<h4>Chapter 3: Awakening</h4>


    When the tower first selected someone to be a Climber, they underwent a painful process which was poprly known as the ''First Awakening''.


    Originally, every human, animal and insect was endowed with three essential elements at birth, namely- the body, the soul, and the mana pathway.


    Upon their arrival into the world, each individual received a physical form, or body, which they soon learned to master.


    This early mastery of their physical form was crucial for their survival and interaction with their immediate environment, however, the time it took for various species to master their bodies varied greatly from species to species.


    Parallel to the physicalwork of veins and capiries within the body, there also existed a metaphysical conduit known as the mana pathway or mana circuit.


    Unlike the visible circtory system, this mana pathway was a metaphysicalwork, invisible to the naked eye yet essential for channeling the mystical energy known as mana which was essential to perform extraordinary deeds and magic.


    For humans, this conduit remained sealed and inactive until maturity like a dormant channel lying in wait until the tower deemed them worthy to ascend as a Climber.


    Till date, the criteria for this selection by the tower remained a mystery, sparking curiosity and spection among those who yearned to be chosen.


    The act of being selected and undergoing the First Awakening was a transformative experience, as it initiated the unsealing of the mana circuit.


    With the unsealing of the mana circuit, an individual encountered the world''s natural mana for the very first time, often leading to their body copsing from shock—a process that, in severe cases, could result in the awakener''s death.


    The dormant mana circuits of the awakeners, never before activated, suddenly surged with mana, inundating the neer with sensations entirely new and overwhelming, as mana flowed through their body for the first time.


    Despite the variability of experiences among individuals, amon and notable aspect of the first awakening was the intense pain apanying the process. This pain was apanied by the expulsion of a foul-smelling, consolidated ck gel-like substance from the pores, as the world''s natural mana fortified and purified the climber''s body.


    The expulsion of more ck gel signified a more thorough cleansing of the body, removing unwanted impurities and enhancing the climber''s future potential.


    However, this ck gel was highly toxic and required expert handling by trained professionals. Contact with this substance during a climber''s first awakening could nearly guarantee a serious infection for an ordinary human.


    In the secondary and higher secondary schools of Earth, it was mandatory for the schools to teach all students what to do when a friend or colleague underwent their first awakening, as every kid was educated and taught that they needed to stay away from the awakener and immediately call the climbers association at 922 for assistance.


    Usually, the climbers association dispatched a healer to whatever location the awakening call came from, however, since Rocky was within the True Elites Guild when he underwent his awakening, there was no need to call for a climber''s association healer as the True Elites guild already had in-house healers who were well trained to perform this task.


    "Guildmaster, I''ve never seen someone eject so much ck goo before, it''s almost never ending.


    He has already ejected 2.5kgs and is showing no signs of slowing down" The True Elite healer, Cassian, said in astonishment as even Karna looked surprised at this phenomenon.


    " The cleaner his mana pathways get from the start, the easier it will be for him to learn spells.


    He''s bound to have a bright future like his sister...." Joe said with an undertone of jealousy as he watched Rocky undergo his first awakening with envy.


    " It''s too early to decide his potential, also talent is not everything in this world, temperament matters equally or perhaps even more than talent " Amelia the guild secretary said, as although she was a mere mortal, her standing within the True Elites guild was second only to Karna and the vice guildmaster.


    A few more minutes passed and Rocky ejected yet another half a kilo of ck goo before finally showing signs of slowing down as the healer Cassian could finally catch his breath from constantly wiping and healing Rocky''s body.


    " His heart rate is stable, but I think he will be out till morning with how much weight he just lost.


    Damn, the kid went from having an undefined body to a chiseled body in minutes" Cassian said, as he rubbed his cleaning cloth over Rocky''s newly formed six pack abbs.


    " Comeon Cassian, the kid was already in pretty good shape.


    Although the awakening improved his physique, you''re exaggerating its importance" Amelia said as she noticed Rocky transform before her very own eyes and noted that although it was a decent transformation, it wasn''t as pronounced as Cassian made it to be.


    " Alright, let''s let the kid sleep for tonight. He has already been through a lot.


    Cassian keep checking on him from time to time throughout the night and Amelia bring him to meet me when he wakes up tomorrow morning" Karna said, as he dispersed the group once Rocky''s awakening waspleted.


    **********


    ( Meanwhile, within Rocky''s subconscious )


    Rocky found himself walking in a pure white space that seemed to stretch till infinity.


    For as far as he could see, there was nothing but just pure white walls as he wondered if this was a dream or was it an borate illusion?


    " Rocky Yadav...we meet atst " a deep voice said from behind Rocky as he turned and found himself staring at a handsome man with deep blue eyes and pure white angel wings.


    The appearance of the man was a bit nostalgic for Rocky as he looked like the perfect copy of what his school books depicted as ''Shakuni'', one of the most powerful gods of the tower, and one half of the most followed godly pair on Earth, the Gemini brothers.


    "You look like Shakuni the Terrifying" Rocky bbered without thinking as the man before him smiled as he said "I am Shakuni".