. Once your path has been revealed, it will self-destruct. No one will know you had it."
Relief washed over Ethan. This was a godly artifact, one that would reveal his destiny with absolute clarity. A Path was crucial for any awakened individual—a predetermined route leading to unique powers shaped by their experiences and efforts. Each Path was exclusive to the individual, though multiple people could share a name, such as the Path of Fire, each gaining distinct attributes tied to their unique essence.
As the Pathfinder spun faster, black, silver, and gold lines began to weave through the room, intertwining around Ethan. Zark's voice echoed in his mind, guiding him. "Prepare yourself."
Suddenly, vibrant colored lights burst forth, swirling together, merging into a singular crimson-gold beam that enveloped Ethan in its warm glow. He felt a whirlwind of contrasting auras—each one complimenting the other, creating a strange sensation that was both comforting and unsettling. The light remained for a full ten minutes, infusing Ethan with its energy, until finally, the plain silver metal crumbled to dust in his hands, the particles drifting into him.
Feeling an overwhelming wave of fatigue wash over him, Ethan barely had time to register the changes taking place within before he succumbed to sleep, his mind blissfully drifting into unconsciousness.
Meanwhile, far away in the Demon Continent of Helheim, a woman stirred in her sleep, a soft moan escaping her lips. Her beautiful yet cold features softened with a gentle smile as she cuddled a giant pillow, the faint glow of her red hair illuminating the darkness. Whatever dream graced her mind brought her joy, and she sank deeper into its embrace, unaware of the significance of Ethan's awakening.