Chapter 1- Part 2 "The Awakening Era"

Vivek blinked at the message; his disbelief evident. He couldn't help but laugh. "Is this an April Fool's prank? Only children would fall for such nonsense. And what does 'deleted' even mean? Does it taste good? Hahaha…" He chuckled at the absurdity of it all, but as the message continued to linger on the screen, doubt crept into his mind. The date read April 1, 2360, making it easy to dismiss this as a prank, but part of him wondered.

"Let me think about what I'd request from this so-called 'God of the Controller.' Even if it's a joke, who cares? Even if people laugh at me, it doesn't matter. I've been praying for a better life for years—why not try this too?"

Vivek's thoughts grew serious as he sat cross-legged on the edge of his bed, wearing only his boxers. His lean body showed the wear of hardship, his pale skin, black hair, and pointy elf-like ears marking his half-elf heritage. At 16 years old, Vivek was average in height, standing at 5 feet 4 inches, but the struggles of life had left him appearing malnourished. Despite his physical condition, the fire of ambition burned in his blue eyes. He had been praying for years, hoping for change, and his patience was running thin.

He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and began to clear his mind. In the stillness of his room, he whispered his wish.

"God of the Controller, I want to find my parents. If that is not possible, then I ask for a power as unique as yours or the same as yours—nothing more, nothing less. When I eventually meet my parents, I want to be able to tell them that I lived a great life without them, that I have no regrets, and that I lived like a god. That is my request. I am not a greedy boy but one desperate to become strong—strong enough that no one can bend me to their will. If this is not a prank, then prove it by granting my request."

After making his plea, Vivek went about his morning routine: twenty sit-ups, twenty push-ups, five minutes of running in place. He pushed his body, driven by the belief that action could help manifest his wish. Desperation fuelled him.

The third message on Vivek's phone drew his attention back to the mysterious object hovering in the sky, but his thoughts were soon interrupted by the day's routine. After completing his morning exercises, he grabbed his towel and clothes, heading toward the public bathhouse in his building.

The hallways of the apartment complex were narrow, dimly lit, and always bustling with activity. Nearly four thousand students lived in this three-story building, and each day felt like navigating a maze of noise and clutter. As Vivek walked, his mind still turning over the strange message from the "God of the Controller," he bumped into Jareth, his neighbour and a so-called "friend."

Jareth, always quick to smirk, approached with a sly grin on his face.

"Vivek, how did you wake up so early this morning? Did you also get a message from the God of the Controller?" Jareth asked, flashing a knowing grin.

"Because of two horny dogs barking all night, I didn't sleep well. Did you get the same message?" Vivek responded, keeping his scepticism about the message hidden behind a layer of sarcasm toward Jareth and his girlfriend.

"Ah, those must be some very rowdy dogs if they barked all night. Hmm… Not only me, but all my friends and their friends received the same message. I think it's just a prank by a mad scientist," Jareth speculated, dismissing the Vivek's sarcasm and message as a joke.

Vivek, however, had something else on his mind. "What if it's true? What would you wish for?"

Jareth's eyes gleamed at the question. "Umm… if it is true, I'd ask for a lot of platinum coins. With that, I could become wealthy and achieve many things in life." Then, turning to Vivek with a teasing smirk, he added, "And you? I bet you'd ask for money and a nice girlfriend. After all, you don't have either. Hahaha... right?"

Vivek rolled his eyes, masking his thoughts with an indifferent tone. "Right. I'd ask for that."

But inside, Vivek was playing his own game. Jareth, oblivious to the layers beneath Vivek's calm facade, laughed, thinking he had won this verbal exchange. Little did he know, Vivek had already manipulated him to reveal more than he intended. As Jareth kept boasting, Vivek thought to himself, 'You think you're clever, but I've already used you to uncover the truth about that girl you're so proud of.'

A few days ago, a girl had started working at the same tavern where Vivek worked. She also attended his school and had been sending Vivek signals for weeks. Unsure of her true intentions, Vivek had shared the situation with Jareth. As expected, Jareth jumped at the opportunity, swooping in to pursue the girl. He had bragged about spending the night with her, thinking he had won some sort of prize. What Jareth didn't realize was that he had been used as a pawn in Vivek's game. The girl was after something superficial, and Jareth's rash actions had only confirmed her shallow motives.

As they continued walking, a small group of students in front of them were chattering excitedly about the same message. They were loud, their voices carrying easily through the narrow corridors.

"Did you get that message too? The one saying there will be changes starting at midnight?" a boy asked, his voice buzzing with a mix of excitement and fear.

"Yeah! Not just me—my parents got it too. Their friends in an E-grade city got the same thing." The second boy's response was hurried, his tone filled with nervous energy.

Jareth gave Vivek a sideways glance, clearly amused. "Listen to these idiots, acting like the world's going to end."

Vivek smirked but said nothing, his ears still tuned to the ongoing conversation.

"I think this world is going to end!" the first boy exclaimed, his panic rising.

The second boy groaned and smacked the back of his friend's head. "You idiot! Did you even read the message properly? It says there will be changes, not the end of the world."

"But what does 'deleted' mean?" another student chimed in; his voice sceptical.

"How the heck should I know? I've never heard of it before," the second boy replied with a shrug.

The conversation drifted into speculation, each student's requests growing more trivial and shallower by the minute.

"I'd ask for a powerful sword," one said, his voice brimming with confidence.

"I'd ask for a magic wand," another added.

"I'd ask to meet all the people I admire and f*ck them... Hehehe..."

Jareth chuckled at their childish wishes. "Idiots. If this were real—and that's a big if—these fools would waste their chance on toys. A sword? A wand? Seriously?"

Vivek smirked again but said nothing this time also.

As they approached the bathhouse, the sound of other students discussing the message grew louder.

"What would you wish for?" one girl asked a friend.

"I'd ask for a magical beast as my companion!"

"I'd ask to control all the elements!"

Vivek overheard all their wishes, each one more trivial than the last. He tuned them out as he and Jareth entered the bathhouse, the steam rising and filling the air.

As Vivek undressed and prepared for his bath, he glanced at Jareth, who was still chuckling at his own cleverness, oblivious to how easily he had been played.

Meanwhile, in a city rated "S" on the social scale, where powerful people reside:

[S Grade City: City of Prosperity, Gold Leaf City] [Emperor's Castle]

Inside the grand meeting hall of the Emperor's castle, the atmosphere was charged with urgency. The hall, with its majestic architecture and elegant decor, was filled to capacity. Today, however, its usual splendor was overshadowed by palpable tension.

Emperor Kaelion Draven, his face lined with concern, addressed the assembly. "Today's meeting is critical, and I don't need to remind everyone why. We all received a message stating that from midnight, everything is going to change. We are the backbone of this empire, so I need everyone's help to resolve this crisis. Where are the grand elders?"

"We are here, Your Majesty!" Elder Bloise replied confidently, wearing a one-eyed goggle, a pointy hat, and holding a magic wand. Elder Bloise was flanked by Elder Lirael, who carried an iPad and a device engraved with runic spells.

"Excellent job, Elder Bloise! Tell us everything!" the emperor urged.

Elder Bloise, appearing to be in his eighties, began, "Elder Lirael and I have been investigating the object in the sky for ten years. This morning, at 3 a.m., Elder Lirael's divine detector picked up signals from that half-moon-sized object in the sky. For the first time in three hundred years, we've received some information about it."

A murmur of disbelief spread through the room. "So, Elders, are you saying this is not the work of a madman but is actually related to the object in the sky?" a person from the third row asked.

"Yes! When we started receiving signals on the divine detector, we both received the same message as everyone else. It was sent to everyone with devices, and those without such devices received it telepathically. As a mage without scientific devices, I received it in my mind," Elder Lirael clarified.

"OMG! Everyone on earth received this message?" someone exclaimed in shock.

"Yes! Our spies confirmed that the message reached all corners of the world. Analyzing the signal revealed its power scale. If it had been directed at a specific location, like Gold Leaf City or Snow Dragon Mountain, that place would have been obliterated in ten seconds," Elder Lirael said, causing a stunned silence.

"Are you telling the truth, Elder Lirael?" Emperor Kaelion Draven asked, his voice laced with concern.

"Yes, Your Majesty! We verified this multiple times during our analysis," Elder Lirael affirmed, presenting the data.

"OMG! Not even a thousand Tier 8 wizards or scientists could achieve that. We don't have a Tier 9 wizard yet, and only Tier 15 or higher could potentially wield such power," someone remarked incredulously after viewing the data.

The emperor took a moment to absorb the information before speaking. "Elders, what is your assessment of this situation?"

Elder Bloise and Elder Lirael exchanged a grave look before Elder Bloise spoke. "Until now, we have never believed in the existence of gods. We do not know if this entity is benevolent or malevolent. What we understand is that if it wished to destroy us, it could have done so instantly. Since that hasn't happened, we have two possibilities:

1. The entity does not want to kill us but intends to make changes to this world. These changes could be either beneficial or harmful, depending on one's perspective. We must adapt to them to avoid potential dire consequences.

2. The entity may not want to kill us immediately but will impose changes, with those who do not accept them facing severe consequences, possibly 'deletion.' We do not know what 'deletion' means, but it suggests a form of severe punishment or control.

Based on our analysis, there is a 60% chance that the entity's intentions are benevolent and a 40% chance they are malevolent. Even with the 60% chance of benevolence, we cannot ignore the possibility of malevolence. Therefore, Your Majesty, we must prepare for the worst."

The emperor's face hardened with resolve. "Prepare for war. If any suspicious activity is detected, launch an all-out attack. This is a global-level emergency. Inform all our allies to prepare for conflict."

"Yes, Your Majesty," the assembly responded in unison, their expressions mirroring the gravity of the situation.

---

To Be Continued....