Adam : From a man to a God

Ragnarok sat in his glass prison cell, a sinister grin spreading across his face. He stood up, examining the multiple cracks spiderwebbing through the glass walls. Approaching one particularly large fracture, he traced it with a finger. "The humans know about me," he muttered, his grin widening. "They know what I'm capable of."

He pressed his palm against the glass. "If more of these cracks appear, I can be free. With the first ones, I could see what he sees. Now, I can hear everything he hears. I wonder what I'll be able to do if more appear. Perhaps I'll be able to reach him." His eyes suddenly glowed a bright blue, and an almost invisible, colorless force emanated from him. It struck the glass and rebounded, hitting Ragnarok and sending waves of pain and ringing through his ears.

Clutching his head, he groaned in agony. "Damn it, I can't crack this thing," he snarled, the pain slowly ebbing away. Straightening up, he placed his hand on the glass once more. "The human I'm possessing is called Adam," he chuckled darkly. "What a coincidence. The boy shares the name of the man I once hated."

Sighing, he returned to his seat. "Now, let's hear what this Adam has to say about me."

In another location, Adam's voice trembled as he spoke with Kim. "He is the one who momentarily took control over your body," Kim said.

"Ragnarok," Adam repeated, his voice rising. "I've read about him. He's the one who caused chaos thousands of years ago. He's inside me." The realization hit Adam like a punch to the gut. Tilda, deep in thought, stared at the table, remembering the battle. "That's how he was able to defeat me, to defeat her..."

"Yes, it's the only way it makes sense," Kim added.

"What do you mean?" Adam asked, confusion and fear mingling in his voice.

"When you were fighting against Tilda, the different version of her, you don’t recall what happened at all?” Kim prompted.

“I only remember being stabbed—” Adam began but was interrupted by Tilda.

“That wasn’t me,” Tilda said quietly but firmly, ensuring both Kim and Adam heard her. “I just wanted you to know, I would never do that to you.”

Kim nodded. “He knows. After all, he was once in a similar situation.”

“Yeah, don’t worry, I know that wasn’t you,” Adam reassured her. "When I arrived at the scene, you were fine. There were no scars on you. It was as if you hadn't been in a battle at all," Kim continued. “What really surprised me was the aura emanating from you. It was entirely different, overwhelming, like I was surrounded by fire about to engulf me."

“That feeling... I once felt it in my dreams,” Adam confessed.

"It's possible," Kim said. "One of the founders experienced it too. If you're a god-level power holder, you may encounter the god whose power you possess in your dreams, but I never thought it was possible for a god to possess and control a human.”

“Is there a way to stop it from happening?” Tilda asked, her eyes pleading for an answer.

Adam stared at Kim, hoping for a solution. “I don’t know,” Kim admitted. “This has never happened before. Adam, when we tested your rank, you were a superior, and a weak one at that. You have the potential to surpass that level and eventually become a god-level power holder.”

“I don’t get it. Can’t all power holders become god-level?” Adam asked.

“No,” Tilda replied. “When you become a power holder, your rank doesn’t rise. If you touch a relic that grants you unique power, you start as a mortal power holder. Through training and honing your skills, you can reach your full potential, becoming a unique power holder, but you can’t go beyond that no matter how much you train.”

“That’s the harsh truth about gaining these powers,” Kim said, adjusting his glasses. “The training you undergo is to make a power holder reach the true potential of their rank.”

Adam clenched his fists. “I still have a lot of questions I want to ask you,” he said, looking up at Kim who was standing.

Tilda observed Adam’s determined expression. “Why do some people say they were born here when I don’t see any children or old people anywhere?” Adam asked.

Kim’s eyes glowed white for a second before returning to normal.

**Somewhere in Mountaindale**

Zee carried Anna’s unconscious body over her shoulder, sprinting through the dense forest. She moved with incredible speed, trees blurring past her. "I need to arrive quickly," she thought. "I don't think the sleeping curse will last. It takes a lot of energy as a mortal power holder to use a curse on someone."

Skidding to a halt at the river that surrounded Mountaindale, Zee noted the crystal-clear water flowing steadily. She was parched, having run 133 kilometers non-stop. Carefully laying Anna on the ground, she tried to swallow but found her mouth dry.

Crouching by the water’s edge, Zee dipped her hands into the cold water. She pulled them out, watching the water tremble in her palms, reflecting her face. It had never looked so beautiful. She drank deeply, savoring the fresh, slightly sour taste, and splashed some on her face. Hearing Anna stir, she glanced back. Anna groaned but didn’t wake.

"I knew it, the curse doesn’t have long," Zee thought. She lifted Anna’s body back into her arms and walked to the river's edge. With a swift motion, she threw Anna across the river, following with a leap to catch her mid-air. Landing gracefully, Zee glanced at Anna’s face. She was about the same age as her little brother. Slinging Anna over her shoulder again, she sprinted forward.

---

**DMR Portal World**

“I had a feeling you would ask me that, but I didn’t think it would be your first question,” Kim said. “Alright. The truth is, no one was born here.”

“Huh?” Adam was shocked. “Yes, everyone thinks they were born here because of the erasing process and the curse,” Tilda explained, guilt washing over her. “So it’s true. You cursed people to think that?” Adam asked.

“Yes and no. It required someone with the power of moir and a cursor to make it work. It was a combination of those powers that made it possible.”

“But who could do this?” Adam pressed.

Kim sighed, guilt evident in his eyes. “I did. I caused it to happen.”

“What? Why?” Adam demanded.

“I didn’t do it because I wanted to. I had no choice. He told me to, and I can’t disobey him,” Kim said.

“Who?” Adam asked.

“The most powerful of all the founders, Lord Michael,” Kim replied.

“You don’t have to call him that, you know,” Tilda interjected.

“I know. It’s just that I’m used to it,” Kim said. “Michael is one of the DMR’s founders. He’s the leader.” He forced Kim to wipe all the power holders' memories.

Adam remembered Kim blocking Gabriel's attack effortlessly during training. Kim looked different now, not as strong and firm as when Adam first met him.

“Adam, I want you to help us. Help us defeat Michael,” Kim said.

“How? I’m just a superior power holder,” Adam replied.

“No, you’re still a superior power holder, but with time, you’ll become a god power holder,” Kim said, sighing deeply. “I didn’t think I would ever do this, but there’s no turning back now. Let me share with you Michael’s plan.”

**Rose Garden (Outside World)**

Zee was running just outside Mountaindale, leaping over a short fence separating it from Rose Garden. The sudden jolt woke Anna, who groggily opened her eyes. Her vision was blurry, and she was disoriented by the sight of trees rushing past as if she were in a vehicle. “What’s going on?” she said weakly. “Let go of me. Let go.” She started hitting Zee’s back repeatedly.

“Shut up,” Zee snapped, stopping and dropping Anna to the ground. Anna cried out as she hit the ground with a thud and began to crawl away, using her arms.

“Please, don’t hurt me,” Anna pleaded. Zee sighed, flipping her over and pinning her arms as Anna struggled. Uttering a single word, “Sleep,” Zee’s eyes glowed faint red, and so did Anna’s before she fell unconscious.

Zee sighed, falling to one knee as she felt her energy deplete. "I can’t keep using this curse. Why did I have to be the lowest rank..." She then heard a gunshot and felt a sharp pain in her shoulder, causing her to fall. Turning to face the shooter, she saw a man wearing jeans, a cap, and a brown jacket over a striped shirt. He had a mustache and freckles.

“You, you let go,” the man said, pointing a shotgun at her.

“Shit…” Zee muttered, raising her hands in surrender.