"Stop! Stop! Stop! Please, someone relieve me of this pain… help me… anyone!" Ethan shouted, tears cascading down his face as he clutched his head and moved erratically on the ground.
However, no matter how much he screamed or yelled for help, the voices never stopped but only got louder as time passed, as if his screams invigorated them.
Until it seemed, Ethan finally had enough, and with that, his awakening began.
"... I, JACK ETHAN HOLLOW DAVIS, AM NOT WEAK, NOR DO I RUN WHEN THINGS GET TOUGH! SO, IF A FIGHT IS WHAT YOU WANT, THEN A FIGHT IS WHAT YOU'RE MOTHERFUCKING GOING TO GET!"
Crack. Crack. Crack.
He shouted, unaware of the crowd gathering around him or the cocoon that encased him, which was starting to break in reaction to his outburst. Along with the entity whose attention he just gained...
***
Meanwhile, within one of the realms of Multiverse Y, on a secluded dead planet...
A dilapidated tavern existed in the middle of a windy and cold desert that had once been a popular gathering spot for powerhouses and trade. Yet, following the descent of a calamity a thousand years ago, which nearly wiped out the entire population, it became impossible to reside here any longer.
Due to the cosmic radiation left behind from the calamity's descent and departure, which altered and transformed the planet into a dried-up husk. Which was beautiful on the outside, yet inwardly it resembled a patient in terminal care, whose life was gradually dwindling as time passed.
So, with the impending doom about to befall this planet, everyone decided it was better to leave than suffer from an incurable cancer for the remainder of their lives. Except for one man, who could not bear to leave his home and the memories he made here.
And now, besides this building and its owner, no one else resided here besides a temporary visitor from Hell, who could be seen drinking a bottle of Bourbon and eating some beef jerky with fruit.
While they watched the holographic footage of a kid's awakening, following them being mentally and spiritually tortured for a couple of minutes, which honestly, was too weak to aid someone in further awakening their bloodline. But then again, anything is possible, so who knows...
"Hmm, it seems another child has earned his place on the hitlist of potentially dangerous insects that need to be exterminated," Lucifer muttered with a gleam of excitement in his eyes, 'Hopefully, you won't be another bug that squashed before I could savor you, Jack Ethan Hollow Davis.'
"Cough, what's the point of causing suffering, Lucifer, and then complaining when you realize you earned yourself a future enemy?" The owner of Shallow Desert questioned as he looked at the infamous King of Hell with amusement.
"Oh, shut up, Karl, for me and you are in the same boat now! So, if I go down, you will as well, old man... considering, if it were not for you losing in a game of UNO. None of this would have even happened," Lucifer complained as he slammed the bottle of Bourbon upon the bar counter.
'Sigh, I'm getting too old for this... when will Death arrive and claim my soul, so that I can finally reunite with my beloved Anne?' Karl thought with a smile as he envisioned the moment he would see her again, as he completely ignored what Lucifer said.
"Tsk, while true... sadly, life is better when you're forced to constantly improve lest you die without knowing due to negligence," Lucifer muttered as he stood up and stumbled out of the tavern like a drunken fool into the midnight desert.
"... not even a goodbye, huh? Dang, kids these days surely are cruel." Karl said as he glanced at Lucifer's shadow and closed his tavern for the night.
***
A few minutes earlier...
"Rin, do you think I was too harsh back there?" Maze asked after they got their food and sat down.
"Somewhat," Rin replied honestly as he took a bite of his omelet.
"How so, Rin?!" Maze shouted with frustration and annoyance as she continued, "When clearly, Ethan deserved whatever came to him for that potty mouth of his."
She said with disbelief as she could not believe her cousin would side with his disrespectful friend over family.
"Maze, I know what Ethan did back there was rude and outlandish, but he's still our friend at the end of the day, even though that mouth of his could use some soap. Plus, out of everything he said in the past, this was the least disrespectful. Nevertheless, he got what he deserved, so forget it and move on, for unless life hits him hard in the face, he won't change."
"I know that, but still, why can't you ever just nod and agree with me for once, Rin?" Maze asked curiously as she was still frustrated at Rin for not agreeing with her.
"Is this truly important right now?" I asked with a sigh as I glanced at Maze.
"Yes!" She replied as she stared into my eyes as if looking for something of interest.
"... if I had to be honest, it's quite simply, Maze, you're a female," I said with a smile as I could see the energy around us become erratic as a reddish blue flame manifested above Maze's head and took on the form of a crown.
"RIN KURAMA JASPER! IF YOU SAY ONE MORE WORD, I PROMISE YOU EVEN IN DEATH YOU WON'T HAVE REST!" Maze shouted as she stood up, causing everyone around them to look toward their table.
"And this is why I said what I said... because while you are normally a cool and calm collected person, Maze, that's only until someone says something you don't like or agree with. Which leads to you having an outburst, which is fueled by emotions rather than logic, during which your first thought is to act rather than question. For example, why would someone say such a thing, or even, what is their intent for getting me out of my normal posture, and making me so angry?"
Rin said calmly as Maze sat down and retracted her power as she realized what Rin said was the truth, considering as a cultivator, being too emotional is not a blessing but a curse. That could cost you not only their freedom but also their life in the process.
"Thank you, Rin," Maze muttered with revelation and disappointment at the way she reacted in the past and a while ago to their friend.
"You're welcome! Also, it would seem you're not the only one who benefited from this situation." Rin said mysteriously as he looked at the sky, while Maze just blinked in confusion.
"You'll learn in due time, Maze, but for now, let's finish our breakfast and head to the venue, which will determine who will be attending Project X to represent Forbidden Blood."
"Alright," Maze shrugged as she put the matter behind her.
'Hmm, while I would have loved to watch it, something tells me it was better I was here than there. Nevertheless, you cannot hide it forever, my friend, so do go crazy and prove everyone wrong with your new power.'
Rin thought with a smile as he muttered something to himself, "Hopefully, the wait will be worth it, and your father won't ruin everything at the last minute like last time."
He chuckled while removing the barrier and the minor illusion he placed around the table the moment he felt Ethan awaken.