msmithbooks Chapter 268: Second Awakening
Chapter 268: Second Awakening
"Once again," the reporter spoke excitedly, "the rapidly rising awakened gang known as Shadow Reapers has successfully cleared another ruin."
Footage immediately played behind her displaying West and his team exiting the ruins.
Jax laughed while carrying two hexagonal shaped glowing rocks over his shoulder, Nina walked calmly while sketch constructs floated around her protectively, Gor’thala’s Verdant Pyre Behemoths carried a bunch of monster corpses while Seraphyra smiled directly into the camera, terrifying several nearby reporters accidentally.
The news anchor continued.
"This marks the Twelfth confirmed ruin clear under the Shadow Reapers name in an incredibly short amount of time."
Several statistics appeared on screen afterward.
[SHADOW REAPERS]
-Members: 10
-Official Ruin Clears: 12
-Current Ranking Increase: +327
-Current Estimated World Ranking: 10,672
-Time Since Official Registration: Less than 2 months
The studio commentators looked visibly shocked.
"One of the fastest recorded rises for a newly established gang in recent years."
"And with only a handful of active members too."
"How are they even maintaining this pace?"
Footage replayed again showing West standing before reporters after one of the recent ruins.
A reporter’s voice echoed:
"West! Shadow Reapers only has around ten members. How are you maintaining such efficiency?"
West smirked lightly at the camera. "Quality over quantity."
Another reporter quickly asked; "There are rumors your gang gives members twenty percent loot dividends. Is that true?"
West nodded casually. "Why would I risk people’s lives in ruins just to exploit them afterward?"
The surrounding reporters visibly reacted because that statement alone sounded insane by gang standards.
Another clip played.
"Are the rumors true that your gang cleared two separate ruins simultaneously with split teams?"
West shrugged casually. "Maybe."
The anchorwoman laughed slightly afterward.
"At this rate, many people are beginning to wonder whether Shadow Reapers might soon become one of Misty High City’s dominant new gangs."
Elsewhere...
Within the Shadow Reapers base, things had become far busier lately.
The once relatively empty futuristic headquarters now bustled with significantly more movement.
New recruits moved around nervously as sounds of training equipment echoed from distant halls while weapons technicians worked on modifications.
Aria sat inside one of the administrative recruitment chambers while scrolling through holographic applicant profiles rapidly.
Five new recruits stood before her currently and they all looked tense.
West usually left this part to Aria, she was more than well equipped to handle the recruitment process.
Aria was terrifying professional. She wore a cold expression with a tablet in hand.
"You," she pointed toward one bulky-looking guy. "Why Shadow Reapers?"
The man straightened immediately. "Because your gang structure treats members better than most."
"Wrong answer."
The man stiffened as Aria tapped her tablet lightly.
"You joined because we’re rising fast. Don’t insult my intelligence."
"...Yes ma’am."
"Better."
She moved on immediately. "So why should Shadow Reapers accept you? We have a lot to offer but what do you have to offer in return?"
The recruitment applications lately had exploded after the dividend information spread publicly.
People genuinely couldn’t believe that the gang was allowing members take as high as 20% dividends from any ruin expedition they participated in.
Most gangs treated lower members like disposable labor but Shadow Reapers didn’t and that alone made them incredibly attractive.
Of course, Aria still remained extremely selective because despite growth being important, loyalty and efficiency mattered more.
They could very well have already recruited over thirty members if they wanted to, but she wanted people that would never ever betray West... people that would put the interests of the gang first and help elevate it.
Meanwhile, West sat inside the massive gang leader office at the highest level of the base.
The room looked absurdly luxurious now with dark floors and massive holographic city map projections with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Misty High City.
The Shadow Reapers insignia glowed behind him on the wall.
West sat sideways on his chair with one leg hanging over the armrest while signing documents lazily.
"...Why is there so much paperwork?"
Aria’s voice came through the intercom calmly.
"Because you insisted on becoming an official gang leader."
"Worst mistake of my life."
"Sign the forms."
West groaned dramatically before continuing.
Supply authorizations, permit confirmations, asset ownership transfers, loot distributions, training allocations...
He signed everything while barely reading half of it.
Eventually, his gaze drifted toward the city outside as he paused before moving toward the recruitment profiles Aria sent earlier.
More members... more growth... more attention.
West slowly tapped the pen against the desk thoughtfully.
"...Can I even trust this many people?"
That remained the problem... Power attracted greed, fear and betrayal.
He trusted Jax, Nina, Aria and his summons... but everyone else? Not fully.
And building a gang while constantly doubting loyalty felt dangerous.
West leaned backward slowly. "...Maybe I should just make more of my own awakeners."
The moment the thought surfaced, his eyes widened slightly....
"...Wait."
A memory resurfaced instantly of the awakening voucher he bought from the system over two months ago... yhe one that failed when he attempted using it.
Back then the system displayed:
[HOST HASN’T REACHED REQUIREMENTS FOR SECOND AWAKENING]
It wasn’t until around three weeks ago that he got the strange notification for the first time...
[ Threshold Met ]
West’s breathing slowed slightly as a look of realization appeared on his face. "...No way."
He immediately opened his inventory and after scrolling briefly, he found it.
[THREE-BRANCH TRANSFORMATION BLOODLINE VOUCHER]
West stared at it silently and his heart started beating slightly faster.
"...Don’t tell me..."
Inside the summon space, Gor’thala looked toward him curiously.
"Master?"
West slowly stood up from his chair before pulling the voucher out physically.
The card shimmered with dark crimson energy while strange runic patterns glowed across its surface.
’A second awakening...’ even thinking about it sounded absurd.
Awakeners usually got ONE awakening... that was the natural law but when West thought about it, he realized there was nothing natural about the system.
"...Well," he smiled slowly. "Guess we’re finding out."
Without hesitating further, West pressed the awakening voucher directly below his abdomen.
The card immediately dissolved into crimson particles and then system interfaces blossomed into view.
[THRESHOLD MET]
[HOST ELIGIBLE FOR SECOND AWAKENING]
[SECOND AWAKENING PROCESS INITIATING]
[WARNING: PROCESS MAY RESULT IN EXTREME PAIN]
[WARNING: HOST BODY STRUCTURE WILL UNDERGO RECONSTRUCTION]
[WARNING: FAILURE MAY RESULT IN PERMANENT DAMAGE]
West barely had time to react as pain hit instantly.
"GHHK—!"
His body arched violently backward while crimson energy erupted around him like a storm.
CRAAAAACK.
The floor beneath him shattered immediately causing the office alarms tp activate automatically.
Outside the room, Aria immediately jolted upward from her desk.
"What the hell—?!"
Inside, West collapsed to one knee while clutching his stomach.
It felt like molten lava spreading through his veins as his muscles spasmed violently.
Bones cracked loudly beneath his skin as dark crimson markings spread rapidly upward from beneath his abdomen across his torso and neck.
"FUCK—!"
The air pressure inside the office exploded outward.
BOOOOOOM!
Windows rattled violently and furniture lifted slightly due to the sudden outburst.
Inside the summon space, all three summons immediately rose to their feet.
"Master!" Gor’thala shouted.
Seraphyra’s eyes widened slightly and even Aurethia looked shocked.
Meanwhile, West’s vision blurred heavily as the system notifications continued flashing repeatedly before his eyes.
[SECOND AWAKENING IN PROGRESS]
[ASSIMILATING NEW BRANCHES]
[RESTRUCTURING HOST CORE]
[DO NOT INTERRUPT PROCESS]
Although West’s first awakening was a little uncomfortable, it was nonetheless painless. The second awakening on the other hand... was the complete opposite. What West didn’t know was, awakening the first time ever though it was triggered by the system, was still considered natural in a sense... but the second time was completely going against every awakened law known to man.
West tried standing but failed instantly...
Darkness swallowed him completely as he fell backwards and lost consciousness.
•••
•••
West regained consciousness slowly and the first thing he noticed was warmth and softness.
Something strangely comfortable was right beneath his head.
His brows twitched slightly as blurry vision slowly sharpened into focus. Dim lights from the Shadow Reapers base ceiling reflected above him while the vibrations of ventilation systems echoed quietly throughout the room.
"...Mm."
He moved slightly, grabbing the softness beneath him and rubbing it curiously.
A familiar amused voice drifted down toward him. "Already getting handsy the moment you wake up?"
West blinked twice before finally realizing his head was resting directly on Aria’s thighs.
"...Huh."
Aria sat beside the couch with one leg crossed over the other, wearing her usual fitted office attire without the blazer.
Her silver-rimmed glasses rested low on her nose while strands of pink hair surrounded her tired-looking face.
She bore a look of relief as West slowly sat up while rubbing his forehead.
"How long was I out?"
"Twenty-four hours."
West paused. "...That long? Suffices..."
"Found you passed out in your office," her expression softened slightly. "You scared everyone."
West scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "Oh."
Aria folded her arms. "Oh?"
She leaned closer slightly. "No matter how much we tried waking you, nothing worked. Nina panicked. Jax thought you got cursed. Hart was ready to call an awakened doctor. Vanya kept checking if you were breathing every ten minutes."