⸻⸻⸻( Western Desert: Rank-5 Inheritance Ground )⸻⸻⸻
"Damn it! Damn it!! Damn it!!!" Bor Dom sat in a corner, tears streaming down his face, as he concealed himself from the Sand Spider Beast Emperor. Behind him, a grueling scene unfolded. the lifeless bodies of countless gu masters lay strewn across the ground, including his two brothers Wis Dom and Star Dom.
"We should have never agreed to enter this inheritance!" Bor Dom muttered, his voice choked with grief and regret. With trembling hands, he checked his aperture, finding solace in the presence of two Soul Cage Gu nestled within.
⸻A Week Ago: San Village Head office⸻
"While the three of you only possess C-grade apertures, you have repeatedly proven time and time again that you are capable," spoke San, the village leader, his aperture exuding peak stage rank-3 primeval aura.
Bor Dom wondered what the village leader was going on about. He just wanted to resume his training and avoid another possible encounter with an aggressive rank-3 gu master.
[He's probably about to assign us another task,] Wis Dom transmitted, engaging in cultivation while simultaneously maintaining an external connection through Star Dom as their intermediary—an advantage that came with their shared consciousness.
"There is a rank-5 inheritance opportunity approaching, but it exclusively admits gu masters below rank-3. While it is highly unlikely that you three will succeed, I want to ensure that Mu Village doesn't acquire it. You will be rewarded for every Mu Village gu master you kill. Of course, it goes without saying that you mustn't be caught," San explained, his intentions veiled within his words.
[In other words, if we get caught, we'll be abandoned,] Jested Bor Dom, a sly smirk gracing his lips.
[Don't make jokes. I'll laugh, and then we'll both get in trouble,] Wis Dom warned, stifling a chuckle.
Raising an eyebrow, San fixed his gaze on each of them, seeking confirmation, "Are you three listening?"
Wis Dom bowed respectfully, apologizing, "I deeply apologize, village chief. Both Star and Bor are still recovering from our last fight in the arena."
Rolling his eyes, San reclined in his chair before disclosing, "The inheritance will commence in a week."
⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻ ⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻
Bor Dom's chest heaved as he gasped for breath, hiding in the corner of the cavern. Peering cautiously, his eyes locked on the Sand Spider Beast Emperor wrapping the lifeless bodies into a cocoon. Hanging from the cavern's ceiling, a large egg sac swung ominously to the side. "When I escape this place, I swear to revive you all," he murmured, tears mixing with his resolve. His gaze shifted to the two Soul Cage Gu within his aperture, his eyes burning with determination.
Escape seemed tempting at first, but Bor Dom knew he had to be patient — waiting for the opportune moment.
He began to pray, "Oh, God, in truth, I doubt your existence. But if you aid me in bringing my friends back, I promise to live right and true, to make the world a better place."
Suddenly, a clicking sound reached his ears as a passageway opened beside him, accompanied by a voice that echoed, "Well done, you have survived the trial!"
Bor Dom's eyes widened in astonishment. Reaching out his hand towards the door, he hesitated for a moment before asking, "And what about my friends?"
"Ah, well... Unfortunately, I possess do not possess the power to resurrect the dead," responded the voice with a tinge of pain.
Gritting his teeth, Bor Dom pleaded, "There must be something you can do! This is a rank-5 inheritance, after all!"
A scoff reverberated from the passageway, "Resurrecting the dead is a feat only the ascended can aspire to. Your request is impossible to meet."
Undeterred, Bor Dom persisted, "I have heard tales of rank-5 gu masters shattering mountains and parting rivers. They transform barren lands into lush oases and wield storms within their grasp. Surely, there must be something within your power!"
"Well, sorry for my inadequacy, but there are limits even for rank-5 gu masters," retorted the voice, dripping with sourness, contemplating, "Should I wait for another gu master?"
Slumping his shoulders, Bor Dom cast another glance at the two Soul Cage Gu nestled within his aperture, and with an icy and menacing tone, he declared, "If you cannot bring them back, then you are of no use to me!"
The voice responded with elation, "Couldn't have put it better myself. . . I mean, that's a pity. In that case, may you join your friends in Luo Po Valley."
The passageway slammed shut with a resounding thud, its echoes bouncing off the cavern walls, alerting the Sand Spider Beast Emperor. The creature turned its attention towards the sound, its eight eyes fixated on the corner where Bor Dom hid.
Silently, it sneaked, every movement soft and calculated, careful not to make sound, driven by its instinctual tendency to ensnare its prey.
Bor Dom dug his nails into his hand, causing blood to seep out. He looked up, feeling more despair than the time he was caught stealing a cut of pork from the local butcher, but at that time he at least had his brothers to help him get out of the mess. His expression slowly shifted from anguish to defeat, and back to anguish again, before finally, his eyes displayed an almost serene nature in them.
He muttered softly, "As a painting speaks a thousand words, a brother's worth transcends a thousand lives." In his eyes burned a raging flame.
-Audio Recording 1-
"There are three ways to undergo an awakening," the voice began.
"One, through an awakening shot. Although the risks are high, it grants great power."
"Two, awakening through exposure to something intense, like toxic slime or poison. The chances of success are even lower."
"Third, and this only happens to those who have already awakened. When one experiences intense emotions, particularly a blend of anguish and rage, a second awakening becomes possible."
- -
The Beast Emperor Sand Spider, now mere inches away, raised its leg to strike, but suddenly it paused, emitting a pained piercing shriek. Its mind was flooded with overwhelming information. It attempted to retaliate against the source of its torment, but its body wasn't responding.
Bor Dom rose to his feet, his posture now upright. Approaching the spider, he discovered a Gu worm attached to one of its legs, before overloading the Gu with information, quickly subduing its will with his own.
Recognizing it as a variant of the 'Hand Blade Gu,' a transformation path Gu, Bor Dom morphed his hand into a blade — a hand of the spider species. With a swift motion, he cleanly severed the spider's overloaded head.
"I will bring them back, no matter the cost," he declared resolutely, before venturing into the heart of the cavern to search the fallen gu masters' bodies for anything useful.