Russell stood before the colossal golden tree, his breath slow and measured, his heart anything but calm.
The six great branches extended outward from the trunk like frozen lightning—identical in shape, identical in glow. Each pulsed faintly, patiently, as if waiting for him to make a mistake.
They were beautiful.
They were terrifying.
"But…" Russell muttered, his voice small against the vastness of the metaphysical space, "how can I know what is what ability?"
He turned slowly, eyes tracing each branch from root to tip. No markings. No labels. No hints.
"They all look the same."
For the first time since entering this place, doubt crept in.
What if he chose wrong?
What if one mistake locked him onto a path he couldn't escape?
Salvador's voice echoed gently through the cosmic expanse, calm and grounding.
"Touch the Tree."
Russell looked back at the trunk.
"Place your hand upon it," Salvador continued. "And you will know. The knowledge is already within you. The Tree does not teach—it reveals."
Russell swallowed.
He took one step forward.
The mist beneath his boots rippled like disturbed water. With every step closer, he felt pressure—not physical, but existential. As if the Tree was weighing him, measuring his intent, testing whether he deserved to stand before it.
Hesitantly, he raised his hand.
His fingers trembled—not from fear of pain, but from the weight of consequence.
Slowly, deliberately, Russell placed his palm against the smooth, warm bark of the golden tree.
The moment contact was made—
The universe exploded inside his mind.
Information flooded him, instantaneous and overwhelming. There were no words, no images, no voices explaining anything.
There was only knowing.
Each branch unfolded its purpose directly into his consciousness, clean and absolute, as if these truths had always existed inside him and were simply being unlocked.
He knew them.
Not memorized.
Understood.
The first branch resonated softly, its meaning settling into his awareness.
• Soul Sense:
The ability to perceive the presence, strength, and nature of nearby Hollows and other spiritual energies. Not sight. Not sound. A deeper perception—intuition sharpened into certainty.
The second branch pulsed heavier.
• Devil Absorption:
The technique to safely harvest, stabilize, and contain a Devil Soul after a Hollow's defeat. Without it, souls would decay, explode, or corrupt the Hunter attempting to claim them.
The third branch felt sharp and focused.
• Manifestation:
The foundational art of reinforcing a weapon using a Devil Soul's elemental energy. Not raw power—but controlled synergy between soul and steel.
The fourth branch radiated warmth.
• Alchemical Healing:
The conversion of Cs or compatible Souls into accelerated biological recovery. Pain, exhaustion, and injury could be mitigated—but never erased without cost.
The fifth branch thrummed with motion.
• Kinetic Dash:
A brief, explosive burst of supernatural speed. Not flight. Not teleportation. Momentum weaponized—distance bent, not broken.
And the final branch—
It was quiet.
Heavy.
Soul Shield.
The manifestation of a momentary energy barrier. Not permanent. Not invincible. A shield born of will, meant to survive a single decisive impact.
Russell pulled his hand back sharply, gasping as if he'd just surfaced from deep water.
His heart hammered.
He knew them now.
All six.
The choice didn't take long.
His mind replayed the Blackwood.
The ambush.
The sudden violence.
The moment he'd been vulnerable.
He clenched his fist.
He never wanted to be caught unaware again.
"Alright," Russell said aloud, his voice firm, steady, carrying conviction. "I decide to unlock Soul Sense."
The words echoed across the metaphysical plane.
"A wise first choice," Salvador replied approvingly. "For a survivor."
The golden tree responded.
The branch representing Soul Sense pulsed once—subtle, almost imperceptible—acknowledging his intent.
"Now," Salvador continued, "focus on that branch. Will your hard-earned Cs to flow into it. Sacrifice your experience to fuel your growth."
Russell inhaled slowly.
He turned his attention inward—toward the floating silver orbs that represented his earned Cs. They hovered patiently before him, each one a crystallized fragment of effort, risk, and victory.
He reached out—not with his hand, but with his will.
The orbs responded.
One by one, they drifted forward, then faster, swirling together like a constellation breaking apart. They arced through the metaphysical air, spiraling toward the Soul Sense branch.
As the first orb merged with the golden wood, light flared.
As the second joined, the branch vibrated.
When the final orb fused—
The branch ignited.
Its dormant gold shifted into a vibrant silver-blue, energy racing across its length in intricate patterns—like luminous circuitry etched directly into reality. The glow spread inward, down the trunk, then back into Russell himself.
He felt it.
A click.
Not in his body.
In his mind.
A new channel opened—quiet, subtle, but unmistakable.
Before he could react, the world lurched.
The metaphysical space collapsed inward, folding around him like a closing eye. Russell felt himself pulled backward through the tunnel of light once more, his consciousness snapping toward reality with sudden force.
His eyes flew open.
He was back.
Sitting on the cold durasteel floor of the training grounds.
His datapad rested in his lap, Salvador's call still active.
Russell blinked several times, grounding himself.
"Whoa…" he muttered. "That was way more complex than I expected."
He flexed his fingers. His arms. His shoulders.
Nothing felt different.
No surge of power.
No heightened senses.
No glowing UI.
"But…" he frowned. "I'm not feeling any different. I don't feel any new power."
Salvador sighed audibly through the datapad.
"How many times must I say it?" Salvador replied, irritation creeping back into his voice. "The Hunter system resembles a video game. It is not one."
Russell listened closely.
"Unlocking potential is only the first step," Salvador continued. "You have opened the door. That is all. If you want to use the ability, you must train it—just like your swordplay."
Russell nodded slowly.
"The knowledge is within you now," Salvador said. "But knowledge without discipline is useless. Teach your body to access it."
Before Russell could respond—
Beside him, Gareth jerked violently, gasping as if he'd been underwater too long. His eyes flew open, wild and unfocused, his chest heaving.
"Oh my god!" Gareth shouted. "What just happened?!"
He looked around frantically, then down at his own hands.
"I saw myself! I was… somewhere else! There was a giant golden tree! It was insane!"
Russell laughed softly, relief and excitement mingling in his chest.
He clapped Gareth on the shoulder.
"Yeah," he said with a grin. "You weren't hallucinating."
Gareth stared at him.
"…So it was real?"
Russell nodded.
"Completely."
Gareth leaned back, exhaling slowly.
"…Then," he said quietly, eyes burning with excitement, "we've officially stepped into something way bigger than we thought."
Russell looked down at his hands again—not searching for power, but feeling for possibility.
The path was open.
Now, the real work began.