Chapter 7: Awakening - 9 Days of Slumber
Year 0004, Month I-III: The Imperium
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Day 24-27: The Eventual Return
Nine days had passed since their young leader had fallen into his unusual slumber. Now, on the fourth morning of their extended rest in a forest clearing, the caravan found itself perched high on a mountain road with a breathtaking view of the valley stretching endlessly below to the left. The scenic beauty stood in stark contrast to the underlying tension that had gripped the group during August's prolonged absence from consciousness.
August's natural body clock finally stirred him from his deep sleep. As consciousness gradually returned, confusion immediately clouded his thoughts. How had he ended up in one of the wagon beds—the very same beds he had specifically ordered to be reserved for the women and children throughout their perilous journey? The realization struck him like a cold mountain breeze as he carefully maneuvered himself out of the wagon, taking great care not to disturb the sleeping forms around him.
Standing in the crisp morning air, he examined his condition with growing bewilderment. His armor and weapons had been carefully removed during his unconscious state, yet remarkably, he detected no unpleasant odors about his person. Someone had clearly been tending to his needs with meticulous care. The confusion deepened as he surveyed his surroundings—towering mountains rose majestically around them, a stark departure from the flat terrain he distinctly remembered traversing after their departure from the village of Berkinsil.
A gnawing uncertainty gripped him. Was this reality, or some elaborate dream? The line between waking and sleeping seemed impossibly blurred. Seeking answers, he activated his Personal System Menu to check the current date.
**[Imperial Calendar: Year 6850, 27th day of the 1st Month]**
**[Personal System Calendar: Year 0004, Month 1, Day 27: The Imperium]**
The dates confirmed his growing suspicion—they had departed on the morning of the 19th, which meant he had been unconscious for an astounding nine days since their departure. The revelation sent shockwaves through his already confused mind. Desperate for confirmation and answers, he scanned the campsite for any wakeful soul who could shed light on his missing time.
His eyes settled on one of the night guards completing his shift duties. With urgency driving his movements, August approached the man, though his natural stealth caused him to move more quietly than intended.
"Ahhhhh!!!! What the hell?" The startled guard's coffee cup flew from his hands, its contents spattering across the rocky ground as he spun around in alarm. "What the hell, man?!" His voice carried the irritation of someone whose peaceful morning had been rudely interrupted. "Can't you be more care—" The words died in his throat as he slowly raised his head, his expression transforming from annoyance to absolute shock, as if he were staring at a specter returned from the dead. "Sir... Oh my goodness, it really is you, young Master August! Thank the heavens!"
The guard's exclamation pierced the mountain silence, immediately drawing the attention of his fellow sentries. The sound of running footsteps echoed across the campsite as the other wakeful guards rushed toward what they assumed was an attack. Leading the charge was Bren, the squad leader responsible for this four-man end-of-shift rotation before dawn fully broke across the mountains.
"what... what happened?" Bren's words came in gasps as he approached, his spear and shield at the ready. It wasn't until he drew closer and the first guard stepped aside that he saw the figure sitting calmly by their morning fire.
"GUS!!!! YOU'RE AWAKE!!!" Bren's childish voice echoed dramatically throughout the mountain peaks and down into the valley below, unnecessarily alerting every living soul within miles. The sound reverberated off the stone faces of the surrounding cliffs, creating a symphony of joy that seemed to shake the very foundations of their temporary sanctuary.
The commotion sparked an immediate response throughout the camp. Like experienced travelers and hardened warriors alike, they burst from their tents and wagons, fully armed and equipped for combat within moments. Although it wasn't long since they started this dangerous journey, they had already honed their reflexes to razor sharpness—any unusual sound in the wilderness meant potential death.
"What's happening here? Where are the enemies?" Erik's voice carried the authority of a seasoned fighter as he arrived first on the scene, still heavy with sleep but nonetheless prepared for battle. His combat instincts had kicked in automatically, weapons drawn and armor hastily donned. The sight that greeted him was not one of danger, but rather of pure joy radiating from the faces of those gathered around the campfire. It wasn't until he pushed through the growing crowd that he understood the source of their elation.
There, sitting casually by the fire as if nothing extraordinary had occurred, was their friend and dependable leader—the man they had feared might never wake again.
Erik's stern expression melted instantly, replaced by the same overwhelming relief that had struck the others. "GUS! YOU'RE AWAKE!" His voice cracked with emotion, betraying the depth of concern he had carried during those long, uncertain days trying his best to lead the caravan to their destination.
"Erik, it's good to see you," August replied, his voice still thick with confusion. "I'm afraid I'm still quite disoriented. Would you mind explaining what's been happening? I seem to have lost some time."
"Of course! Where do I even begin?"
The reunion grew more emotional as other members of their close-knit group arrived. Angeline emerged from one of the wagons, her eyes immediately filling with tears of joy upon seeing August conscious and alert. Behind her came Betty, Adam, Isabel, and Master Ben, along with the patriarchs of the migrant families they had been escorting. Soon, a tight circle had formed around August, each person eager to confirm with their own eyes that their young leader had truly returned to them.
The overwhelming attention made August visibly uncomfortable—he had never been one to enjoy being the center of such focused scrutiny. Angeline, unable to contain her relief any longer, broke through the circle and embraced him tightly, tears streaming down her cheeks. Her emotional display seemed to give the others permission to express their own feelings. Betty followed suit with her own heartfelt embrace, and even Isabel—typically reserved and maintaining her tomboyish demeanor—allowed her softer, more feminine emotions to surface as she too joined in welcoming him back.
Through the flood of relieved explanations from his companions, August began to piece together the events of his lost days. According to their accounts, he had collapsed into a deep, unnatural sleep shortly after their departure from Berkinsil, remaining unconscious atop the rear wagon for the entire journey. While his condition had caused considerable concern among the group, Master Ben had provided reassurance that August was not in any immediate danger. The wise wizard had described the phenomenon as a peculiar state of evolution—a transformation of the mysterious power that dwelt within their young leader.
"I see. Thank you all for your concern and care during my... absence," August said, his voice heavy with gratitude. "But please, tell me—have you all been well? Were there any problems on the road? I'm sorry to have caused such worry." His immediate concern for their wellbeing, even in his own moment of confusion and vulnerability, surprised some of the newer members of their group. However, for Erik, Bren, Angeline, Betty, Adam, Isabel, and Andy, this selfless response was perfectly characteristic of their leader—the same man who would inquire about others' welfare even while gravely injured himself.
The group eagerly shared their experiences from the journey, recounting the various encounters and challenges they had faced during his absence. As the immediate excitement of his awakening began to settle, the camp gradually returned to its normal rhythm. However, the underlying joy and relief permeated every activity, transforming their routine morning exercises into a celebration of renewed hope.
August, despite his recent awakening and lingering confusion, immediately rejoined their daily routines. He led their customary morning jog around the perimeter of the camp, participated in their physical exercises, guided their combat drills, and supervised their magical training sessions. His presence seemed to energize everyone, restoring a sense of normalcy and confidence that had been subtly absent during his unconscious state.
Later that day, after they had shared a particularly joyful breakfast filled with laughter and storytelling, Master Ben approached August with a more serious demeanor. The wizard's intention was clear—he needed to conduct a thorough examination of August's condition following his prolonged slumber.
The examination was both mystical and methodical. Master Ben's eyes began to glow with an inner fire, befitting his mastery of flame magic, as he peered into the deepest recesses of August's being. His magical sight examined every aspect of August's physical and spiritual condition—mana veins, mana heart, and every other mystical component that comprised the young man's extraordinary nature.
"Ho ho ho, truly spectacular, young man," Master Ben declared with obvious amazement. "If you were formidable before, you have now grown by leaps and bounds. Your power has become significantly more refined than when we first met. Whatever entity resides within you has certainly elevated your abilities to remarkable heights. You appear to be in perfect health—better than perfect, actually. That concludes my examination."
With another full day of rest planned before they would resume their journey, August found himself with ample time to investigate the changes within himself. What better way to understand his transformation than to delve deep into his Personal System?
**[DING! DING! DING!]**
The moment he activated his system interface, he was bombarded with a cascade of notifications that hadn't appeared during his earlier, cursory time check. The sheer volume of alerts was overwhelming, each one demanding his attention.
**[MANAGER DOROTHY: CONGRATULATIONS, MASTER, ON YOUR EXTRAORDINARY ACHIEVEMENTS! YOUR PERSONAL SYSTEM HAS REACHED ITS MAXIMUM POTENTIAL FOR THE CURRENT LEVEL CONFIGURATION. DURING YOUR RECENT STATE OF INDUCED SLUMBER, WE SUCCESSFULLY IMPLEMENTED A COMPREHENSIVE MAINTENANCE UPDATE, COMPLETING THE FINAL PATCH FOR YOUR PERSONAL SYSTEM VERSION 1.25. SIMULTANEOUSLY, WE HAVE UNDERTAKEN SUBSTANTIAL IMPROVEMENTS TO THE WORLD SYSTEM SURROUNDING YOU IN PREPARATION FOR YOUR EVENTUAL ADVANCEMENT FROM PERSONAL SYSTEM LEVEL 1 (MAXIMUM PLAYER LEVEL: 25) TO PERSONAL SYSTEM LEVEL 2, WHICH WILL INTRODUCE ENTIRELY NEW CONTENT AND CAPABILITIES TO YOUR INTERFACE. THE CURRENT PERSONAL SYSTEM HAS BEEN FULLY OPTIMIZED TO ACCEPT THE NEXT MAJOR UPGRADE, SHOULD YOU CHOOSE TO UNDERTAKE THE THREE TRIALS REQUIRED FOR ADVANCEMENT. WELCOME BACK, MASTER!]**
The lengthy message was delivered in the familiar voice of his Personal System, resonating clearly within his consciousness. As he explored his updated interface, August was astounded by the dramatic improvements across every metric. His health points and mana reserves—the latter having been a persistent limitation in previous encounters—now showed values that seemed almost impossible to achieve through conventional means. His base damage output had increased exponentially, and his magical capabilities had undergone similar enhancement.
Even more remarkable was the transformation experienced by his Guardian Beast and Master Aetherwing, both of whom had achieved power levels that bordered on the legendary. Through the party system interface, he could observe that his closest companions—the core members of Team 1—had also experienced unprecedented growth during his unconscious period. Even Master Ben, who had only recently been added to their party configuration, appeared to have benefited significantly from the systemic improvements.
The scope of changes was staggering. New content had been added, existing features had been updated and refined, while some core elements remained unchanged to maintain system stability. The sheer volume of information was overwhelming, requiring careful, methodical review to fully understand the implications.
One particularly concerning revelation was that the beasts and monsters inhabiting the world had also undergone enhancement, becoming more dangerous and challenging opponents. Their future hunts in the Forest of Lonelywood would require significantly more preparation and skill than before.
The prospect of advancing to Personal System Level 2 gave August pause for serious consideration. If such an upgrade would introduce even more complexity and challenges to an already transformed world, he reasoned that establishing a stable base of operations in the village of Maya would be essential. He needed time to fully master the current system configuration before taking on the trials required for the next advancement phase.
After spending hours immersed in his system interface, August rejoined his companions to share the critical information he had discovered. He called together the active members of his inner circle and those who benefited from the Party System: Erik, Bren, Betty, Angeline, Adam, and Isabel from Team 1, along with Andy, Master Ben, and Axel Martin, the patriarch of their security detail.
Most of the group hadn't yet had time to explore their own Party System updates, having been focused on preparations for the next day's departure. For Axel Martin, who was still relatively new to August's Party System, the very concept remained almost beyond comprehension. The party chat feature alone surpassed traditional mental telepathy in both range and clarity—while conventional telepathy was limited to a few hundred meters at most even by the most powerful High Archmages, August's system maintained crystal-clear communication across distances of up to 100 kilometers from the host. This revelation helped explain the remarkable coordination and tactical precision that August's team displayed during combat situations.
Even Master Ben, despite his vast experience and magical expertise, found himself fascinated by the implications of such technology. The Wizard of Molten Flames had devoted his entire life to researching fire magic, yet August's abilities represented something that transcended their world's current understanding of power and magic.
The group's discussion stretched well into the night as they analyzed the implications of the system updates. Of particular concern was the enhanced strength of the monsters and beasts they would likely encounter during their continued journey. Their path was already fraught with danger, and these improvements to their adversaries would require even more precise decision-making and strategic planning to avoid unnecessary casualties.
It was important to note that not everyone in their caravan benefited from August's Party System enhancements. The majority of their group still relied on the standard World System, which had undergone its own parallel updates. This disparity in capabilities would need to be carefully managed to ensure the safety of all travelers.
As the evening discussion concluded, they prepared to disseminate the crucial information to the migrant patriarchs, their broader security team, and the caravan as a whole. The challenges ahead would be more complex and dangerous than ever before, but they would face them together, armed with new knowledge and enhanced abilities.
Tomorrow would bring fresh trials and decisions that could mean the difference between life and death for their charges. But for tonight, they would rest in the relative safety of their mountain refuge, preparing mentally and physically for whatever lay ahead on their journey to Maya Village.
The mountain winds carried whispers of change through the camp, and August couldn't help but feel that their adventure was entering an entirely new phase—on