Gabriel's fingers shamed a little bit as he inserted the chip into his room's terminal. The interface came to life, holographic displays in the air before him with a soft sound that seemed almost musical. A login button showed on the screen, and the system recognized his Mark of Origin, leaving the need for manual authentication.
**WELCOME TO THE ESPERS ASSOCIATION PLATFORM, GABRIEL DANIEL**
**CLASS: Shadow Summoner (Rare) | LEVEL: 1 | CLEARANCE: Academy Tier-1**
The interface organized itself into different sections: Forums, Marketplace, Mission Board, Educational Resources, and a section labeled "Restricted Archives - Insufficient Clearance." Gabriel's curiosity then shifted toward that last section, but when he tried to access it, a warning appeared:
**ACCESS DENIED. MINIMUM REQUIREMENT: Level 25 or Special Authorization**
*Of course,* Gabriel thought with a mixture of frustration and understanding. *They wouldn't give fresh Awakeners access to everything immediately. We need to prove ourselves worthy of it first.*
He then went to the Forums section, his eyes on the screen as hundreds of threads filled the screen. Unlike the filtered, heavily monitored public networks accessible to normal citizens, this felt real and unfiltered, Awakeners speaking about their experiences, their struggles, their victories and failures.
The first thread made Gabriel's blood cold:
**[MEMORIAL] Awakeners Lost This Month - January 2026**
He clicked it as he saw it, and a list of names showed. Hundreds of them. Each entry included normal information: name, age, class, level, and cause of death.
*David Greene, 19, Warrior (Common), Level 8 - Killed by Ironback Boar in Crimson Forest Zone*
*Tonya Rizz, 23, Scout (Uncommon), Level 15 - Death by fall damage in Shattered Cliffs Dungeon*
*Robert sung, 31, Mage (Rare), Level 34 - Party wipe in Abyssal Depths, Revival Failed*
The list went on and on. Young and old, low level and high level, common classes and rare ones—death didn't care. Gabriel had a stomach ache as he scrolled through the casualties. These weren't just numbers. These were people who'd awakened, who'd gained power, who'd probably had families waiting for them to come home.
*And they died,* Gabriel thought. *Despite their classes, the training, even with everything the Federation provided.*
He made himself close the thread before the weight of it crushed his optimism. Instead, he went to the Educational Resources section, looking for information about his class and the power structure of this world.
The first video he clicked was named "Introduction to the Gods Domain - Mandatory Viewing for All New Awakeners." An instructor appeared in the display,a woman who called herself as Commander Robin, Level 178 Battlemage.
"If you're watching this," Commander Robin began, saying, "you've recently awakened and gained access to the Gods Domain. Congratulations. You've also signed your own death warrant if you're not careful."
Gabriel sat forward, his full gaze locked on the display.
"The Gods Domain is not a child's play, despite working on game-like principles," Robin continued. "It is a dimension connected to our world due to the great cataclysm that occurred two thousand years ago. Within it are creatures, environments, and occurrences that defy our understanding of our reality."
The display then showed footage of the Gods Domain—and Gabriel's breath caught.
Impossible landscapes wilden across the screen. Floating islands hanging on violet skies. Forests where trees grew upside-down from crystalline canopies. Oceans of liquid silver reflecting twin suns. Cities created from materials that shift between solid and light states.
And the creatures...
A dragon the size of a mountain flew across one scene, its scales each the size of a building, pouring liquid fire that turned the sky itself to ash. The video noted that its level: 487.
*Four hundred and eighty-seven,* Gabriel's mind thought. *Principal Clinton is level 156 and he's much powerful. This thing is three times that level.*
"The Gods Domain," Robin then explained further as more scenes played, "operates on a different power scale. Levels are the measurement, but they don't tell the story. A Level 50 Awakener with a Rare class and good fighting equipment can defeat a Level 60 Awakener with a Common class and poor equipment. However, as levels increase into hundreds, power immediately becomes more significant than tactics."
The video then continued to play real combat footage, high-level Awakeners fighting monsters that defied nature . Gabriel saw a Level 200+ Warrior punch through a creature made of stone, his fist all covered in energy that made the air whistle. A Level 250 Mage brought down meteors from the sky, each impact caused explosions that brought down the whole valley.
"Power tiers beyond human baseline are organized as follows," Liu stated, and text appeared alongside the combat footage:
**Genetic Awakener Ranks:**
- Rank 1: Awakener (Baseline - Low Superhuman)
- Rank 2: Super Awakener (Enhanced Superhuman)
- Rank 3: Ultra Awakener (Peak Superhuman)
- Rank 4: Transcendent (Beyond Human Limits)
- Rank 5: King (Continental-Class Threat)
- Rank 6: Emperor (Global-Class Threat)
- Rank 7: Demigod (Planetary-Class Threat)
**Esper Levels (Approximate Equivalents):**
- Levels 1-25: A little bit equal to Awakener rank
- Levels 26-50: A little bit equal to Super Awakener rank
- Levels 51-100: A little bit equal to Ultra Awakener rank
- Levels 101-150: Equal to Transcendent rank
- Levels 151-250: A little bit equal to King rank
- Levels 251-400: Roughly equivalent to Emperor rank
- Levels 401+: Demigod territory and beyond
Gabriel gazed at the tiers, his mind trying to understand the difference between his current Level 1 status and the peaks of power. Principal Clinton at Level 156 was solidly in King-class territory. The dragon in the previous footage was almost reaching a Demigod-class.
*And I'm here seated with my 1.2 Strength and 1.5 Intelligence,* he thought with grim expression. *I won't be able to even scratch that dragon's smallest scale.*
The footage continued with Commander Robin talking about death mechanics, experience penalties, and the permanent stat loss that could happen with continued deaths. Gabriel took every word in , registering it to his memory with a high born of survival instinct.
When the footage finally ended after an hour of pure information, Gabriel immediately took up another: "Understanding Class Grades and Growth Potential."
This instructor was younger, a Level 134 Scout who introduced himself as Instructor Park. He dove straight into the mechanics:
"Classes come in five recognized grades, each with dramatically different growth curves. White-tier or Common classes are the most frequent—roughly 60% of all awakenings. They provide two free attribute points per level and modest stat growth from the class itself."
Park pulled up comparison charts. "Green-tier or Uncommon classes occur in about 30% of awakenings. They provide three free attribute points per level and better stat scaling. Blue-tier or Rare classes—like Shadow Summoner, Blazing Serpent, and various specialized combat classes—occur in only 8% of awakenings. These provide four free attribute points per level and significantly enhanced stat growth."
Gabriel felt a surge of validation. His Shadow Summoner class really was valuable, despite what others had assumed from his underwhelming awakening display.
"Gold-tier or Epic classes," Park continued, "represent approximately 1.5% of all awakenings and are considered national treasures by the Federation. They provide six free attribute points per level and possess unique mechanics not found in lower tiers. Rainbow-tier or Legendary classes are so rare that I personally have never witnessed one. Federation records suggest perhaps one awakens every decade across all territories. Their growth potential is theorized to be unlimited."
The instructor's expression grew serious. "However, class grade is not destiny. A committed Common-class Warrior who reaches Level 200 will literally destroy a Rare-class anything at Level 50. The grade determines your strength and your growth rate, but effort, intelligence, and survival instinct will determine whether you will reach that height."
Gabriel loved the honesty. It aligned with what Principal Clinton had said Shadow Summoner was powerful late-game, but he had to survive the early game first.
He used the whole two hours digging deeper into the books, reading other Shadow Summoners experiences. There weren't many of them ,the class really was so rare, but the few discussion threads he saw were golden information.
One thread then caught his attention, written by a Level 89 Shadow Summoner named DarkPhantom:
*"For new Shadow Summoners reading this: YOUR EARLY GAME WILL BE MISERABLE. Come to terms with this now. You are physically weak, your summons start are weak, and you will get no respect from other Awakeners who has no knowledge about the class.*
*But here's what they don't tell you: Shadow Summoner isn't just about quantity of summons. It's also about the QUALITY. Every shadow you contract becomes a permanent extension of your power. Unlike temporary summoners who bring out fragile minions, you're building a strong force that grows with you.*
*My shadows at Level 89: A Shadow Knight (Level 87, can solo most dungeons), A Shadow Assassin (Level 85, perfect for reconnaissance and elimination), A Shadow Mage (Level 82, gives ranged support I lack).*
*These aren't pets. They're independent fighters with the ability to grow. Together, my shadows and I operate in full parties like high-level Awakeners, all controlled by one mind.*
*Get to Level 50, and you'll never fight alone again. Get to Level 100, and you'll be unstoppable. The class rewards patience and intelligence over brute force.*
*Tips: 1) Max INT first, always. 2) Contract quality over quantity—two strong shadows will always beat five weak ones. 3) Invest in evasion skills and defensive equipment. You can't summon if you're dead. 4) Find a tank partner early. Warriors and Knights need a summoner support; you need their protection. Symbiotic relationship.*
*Good luck. You'll need it."*
Gabriel read the post three times, absorbing every word. This aligned perfectly with his own instincts and the system's Infinite Shadow Extraction ability. If he could extract essence from defeated enemies and enhance his shadows beyond normal limits...
*I might not just build an elite force,* Gabriel realized with growing excitement. *I might build an army of legendary-tier shadows if I extract enough essence.*
But that was getting ahead of himself. First, he needed to survive to Level 10. Then Level 25. Then Level 50.
A step at a time.
Gabriel navigated to a different forum section: "Gods Domain Geography and Safe Zones." The information here was crucial—understanding where he'd enter the Domain, what dangers to expect, what resources to prioritize.
The posts painted a picture of a dimension almost incredibly vast. The Gods Domain contained thousands of zones, each with different levels, monsters, environmental hazards, and treasure distributions. New Awakeners enter through random low-level zones,areas designated as "Safe" with monsters ranging from Level 1 to Level 20.
*Safe,* Gabriel noted the qualifier. *Not actually safe. Just less immediately lethal.*
The description of one common starting zone made his blood run cold:
*"Whispering Woods - Level Range 1-15. Common monsters: Shadow Wolves (Level 3-7), Venomous Spiders (Level 4-8), Corrupted Treants (Level 10-12). Environmental hazards: Poisonous fog at night, carnivorous plants in thick undergrowth, spatial distortions near the zone. Advisable party size: 3-5. Solo entry NOT ADVISED unless Level 10 and above ."*
And that was considered a *beginner* zone.
Gabriel spent another hour going survival threads, weapon recommendations, and horror stories from Awakeners who'd underestimated the Gods Domain and had their lives to pay for—or worse, with permanent stat loss that destroyed their future growth.
One thread titled "My First Death - What I Wish I'd Known" particularly captured his eyes:
*"I was cocky. Level 6 Warrior, Common class but decent stats. Thought I could solo a Level 8 Ironback Boar for the experience. I was wrong.*
*The boar charged. I dodged—barely. My counter-attack bounced off its hide like I was hitting steel plate. It gored me through the stomach before I could react again.*
*Death in the Gods Domain isn't instant. I felt everything. The intense pain, the blood, the cold passing through my limbs. I was conscious for thirty seconds of dying, which felt like hours.*
*Revival took 500 experience, 0.3 Constitution, and gave me 24-hour debuff that reduced stats by 20%. I learned three lessons:*
*1) Never fight alone until you're confident you can WIN, not just survive.
2) Dodge is good, but blocking is better. Armor matters.
3) Pride kills more Awakeners than monsters do.*
*I'm Level 34 now. That first death still haunts me. Don't be me. Be smart."*
Gabriel closed the forums, his head spinning with information. The Gods Domain was even more dangerous than he'd imagined, the power scaling more extreme, the consequences of failure more severe.
But the opportunities were also greater than he'd dreamed.
*Demigods,* he thought, the word carrying weight beyond mere title. *Beings who can threaten entire planets. And it all starts at Level 1, with weak shadows and fragile bodies.*
His device chimed—a message from Mia. Michael's heart leapt as he opened it:
*"Gabriel! Five thousand credits?! Are you insane? That's too much, you need equipment and supplies for the Gods Domain! I'm sending half of it back right now.*
*...Okay, I tried to send it back. Apparently you've locked the transfer to one-way only. You manipulative brat. I'm crying right now, happy tears, but still.*
*I paid off three months of rent in advance. Bought actual fresh food instead of ration paste. Even got myself a new work uniform since my old ones were falling apart. I feel rich. I feel like I can finally breathe.*
*Thank you doesn't even cover it. Just... be careful in that Domain, okay? I can't lose you. You're all I have.*
*Come visit when you can. I love you so much."*
Gabriel read the message twice, emotion getting the better of him. The original owner's memories flowed forward, years of seeing Elizabeth sacrifice, years of being helpless, years of wanting to give back even a little of what she'd given.
*I'm doing it,* he thought. *I'm actually changing our lives. This is real.*
He typed a quick response promising to visit soon, then returned his attention to the terminal. There was still so much to learn, so much to prepare for.
Gabriel pulled up the Marketplace next, curious what equipment and resources were available. The prices made his newly acquired wealth feel suddenly inadequate—a basic health potion cost 500 credits. A decent iron sword ran 2,000 credits. Armor sets started at 5,000 and went up into the hundreds of thousands for enchanted pieces.
*I have 10,000 credits left after sending money to Elizabeth,* Gabriel calculated. *Plus a 5,000-credit equipment voucher. That's enough for basics, but I'll need to be strategic.*
He bookmarked several items for later consideration, then finally turned his attention to the cultivation technique chips Administrator Lisa had given him.
*Midnight Breathing Method* and *Phantom Step Combat Technique.*
It was time to start training. Time to turn his pathetic Level 1 stats into something that could actually survive the Gods Domain.
Time to prove that a Shadow Summoner could become something truly terrifying.
Gabriel loaded the Midnight Breathing Method chip into his terminal, and knowledge flooded into his mind like water breaking through a dam.
His journey was just beginning.