The voice, ancient and profound, resonated within Ackah's very soul, bypassing his ears entirely. It wasn't a sound as much as a pure influx of understanding, a torrent of knowledge that somehow felt both utterly foreign and deeply familiar. Chosen one… your journey has just begun. The words, or rather the concepts, echoed in the silent chamber, leaving him breathless and awestruck.
He stared at the scroll and the tablet on the pedestal, his heart pounding in his chest. He reached out tentatively and picked up the scroll. The material was smooth and cool to the touch, yet it seemed to hum with a faint, inner light. The characters inscribed upon it were unlike any script he had ever seen, intricate and flowing, yet somehow, as his eyes traced them, their meaning bloomed in his mind. It was a language of creation itself, a lexicon of the universe's fundamental energies.
The scroll detailed a method of cultivation that dwarfed any concept of power he had ever entertained. It spoke of understanding the very fabric of reality, of manipulating the laws that governed existence, of drawing upon the primordial energies that had birthed the cosmos. It was a path to power far older than the Primordial Gods, a technique that predated even the concepts of divinity as he might have understood them. It was the cultivation of creation itself.
Next, he picked up the obsidian tablet. Its surface felt strangely warm, pulsating with a subtle, dark energy. The diagrams and symbols etched into it seemed to shift and coalesce before his eyes, revealing the secrets of the physical body, the intricate network of meridians and energy pathways that lay dormant within. This was the physique manual, a guide to forging a body capable of withstanding and channeling the immense power he would unlock through the cultivation method described in the scroll. It spoke of transforming the very essence of his being, molding his flesh and bone into something far beyond mortal limitations.
Despite the alien nature of the language and the concepts, Ackah found himself understanding them with an unnerving clarity. It was as if a part of him, a deeply buried instinct, recognized these truths. He felt an undeniable connection to these ancient texts, a sense that they had been waiting for him, calling to him across the vast expanse of time and dimensions.
He sat down on the cold stone floor, the scroll and tablet resting in his lap, and began to delve deeper into their teachings. The cultivation method started with the most fundamental principles – sensing the raw, untamed energies that permeated the universe, drawing them into his body, and beginning the arduous process of refinement. The physique manual outlined specific exercises and meditations designed to awaken and strengthen his physical form, preparing it to become a vessel for this immense power.
Following the instructions, Ackah closed his eyes and focused his senses. He reached out into the stillness of the chamber, trying to feel the energies the scroll described. At first, there was nothing but the cold stone beneath him and the faint scent of dust. But as he persisted, focusing his intent with a newfound clarity, he began to perceive a subtle hum in the air, a faint vibration that seemed to resonate with his very being. It was the primordial energy, the raw essence of creation, waiting to be drawn upon.
With painstaking effort, he began to guide this energy towards himself, pulling it into his body through unseen pathways. It felt like drawing water through a parched desert, a slow and arduous process. But as the energy entered him, a strange sensation spread through his limbs – a tingling warmth that gradually intensified, chasing away the lingering numbness from his death.
He continued this process for hours, lost in concentration, the ancient teachings guiding his every step. He learned how to refine the raw energy, to purify it and mold it according to the principles outlined in the scroll. He practiced the exercises detailed in the tablet, feeling his muscles and bones slowly begin to strengthen and adapt to the influx of power.
The underground chamber seemed to hum with a subtle energy of its own. Ackah noticed that the air here was unusually rich, saturated with the primordial essence he was learning to manipulate. The stone walls seemed to emanate a faint warmth, and the strange carvings on their surfaces appeared to subtly shift and glow as he cultivated. It was as if the ruins themselves were a conduit for this ancient power, a place perfectly suited for the journey he had just begun.
Days turned into weeks, and weeks into months. Ackah remained within the ruins, his focus unwavering. He ate the strange, glowing fungi that grew in the damp corners of the chamber and drank the water that trickled down the stone walls. The ruins provided everything he needed, a secluded sanctuary where he could dedicate himself entirely to the pursuit of power.
He made rapid progress in the initial stages of cultivation. His body, guided by the ancient physique manual, adapted quickly, growing stronger and more resilient. He learned to channel the primordial energy with increasing efficiency, feeling his power grow exponentially. The voice in his mind never spoke again, but the understanding it had imparted remained, guiding him along the path laid out in the scroll and tablet.
As he delved deeper into the teachings, he realized the sheer scale of the journey ahead. The scroll spoke of countless realms and stages of cultivation, each more profound and powerful than the last. Reaching the pinnacle, the level of Absolute Demon God, would be a journey of unimaginable length, requiring unwavering dedication and countless trials.
But Ackah was not deterred. He had been given a second chance, a purpose in this new world. The memory of his sacrifice in Awiebo, the faces of those he had tried to protect, fueled his determination. And now, with the knowledge of the looming threat to this world, his resolve hardened even further. He would become strong enough to face whatever darkness awaited.
He looked around the ancient chamber, his eyes now glowing with a faint, inner light. This secluded sanctuary, this forgotten relic of a bygone era, would be his home for the foreseeable future. Here, surrounded by the whispers of creation, Ackah Emile began his 10,000-year journey of cultivation, unaware of the vast changes the world above would undergo during his long seclusion, and the pivotal role he would one day play in its destiny. The first steps on the path to becoming the Absolute Demon God had been taken.