Chapter 7: The Abilities.

Xylon watched in silence as the newly awakened individuals were hauled into the room one by one by the guards. As the last person was dragged in, his grin broadened.

"Hmm... a third of you survived. Typically, such a brutal method of pushing one to their physical and mental extremes to force an awakening has a far lower survival rate. I didn't expect so many of you to pull through... Rejoice, it appears you weren't worthless after all."

Unable to move from their exhaustion, they could only glare at him in silence. They were seething, but the fear of provoking him kept their anger in check.

"Ah, but I digress... You must be tired. Rest assured, you will be allowed to rest soon. But first, you must demonstrate your awakened abilities."

'Abilities? In our state? Most of us can barely move...'

Dawn's thoughts were cut short as the old man signaled the guards. They force-opened the mouths of each individual present and slipped a small, spherical pill the size of a marble inside.

"Swallow that to regain your strength. Once recovered, showcase the ability you've awakened."

While some swallowed the pill immediately, others hesitated, unsure if it was safe and not some sort of parasite or harmful substance. Nevertheless, they had little choice, being aware of the consequences for disobedience.

With a gulp, Dawn swallowed the pill. He was fairly certain it was safe. The man wouldn't have gone through all this trouble just to kill them off right away, and there was no need for another parasite to control them.

[You have consumed a Vitalis Rejuvora pill.] 

[The pill's energy permeates through your body.]

Dawn felt a warm surge of energy flow through him in response to the system notification, gradually regaining his vitality.

[Energy: 20% -> 70%]

By the time the effects of the pill waned, he had regained fifty percent of his energy and could finally move his body freely.

[The pill's energy has been successfully absorbed into your core.]

He noticed that the others were experiencing a similar recovery, slowly rising to their feet around him. The pill had only restored a portion of their energy, not their health, but the ability to move was a significant improvement.

"Feel better, don't you? Good. Now you." The old man pointed at a young boy at the front of the group. "Step forward and display your ability."

The boy was the first to receive his marking and the first to arrive in the room. He was visibly shaking with fear as he hesitantly stepped forward.

Dawn, along with the others, watched curiously, anticipating a demonstration of his newly awakened ability. But contrary to their expectations, they'd never get to see it.

"I…I d-don't know how…" The boy mumbled, stuttering from fear.

They all expected the old man to explode in anger, but to their surprise, he showed restraint.

"Hmm… Once awakened, you should intuitively know how to use your ability, regardless of its potency… You must be somewhat confused. Very well, I shall provide you with a demonstration."

The old man then turned his attention to the group seated at the opposite end of the room. They flinched under his gaze.

"300, come forward and give them a demonstration."

At his command, a figure rose and approached the center of the room. It was a girl with long, silver hair and heterochromatic eyes - one a deep scarlet red, reminiscent of a gleaming ruby and the other a vibrant purple, echoing the hue of a precious amethyst.

Her features were endearing, remarkably cute. Yet, her expression lacked the innocence typically associated with such youthful charm. It was devoid of any discernible emotion.

Despite her frail, undernourished frame much like everyone else, her beauty was undeniable and her dignity, unmarred. Yet, her eyes bore a lifelessness that was somehow darker than the rest.

Reaching the center of the room, she stopped before a boulder that towered over her, dwarfing her petite stature. 

Slowly, she extended her hand toward the boulder. The atmosphere around them shifted, a palpable energy gathering around her.

"Void."

Vwoom!

In the blink of an eye, the top half of the boulder simply ceased to exist. It wasn't sliced off nor was it shattered, it had just vanished, leaving no trace behind.

'What just happened?' Dawn wondered, eyebrows furrowing in puzzlement.

He had kept his eyes on her the entire time, yet like the rest, he was left thoroughly baffled by the abrupt disappearance of the boulder.

'There was a sound and then it disappeared?'

Breaking the stunned silence was Xylon's gleeful laughter. He clapped his hands together, grinning from ear to ear in delight.

"Hahaha! Excellent! As expected of the child of the abyss! What a splendid demonstration!"

'Child of the abyss?' Dawn repeated the phrase silently, curiosity piqued.

"To think you would be this powerful at only your awakening… I'm expecting great things from your ascension. You may return."

Having completed her task, the girl silently returned to her spot among the group. The others subtly distanced themselves from her, a sense of fear discernable in their actions. She sat alone, but she didn't seem bothered by their wariness.

"...Each person's ability is unique. This demonstration wasn't to show you how to activate your abilities, but rather to let you sense how she released her inner energy. If you fail to comprehend even with that example, then you are useless to me. Is that clear?" The old man's explanation was directed at not only the nervous young boy, but all those who had just awakened.

Upon giving a frightened nod of understanding, the boy nervously took another step forward. Instead of walking towards a boulder like the girl did, he chose an empty area. 

Closing his eyes, he raised his restrained arms and, a moment later, a small blob of water materialized. He could control the movement of the water blob with his hand.

"Hmm, you pass. Go ahead and join the others," the old man instructed, directing him to join the group of those who had successfully awakened their abilities.

The old man's reaction to the boy's ability was noticeably less enthusiastic compared to his response to the girl. 

It wasn't surprising considering the difference between their abilities; the boy could generate a small ball of water, while the girl could erase matter entirely. 

As the others took turns showcasing their abilities, in the sequence of their arrival, Dawn concluded that her ability was significantly more powerful than average. Most abilities he witnessed were either elemental or related to the manifestation of certain phenomena.

The girl was undoubtedly exceptional… but that did not take away from the accomplishments of the others. They were performing feats that defied everything Dawn had learnt in his original world, yet they treated these supernatural powers as if they were natural. 

It served as another stark reminder that this was a whole different world.

'So this is the power of someone who has awakened… the more I see it, the more I'm curious about what the outside world is like…' 

"Next," the old man directed, pointing at Dawn, who was next in line to display his ability.

'Well then, how should I proceed?' Dawn pondered, slowly rising to his feet, his gaze fixed on the screen in front of him.