Chapter 20: Judgment Day
Days began to blur together.
Thanks to Champion Frederick and his unique insight, Azrael learned — not just about survival and various strategies he could employ, but also about history and the way the world functioned.
Apparently, Rifts didn’t throw you into random chaos. There were specific planets Chosen could be teleported to—each with their own climate, wildlife, and terrain.
Iris’s lessons were the most painful—yet the most essential. She didn’t just train him to wield a scythe. She broke down his entire mindset. Rewired his instincts. Taught him to analyze every situation with cold precision.
Instructor Varen was invaluable as well. He revealed tactics Azrael never even knew existed—tactics that would undoubtedly prove useful. His sparring sessions with Victor became routine, both of them starting to form a sort of bond that was hard to define.
Azrael’s life was training. Nothing else.
He experimented a bit with [Blood Manipulation], but at its current Warped Corruption Level, the skill was still too weak to be useful. Still, something inside told him it would evolve into something terrifying in time.
He grew—physically, mentally, instinctively.
And as time moved forward, the date drew closer.
It wasn’t that noticeable at first, but sooner or later, it became apparent.
The fear and worry in the eyes of the young. Those who lacked confidence in their abilities were the first to show it. Then, like an infection, the fear crawled its way into the eyes of even the elite.
The average Chosen.