Virtual Ascension

"Are you the one the tribe chief is looking for?" Luna asked, her curiosity evident as she looked at Venix.

Venix, confused and unsure of what was happening, shook his head.

"I don't even know what that woman was talking about," he said, still bewildered.

How could Venix possibly understand what the woman meant? His mind was filled with confusion.

Luna turned her gaze to the young woman before her.

"What do you mean when you say that Venix is the one the tribe chief is looking for?" Luna asked in a serious tone, her eyes narrowing.

"You must kill him!" the young woman suddenly shouted, her voice echoing through the room.

Luna and Venix exchanged glances, their confusion deepening.

The tribe chief was looking for Venix... and wanted to kill him? But why?

Luna tried to make sense of the information swirling in her mind.

As far as she knew, Venix was just the "Lost Sheep," someone with origins similar to the young woman's. But could it be that Venix had fled from the tribe chief's territory, taking something valuable with him?

"That's nonsense! Why would the tribe chief want to kill me?!" Venix exclaimed, his voice filled with fear.

Dark thoughts began to plague Venix's mind. If he died here, could he still live in the real world?

Nervously, he rubbed the back of his neck. Even if he logged out of the game and his consciousness returned to the real world, his body would remain inactive and asleep here. The danger was too great for him to risk fleeing this situation.

The young woman seemed like she wanted to say something, but then swallowed her words.

Luna noticed the shift in her expression and realized the woman was clearly hiding something.

"Tell me, what are the characteristics of the person the tribe chief is looking for?" Luna asked, her voice carrying a gentle smile that somehow felt oppressive.

"Do you really need to ask? Open your eyes and look at him!" the young woman shouted again, her voice full of emotion. "The tribe chief said that this person will bring disaster to our world! Either you or I will die because of him!"

"Open my eyes?" Luna was initially confused but quickly understood.

She closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them again, staring intently at Venix.

There was no change in her pupils, but Venix felt an odd sense of foreboding. It seemed like Luna was using some special trick to see things ordinary eyes could not.

"Hmm? Interesting," Luna murmured, a small smile appearing on her face. She closed her eyes again, appearing lost in thought.

"You must kill him!" the young woman cried again, her voice trembling with emotion.

"What did you see?" Venix asked nervously, standing stiffly. Luna's answer now felt like a matter of life and death.

"It's just the manifestation of your Seed Origin, nothing major," Luna replied casually, as though it were no cause for concern.

"Seed Origin? What's that?" Venix furrowed his brow, his confusion growing.

Luna paused for a moment before explaining, "When someone becomes Awakened and unlocks their hidden power, the Origin Fragments Realm opens. Each fragment has a different Seed Origin form."

"Seed Origin is the foundational core of a Seedbound. You could say it's the core of your strength, something that will always be with you, even if you surpass the Seedbound level one day."

Venix listened carefully, starting to understand a little.

Luna continued, "Out of all the Seed Origins, one will dominate and usually be stronger than the others."

"In the past, 90% of the Seed Origins you displayed would become your dominant Seed Origin. But now, in this era, we can replace the dominant Seed Origin with a new type if you're not satisfied with the one you have."

Luna's explanation sounded like that of a patient teacher, and Venix found it easy to follow.

Coincidentally, Seed Origin was also one of the requirements for the quest Venix currently had.

"Is my Seed Origin really dangerous, like she said?" Venix asked hesitantly.

"Is it dangerous? Well, not necessarily," Luna answered calmly, as though it weren't something to worry about. "After all, people like us are all dangerous, right?"

Venix looked at Luna, who seemed like an innocent young woman. Where was the danger she mentioned?

Luna smirked slightly before adding, "By the way, I just found out that the Lost Sheep can use a certain eye technique without needing to be Awakened."

At that, the young woman in front of them shuddered. Her expression turned fearful, as if she had just revealed an important secret to the enemy.

"Wait until I finish this annoying daily task," Luna said casually, stretching her stiff shoulders. "After that, I'll take you somewhere so you can see your Seed Origin for yourself."

Venix nodded obediently, letting out a sigh of relief.

At least, his life wasn't in danger for now.

With her strength, Luna could easily hold the young woman in place.

Despite her resistance, the young woman couldn't break free from Luna's grip. Eventually, she was forcibly taken into the Pod, where the Awaken Injection process occurred.

Three minutes later, the Awaken Injection process had begun.

"Follow me," Luna said briefly to Venix.

Without waiting for a response, Luna stepped out of the Awaken Injection room and led Venix to another location.

A few minutes later, they arrived in a large room with a sign that read "Awaken Library." Luna opened the door and led Venix inside.

"This place is mandatory for new Awakened," Luna explained as they walked through the hallway. "You can find an Awaken Library like this in many cities. Its purpose is to help you understand the new powers you've gained."

Inside, several people were busy studying.

Most of them were Lost Sheep—people from remote tribes who had recently realized that their long-held beliefs were wrong.

After becoming Awakened, many of them began to understand that the world wasn't what they had believed all their lives. Slowly, they started accepting the "new truth" that lay before them.

The authorities had taken an open approach, allowing the Lost Sheep to study their Awakened powers without any specific restrictions.

As long as they didn't break the rules or cause trouble, they were accepted as new citizens.

Luna stopped in front of a large mirror at the back of the room.

"Step forward," Luna said, pointing to the mirror. "There, you'll see it for yourself."

Venix looked at the large mirror warily, then stepped forward slowly.

When he stood before the mirror, his reflection began to appear clearly. Venix froze in place.

This was the first time he had truly seen his appearance in this virtual world.

Through the mirror, Venix scrutinized every detail.

His appearance was almost identical to his real-world self—his body shape, height, face, and even his black hair all looked the same.

However, Venix's attention was quickly diverted. Besides his own reflection, there was something else in the mirror.

What was that!?

Behind his back, a horrifying tentacle creature appeared.

The creature had nine tentacles that moved slowly, exuding a terrifying aura that pierced to the bone.

The tentacle monster seemed alive, with each tentacle movement radiating an unspoken threat.

Venix swallowed hard, his body stiffening. The horror of the figure was so real that it felt as though it could devour him at any moment. Just looking at it, Venix felt like he was being swallowed into endless darkness.

"Is this the reason she said I deserve to die?" Venix turned and looked at Luna, who was standing behind him.

"That's right," Luna replied, nodding slightly. "I didn't expect that woman could use the power of an Awakened, even though she's just an ordinary person."

To see someone's Seed Origin manifestation, one must use an Origin Technique, which requires them to be Awakened first.

Luna shook her head slowly before continuing, "Just by looking at it, others can already tell that your Seed Origin has an extraordinary devouring power. You're lucky to have a Seed Origin with development potential far faster than most people."

"So, this tentacle monster is really strong?" Venix asked, a mixture of hope and doubt in his voice.

"Strong or weak, who knows?" Luna shrugged casually. "You'll only know once you truly master its power. Sometimes, the appearance and aura of a Seed Origin can be deceptive. What looks terrifying might not be that strong after all."

Venix looked uncertain. "So, there's no danger if my Seed Origin is this tentacle monster?"

"That's hard to say," Luna said, shaking her head. "A Seed Origin can influence its owner, consciously or unconsciously. It depends on you. Are you strong enough to resist its influence, or will you give in to it?"

Luna paused for a moment, allowing her words to sink in before continuing, "Every Seed Origin is different. Some are neutral and don't affect their owner at all, but others are so dominant they influence their owner's behavior. The final answer can only be found once you fully possess and understand your Seed Origin's power."

"So," Luna continued, narrowing her eyes as she looked at Venix, "Are you not satisfied with your current dominant Seed Origin?"

"Not exactly," Venix shook his head gently, scratching the back of his neck. "I just want to see all the available options before making a decision. If I can choose, why not?"

A thin smile appeared on Luna's face. "In ancient times, that would have been very difficult. But now..."

Luna turned around, waving her hand for Venix to follow her. "We live in a modern era. Technology has advanced rapidly. Follow me, I'll show you how."

Luna led Venix to another area in the room.

It didn't take long before they stopped in front of a machine that reminded Venix of an ATM from Earth.

"You haven't officially registered as a new citizen yet," Luna said, turning to Venix. "So, for now, you can borrow my identity to take this manual technique."

Luna inserted her identity card into the machine. After a few seconds, the machine beeped and confirmed Luna's identity.

A small object came out from inside the machine, like a drawer dispensing an item.

Luna took the item. It was a small metal box now in her hands.

"This is the Origin Meditation Technique," Luna said, spinning the box in her hands. "This technique has been perfected hundreds of times by our predecessors. Its function is simple but very important—taking your consciousness into the Origin Fragment Realm, where your Seed Origin resides."

Venix watched the box with curiosity.

"Over there," Luna continued, "you will be able to see the different types of Seed Origins, including the tentacle monster you saw earlier. By using this technique, you can accelerate the development of your Seed Origin by actively helping it absorb other Seed Origins to strengthen and refine your main Seed Origin."

Venix listened attentively, processing Luna's explanation.

"On the other hand," Luna added, "you can also develop other Seed Origins within the Origin Fragment Realm. When one of those Seed Origins grows and becomes stronger, surpassing the Tentacle Monster level, your main Seed Origin will automatically adjust to match the strongest Seed Origin within the Origin Fragment Realm."

Venix nodded, understanding what was happening.

If Earth were truly going to change in the future, this information and technology would be an incredibly valuable treasure for him!

Luna handed the metal box to Venix, who accepted it eagerly. A flicker of curiosity shone in his eyes. The box felt light, yet there was clearly something special inside.

With a single touch, Venix placed the metal box in his hand. Without warning, information flooded his mind, like a book suddenly opening.

"This technology is insane!" Venix thought, astounded. It was far more advanced than anything he had previously imagined.

"Alright, that's just a basic introduction to Awaken. Is there anything else you'd like to ask?" Luna inquired, her calm voice indicating she was accustomed to this situation.

Venix paused for a moment, then recalled something that had caught his attention—the aurora across the sky.

He then asked about the Aurora in the sky and what its existence meant.

"I almost forgot about that," Luna sighed. "Sometimes, I feel like I've lived too long and forgotten that the sky is supposed to be blue."

Venix fell silent.

He looked at Luna, who now appeared to be a young woman in her early twenties. How could she feel like a woman in her forties?

Of course, Venix didn't know that as one's power increased, their lifespan could also surpass that of an ordinary human.

Living for hundreds of years was normal, and as long as their bodies weren't severely injured, they could stay young for more than a hundred years.

However, despite their long lives, death still claimed many in this world.

This was because the majority of deaths in this world were caused by battles, not old age.

Luna continued her explanation, "That aurora is a sign that the Origin Era has begun. At least, that's what we call this phenomenon.

"Back then, this world had no Awaken. Everyone relied solely on technology to survive and evolve.

"And historical records state that the aurora filled the sky when the Origin Era began. At that time, there was no Awaken in the world, and no one was aware of the changes happening in the sky.

"We called that aurora the Origin Source. It is the source of the awakening of the Awaken across the world."

Venix listened intently, his pupils shrinking to small slits.

Luna continued: "After the Origin Source filled the sky and covered the whole world, ordinary humans began to awaken and naturally transform into Awaken, gaining powers far beyond regular humans.

"That era was a dark one. The world's order was shattered due to the emergence of Awaken scattered all over the world, and wars for power broke out everywhere.

"Perhaps if I went into all the details, it would take too long. The point is, the aurora in the sky signifies that this world has received the blessing from the Origin Source."

Venix fell silent, processing what he had just heard.

If what Luna said was true, then the Origin Source had appeared on Earth.

This meant the Awaken would soon emerge, and the real world would change, perhaps faster than he could imagine.

But not just Earth—three other human-inhabited planets might also be facing the same fate.

Or perhaps, they had already entered the Origin Era and awakened first.

And if Numan World reflected Earth's future, and the story Luna shared was true, then the real world would soon become a very dangerous place, filled with chaos and peril.

While Luna was explaining earlier, there was one thing that had caught Venix's attention.

When Luna mentioned the word "Human," the system connected to Venix processed it as "Human." However, Venix's ears heard a different word—"Numan."

So, it could be confirmed that "Numan" meant "Human."

If translated to Earth's language, did this world mean... Human World?

"I have another question," Venix furrowed his brow and continued, "You mentioned people who awaken the Origin Fragment Realm, they're called Awaken. Then, you also mentioned 'Seedbound.' What does that mean?"

Luna smiled slightly, "That's just a name for the level or title of someone who has reached a higher stage in their power."

Venix nodded, trying to process everything. "How many power levels are there?"

Luna answered calmly, "There are several. Beginners like you, who have just awakened, are called Awakened. Once you reach perfection, you'll become Seedbound, and your power will increase significantly."

Venix mentally noted this. "And then?"

"Above Seedbound, there's the Rootbound level. Above that, there's Treebound," Luna added.

Venix waited, sensing that there was more to come.

"For now, the highest level one can reach is Primecore. It is the pinnacle of power in this world," Luna explained.

Venix frowned, still processing the information. "So, Primecore is the peak of power humans can achieve?"

Luna met his gaze before sighing deeply. There was a weariness in her eyes.

"No," she replied softly, her eyes drifting toward the window as if looking at something far beyond. "We believe there is a level above Primecore. However... for some reason, we haven't been able to reach it and remain stuck here."

She briefly closed her eyes, as if holding back her emotions.

Seeing Luna in this state, Venix sensed a sudden shift in her mood.

Her usually calm and cheerful demeanor now appeared... heavier.