The Greatest Awakener: Ruler Of Time And Portals.

Rumble

The ground quaked beneath them, trembling as though the very earth itself was caught in a moment of terror. The sound of the golem's charge was deafening, a cacophony of cracking stone and grinding gears. The sheer force of its rush sent waves through the air, sending dust spiraling into the sky. Nicolas and Emilia stood, rooted to the spot, hearts pounding, as they watched the behemoth break free from their QT-snare with unnerving ease. This was no ordinary tier-1 beast—it was something far more deadly. They exchanged a grim look, both understanding the same thing: they were in grave danger.

Their expressions hardened into steely resolve. Without a word, they nodded in unison, silently preparing for the deadly game ahead. With swift, practiced movements, they split, Nicolas darting towards the golem's left flank, Emilia veering right, hoping to find an opening.

But the beast was quicker than they had anticipated. It stretched its massive arms to the sky, its joints creaking with unnatural speed. The ground around it trembled as it began to spin, faster and faster, a vortex of destruction roaring to life. The force of the spinning winds created an impenetrable barrier that swept across the battlefield. The two friends exchanged a glance—this wasn't a fight; this was a maelstrom they had to navigate.

Emilia lashed her whip towards the golem's spinning mass, her aim true—but the whip bounced off the rotating wall of wind and stone, the sharp screech of metal on rock echoing through the air. The force of the recoil sent her stumbling back.

"Wait!" Nicolas shouted, grabbing her arm. "It won't stop spinning until it's ready to attack. We have to let it make the first move."

But the golem had other plans. With terrifying agility, it turned towards Nicolas, still spinning, and the ground beneath him seemed to buckle under its immense power. A curtain of dust rose, obscuring everything around them.

Nicolas's eyes widened in realization. "No way... Isn't that the Spiral Lancer technique? But that's only for brute wooden golems! We're in deeper trouble than we thought." He looked at Emilia, his voice laced with a quiet desperation.

The monster's massive arms reached toward Nicolas with horrifying precision, its speed growing exponentially. He tried to shift direction, but the golem's relentless focus stayed fixed on him, closing the distance at an alarming rate. Nicolas's breath caught in his throat—he was running out of time.

Just as the golem's hand shot toward him, ready to end it all, a voice rang out, clear and powerful, cutting through the chaos like a blade.

"From skies untamed, a beast takes flight,

With wings of gale and eyes of night.

O spirit of storms, rise and soar,

Unleash thy fury, forevermore.

Standing forever as the brave's cairn,

Come forth the valiant tempest wyvern."

The winds howled, the air thickening with the weight of the divine chant. A tempest rose from the earth itself, wild and furious, as if the gods had torn open the heavens in wrath. A massive shape began to form, an intangible wyvern's head materializing from the wind—a primal creature of destruction, born from the very heart of chaos.

With a screech that rattled the heavens, the wyvern surged forward, a force of nature imbued with divine fury. It slammed into the golem's spinning mass, a juggernaut of wind that hurled the beast back, trapping it in a vortex of its own making.

The golem roared in fury, the sound muffled beneath the howling winds, but its movements were slowed, trapped by the relentless assault. The dust was thick, but through it, they could hear the golem's groans—its body creaking and cracking as the wyvern's fury overwhelmed it. Slowly, agonizingly, the sounds of resistance faded, and the golem's struggles became weak.

Emilia exhaled sharply, relief flooding her chest, but beneath her breath, she couldn't shake the eerie feeling gnawing at her.

"That... that new spell of yours is terrifying," Nicolas said, a sigh of relief escaping his lips. But his voice was heavy, his gaze distant, as though something deeper, darker, lingered within him.

Emilia offered a sympathetic smile. "It's a shame you didn't get the hunt, but at least we survived. We'll set another trap, try again."

The hunt would have counted if Nicolas had used a magic spell to strike , but the rules of the world force were cruel. Only when a freshly awakened mage dealt a magic spell did the hunt register.

As the dust began to settle, the two approached the fallen golem, its hulking body sprawled out, riddled with wounds. Nicolas drew his saber, the weapon gleaming with promise. With a steady hand, he approached the golem, positioning the blade for the heart.

But as his sword neared the golem's chest, a bone-chilling presence washed over him. A horrific dread seized his heart. He couldn't move. His body stiffened as cold fingers wrapped around his throat.

Nicolas gasped, his saber slipping from his hands as he was hoisted into the air, the golem's massive, stone fingers tightening with horrifying strength. His breath came in ragged gasps, each desperate pull of air more strained than the last.

Emilia's eyes widened in panic. She sprinted towards him, but before she could even reach his side, the golem's other hand shot out, snatching her whip with an almost casual flick. It tossed it aside as if it were nothing, its eyes narrowing in dark contemplation. She suddenly remembered the flare gun they had been provided with, but there was no trace of it as if it had vanished into thin air.

A sickening grin spread across the golem's jagged face, and with terrifying slowness, it dragged Nicolas closer, the jagged stone of its fingers pulling his body toward its chest. A malicious gleam sparkled in its eyes as it lifted the saber to his chest, pressing it against the delicate flesh with a calculated precision.

It was as if the golem was savoring the moment, carving its own twisted masterpiece. Slowly, the blade sank into Nicolas's skin, the blood drawing in thin, shallow lines as the golem continued its maddening focus.

Emilia arrived at last, her heart breaking at the sight. Her whips lashed out once more, but they were nothing against the golem's towering mass. It ignored her completely, its attention fully devoted to Nicolas's suffering.

"Stop it!" Emilia cried, her voice hoarse with desperation. She attacked again, but it was as if the beast didn't even notice her anymore.

Nicolas's desperate moans filled the air, each one laced with unbearable pain, and Emilia's heart shattered with each sound. Her eyes filled with tears as she pressed on, refusing to let him die. She slashed her whip again and again, each strike more frantic than the last.

The golem, irritated, threw the saber aside and turned to Emilia. With a single, brutal motion, it lifted her off the ground by the throat, its grip crushing her air supply. Without hesitation, it hurled her away like a ragdoll.

Emilia collided with the ground with a sickening thud. The sound of breaking bones echoed through the air, and crimson blood pooled beneath her. Yet, through the pain, she gathered herself. Her hands, now bloodied, pressed against the earth, and with great effort, she managed to sit up.

Her ember eyes burned with unrelenting fury as she gazed at the golem. Despite the blood staining her lips, she began to chant—each word an invocation of the storm.

"Silent breath of dusk, take flight,

Whisper through the veil of night.

Pierce the stillness, sharp and cold,

Carry wrath, both fierce and old."

A gale rushed from her, wild and unrelenting, crashing into the golem with the fury of a thousand storms. The creature was lifted into the air, its massive form tossed like a ragdoll. As it tumbled, the golem released its grip on Nicolas, and he, wounded but determined, broke free, scrambling away from the beast.

But Emilia wasn't done. She stood, shaky but resolute, and faced the beast.

"We'll finish this," Nicolas muttered under his breath, his heart thundering in his chest.

Emilia nodded. "Together."

Nicolas's hands began to glow, the air around him heating. A massive orb of flame, roaring with energy, formed above him, swirling with destructive power. With a single word, he released the beast's doom.

"Awaken, ember of ancient might,"

"Rise, oh bastion from the depths of stone,"

"Ignite the sky with searing light,"

"Shield the weak with roots overgrown,"

"Let wrathful flames consume the night,"

"Stand unyielding, firm and alone,"

"Inferno's roar, unleash thy spite!"

"Guard thy kin, let none atone."

The earth shook as the beast, furious and desperate, finally broke through the earth walls. It tried to evade the orb, but it was too slow. The massive ball of flame soared through the air, engulfing the golem in a brilliant explosion of fire. The creature's screeches of agony rang out, then abruptly stopped as the flames consumed it. The dust cleared, revealing nothing but ash.

The sky darkened, the heavens roaring in approval. Suddenly, a bolt of cerulean lightning arced from the clouds, striking Nicolas.

Emilia gasped, but to her shock, instead of burning to a crisp, Nicolas stood unharmed, bathed in an ethereal glow, his body radiating power.

The world around him seemed to shift, the very fabric of time bending to his will.

---

[Baptism successful. Initiating affinity search.]

[The magus is of Earth, granting base affinities— Fire, Earth, Water, and Ice.]

[Ding! The magus is found to possess Chroniseth bloodline.]

[Auto grant of Time and Portal affinity successful.]

[Activating status screen.]

[Magus: Nicolas Everhart (Earth)]

[Primal affinities: Time and Portals]

[Mana capacity: 20 MP (Remaining: 13 MP)]

[True missions: None]

[Rank: Tier-1 mage (unranked)]

[Primal Spells: Glimpse of Future(+), Simulation(+), The Analysis of Past(+).]

Nicolas's lips curved into a smirk, the weight of his new powers settling over him. The road ahead would be fraught with challenges—but now, he was more ready than ever to face them. His journey had only just begun.