Garet was new to the Awakened World, and like everyone else in this world, he knew a lot from the start, but he learned more with every step he took.
Thanks to the incident with the Stone Groug and Korona, he discovered that energy was critically important for monsters, both for recovery and for evolution.
Well, Awakened like him were no exception to this rule either.
[First Anchor is almost complete. Energy is sufficient. Current progress: 91% -> ???%. Time is needed to absorb the remaining energy. Create the First Anchor to access its Sigil.]
As if confirming Garet's thoughts, a mechanical voice sounded in his mind again.
"Well, I'm sure Korona would scold me for this, but I can't help myself." Garet shook his head and held out pieces of the Spiky Moon Fruit to the wounded monster.
The dark beast was on alert, ready to attack anything and anyone if there was even a hint that it threatened its life.
But the amber juice flowing between Garet's fingers and the pulp full of not only flavor but rich energy made the beast lunge forward on its one front paw, snatch a piece from Garet's hand, and hide behind a tree in the foliage.
'Hmm, I don't think I can do anything else. I don't even know if I did the right thing, but if I walked past now, I wouldn't be able to think about anything but his wound.'
Taking one last look, Garet left, moving towards two fallen trees in the distance. Korona suggested that this way, he could return to the Iron Gate without making a detour to the destroyed statue.
Unbeknownst to him, his Genesis Core shuddered, making its final adjustments before absorbing the remaining energy particles.
The absorption of energy was not a long process, but it depended on various factors.
There were only two main ones: the power of the creature and the density of the energy source.
Thus, if one Spiky Moon Fruit was more than enough for Garet to create the First Anchor in his Zenith Grid, for someone like Xir, it was like a crumb from a whole feast.
Sure, some resources would allow Xir and even Awakened beings stronger than him to obtain as much energy as Garet now had, but obtaining those resources was much more difficult than three blue fruits.
"Alright." Garet smiled as he stopped near the exit, the three peaks of the Thonrspire, his new home, visible in the distance. "First mission accomplished! Hahah, could the situation be any better?"
Maybe Garet would find out soon.
Crack.
An electric discharge ran through his entire body as his eyes shone brightly, becoming deep like a complex ancient mechanism, because right now, changes were taking place inside him.
The next thing he saw was his trembling Genesis Core and the Zenith Grid, the first star of which shone brighter than ever.
When a person became an Awakened, in addition to the Genesis Core and Zenith, they also received the Zenith Grid.
The Genesis Core controlled most of the processes that occurred with the Awakened, whether it was energy absorption, the creation of abilities, or working with other entities such as the Souls, as was the case with the subjugation of Garet's Blank.
Zenith was an Awakened's main ability, mainly stemming from the urge upon awakening and the personality of the Awakened themselves. So, everyone had a unique Zenith.
The Zenith Grid, in turn, was a way for the Awakened to become stronger and also demonstrated what stage they were at.
This did not enter the realm of Genesis or Manifestation in the case of monsters; these were sub-levels, only for the Awakened. Monsters, whether the Azure Bull or the Stone Groug, were divided into Orders. The Awakened also had such divisions—the Anchors.
Each Anchor was a bright point in the Zenith Grid, like stars in a constellation.
Until that moment, Garet had not created a single Anchor; his Zenith Grid was empty, retaining only the lines and the black sun in the center, his Zenith, the Crimson Blight.
At this stage, an Awakened had a so-called Initial Anchor, or there was simply no Anchor, because an Awakened had not yet managed to start the process of its creation and absorb energy.
It was time for that to change.
"Am I here... now?" Garet gulped, afraid that someone would attack him in the forest.
Tremble. Tremble. Tremble.
The Genesis Core trembled, releasing its last bursts of energy to the first point.
[Progress: 99% -> 100%.]
[First Anchor created!]
[Touch the First Anchor to reveal its Sigil! Without revealing the Sigil, further development will not be possible!]
Energy filled Garet's body, raising his strength to the next level. He had yet to understand exactly how much stronger he had become, but it resonated throughout his entire body.
"This, if I had had this power before..." Garet looked at his hand, clenching his fist. "Could I have defeated the Stone Groug alone? Or..."
He shook his head, remembering how Korona had saved him at the last moment.
"No, Korona was clearly at the First Anchor or even higher. Even so, this battle was difficult for her, too. Now, our victory would simply be easier, but still deadly."
Not wanting to make the common mistake of acting as if he were invincible, Garet did not boast about his newfound power, but no one could stop him from feeling happy.
"But now it's time for something else, right?" His gaze turned to the First Anchor, shining brightly. "Sigil, what is that? Neither Xir nor Korona mentioned it. I don't know what it is, but it's definitely related to my power. Hmm, it's time to find out!"
Without hesitation, Garet stepped forward, touching the First Anchor.
A bright light covered everything around him as a circle of runes floated in front of him, trying to form some kind of pattern, but they were too hasty.
[Sigil is forming, calculating, influencing factors.]
[Zenith: Crimson Blight
Dusk and Dawn: Rapture
History: Saving Fruit
Wish: ???]
[The story for your Sigil has been created.]
[What will your Wish be?]
Naturally, Garet was taken aback. No one had warned him about this. He didn't understand what History was, let alone the With, and yet he had to make a choice.
Garet gulped.
'What's going on here? I don't want to make a mistake, but I don't even understand what I'm supposed to do!'
Luckily for Garet, his Genesis Core wasn't going to leave him alone.
[Say your With within five seconds, or the choice will be random. With is a reflection of your desire that will be understood by the Sigil. Say a phrase that comes straight from your heart.]
Only three seconds. Time was short, and one had already passed.
[3... 2... 1...]
"Not one step back!" Garet shouted.