Celestials Game: Inheriting the Flawed Legacy of the Soul Warlock

Ezra sprinted toward the other bronze door, gripping a thick, long bone. He planned to hit the door to grab the attention of anyone on the other side, if there were people there.

His heart thumped in fear, and his arms trembled.

'What if the door refuses to open? Do I have to die a second time? Shit! That demoness warned me about dying again.'

But before he reached the door, it slowly opened as if pushed from behind by an invisible hand. Ezra didn't have time to think about why; he rushed and slipped through the slight opening.

As he emerged on the other side, a massive black body hurtled his way. Ezra's eyes widened at the sight of a colossal wolf. Instinctively, he thrust the sharp end of the bone at the creature.

The sharp end found its way into one of the wolf's wounds, sending Ezra tumbling off the rail of the stairs as the wolf crashed into the stairs, sinking the bone deeper.

Standing up, Ezra noticed four girls surrounding dead wolves. They must have been fighting them; one girl was even smashing a wolf twice her size with her axe, sending it flying.

Suddenly, a glowing panel appeared in his vision:

[Second Order Mortal killed: Night Wolf!]

[+1 Gear acquired: Shadow Hunter.]

[+1 Soul Vitalis acquired!]

A warm feeling enveloped him before a sudden dizziness struck. He instinctively suspected it was the work of the lady statue sitting on the throne, so he escaped toward the entrance, whispering to the girls staring at him with wide eyes, "Run!"

Not waiting to see if they took his advice, he sprinted outside, where many wandering monsters loomed in the distance. Ezra rushed toward the path he remembered, but the dizziness intensified as he continued his escape. His vision began to spin.

He tried to resist, but the dizziness grew stronger until he collapsed just as he exited the ruin site.

"Damn…" That was his last whisper before he passed out.

***

Ezra's eyes flew open, and he quickly sat up, scanning his surroundings. When he found himself in a dimly lit room on a white bed, his tense body relaxed as he realized he was in civilization, not in a beast's den reserved for dinner.

He tried to access his Elite panel.

[Legacy Synchronization: 90%...]

The door flung open, and a lady with white hair, dressed in a white lab coat, entered, followed by another tall lady.

"Hello, Mr. Ezra, how are you doing?" the lady with white hair asked, smiling warmly.

"Hungry," Ezra replied, his stomach grumbling in approval.

"We'll just ask a few questions, and then you can go eat. It's on me," the lady smiled, pulling up a chair and sitting across from Ezra. The stern-looking lady stood behind her.

"Okay," Ezra answered calmly.

"My name is Miss Aliya Whitethorn, and I'm investigating the ruin site that disappeared."

"Disappeared?" Ezra arched an eyebrow.

"Yes. The ruin site vanished, and everyone was found asleep on a plain field," Aliya explained patiently.

'Is it that lady statue?' Ezra thought, his eyes momentarily lost, but he quickly composed himself.

Aliya noticed his brief daze.

"What do you want to know?" Ezra asked calmly.

"Ezra, what did you see behind that door?" she leaned forward, her eyes sharp.

'There were two doors before those girls. She must be talking about the first.'

After a short silence, Ezra replied, "A pile of bones."

"Is that all?"

"Yes. That is what I saw behind the door."

Both of them locked eyes for a few seconds before Aliya leaned back in her chair.

"How old are you, Ezra?"

"Seventeen and a few days."

"You are awakened, but your name isn't registered in the Council's database. Are you a rogue?" Her eyes sharpened.

Ezra shivered, unsure if it was from her pressure or the fear of being labeled a rogue. His brain raced.

He quickly admonished vehemently, his expression twisted with spite, "I can never be a rogue. I would never hunt my kind for higher mana value, nor hunt unawakened humans for the minuscule mana. All rogues should be born on stakes! Besides, I'm still at the bottom of the rank! That proves I haven't killed any humans for mana."

Aliya chuckled at his desperate defense.

She waved her hand. "Okay. I know you're not a rogue. But I'm curious: what have you been doing for the past two years since you awakened? There's a Rank 1 Plane in this city. You just need to enter the plane, spawn at a random site, then make your way to the Haven. From there, you hunt and increase your rank. Easy peasy. Or do you want to become a rogue?"

"No." Ezra decided to remain silent after that, realizing awakening at 17 was strange. Although he hadn't seen his Elite System and Class, others could detect it, confirming he had really awakened.

Aliya crossed her legs.

"Ezra, do you know all ruin sites are important to the Council? They vanished with people who might need rescuing. Now, I want you to tell me everything you witnessed at the ruin site. For your reward, I'll give you cash for good food and new gear that will increase your chances of survival. Lastly, I'll use my connections to get you a map of a Rank 1 Plane, which will help you avoid dangerous zones."

Ezra quieted, but his mind raced.

His expression became solemn as he stared at Aliya, finally reaching a conclusion.

"The room was empty, but behind the second door were eight statues."

Aliya stared at him, trying to see through him.

"What do you think about them?"

"Nothing," Ezra said offhandedly, attempting to hide his feelings.

"Stop lying. This is your last chance," her voice hardened, revealing an undisguised threat.

"Fine!" Ezra snapped. "I think they were alive! Don't ask me how, because I didn't stick around to verify."

Aliya continued to stare into his eyes, as if trying to discern his truth.

A tense silence enveloped them, punctuated only by their soft breathing.

Then, unexpectedly, she smiled and leaned back in her chair.

'Please the emotional should snapping work. I don't want to get involved in… mystical stuff. That demoness that revive me, that statue with red eyes...' Ezra prayed inwardly, staring at Aliya with an impatient expression.

"Give me your hand," Aliya said.

Ezra stretched out his hand, and Aliya shook it.

A message popped up in his vision:

[+1 Gear acquired: Silver Edge.]

"Silver Edge?" Ezra asked, raising an eyebrow.

The lady behind Aliya widened her eyes when he mentioned the name.

"Treat it well. It's a good sword. Don't sell it because I will come for it."

With that, Aliya stood up, dropped a thousand credits on the bed, and walked toward the entrance, pausing at the door. "You're fit to leave. Don't forget to register as Awakened and get yourself a badge, or those hunters will come for you. I will send the map to your location. Remember to do your research before entering the Rank 1 Plane, so you don't die a useless death due to ignorance."

Ezra nodded, watching them disappear.

He muttered, "I forgot to ask for my clothes. Well, they were torn beyond repair. I'll keep this blue gown. Surprisingly, I have two gears but can't access my panel."

A smile tugged at his lips as his eyes landed on the thousand-credit note. "First, I'll treat myself to a survival meal, then arrange my belongings, register with the council association, and buy a phone to gather information before entering the Rank 1 Plane."

He had forgotten much of the information he learned during his basic education since he hadn't awakened.

Ezra stood up, adjusted his gown, ran his fingers through his hair, and walked out of the room, only to bump into someone just outside the door.

Lowering his head, he noticed a short girl staring at him. It was the short girl who sent a wolf flying with her twin axes.

"You?!" Ezra blurted.

"Good. You remember me! Now, let's settle our scores," she replied, her expression stern and solemn.