Awakening: Reincarnating With the SSS-Level Extraction Talent

Far away, Inside the Hatred Sect's Hideout.

The vast chamber was drenched in a sinister atmosphere.

Blood fountains bubbled ominously at the corners, their crimson streams catching the flickering light from molten lava flowing through grooves in the towering black pillars.

The room reeked of malice, and the air was thick with a palpable sense of dread.

At the chamber's center stood a massive circular table, carved from a single slab of obsidian and large enough to seat eight.

Seven of the seats were occupied, while the eighth stood empty. Its owner, Lord X, was currently on his feet, commanding the room's attention.

[Lord X - Tier 10 - Level 1500]

The leader of the Hatred Sect was a terrifying figure, both in power and presence.

Towering above the others, his form radiated authority. Crimson eyes glowed from behind his ornate mask, its perpetual smile adding to his unsettling aura.

The seated individuals were no ordinary figures either. Known collectively as the Guardians of Hatred, they were the sect's commanders

Their levels ranged from Tier 8 to High-Tier 9, putting them at levels between 1000 and 1400.

"Any new developments?" Lord X spoke, his glowing eyes scanned each of the Guardians.

Kofuku, a jester-like figure clad in mismatched patterns, grinned and leaned back in his chair.

"Nope~" he sang, shaking his head. "It's hard to find those items, y'know? Not like they're lying around waiting for us to pick them up."

[Kofuku - Tier 9 - Level 1300]

"I've had no luck either," Kento groaned. Black, writhing tentacles encased his body, leaving only his pained expression visible.

[Kento - Tier 8 - Level 1100]

"A gentleman like me shouldn't meddle in such meaningless matters," Gekido laughed while spinning the cane in his hand, a red hat on his head.

[Gekido - Tier 8 - Level 1200]

"Get a grip asshole, everyone's searching!" Kyofu's voice was a low hiss, his purple, snake-like tongue flicking in agitation, "Do your part, fool!"

[Kyofu - Tier 9 - Level 1350]

"Eww~ Get this thing out of here!" Yokubo, the golden-haired Guardian, recoiled, red bandages wrapped tightly around her frame.

[Yokubo - Tier 8 - Level 1250]

"..." Kito, the largest among them, remained silent.

His dark, stone-like skin gave him the appearance of a statue, and his stillness only added to his intimidating presence.

[Kito - Tier 9 - Level 1450]

Finally, Dominic, the last of the seated Guardians, cleared his throat. The chairman of the Golden Star Academy had a sly grin on his face.

"I have found something," he said, drawing every eye in the room.

[Dominic - Tier 8 - Level 1000]

"Oh?" Lord X raised his eyebrows, "That's surprising."

At this point, even though they held these meetings every month, they hadn't found anything that could help them out, so the fact someone actually had information was surprising, to say the least.

"And it's concerning the ritual," Dominic smirked.

The moment he said that, all of the Guardians' eyes widened.

"Tell us~" Yokubo said in a seductive voice.

"Come on before I lick you," Kyofu joked while swaying his purple tongue from left to right.

"Haha~ Lord X! Lord X! I say we cut off his arms if what he is going to say isn't interesting~" Kofuku laughed.

"Look at the circle," Dominic said, and all of them did that instinctively.

All eyes turned toward the massive crest at the far end of the room.

The [Hatred Demon Summoning Crest] was a massive, intricate design etched into the floor with the blood of thousands of sacrificial followers.

At the intersections of its demonic star pattern were five circular indentations, each meant to hold one of the required artifacts.

Above the crest, an orb of blood floated ominously, its surface moving like ripples on a pond.

This was the [Orb of Blood], a sign that the ritual was already in progress.

Three of the five artifacts were already in place, feeding the orb with their sinister energy.

The three items were: [The Horns of the King], [The Claws of Darkness] and [The Veil of Night]

Every single one of these legendary/artifact items were linked to one of the [Hatred Demon]'s abilities, and they needed them all to retrieve it at its peak.

The [Horns of the King] were granting the Hatred Demon its fearsome aura and regal appearance.

The [Claws of Darkness] were for its sharp claws that could cut through anything.

The [Veil of Night] was a shroud that allowed the demon to move unseen and strike without warning, boosting its stats.

The problem was that they already knew what the other items were, yet couldn't find them no matter what.

The first was the [Vial of Undead Blood], used to grant the Hatred Demon to summon minions to aid it in its conquest.

And the last item of the spots around the blood circle were the [Eyes of Hatred], another artifact item that gave the demon unparalleled perception, enabling it to sense incoming attacks and exploit its enemies' weaknesses.

"Do you have information about an item?" Lord X raised his eyebrows, skeptical.

If he had found an item, why didn't he bring it with him right now? It was stupid.

"Yes," Dominic smiled, "But not information about an item... I literally found it."

"!!!"

The reaction was instant. All the Guardians, except for Kito, jumped to their feet.

"WHAT?!"

"Which one?" Lord X's crimson eyes narrowed.

"The Vial of Undead Blood. It's currently in my office," Dominic revealed.

Lord X's tone turned sharp. "And why isn't it here?"

And to that question, Dominic's true answer would surely get him killed, so instead he lied.

"I needed to confirm its authenticity first, Lord X. I thought it's best to ensure it was genuine before bringing it here."

The real answer was: "I wanted to show off by first telling them that I found the item, and thus gaining much more attention and rewards than if he simply showed it."

In the end, it didn't matter much as he already knew what Lord X would say.

"Very well," Lord X said, his voice calm but laced with authority. "We'll retrieve it now. No more time shall be wasted."

"Yes, Lord, I already prepared something for such an occasion," Dominic snapped his fingers, and a swirling portal opened in the air beside him, directly leading to his office.

He didn't take it with him, but only because he knew that it didn't matter as he had a portal to grab it whenever he wanted.

A few minutes won't change much after all, right?

"That is great," Lord X nodded, "Now we only need two more items."

Two more items? But wasn't the blood circle only composed of 5 spot? Where was the last item placed?

"Do not forget about the final item, and the most important we need to acquire," he spoke to his guardians, "The Heart of Calamity must be ours at any cost."

Yes, the artifact Alex got from the [Cave of Oblivion] was actually supposed to be used as the heart of the [Hatred Demon], without it, it was impossible to summon it.

And the problem was that the [Heart of Calamity] seeped into Alex's body, with even the man not knowing how to get it out.

"We'll find it though," Lord X finished, "But first, let's grab that vial."

The Guardians and Lord X stepped through the portal, emerging seconds later in Dominic's lavish office.

But what greeted them on the other side was not what they had expected.

Standing casually by Dominic's desk, holding the Vial of Undead Blood in his hand, was a young man.

"Oh," Alex said, glancing up at the newcomers, "Didn't expect that..."

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