The System Awakens: Rise of the Champion-Chapter 143: Thea - 1

"Let's see what this is about," Damian muttered as his figure appeared in Thaerris, the world of spirits.

He stood once again in the familiar field of tall grasses, but this time, there was no one around.

Spreading his senses, however, he could feel a presence in the [Temple of Unity].

The same [Temple of Unity] where Damian had once entered a complete state of Epiphany and carved his own path.

He couldn't help but think about that time as he flew toward the temple.

This entire world always had a mind-clearing effect on him, especially the [Temple of Unity], which significantly enhanced his mental strength.

Even though he didn't exactly need that enhancement anymore, it helped a lot when he was creating the [Infinity Essence].

Not to mention, the spirits in the region around the temple had always been kind to him.

They taught him their ways.

The fairies, despite being childish, were fun to be around... and cute, too.

Damian didn't mind visiting this place often.

If anything, he hoped to come here more.

It was soothing.

It put him in a good mood.

After about fifteen minutes of steady, unhurried flying, he arrived at the [Temple of Unity].

Even from a few kilometers away, he could see someone standing inside, the silhouette of a woman, hands behind her back, a small smile on her face.

Damian saw her smile widen as she noticed him approaching.

And the moment his eyes landed on her, a strange sensation crawled across his skin.

The closer he got, the stronger it became.

Gently, Damian landed on the ground in front of the temple.

He didn't step inside.

Instead, he just stood at the entrance, looking at the green-haired woman's beautiful face.

Not because he was admiring her godlike beauty, though it rivaled even that of a goddess he once met, but because of the odd, growing feeling in his chest.

"I see... you can feel it, can't you?" the green-haired woman spoke, stepping out of the temple.

Sunlight bathed her mature, radiant face as she moved closer to Damian.

The moment she neared, everything around Damian seemed to slow.

The ambient sounds faded away, leaving only his heartbeat, his breath, and the strangely soothing and familiar voice of the woman before him.

"You can feel our connection, can't you?" she asked softly, drawing her face close and gently touching his cheek.

Damian didn't resist.

He didn't feel threatened.

In fact, he'd never felt safer.

"W-Who are you?" Damian asked, unable to shake the sense of familiarity that grew stronger the longer he stood near her.

"Hmm... I guess you haven't recovered your memories of your old life yet." Her expression saddened, and for some reason, Damian hated seeing her like that.

Her eyes glowed with a mysterious green light as she stared into his, as if trying to piece something together.

"The last time you were here, your soul wasn't strong enough to feel our connection. But now it's grown significantly stronger, though it hasn't even unlocked one-third of its potential yet. Still, it's strong enough to sense our bond."

Damian's mind reeled.

What was she talking about?

Memories of a past life?

His soul? Not even one-third of its full strength?

Who was this woman?

And what was this deep, undeniable connection he was feeling?

"You still haven't answered me. Who are you? What do you know about me?" Damian asked, narrowing his eyes.

If he had any doubts before, they were gone now.

This woman, she knew him.

She was connected to him.

Damian had always wondered who his parents were.

That curiosity turned into obsession after he regressed and awakened abilities he couldn't access in his first life.

And it only intensified as he continued to awaken one extraordinary power after another, until now, where he stood with strength that could rival lower-level gods.

He needed answers.

How could he have so many talents?

Why did his strength grow endlessly, as if there were no limits?

This chapt𝒆r is updated by frёewebηovel.cѳm.

Take his [Extraction] ability.

He could absorb energy from any target, endlessly, without draining his stamina. No one else had such freedom.

Then there was [Warrior's Will], which evolved into the inherited ability [King's Dominion], a power beyond anything he'd ever imagined, and it hadn't even reached its final form.

His abilities were impossible.

They defied logic.

And just a few hours ago, he'd evolved into the progenitor of humans like it was just a casual Sunday event.

Who were his parents?

How powerful did they have to be to pass these abilities on to him?

He might act indifferent, like he didn't care, but that was wrong. Damian thought about this every day.

Every hour.

Even when he didn't want to.

How could he not, when impossible things kept happening as if the universe itself was screaming at him to find out who he is.

Looking at the green-haired woman, he couldn't help but feel a spark of hope that maybe she held the answers to his endless questions.

[System Message from Eden: I only gave you permission to give him the gifts you wanted. Don't go revealing everything yet. I haven't finalized things with the family. You can talk about anything else, I know you're dying to spend time with him.]

As Damian asked his question, a translucent screen appeared in front of the green-haired woman, visible only to her.

She sighed.

"I know you have a lot of questions, Damian," she said softly, "but I don't think you're ready for the answers yet. And someone I hate, named Eden, thinks it's not the right time either." She snorted in irritation.

"Who the hell is Eden?" Damian asked, frowning in confusion.

[Eden: Thanks for that.]

"Someone unimportant right now," the green-haired woman replied flatly, though Damian mentally filed the name Eden away for later.

[Eden: Good one, Thea.]

The woman, Thea, smiled, ignoring the messages popping up in her system panel, and turned her attention back to Damian.

"Here are the rewards I mentioned." She snapped her fingers.

Immediately, several notifications appeared in Damian's vision.

[The World Tree of Thaerris has expressed her affection for you and wishes to offer you gifts.]

[You have received the Crown of Thaerris.]

[You have become the Ruler of Thaerris.]

[You have become the Ruler of three worlds connected to Thaerris.]

[A special connection between you and the World of Thaerris has been established.]

[A unique bond between you and the World Tree of Thaerris has been formed.]

A green-gold crown materialized from nothing and gently landed in his hand.

The moment he touched it, a warm, almost nostalgic sensation spread through his body.

He wasn't gaining power or refilling energy, just warmth.

A deep, soul-level warmth that he had felt before, but never this strongly.

[Due to your connection with the World Tree of Thaerris, your soul has begun to recover its true strength.]

[Your soul has recovered a portion of its original power. The deeper your connection grows, the more of your true self will return.]

"What is happening? What does this mean? My soul… recovering its original power?" Damian asked, unable to comprehend what was going on.

He was in total disarray.

He had learned a great deal about souls when he inherited the knowledge of the universe after becoming a human progenitor.

He also picked up fragments from the memories of demons, though they held little useful information.

However, the fallen angel Marquis Andras had some knowledge, mainly about how souls are regulated between Heaven and Hell, the basic mechanics of the soul's journey through reincarnation, and how the soul system functions within the universe.

A soul was something intrinsic to every living being. Gods had souls, immortals had souls, mortals had souls. Every being in the universe possessed one.

The soul was everything they were, everything they are, and everything they would become. Everything depended on the soul.

"You're thinking too much about this," the green-haired woman said casually.

"Shouldn't I?" Damian replied. "After everything that's happened… I still don't know anything about myself. Who or what I am." He sighed, and the woman could see the exhaustion in his eyes, not physical fatigue, but a deep mental weariness.

He was tired of not knowing.

He held the knowledge and memories of thousands of beings, yet he knew nothing about his own origin, his own memories, or even his family.

As far as he could remember, today was the first time he had felt anything close to familiarity, and it was coming from an unknown woman who had appeared out of nowhere and suddenly made him ruler of Thaerris and of three other worlds connected to it.

"Why can't you just answer me? And why the hell did you give me the crown of Thaerris? What's your deal, really?" Damian asked again, sighing deeply.

"How about we start with my name, since I already know yours, my beloved Damian," the green-haired woman said with a mischievous smile.

"My name is Thea, the World Tree of Thaerris," she said, smiling.