Primordial Awakening: I Can Evolve My Skills Infinitely
Chapter 101: Top 15 Guild, Trying to Fill the Hatred Bar

Chapter 101: Top 15 Guild, Trying to Fill the Hatred Bar

After conquering the [Fourth Layer], Sam didn’t waste any time.

He returned to his room, and sat down for a short break.

His body didn’t feel tired, but his mind? It wouldn’t shut off.

Too many thoughts were swirling, everything about the [Forsaken Lords], and the growing weight of enemies and races knowing about him.

There was something building behind the scenes. Something bigger than just the layers.

Sam could feel it. He just didn’t know what it was.

But no matter how much he tried to figure it out, the same feeling sat heavy in his chest, dread.

It didn’t go away. Eventually, he just shook his head.

’Whatever happens will happen anyway... I can only push forward.’

That thought was the only anchor he had these days.

So, without saying anything else, Sam got into bed and closed his eyes.

...

The next day, as soon as his eyes opened, the same red numbers floated in front of him.

[2 days left.]

One day had already passed.

The countdown that Asmodeus had given him kept ticking down, and Sam knew what that meant.

If he wasn’t ready within the next forty-eight hours, the fourth [Forsaken Lord] would descend into the real world.

And if that happened... who knows if humanity would handle it.

"God damn it," Sam muttered under his breath.

He got up, threw on some clean clothes, and cooked something quick before heading out. He didn’t have time to waste.

His destination was the [Awakener Association].

The streets were buzzing with noise the second he stepped out.

Floating panels and news screens followed him, all talking about one thing:

[A new guild has entered the Top 15 of the "Guild Rankings" for the first time in months. Information seekers are scrambling to identify them.]

The buzz was all about his guild, [Primordial].

People were starting to notice it now. They wanted to know who was behind it, how it suddenly rose to the top.

But Sam didn’t care. Not even a little.

He was too busy preparing to fight an ancient monster that could crush entire cities.

’Only the fourth,’ Sam reminded himself, shaking his head. ’There’s still more above him...’

He didn’t understand why this burden had been given to him.

Why was he the [True Primordial]? Why had his entire race been wiped out? Why did the monsters and all the other races hate him?

He didn’t have answers. And he might never get them if he died.

But if there was one thing Sam knew, it was that he couldn’t stop moving.

Getting stronger was the only thing that mattered now.

He reached the [Awakener Association] building and stepped inside.

As always, it was packed with people, new awakeners registering for the first time, parties applying for rifts, and some people trying to sell items.

Nothing had changed.

The receptionist looked up as Sam approached, and her eyes widened slightly in surprise.

It was the same woman who had greeted him when he first came here.

"Hey there," she said, smiling softly. "You’ve grown a lot stronger since last time. What can I help you with?"

Sam didn’t smile back. His face was blank.

"Give me a list of the most difficult [Expert] rank rifts you’ve got," he said calmly.

The receptionist blinked, but didn’t question it.

She immediately tapped on her computer, and a moment later handed him a sleek black card filled with rift data.

Sam accepted it with a short nod.

’Would’ve preferred some [Master] rank rifts... but I’m still technically [Expert] rank. Figures.’

This was one of the downsides of having strength beyond his rank.

The system still forced him to progress slowly, to earn experience the hard way, as he couldn’t access rifts above his rank.

He couldn’t just farm layers right now either, not when the real fight was right around the corner.

Leveling up wasn’t even the main goal.

What he really needed was a way to raise his [Hatred Bar]. That came first.

"Thanks," he said to the receptionist before turning to leave.

As he walked through the lobby, he caught pieces of conversations.

"Do you think the [Primordial] guild is recruiting?"

"No idea who even leads it. That’s the problem."

"They came out of nowhere... but damn, they’re effective."

Normally, he might’ve smirked hearing that.

But today? Nothing. His eyes glowed faintly red, not just from power, but from pure, cold focus.

A few people noticed and stepped back, whispering.

"What’s up with that guy’s eyes?"

"Just don’t get close. He looks dangerous."

Sam didn’t care.

He couldn’t stop thinking about Asmodeus, about that suffocating pressure, that overwhelming sense of doom.

Just standing in front of the [Forsaken Lord] made him feel like he was one mistake away from being erased.

’The world is against me.’

That’s what they all said. Over and over.

That as a [Primordial], Sam would never be accepted. Not by monsters, not by any race in any realm, and not even by humans.

He was an enemy to everything. But that didn’t mean he could stop.

It only meant he had to keep pushing harder than anyone else.

[If we do not grow strong enough to kill them all, a fate worse than death awaits us.]

Sam arrived at the train station and went inside, heading straight to the first [Outer Ring].

Once there, he didn’t stop. He dashed across to the second [Outer Ring] without even looking around.

The black card he received was glowing now, projecting a list of rifts in front of him.

He tapped the card.

A dozen names appeared, each tagged with [Expert] rank. He read the first.

---

[Name: Veil Forest]

[Rank: Expert]

[Recommended Level: 10]

[Location: Second Outer Ring]

---

Then another.

---

[Name: The Underground Prison]

[Rank: Expert]

[Recommended Level: 10]

[Location: Second Outer Ring]

---

Each rift was meant to push a normal [Expert] rank awakener to their limit.

But to Sam, they were nothing but warm-up material.

Still, this was all he had access to. So he went.

[You have the feeling that you are outmatched.]

Sam rolled his eyes. ’Really? Never would’ve guessed.’

He arrived at the [Veil Forest] portal not long after.

The rift stood at the edge of a twisting forest, dark green trees stretching out into fog.

The portal shimmered with black veins, the mark of [Corruption].

He stepped through without hesitation.

What followed was a massacre. Sam didn’t say a word.

He moved like a blade through fog, slicing through every creature he came across.

Each one had already been twisted by the [Forsaken] realm, their forms empowered. But none of them were a challenge.

The fight was clean. Efficient. Cold.

By the time he reached the boss, his expression hadn’t changed.

He killed it in seconds. The rift ended.

Sam stepped back out into the open field, covered in monster blood and glowing faintly with red aura.

He opened his panel.

[Hatred Bar: 0%]

"...Alright," he said quietly. "Guess I just keep going forward, like always."

The lack of progress didn’t shock him.

He didn’t know what actually filled the [Hatred Bar] yet, and that was the problem.

By that, he assumed that it was [Hatred], but what kind of hatred should he feel?

Would it be when he is a tough situation? Or when he knows everything is against him so he kills them all?

The answer wouldn’t come, but he knew one thing for sure.

He needed that skill. The one waiting at the end of this affinity milestone.

Sam clenched his fist, red aura spiraling tighter around him as his determination rose again.

’I’m a Primordial. I can’t stop now. There’s too much at stake.’

He turned. And without another word, moved toward the next rift.