Chapter 43: Dual Awakener?

[Congratulations, Awakener Ethan Smith, for defeating the first monster]

[Detecting name: Mana Zombie]

[Congratulations, Awakener Ethan Smith, for defeating the first Mana Zombie]

[Rewarding title: Mana Zombie Slayer]

[Effect: When facing a Mana Zombie, your attacks deal 5% more damage. This Title can grow.

Current Rank: F (30/100)]

Just as Ethan was studying the mana around him, the system which had been silent for all these days suddenly popped up.

It turned out that among all awakeners, he was the first person to kill an Aberrant, or as he now called them, Mana Zombies.

"However, this title is not bad. Although it’s only 5 percent now, when it gets to a high enough level, it should make a big difference."

"The 30/100 there must be the thirty I killed just now. I wonder how much it’ll increase once I get to 100."

Muttering under his breath, although surprised the system had listened to his thoughts and officially named them Mana Zombies, Ethan closed the system panel and continued to focus.

The initial mana wave from the apocalypse was about to end, and people were starting to wake up.

Before it ended, he needed to find the keys to his meditation technique and the second circle.

"Wait! Isn’t this—!"

Determined to find the answer, Ethan focused his sight on Victoria and Elena, the two who were closest to awakening.

However, when his eyes landed on Elena, Ethan couldn’t help but be surprised.

He couldn’t believe what he was seeing.

"Isn’t that the mana crystal I gave her back then? I almost forgot about that."

"Don’t tell me she didn’t use it until now?"

Focusing on her, Ethan stared in disbelief.

Although the mana crystal could only work on people who had not yet awakened, it seemed Elena’s metamorphosis this time had triggered it to react.

Right as she was absorbing the mana in the air, the energy in the green crystal in her pocket was rapidly being drawn out, flowing into her core just beneath her navel.

Floating around each other, the two mana sources formed a strange balance, making Elena frown from time to time as they spun.

Not only that, but outside energy was continually being compressed and absorbed into her core.

"Also, those patterns? Is that it!"

Eyes shining brightly, his Max Level Comprehension soared.

"I understand it! If the first principle was the foundation, my understanding of mana as a form of energy..."

"Looking at their cores, I finally understand the next principle!"

"The principle of density! Mana can be compressed into a smaller space, increasing its intensity and output!"

"The same logic behind the ten-thousand-fold strengthening that happened to my first circle!"

"It improved in density! That’s it! The answer was right in front of me! Hahaha!"

Laughing toward the sky, Ethan was ecstatic! He had figured it out!

Watching the mana from the atmosphere compress into their cores and form a strange crystal structure, he knew this was the source of an awakener’s strength.

’No, but if that’s the case, why don’t I have one?’

’Could it be because when I awakened, those abilities merged with my soul instead of my body? If that’s the case, then it makes sense.’

’Either way, I need more information before coming to a firm conclusion.’

Time soon passed, and the more Ethan watched, the more he understood.

He saw how the mana was being compressed.

The shape it took.

The path it used to enter the body.

Everything!

At this moment, his mind was like a supercomputer dissecting and understanding the abnormalities of the substance known as mana.

Not only that, but as he watched, his understanding of resonance, the key to his meditation technique and perhaps the third principle, was also rapidly rising.

At this moment, Ethan felt like he was on the verge of achieving both of his goals.

"Elena! Victoria! Thank you guys!" he whispered, his eyes not leaving them for even a second.

.....

Time soon passed, and before anyone knew it, five hours had elapsed. The aftermath of the apocalypse’s initial surge had begun to slow down.

The Earth’s size had stopped expanding after increasing fivefold.

All around the world, buildings had collapsed, while animals and mutant creatures ran loose.

Even Mana Zombies filled the streets, ready to kill anything that crossed their path.

As for the four black towers, none of them made a move; they simply stood still between the heavens and the earth at the four corners of the Blue Star.

They left every human, beast, and monster in awe as they gazed upon them.

As more time passed, the ambient mana slowly calmed down, no longer aggressively drilling into everyone’s bodies, and the first wave of people started to wake up.

Unfortunately, in a world of about seven billion people, during these first five hours of the apocalypse, nearly two billion people lost their lives.

’Sigh... sadly, there’s nothing more I can do.’

’In the coming days, more and more people will lose their lives.’

’And although the government and military will try to maintain order, it will ultimately fail against the overwhelming strength of mutant beasts and rogue awakeners.’

Recalling his memories of the past, Ethan remembered how the military had dispatched forces and built emergency bunkers in each city as quickly as possible.

Unfortunately, less than two months after the apocalypse, most of those outposts had broken away from command, forming self-sufficient, warlord-like factions.

Shaking his head, Ethan finally stopped focusing on Victoria and Elena. Right now, he had finished understanding the final step of both the second circle and the meditation technique.

Once everything had settled down completely, he would begin his breakthrough to the second circle and start distributing the meditation technique.

Just thinking about the ten-thousand-fold feedback from future practitioners made him practically drool in anticipation.

"Hey, brother, can you stop drooling for a second?"

"And guess what! I just got a notification!"

"Not only that, but I’m a dual awakener!"

Waking up first, Elena’s words suddenly interrupted his thoughts.

Perhaps possessing superior talent, out of everyone present, she was the very first to awaken