[You have 10:34:23 before forced awakening. Please proceed to do it yourself.]
Elias stood and looked warily at the dried, cracked land and the eerie trees straight out of a horror movie.
There was a deafening silence as if he was submerged underwater, broken only by the occasional whistling of wind that made Elias startle.
The high-tech helmet of his full body suit flashed with scans and readings, reporting zero life forms within the vicinity, but there was an incredible unease filled with a sense of mortal danger thick in the air.
"I can feel a gaze on me!" Elias said.
[A common feeling all those who come close to the Great Gouge have.]
[You are to proceed toward your destination in 5 hours.]
[World Alliance has been tasked with missions to destroy certain locations, but due to the immensity of the danger, some of those tasks have not been fulfilled. Your job is to get close to it and activate your Talent.]
"I know!" Elias growled. The helmet showed him the path he needed to follow, but he refused.
"There is something there looking at me. Something dangerous."
[Affirmative. Your SSS Rank Potential talent allows you to perceive the Great Gouge beyond many at your Rank. You are not in danger; there are no monsters around that will harm you, even at your destination.]
[Now move. You only have less than ten hours.]
"No. I can't go there!" Elias said. The chill and the grip at his heart and mind was too great for him to ever walk in that direction.
Not now, not ever!
[Dr. Ruby predicted this would happen. She too wasn't able to walk forward toward the Great Gouge, and for that, preparations were made.]
Immediately, the suit took control of his body, and he began to walk forward.
"No. Stop. I can't do it. I can control it. No need to take me."
"Nooo!"
All reason vanished from Elias's mind as he screamed his lungs out, trying to prevent himself from going to the mouth of the beast.
Darkness clouded his eyes as things behind the veil of space present themselves: terrifying creatures devoid of all reason and understanding. Something that humanity should never come to know or approach.
It was utter madness to approach, absolute insanity to even think of challenging it.
Woe to those who thought bravery would save them.
Woe to those who wandered aimlessly toward its maw.
Woe to the arrogance that sought to control it.
Elias's mind snapped open. A crouching entity behind the veil ready to pounce forward, malevolent yet patient in playing with its prey. And a flash of notification appeared in his eyes.
[We arrived four hours ago. You have only 06:10:90 to activate your talent.]
Elias was standing before what seemed like a spire—a long, red spire that reached beyond his vision into the sky.
He stayed still, afraid of startling the beast that haunted him.
[Your feeling will wane in an hour.]
"What is it?"
[Red Horn of one of the Apex Calamity Beasts that was killed in the distant World War. Its presence disrupts communication signals. It emits radiation that causes mutations to life forms. It also makes the land inhospitable. There is also a possibility that if calamity beasts feed on it; they will evolve stronger or even become the next Red Horn.]
"I mean the feeling I'm getting!"
[The Great Gouge of Earth has that effect on all awakened individuals. The stronger the talent, the stronger the feeling at the initial stage. Some even outright faint just like you did. Some will have nightmares for days or months. Some will be incapacitated for the rest of their lives.]
[A to SSS Rank Talents have the advantage of getting used to it with time, even at Rank 1. Coming close to the Great Gauge is one of the training practices that Countries set for their True Warriors. Master Arlon comes close to it every week for training purposes.]
Elias was Rank 1 now as a newly awakened, which meant if he stayed long enough here, he would feel normal.
[05:10:45]
That wasn't entirely true. He didn't feel normal, but he was also no longer paralyzed by fear. It was as if the presence had become subtly normal to him.
He moved his hand for the first time before sitting down, joining his palms together and focused on feeling his Talent.
His surroundings beyond the suit were painted within his mind, which took away his mind from the danger. This made him smile.
"I feel my surroundings without you!"
[Good. That means the ability will not happen beneath me and tear us apart.]
Having initial success made Elias optimistic. The sensation was like using hand to feel around—vague but meaningful—and for about ten meters around him, he could sense his environment.
"I can feel ten meters around me, but it's vague. I can't make sense of it!"
[Don't try to understand it. Elemental Talents and others like it come with new perceptions of the world, but Rank 1 individuals are mostly incapable of discerning them. If they try, it will overwhelm them!]
"Okay. Haha." Elias's fear was pushed to the back of his mind as he felt that with power, everything could be solved.
He focused on feeling his ability and how it manifested until he felt a rising urge to unleash it.
[Warning! You are about to use Talent Energy.]
Elias calmed it down.
[You turned it off.]
"Yes. I can do it!" Elias excitedly said, and he repeated the process a second time.
"Ha. I'm tired!" Elias's tone was strange for the first time. His eyes focused on the helmet screen signals.
"Let me rest before I continue!" he added as he lay on his back and looked at the dusty sky. The Red Horn pierced through and went beyond, tilted toward him as if falling.
The Red Horn presence was gradually pressing down on Elias with additional burning heat that reached beyond his layered suit and touched his skin.
'I sensed something was wrong with the ground. Something was moving towards me, and now I'm realizing this thing is killing me just by standing here!'
Elias frowned. His mind went on override. He placed his hand on the ground and felt his talent. The perception returned, and the ground vibrations became vivid. He could feel there was something coming from behind him, walking slowly in his direction.
He didn't have a frame of reference, but he could ascertain human, not beast weight. The majority of monsters and beasts were on the heavy side even if they walked on two legs.
This suspected human was moving towards him with caution!
'Why is he being cautious? If he's here to support me, he wouldn't be!'