Hotaka would awake into a dreamland, Looking around, Hotaka would feel floating islands and a land of nothingness. He would turn around to see he was sitting uptop a small island. He would then say

“Huh...this is a dream in hell. Rather peaceful….well, since this is my dream, i control everything here. Let's try something.”

He would say, as he would lift his hand into the air, with a scroll materializing into his hand. He would open it to see a list, this list would consist of a list of powers. The words were unreadable to his eyes, but Hotaka would then use {Investigation} to read it.

“Hey, Uh...power, can you read this?”

{Investigation}- It is an upgrade of powers due to World Karma.

“What is World Karma?”

{Investigation}-World Karma is the physical and spiritual energy that envelops all things. One can gain World Karma but their actions, thoughts, or Speech of the soul. You gained Karma by Helping the people of the village, and as such, your body absorbed a village worth of karma energy to use.”

Hotaka would chuckle a bit, learning on how to gain energy. He would clap his hands together before saying

“Ok ok, So now that the energy thing is out of the picture, what upgraded?”

{Investigation} The Balances of Investigation has upgraded, and as such, gained a evolution to Investigation. You gained Increasing Limits, Equilibrium, Super regen and Light of Prophecy.

Increasing Limits: Allows for the user to Increase their physical Limits by inserting spiritual karma to the body by 10 times. Since it uses spiritual karma, the souls defense will decrease.

Equilibrium: This Balance gives the user the ability to put up multiple barriers to completely block out anything that the user wishes to block out. This balance can be used for multiple uses, such as blocking out physical damage, energy type damage, or even enveloping another person.

Super Regen: This balance allows the user to absorb karma in the air, and use it to increase the reconstruction of the body. The more karma in the air, the better the regeneration.

Light of Prophecy: This Balance allows the user to fortale events that will play out. The amount of events to play out depends on the karma of the user.

“Heh, So it's kinda like a video game. I level up and as such, so do my abilities. It's a little weird that once I get here, I get abilities. But it shouldn't matter for the meantime, I have bigger fish to cook. Now, why am i here is the question..”

Hotaka would say, before the dreamworld would begin to shake and break apart. The words of [DANGER ALERT! AUTO WAKE] would be plastered over the dream, before he would be jolted awake to the cabin he was residing in, to see the shelfs on the walls shake. He would quickly get dressed, with brand new clothes given to him by the village which consisted of standard underwear, his newly fixed red pants, which the tears in it was sowed in. he had a light grey and blue undershirt with his grey Poncho over it. He then got sandals that fit his feet well.

He would walk out to see Koto waiting there, as he would soon say

“Alright Captain, there is a monster about three hundred feet away from the village. Sensing its intent, it doesn't seem to come to welcome us to the neighborhood.”

“Understood, i'll go and check it out asap. You stand guard over this place, make sure nothing gets through the gates.” Hotaka would command, before heading to the outskirts of the town. For him to spot the monster was an easy task, considering it was taller than the nearby mountains.

Hotaka would sweat slightly, just looking at this behemoth was making him shiver. This beast took the shape of a giant dog with a rhino horn in the center of its head. Its paws were the size of the village itself, as its tail was arched back, like the dog was ready to strike. hotaka would Clench his fist, as he would use Investigation on it.

“What is this?!?”

{Investigation} It is a Guardian of the 20 Gates. The beast is known as Owasamana. Its abilities are unknown.

Hotaka would frown at that, before seeing Owasamana Jump into the air, for its size, it was quite agile. Hotaka would see the beast aim at the village, as it intended to destroy it in one jump. Hotaka would jump towards it from under it, aiming for the belly. He would try out one of his new Balances which was {Increasing Limits}.

Hotakas body would feel much Lighter and faster, as he would then say to the beast

“Get out of here Mutt!!!”

He would yell, kicking it in the stomach, as Owasamana sky rocketed into the sky. It would fly to the nearby mountain, crushing it with its own impact and weight.

Hotakas leg looked mangled from the kick, but not for long, as the passive balance of {Super Regen} took place near instantly. His leg was enveloped by white light, before it was looking like it has never been damaged.

“Well, that should be it.”

Hotaka proclaimed, before looking to where he kicked the dog, only to see it was gone. Hotaka would hear the roar of the beast above him, as he looked up to see the dog free falling from the sky. He wouldn't have time to think up a plan, before Owasamana began to charge up something in its mouth.

Owasamana let loose a torrent of fire from its mouth, the fire was White and came at me at alarming speeds.

“Ah shit…..!!! Light of Prophecy!”

As Hotaka let loose these words, several events unfolded before him like pages in a book. He saw several events play out, most of them being cooked alive by the white fire. But as luck would have it, one event played out where hotaka was able to evade the fire.

This event was where hotaka quickly ripped off his arm, and used it as a lift off to escape the fire.

And as such, hotaka would do that. Hotaka clenched his teeth as he would quickly rip off his own arm, as he would then position it to where he could kick off of it. He would kick off of his own arm, and escaped the flames before it reached him.

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Hotaka would land on the ground, and backed up to see the flames light up the surrounding area. Hotakas severed arm that was hit, near instantly incinerated into dust, as the ground below it began to vaporize. Hotaka would again near instantly regenerate his lost limb.

Owasamana would begin to fall, before it vanished in thin air. Hotaka would instantly know what this was.

“Teleportation……..!?!?!”

Hotaka would say, now frightened, before using {Light of Prophecy} again. He would see events of him dying over and over, by Owasamana from appearing behind him and biting him. Hotaka would only see one future of him surviving, as it involved him to stay perfectly still.

Hotaka would shiver and stay where he was, bracing for his death, sensing Owasamana appearing behind him. He would hear its snawl as he turned to see what was happening.

Hotaka would see light red string around Owasamana, as it stopped him in its tracks. Using {Investigation}, hotaka would immediately check out what it was.

{Investigation} The string is made out of super dense Spirit particles that hold the bodies movement.

“...ah..i see. Well, what's causing it?”

He would say, following the strings path to see Koto building an old looking figure. This old figure was holding a knitting ball, and was covered by a dense fog. Koto would follow up by saying

“You seem to be in trouble Hotaka! Well no matter! I found the village elder to help!”

He would say, before the fog would disburse. The elder was an old woman, with grey and white long hair that went down to her ankles. This old woman was dressed in a 16th century dress, looking rather royal with a white and golden dress. She would then say in a raspy voice

“Ah….you must be the young lad who saved this broken village and the one who challenged the Guardian of the 20 gates. A good, but idiotic young lad indeed.”

She would say, before twitching the string that held onto Owasamana, as it cut into its skin and into the bone. This would cause it to burst into a bloody mist.

The pieces that were made by the string would begin to transform into smaller versions of Owasamana. The old woman would chuckle before saying to hotaka

“To think the kid who possesses Styxxs Robes, can't even use it properly. Sigh, i guess i'll help you if you do me a favor in return. Deal?

Hotaka would watch as the small dogs growled and yiped, charging up at the same fire breath. Hotaka would nod at the old woman before she let loose a gruesome smile. She would say

“Kehehehe, well kid, we got a deal. Now touch the inside of that pancho and chant “One becomes many, and many become one. But all who meet my glance become mine.”. Got it?

Hotaka would listen to the old woman, before doing as he was told. He would see the dogs fire the blasts at him, before he put his hands inside of the pancho, and chanted.

“One becomes many, and many become one. But all who meet my glance become mine!”

Once he said this, the pancho would begin to glow violently, as the blasts sent towards hotaka would instantly disappear. As Owasamanas smaller versions would begin to dry up and disappear. The energy coming from the dogs would easily be seen, as it all gathered around Hotaka. The energy danced like ghosts before entering the fabric of the pancho. The same voice that came on during his fight with the lizard would come on, before it said

[Translation of Balances completed. Would you like to integrate balance inside of the Xenous? YES/NO]

Hotaka would think for a moment, before picking the yes option. The same burning feeling would enter him. His very being felt like it was being burned by hot iron, before he felt relieved. The announcement of {Investigation} would come on as it said to him

{Investigation} New Balances have entered the Xenous. Review shall now take place.

Unholy Fire: This balance allows the user to generate White fire that burns everything in its path, leaving nothing behind, not even the soul.

Body Creation: this balance allows the user to create several body doubles of the original user, as they take on the abilities and strength of the original.

Teleportation: Allows the user to teleport to anywhere they may see.

Intimidation: Allows the user to set a Fear circle around themselves. Anyone unable to resist will be rendered incapacitated and unable to move.

Minion Creation: Allows the user to create separate indities from themselves, as the user can give personalities and other abilities.

Karma asorbistion: Allows the user to absorb karma from attacks, and use the energy as their own.

Hotaka felt the voice come from within him, as he would nod quietly and turn to the old woman. He would look over her and Koto for a moment before feeling relieved again. Hotaka would ask

“Uh, Koto...you said this is the village elder right? What's her name?

“She didn't give me a proper name, but she gave me a nickname. I believe she said she wanted to be called Ms. Hyara.”

Koto responded, as the old frail woman smiled sweetly, but the look of bloodlust and deceit never left her eyes. Ms. Hyara would then speak to hotaka, her voice only reaching him, as it seemed her voice echoed into his brain. She would say

“Well boy. You are in debt to me now. Be prepared for laborers that make this beast seem nothing more than childsplay! Kukukuku!!”

Her laughed banging around in his brain, as he would soon ask

“What kind of Labors?”

“You will have to defeat the Pious Arch Apostles, then the king of the demons, Eminence Claughuth.

She would say, the mere mention of that name somehow sent fear into Hotakas body. He would wonder as of why, before Ms. Hyara would say again.

“But first, you'll have to earn a new name. So, for the sake of us, and your safety, please get ready to die.”

“What!?!?!”