STATUS

WINDOW

NAME

James Summers

AGE

19

AWAKENING

1st

TALENT

Thakinesis

TITLE

LEVEL

72

MP

360/360

STR

44

VIT

25

AGI

25

SENSE

44

MIND

24

STAT POINTS

0

Not that bad. I still feel pretty shitty about getting so many levels from that guy compared to what the rest of the monsters gave me, but the System will do as the System wants. Earth would be monster-free within a year if it suddenly started giving EXP from simply defeating someone and not killing them.

The night was dark, with few stars that dared show their faces in the presence of the still ongoing sandstorm to the north. Its reach was weak where they had camped out, compared to how fiercely it had roared at the poacher's main camp, but it was still strong enough to make it too annoying for James to take his mask off.

He sat alone, a short distance from where his teammates were sleeping, too energized by what he had just done to think of joining them - even had he not been the designated lookout. He had just allocated the stat points he gained from their recent, harrowing encounter. Six new levels were a significant increase and one that weighed heavily on him.

He had distributed the points with a practiced hand, focusing mainly on SENSE and STR as usual, but the act felt hollow. Each point added was a reminder of the life he had taken, the irreversible decision he had made in the heat of battle.

Thanks to Daniel's help, he had somewhat come to terms with the inevitability of his actions, but that didn't mean he was completely ok with it.

James was not one to mope, always preferring to be on the move, to do something to work through his emotions, but the situation he was currently in didn't allow for much beyond the occasional fight with monsters.

The problem is that I already understand how these beasts work. They can't surprise me at all, and I've been fighting them off successfully with only half my attention on them. That's going to get me hurt if I don't fix it.

The increase in stats would help in making him safer, to be sure, but his attitude was the main problem. It felt weird for James to be so detached from his own emotions.

He could objectively recognize he was being petulant. Most of his sadness and self-recriminations had been dealt with by Daniel, but he still felt like he shouldn't just go back to normal after what he had done. He was subconsciously trying to punish himself, and while he could recognize that, he did not know how to change it.

It would be nice if I could just Will myself to stop, but I'm pretty sure Thakinesis doesn't work like that. At least not yet.

Beyond that, he was also ashamed of the way he felt whenever he looked at his Status. There was the satisfaction of having grown stronger, the primal thrill of gaining power, no matter how he achieved it.

He was now much closer to his goal of getting to the next Awakening Tier. Less than a dozen average dungeons, and he'd be there. Considering how often people were forced to delay their rank up because of their lacking skills, he might be one of the youngest to ever do it.

Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.

Well, there are those weird twins in Seattle who just turned eighteen and are already B-rank, but they Awakened as kids. It doesn't really count.

James shifted uncomfortably on the cold, sandy ground, his thoughts a turbulent whirlwind. The weight of his actions in the dungeon – the life he had taken – clung to him like a shadow. The six levels he had gained stood as a stark reminder of the cost at which they came. It was a strange paradox, feeling both empowered and burdened by the same event.

He looked up at the few stars that managed to pierce through the veil of the sandstorm's remnants. The quiet of the night helped him take stock of the chaos he felt inside. Assigning stat points was usually a moment of triumph, a tangible measure of growth and achievement. But now, it was tainted with the echo of a life extinguished by his hands.

Or rather, it should be. I think I'm more ashamed of how quickly I've started moving on than anything. I can hear the siren song of power, and it's enough to make me forget anything else.

Growth. Strength. Power. These words had always driven James, a beacon guiding him through the treacherous path of an Awakener. But now, they felt hollow, mixed with a sense of dread and unease. In the modern world, where power dictated one's fate, he had always sought to be strong enough to protect his loved ones, to carve out a space of safety in a reality where monsters and Guilds loomed large.

Yet, in gaining this strength, he had crossed a line he never intended to cross. The finality of taking a life, even in the heat of battle, even in self-defense, was a burden he was still learning to bear. It was a stark reminder of the responsibilities that came with the power he wielded. Of what he would have to do again.

Is that what this is all about? Am I afraid of what my power will mean in the future? Of what I'll be forced to do as I keep growing stronger?

Suddenly, James's thoughts drifted to his father, whose legacy was both an inspiration and a shadow looming over him. Would he understand? Would he be proud, or would he see in his son the same potential for darkness that he had grappled with?

He pushed these thoughts aside, focusing on the immediate. His team – his friends – depended on him. They had faced the dangers of the dungeon together, and it was his responsibility to ensure their safety, to lead them through whatever challenges lay ahead.

For whatever reason, they had silently chosen him as their leader, following his instructions without ever complaining. That came with several responsibilities, and he would have to do his best not to disappoint them. With a deep breath, James stood up, his resolve hardening.

The path of an Awakener was fraught with moral complexities, a journey where the lines between right and wrong were often blurred. But it was his path, and he would walk it with his head held high, facing the consequences of his actions, learning and growing from them.

As the light to his side started to flicker, alerting James that his shift was over, he walked back to the camp. Had it been any other situation, he would have insisted on taking a longer time slot than the others, but he could feel exhaustion pulling at him and didn't want to risk missing something.

He woke Daniel and Lauren up, shaking their shoulders, and quickly settled down into his own sleeping bag, his eyes closing out of their own volition, pulling him in a dreamless slumber.

----------------------------------------

The night's introspection had brought James a semblance of peace, a renewed sense of purpose. He knew that grappling with his recent actions wouldn't be resolved overnight, but he felt more centered and grounded in his role.

His teammates murmured in greeting as he rose, their morning routines by now as familiar to him as his own. They gulped down some ration bars, thankful that at least they were not as tasteless as some of the horror stories he had read on Antares.

The others knew of James's internal struggle, even if they didn't speak of it openly. Their silent support was a comfort, a reminder that they were a team in more than just name.

Eventually, they set out to continue their trek through the dungeon, and they agreed to let James serve more as a safety net than an active fighter. It wasn't just about giving him time to find his footing again; it was also a strategic decision to allow the others to catch up in levels. After all, a team's strength lay in its unity, in the collective growth of its members.

Their path took them deeper into the dungeon, the terrain just as treacherous underfoot. They encountered a few monsters, including another swarm of the smaller golems. James hung back, his eyes scanning for threats, ready to intervene if necessary. But his team handled the challenge with practiced ease, their coordination and skills a testament to their growth compared to just a few months before, when they had struggled to manage the much fewer rats.

As they moved forward, the conversation returned to their current situation. They discussed the possibility of targeted retaliation from the Emerald Guard, their voices tinged with concern. James listened, his mind processing the potential scenarios.

"We can't control what they will do." He said, his voice steady. "But we can control how we respond. We stick to our principles and trust Miss Walker to handle the political side of things. Our focus is here, in the dungeon, getting stronger and staying alive. The rest can be left to the professionals."

Despite how little trust James had in the AA to handle the general situation, he knew they employed highly qualified lawyers, and he'd be surprised if, by the time they had gotten out of the dungeon, the situation hadn't been put under control.

As the morning wore on, they faced a group of three massive golems. Their lumbering forms sent the sand shaking with every step. However, rather than joining forces together, they seemed to get into each other's way more often than not, and Team 0 managed to defeat them without any injury by forcing them to attack their companions several times.

Lauren put an end to the charade after the last two remaining ones had fallen to the ground, jumping on top of the bigger one and driving her knives into its chest, carving out a chunk of stone and revealing the mana stone, which she swiftly extracted while the thing was still moving, ending its struggles.

The last one didn't even have the time to realize it was alone, that a charge from Daniel pushed it deeper into the sand, its chest cracking with the force the Tank exerted. After another couple of Bashes, it was over.

James remained on the sidelines all throughout, ready to step in, but it proved unnecessary.

Just after lunch, James sensed two massive presences make their way towards them. He jumped in alarm, immediately alerting the others, "Two Sandwurms coming!"

Before they could do more than settle into formation, twin geysers erupted from the sand, their elongated bodies towering over them like skyscrapers.

Each creature was the size of a sixteen-wheeler, covered in thick, armored hide, with mouths full of razor-sharp teeth stretching endlessly down their gullets.

The team scattered, barely avoiding the first massive strike as one of the Sandwurms lunged. James, reacting quickly, positioned himself between the creature and his team. He could feel the surge of mana coursing through him. His recent stat allocation had provided a much-needed boost in strength and agility, allowing him to maneuver better even on the shifting sands.

"Focus on one at a time!" James shouted, directing his team's efforts. "I'll keep this one busy!"

He jumped towards the first Sandwurm, his fists glowing with an intense light. His punches landed against the creature's armored hide, each blow cracking the chitin more. The beast recoiled under his assault, its massive body writhing in the sand as it tried to counterattack.

Meanwhile, the rest of the team coordinated their efforts against the second Sandwurm. Maria unleashed a torrent of fire, her flames licking against the creature's armor, searching for weak spots. Daniel stood firm, his glowing shield absorbing the brunt of the creature's attacks, providing a crucial defense for the team. Agile and swift, Lauren darted around the Sandwurm, her daggers finding the gaps in its armor, while Ezekiel supported them with a steady stream of debuffs, which slowed the monster enough to allow them some space.

The battle was intense, a dance of power and precision. James found himself pushed to his limits, so much so that he didn't even have the time to think, his increased strength a crucial factor in holding the Sandwurm at bay. He could feel the drain on his mana, each powerful strike depleting his reserves, but he didn't let up. He knew his team was counting on him.

After several harrowing minutes, the Sandwurm facing James let out a deafening roar, its body writhing in pain from the relentless assault. With a final, desperate lunge, it attempted to swallow James whole, but he dodged at the last moment, delivering a devastating punch directly into its gaping maw.

The impact was colossal, a shockwave of energy reverberating through the creature's body. With a final shudder, the Sandwurm retreated back into the sands, evidently deciding not to try its luck further, leaving James standing victorious, though visibly drained.

With a grin, he turned to his teammates, ready to join in on their fight.