Rama found himself enveloped in darkness…

He sat alone, paralyzed by an overwhelming sense of abandonment.

"Father… Mother… where are you?... Come back," he called out, his voice trembling with desperation. His cries echoed into the void, unanswered, leaving a deep, aching pain in his chest.

Took him moments before he began to realize that it was just a memory of his 10-year-old self. The revelation, however, was quickly overshadowed by the terrifying sound of the flying creature approaching.

Ke ke ke ke ke ke.

He ran… and ran, until he finally awoke, back in the familiar setting of the hospital room, panting with heavy breaths.

For a brief moment, Rama was disoriented, his mind struggling to separate the dream from reality. The memories of the night before—of the supernatural creature chasing him—flooded back into his consciousness.

"Dammit… is this all but a dream?" he wondered aloud, his voice barely a whisper.

But the sharp pain in his back told him otherwise.

This pain was real—a stark reminder of the battle he had fought.

As he tried to process his thoughts, the door to his room creaked open, and a nurse entered, followed by two police officers.

They approached him expecting answers.

"Tell us the truth," one of the officers said.

Realizing that the truth might land him in a psychiatric ward, Rama decided to play the traumatic amnesia card. "I'm sorry, officer… Can you tell me what happened? Maybe it will help jog my memory."

To his surprise, the officers visibly relaxed, their stern demeanor easing.

They began recounting the events with a hint of amusement, explaining how a wild monkey had somehow gotten into the hospital, injured a nurse, and chased after Rama until it was accidentally electrocuted—with Rama passing out beside it.

Rama listened, baffled.

This version of events, supported by multiple witness accounts from the nurses, even included an injury report that described what they believed to be monkey scratches on both his body and the nurse.

"..."

After a long pause, Rama cautiously asked, "What about the body? I mean… the monkey corpse?"

If the corpse was found, they must have realized it wasn't an animal. However, the police officer casually answered, "You worried about animal disease? Don't worry, the hospital confirmed that the monkey didn't have rabies or anything like that."

Rama was at a loss for words.

He exhaled deeply, trying to process the bizarre turn of events.

Just like in the Avatar of Gods novel, not only were mortals blind to the presence of supernatural beings, but the very fabric of the world's natural laws also warped their perceptions. They were compelled to create plausible explanations for events they couldn't comprehend.

The officers seemed more concerned with Rama's behavior, even hinting at the possibility of drug involvement. But with no trace of substances found in his system, they casually chalked it up to a typical Gen Z mental health issue.

As the police officers left, Rama's mind drifted back to the last notification he saw before losing consciousness.

He whispered, "Check… status…" and a holographic display appeared in his mind.

Name: Rama
Level: 5
Merits: 50

Below his level, the word "Merits" was now listed.

Rama remembered from the novel that merits were a form of contribution an avatar made toward society. They functioned as a type of currency that could be traded for items or skills in secret shops.

The significance of this new addition to his status made him pause. He couldn't help but feel a mix of anxiety and curiosity. The world he'd known was slipping away, replaced by something both terrifying and exciting.

Another thing he noticed was the absence of any change in his SP bar. Despite the intense battle with the flying creature, his SP—or Spirit Points—hadn't budged an inch. No spirit energy had been absorbed, unlike when he was in the shadow realm. He also realized, that the once-visible HP bar, which tracked his health, was now missing entirely.

These mysteries gnawed at him, leaving him puzzled and frustrated.

As he wrestled with these dilemmas, his thoughts were abruptly interrupted by the creak of the door opening. Rama's eyes narrowed slightly as he looked up.

The nurse had returned, bringing with her two new visitors. One was a man in a black clerical shirt with a white band encircling his neck—a clear symbol of his priesthood. The other wore glasses and a formal blazer, presenting a stark contrast yet complementing the priest's presence in a way that suggested they were a pair.

They entered the room with a calm, practiced politeness, but something about their demeanor immediately set Rama on edge.

The nurse, with a pleasant smile, introduced them as missionaries from a local church, here to offer comfort and support to those in need at the hospital.

Rama politely declined the offer, expressing that he wasn't up for any social visits. But his refusal didn't deter them. They remained, standing side by side, their smiles unwavering as they watched the nurse exit the room. The door closed with a quiet click, leaving Rama alone with these two strangers.

The man in glasses, who introduced himself as Eddie, was the first to break the silence. 

"We're sorry to hear about last night's incident… would you like to share anything about what happened?" The man's tone was more probing than sympathetic, and it set Rama on edge.

His mind raced as he tried to assess the situation. Whether it was his newly enhanced intelligence or heightened perceptions, Rama knew he needed to tread carefully.

"I don't really remember much…" he replied, deliberately keeping his tone vague.

The atmosphere in the room grew tense as the man in glasses leaned in closer. "Do you mind if I see the wound on your back?"

Rama's suspicions deepened, but he maintained his composure, "I'm sorry… but I'm really tired right now," he said, hoping to deflect the request.

To his surprise, the man completely disregarded his words. With a surprisingly firm yet gentle grip, he placed a hand on Rama's shoulder, effortlessly pulling him into a sitting position despite Rama's resistance.

Before Rama could protest, the man in glasses began to carefully undo the dressing on his back, exposing the wound inflicted by the creature's flaming tongue. Rama flinched slightly as the bandages were peeled away, but the man remained focused, his eyes narrowing with unsettling precision as he examined the injury.

"This wound is not infectious… don't worry," the man murmured to himself, as he meticulously re-dressed the wound.

Once the dressing was back in place, the man laid Rama down gently on the bed. Rama's mind raced, struggling to piece together the intentions of these two visitors.

Before he could collect his thoughts, the man in the priest's robe approached and handed him a fist-sized crystal.

"What is this?!" Rama exclaimed, feeling a sudden warmth emanating from the crystal.

"Don't worry, just stay calm. It's harmless," Eddie assured him, his tone eerily soothing, as though discussing something as mundane as taking a temperature.

As the warmth in his palm intensified, Rama could feel a searing heat spreading across his hand. Grey smoke began to coil within the crystal, enveloping it in a misty haze.

"He is a pre-awakener indeed." said the priest.

Rama's heart raced, not from confusion but from a sudden recognition.

Everything was unfolding just as described in the Avatar of God's novel. The presence of these two men and the enigmatic crystal—this was straight out of the chapters that detailed the Supernatural Association, a clandestine organization tasked with monitoring and maintaining the balance between the human and supernatural realms.

Known for their covert operations and their ability to remain hidden from ordinary people, the Supernatural Association was a shadowy force, rarely revealing their true nature. Yet here they were, conducting their investigation right in front of him.

The man in glasses gazed at him and said, "To eliminate a Rangda spawn as a pre-awakener… you're either exceptionally skilled or incredibly fortunate."

Rama's mind raced, trying to grasp the implications. The term "pre-awakener" referred to individuals who had the latent potential for supernatural abilities but had not yet fully awakened them. 

Rama was speechless, not sure how to respond, and decided to stay silent.

Eddie casually picked up the medical notes from his bedside. His gaze flicked over the documents, and he paused, a faint, knowing smirk tugging at the corners of his lips.

"Rama Purnama... aahh... Purnama family… no wonder..."

Rama was taken aback. Hearing his family name mentioned with such significance was startling. 

"You're not in trouble, kid," the man said reassuringly. "It's just that your name isn't registered with the association. Even though you're part of the Purnama family, you still need to come and formally register with us."

He handed Rama a business card with his name, phone number, and address, instructing him to visit. Before leaving, he added with a faint smile, "You did well… Good job."

Rama stared at the card in a daze, struggling to process the whirlwind of information. Minutes later, the door to his room burst open. His sister stormed in, her face pale with worry and eyes wide with panic. The news of the so-called "monkey attack" had reached her. She looked both terrified and relieved to see him in bed, hurt but alive.

As Rama observed his sister's frantic yet caring demeanor, his mind raced with questions and revelations. The encounter with the two men and their cryptic remarks about his family left him uneasy. He couldn't shake the feeling that there were deeper, hidden truths about his family and their connection to the supernatural world.