Chapter 10: Order in Chaos
Genesis Status:
Name: Yukeli Ausra
True Name: —???
Race: Human (Awakened)
Description: You have awakened the paths of greatness within you, shedding the fragile shell of Homo sapiens and taking the first steps on the primordial path. Now, you are Homo Imminens — "The Imminent" — the next stage of humanity. An existence still incomplete, but on the verge of revealing its true potential.
Age: 1 year ??
Primordial Essence: [150/500]
Consciousness: [140]
Willpower: [310]
Strength: [50]
Order: First Order
Attributes: [Unknown] [Beloved of ????]
[Born Smith]
Class: None
Aspect: [Domain]
Aspect Description: ____
Aspect Skill: [Subtle Domain Manipulation]
Aspect Skill Description: ____
Innate Skill: [Hollow Forge]
Innate Skill Description: ____
Runes: [Predatory Intelligence]
Artifacts: [Sword of Silence] [Heart of Krqwd]
---
Yukeli finished checking his status.
Unlike previous notifications, the system now seemed to simplify descriptions, as if there were no longer a need to explain the obvious. Still, something remained strange. When he focused his attention on a specific element, deeper details emerged slowly, almost of their own accord, like dormant memories awakening under the light of consciousness.
It was as if the system responded not only to what he saw, but to what he sought to understand.
There were four things that left him intrigued.
The first was the race.
Yukeli already suspected he was no longer fully human, but seeing the confirmation written out was different. The words carried an absolute weight, a truth that could not be denied.
'Apparently, I've become a Homo superior,' he thought.
Knowing he had become something beyond common humanity brought a strange sensation. It wasn't pride, nor fear — it was a silent perception that he had crossed an invisible and irreversible limit.
He was no longer the same.
The second was the age.
The system stated he was only one year old.
Only one year of existence. Yukeli frowned slightly.
He had lived for years. He remembered time, the seasons, the feeling of growing up — and yet, that didn't matter. That existence… that version of himself… had been born only a year ago according to the system.
So he hadn't just changed.
He had been reborn.
The third was the primordial essence.
He understood instinctively what it represented.
Consciousness — the mind.
Willpower — the soul.
Strength — the body.
Three pillars. Three fundamental truths.
His Willpower vastly exceeded his other attributes.
He had 310 points of willpower and only 50 of strength. This could only mean one thing: his soul was dominant and his body was his weakest point.
Yukeli had nothing to compare it to, so it didn't bother him at the moment.
He could feel it — If he continued to absorb primordial essence, his strength would increase.
This was only the beginning.
The fourth was the attributes section.
The first was clear: he possessed the gift of smithing, likely linked to his innate skill. It was something that felt natural, like knowledge that had always existed within him.
The second, however, was disturbing.
Very disturbing.
The sensation it conveyed was unlike anything else.
It wasn't power.
It was absence.
Attribute: [Unknown]
Description: [Names are the first things born from primordial essence. Everything that possesses primordial essence carries a true name. But you do not possess one. Your name was torn from you in a cruel act that weakened your body, clouded your soul, and destroyed the memory your own essence had of itself. You are a complete unknown. No one in the vast cosmos can decipher or understand you. If you wish to change this, you will have to find your true name.]
Yukeli assimilated the information in silence.
If his speculation was correct… it was terrifying.
He had woken up one day in a hospital, with no injuries and no sign of illness, but his memories had been erased. No one could explain the cause.
No doctor. No exam.
No explanation.
He had to manage on his own in the world.
Always alone.
The void within him never disappeared. The constant sense of incompleteness, as if something essential had been torn from his existence.
He hadn't just forgotten himself.
He had lost his identity.
But this strange attribute said something different.
It said his memories weren't lost.
They were torn away.
And that meant they could be recovered.
Yukeli took a deep breath.
There was no panic.
Only silent determination.
He had always sought answers.
Perhaps recovering his name was the first step.
At that moment, a female voice cut through his thoughts:
"Everyone, could you gather here for a moment, please?"
Yukeli approached slowly, his steps echoing softly on the cold stone, and saw the people organizing around the source of the voice.
Upon a natural elevation of the rock stood a woman.
Her posture was firm. Her eyes were attentive and vigilant, like someone accustomed to taking responsibility in moments of uncertainty.
She waited until everyone was looking before speaking:
"My name is Naira. And I have something to propose to all of you."
The murmur of the cave seemed to echo inside everyone's chest. The black stones, the cracked eggs, and the damp smell created a suffocating atmosphere, as if the environment itself were watching in silence.
Yukeli still held the Sword of Silence.
But no one seemed to notice.
Everyone was caught between shock, confusion, fear… and the woman named Naira.
Naira raised her voice, clear and firm:
"Everyone, please. We need to organize. I… am going to propose myself as leader."
A heavy silence fell over the group.
No one moved.
Tania frowned, crossing her arms, watching Naira with caution. Maeron stared at her with a rigid jaw, evaluating her in silence. Leena tilted her head slightly, analyzing her words carefully.
"Lead…?" Tavir spoke, his voice low. "You mean you're going to decide what we do?"
"Not decide alone," Naira corrected. "But coordinate our actions. I am Naira Otto, a lieutenant in the German army. I have experience in leading. I am a platoon leader of the armed forces in my country. We need to find a way out of this cave, and I believe I am a good choice to lead us."
'Interesting,' Yukeli thought while observing the woman.
Her confidence didn't seem forced.
It felt natural.
"I also gained magical skills like everyone here. And… my aspect ensures that I always reach the location I desire. I can guide all of you."
The group looked at each other.
"Hahaha… well, at least someone seems to know what they're doing."
"This is no joke," Naira replied firmly. "We are trapped here with powers we barely understand. Every second of hesitation puts us at risk."
"If… if we're going to follow someone, it better be someone experienced…" Aris said, shrinking back.
The middle-aged man nodded.
"I agree. We need leadership. But how do we know you won't lead us to our deaths? A snake capable of magically spitting fire just tried to devour us, after all."
Naira took a deep breath.
"I cannot guarantee absolute safety. But I can guarantee that I will do everything to keep everyone alive."
"Very well. Then you lead for now. But we will need information about what each person can do. We cannot put ourselves at risk without knowing our own capabilities."
Leena stepped forward, the firmness in her voice contrasting with the fear of the environment.
"Exactly," added Tania, crossing her arms while staring at me for some reason. "We need to share information and get to know one another."
Someone raised their hand slightly:
"What if there are monsters or something worse than that serpent? How will we react?"
"We will evaluate as we go," said Naira. "First, we need to find a way out of the cave. Then, we will organize exploration. We need to know where we are and confirm the things this strange system claims."
The tall young man smiled nervously:
"Easy to say when you've had training and seem to have everything under control…"
"It's not about control," Naira countered firmly, "it's about decision. And decisions need to be made now."
Aris approached slowly, still hesitant. "And… I can help with whatever… as long as someone protects me, if… if needed."
"Then it's decided. We follow Naira. But everyone must stay alert. Any sign of danger, any mistake, could cost us dearly," the middle-aged man said in a nervous tone.
Yukeli remained in silence, observing the interaction.
The situation was still bizarre, but there was something methodical in the way Naira proposed herself. Something that made sense, even amidst the chaos. He nodded slightly to himself.
'If we're going to get out of here alive, better follow someone who knows how to take care of themselves.'
But then—
He felt something.
A shiver.
His gaze slowly shifted to a point in the darkness of the cave.
Something was wrong.
Very wrong.
"Very well. Let's begin. Yukeli, you're with us, right?" Naira asked.
He slightly raised the sword.
"I am."
But his eyes remained on the darkness.
'Something is strange.'
For the first time since they awoke in that nightmare, the group took a step toward the exit.
But perhaps…
It was already too late.