Chapter Title: Awakening of Power
The hospital room smelled of antiseptic. Sohan's eyes slowly fluttered open. The white walls, the steady beeping of the machines—it all felt distant and unfamiliar. His head throbbed, his body felt heavy.
"Where... am I?" His voice was dry, weak.
A nurse standing beside him smiled in relief. "You're finally awake! You've been unconscious for four days. Your teacher brought you here."
"My teacher...?" Sohan tried to piece together his fragmented memories. "Who...?"
The nurse chuckled. "A man with yellowish hair, around 25 or 26 years old."
Recognition struck. "Siam Sir..." he murmured.
The nurse continued, "Your friends visited every day. And... a girl stayed here the entire time."
Sohan raised an eyebrow. "Who?"
"Her name is Tisha. She just stepped outside a while ago."
At that moment, the door burst open. Tisha ran in and threw her arms around him, trembling.
"I thought you'd never wake up! I was so scared! But now… I'm so happy! I'm calling everyone!"
Within minutes, his friends arrived, filling the room with laughter and relief. That night, they decided to stay at Sohan's house.
---
That night, as his friends slept soundly, Sohan heard a voice calling his name.
"Sohan…"
He bolted upright. The room was dark, silent. But he heard it again. Before he could react, his vision blurred.
The next moment, he found himself in another realm—misty, shimmering, an eerie silence lingering in the air.
Before him stood a figure, identical to him.
"You… look like me!" Sohan gasped.
The other Sohan smirked. "I am you. And you are me."
Sohan frowned. "What does that mean?"
"I'm here to unlock your true power. The power that has been lying dormant within you ever since you merged with that stone."
Sohan's eyes widened. "The stone… that stone?"
"Yes. It chose you. From now on, it is you, and you are it."
Sohan took a step back. "But why? I don't understand!"
"You will, in time. When the moment comes, you will have all your answers. But before that… you must become stronger."
The world around him started to dissolve.
In the final moment, the other Sohan spoke, "When the time comes, when you stand before the most powerful being, you will find all the answers you seek."
---
A sharp slap jolted Sohan awake.
"Ouch!" He winced, rubbing his cheek.
Tisha stood over him, fuming. "How long are you going to mumble 'Don't go, don't go' in your sleep? Wake up! We have to get to Hunter class!"
There was no time to dwell on the dream. He hurriedly got ready and left with his friends.
As they walked down the street, Sohan clenched his fist. A strange energy pulsed within him. Have my powers really awakened?
A message flashed before his eyes.
[New Skill Unlocked]
His heartbeat quickened. "What… is this?"
Something had changed within him. Something deep, something unknown.
For the first time, he truly wondered—what was he becoming?