I Became the Lust God After the Apocalypse-Chapter 23: Semi Awakeners: Glimpse of higher power

Chapter 23: Chapter 23: Semi Awakeners: Glimpse of higher power

An intense stench spread through the battlefield as dried blood and corpses littered the ground.

The captain stood frozen, staring at Selena.

"You won..." the captain said, gulping, as Selena smiled calmly.

"I know, right? Well then, let’s report back to the base," Selena replied casually.

The captain nodded.

Watching her disappear in a few swift movements, the captain let out a long sigh.

"Ex-military, huh... I think I get why you’re ex-military," the captain muttered before vanishing as well.

---

Back at Lucien’s shelter...

Inside a special room, Lucien stood with the rest of his core force gathered before him.

Jeff and Daemon were present as well. All ninety-three combat personnel of Lucien’s small shelter had assembled, standing in formation, ready to receive their leader’s command.

"I’m glad you’re all here," Lucien began, his voice firm and resonant. "Because today will be very important."

The ninety-three guards straightened instinctively.

What was so important that their leader had called everyone, leaving the shelter nearly unguarded?

At least the other five Awakeners were holding the perimeter but still...

Another strange detail caught everyone’s attention.

A large bowl of water sat in front of Lucien.

"We all know the world has changed," Lucien continued. "New phenomena have appeared everywhere. Governments have collapsed. Technology is almost gone. Our comrades, colleagues, friends, and families... are gone."

Silence filled the room.

"We are the ones left alive. Survivors. Zombies roam everywhere but the ones you’ve been killing?" Lucien paused. "They’re nothing. I’ve encountered far stronger ones."

Gasps rippled through the crowd.

Stronger zombies?

This had started like a motivational speech, but it quickly turned into something far more unsettling.

"I’m not saying this to scare you," Lucien said calmly. "There’s no need. You’ve all seen how this world works now, how power works. In this new world, power doesn’t come from money anymore. It comes from physical strength."

Lucien’s gaze swept across the room.

"I am an Awakener. Mai is one as well. Those five guarding the shelter are too. But the rest of you..." He paused. "You are still normal humans. From my special advisor to my chief-in-command, you’re ordinary people living in an abnormal world."

His voice hardened.

"If nothing changes, you will fade."

Heads lowered across the room.

They had seen it themselves. Zombies were growing stronger every day faster, tougher, more reactive. Zombies they could kill easily yesterday now required teamwork just to bring down.

Their numbers were decreasing, but their strength was increasing.

Meanwhile, Lucien and Mai handled almost everything, clearing areas, reinforcing the shelter, opening paths, transforming buildings.

Doubt crept into their hearts.

Had they become disposable tools? Dead weight?

"This world is full of mysteries," Lucien continued. "More changes will appear. We haven’t even explored the entire city yet. But for better or worse, you’re stuck with me."

A faint smile appeared on his face.

"Maybe it’s luck. Maybe fate. But I happen to have a way for all of you to become stronger, faster... and perhaps even live longer than ordinary humans."

Eyes widened instantly.

Some guards even touched their ears, wondering if they had misheard.

Was that really possible?

Lucien hadn’t said they would become Awakeners but even doubling a normal human’s strength was massive. These guards were already trained fighters and physically imposing men and women.

Twice the strength meant killing zombies easily again. Enforcing order would become far easier.

Who wouldn’t fear or respect a human three times stronger than peak condition?

"Boss... are you sure?" Daemon stepped closer and asked carefully.

Awakeners were rare, even now. And as far as Daemon knew, Lucien wasn’t a scientist. There was no lab here. No research team.

Awakener blood? Maybe but even that would take years of research.

"So where does this power come from?" Daemon wondered silently.

"Let’s just say everyone has secrets," Lucien replied calmly. "And the changes aren’t limited to Awakeners or zombies."

Daemon fell silent, his doubts mixing with curiosity.

Lucien had mentioned changes in plants and animals before. There were no animal corpses anywhere. No stray dogs. No birds.

Even decorative trees and plants around the city had vanished.

It was strange.

And yet, no one talked about it.

Who would, after witnessing flesh-eating humans?

"All right," Lucien said. "You’re all curious. You want proof."

He raised a small vial.

Inside it, a light-blue liquid swirled gently.

Every eye locked onto it.

Where did Lucien get that?

Was that the thing that would turn them into something more?

Questions exploded in their minds even Jeff, normally silent, felt unsettled.

Lucien ignored their reactions and uncorked the vial.

No scent emerged.

He poured the liquid directly into the bowl of water.

One benefit of being in the city when the apocalypse happened was the abundance of bottled water. Even though the pipes were contaminated , supplies from malls and supermarkets were plentiful.

The moment the blue liquid touched the water, it reacted instantly.

Before their eyes, the clear water turned completely blue.

Shock rippled through the room.

"One by one, take a cup and drink," Lucien said. "Jeff and Daemon, you go first."

Silence swallowed the room.

Everyone stared at the blue water.

Was this a joke? Dye? Was their leader serious?

This would make them stronger?

Doubt crept in.

Even Jeff felt shaken.

"Was I wrong?" Jeff thought. "Did I misjudge him?"

In all his years, he had never seen someone pour blue liquid into a bowl of water and claim it would turn people into superhumans.

It didn’t sound normal.

At all.

Lucien watched as everyone wore the same expression:

"Do you think we’re stupid?"

"Is the boss mad?"

Those exact thoughts were written all over their faces.

"Cough, cough..." Lucien cleared his throat, shifting his gaze away from the awkward scene.

"Tsk... these mortals can’t comprehend the greatness of what I’m doing for them. That’s why," Lucien convinced himself as a smile crept onto his face.

Wasn’t this a good thing?

(Or the Host just sounds crazy. Even I could give a better introduction.)

"Bitch," Lucien muttered under his breath.

"All right, boss... I’ll give it a try," Jeff suddenly spoke, forcing a faint smile.

Huh? Ehn...?

Lucien froze for a moment, genuinely stunned.

He had already been planning how to structure a speech, how to convince them, how to push someone forward to try it first.

This was the first time, after all. He knew they might not be able to accept it easily.

But Lucien was confident, once one person transformed, the rest would follow obediently, maybe even excitedly.

That way, in the future, when he brought or bought more things to enhance them, they would believe immediately.

"R-right... go ahead," Lucien said, his face breaking into a cheerful smile.

Jeff laughed awkwardly.

Now, he was starting to regret speaking up.

The smile on Lucien’s face felt like it was saying

You fell for my trap.

"Did he poison it...?" Jeff seriously wondered.

But then again... why would Lucien poison them? If he wanted them dead, he could kill them easily.

Lucien stepped aside as rows of small plastic cups were placed on the ground.

Biting the bullet, Jeff took one and walked toward the bowl.

"He’s actually going to do it," Daemon watched closely.

He believed Lucien wouldn’t poison them but still, it was hard to imagine that a liquid could change them.

Yes, Awakeners were strange. Everything about this new world was mysterious. People turning into zombies was already insane, but this?

Becoming superhuman just by drinking something?

Jeff took a deep breath as he scooped some of the blue liquid into the cup.

"Yeah... here goes nothing," Jeff muttered, closing his eyes as he brought the cup to his lips.

And the moment Jeff took a drink, lucien stats changed.

Host: Lucien

Rank: Beginner-Level Awakener (Limit)

Strength: 50

Speed: 50

Stamina: 50

---

Territory Status

Territory Name: Lucien Shelter (Temporary)

Territory Level: Basic Settlement

Population: 533

Controlled Area: 0.8 km²

Structural Integrity: Low

Defense Rating: Low

---

Followers

Loyal Followers: 533

Awakeners Under Command: 7

Semi-Awakener: 1

Beginner-Level: 0

Middle-Level: 5

High-Level: 0

Peak-Level: 1

Limit-Level: 0

Total Combat Personnel: 93

---

Ability: All Must Bow (Used)

Next Available Use: 1 Month, 20 Hours

Skills: Eyes of Desire, Appraisal

Luck: 30

Sexual Points: 525

[System Classification: Semi-Awakener]

Semi-Awakeners are humans who have stepped beyond the limits of ordinary mortals but have not fully awakened their innate Awakening Core.

Through external means such as enhancement potions, mutated materials from the apocalypse, refined zombie essence, strange plants, or unknown evolutionary substances, a mortal’s body can be forcibly strengthened. These individuals undergo partial evolution, granting them physical capabilities far exceeding peak human standards. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

A Semi-Awakener possesses enhanced strength, speed, stamina, durability, and recovery, often multiple times greater than a normal human. However, unlike true Awakeners, their power does not originate from an internal Awakening Core but from external reinforcement.

Because of this, Semi-Awakeners lack true Awakener abilities such as elemental control, domain influence, or conceptual powers. Their growth is limited and unstable, relying on continuous consumption of enhancement materials or further refinement.

Despite these limitations, Semi-Awakeners serve as an essential transitional stage in human evolution. With sufficient resources, rare catalysts, or extreme circumstances, a Semi-Awakener may evolve into a true Awakener.

Additionally, mortals who are not Awakeners can still increase their physical power through discovery and utilization of strength-enhancing materials. However, without an Awakening Core, such growth remains capped and cannot surpass the Semi-Awakener threshold.

Classification Path:

Mortal → Semi-Awakener → Awakener