Sentrum City Centre, a special-grade metropolis in Oslo, was bustling with life even under the oppressive gray sky. In the peak of summer, around two o'clock in the morning, the rain came down heavier than ever. Dazzling flashes of lightning streaked across the night sky, followed by the sound of thunder that shook the air.
Boom!
Within a small, modest one-bedroom apartment in the United States, Theodor Felix jolted awake. His body trembled as his mind struggled to separate itself from the vivid images of the dream he'd just had. Rubbing his sleepy eyes, Felix lingered on the astonishing dream—a recurring one that haunted him every year, precisely during the peak of summer. His heart raced as the details echoed in his mind.
He sat up on his bed and reached for the bedside lamp. Flicking it on, the dim light illuminated the room, casting long shadows across the walls. The room smelled faintly of cigarettes. His hand instinctively reached for a pack from the drawer beside him, and he lit one up with a shaky hand.
A thick cloud of smoke escaped his lips, and a puzzled expression contorted his face.
"This is the ninth time I've had this dream..." Felix muttered to himself, his voice barely a whisper. "The Werewolf... Nordmarka Mountain... the compass..." His eyes narrowed as he pondered, "Could everything in my dream be real?"
For the last nine years, every summer, the same dream had reappeared, each time more intense and vivid than the last. It had started when he was just sixteen, but this time, it felt different. This time, it felt important. The dream was never the same. Always shifting, but always featuring three things: the Werewolf, the majestic Nordmarka Mountain, and a mysterious compass.
In the dream, the Werewolf, a legendary figure, ascended to immortality through cultivation. Before his ascension, he buried a powerful compass at Nordmarka Mountain, waiting for the right person—a predestined individual—to discover it. That person, Felix believed, was him.
But Felix had been to Nordmarka Mountain many times before. Each attempt to find the buried compass had ended in frustration. The dream felt too real, but the actual location of the compass was always vague. He would end up sitting at the top of the mountain, laughing at his own foolishness.
"Am I really going to be foolish enough to try again?" Felix thought bitterly. "The last eight attempts were pointless..."
As the rain continued to fall outside, Felix's thoughts were interrupted by the first light of dawn. The storm had passed, and the sky had lightened to a dull gray. It was six in the morning. Felix stood up, dressed quickly, and freshened up. The city outside was quiet, the streets empty. The streets of Grünerløkka were familiar to him, but today felt different. Today, something was calling him.
He stepped out of his apartment and found an empty taxi passing by. He raised his hand, signaling the driver, and with a smile, he said, "To Nordmarka Mountain, please."
"Alright!" The driver said cheerfully. "Today's my lucky day, a fare this early in the morning!"
Felix grinned as the taxi pulled away from the curb, heading towards the outskirts of Oslo.
The ride to Nordmarka Mountain was longer than Felix had expected. Grünerløkka was just a few kilometers away, but the journey felt like a pilgrimage. As the taxi drove, Felix gazed out the window at the picturesque Norwegian landscape. He’d lived here for most of his life, but there was something about the mountain that had always felt like it was calling him.
More than an hour later, the taxi arrived at the foot of Nordmarka Mountain. The road split—one path leading to Traverse Lake and the other to Nordmarka Mountain. Felix could see the mountain towering in the distance, its evergreen forests hugging the slopes. The peak was about 800 meters above sea level, covered in a mix of birch and maple trees.
Felix paid the fare through WhatsApp and stepped out of the car. The cool morning air hit his face, and for the first time in years, he felt a rush of excitement. The mountain had always been part of his life, but today, it felt like it was part of something greater. He was here for a reason.
The road was not steep, and the mountain was easily accessible. Felix began his ascent, his footsteps crunching softly on the wet ground. As he walked, the memory of his dream replayed in his mind. He knew the area well, and despite the forest's dense nature, he was certain he could find the spot marked by the dream.
An hour later, Felix found himself deep within the forest, his eyes scanning the surroundings for the familiar landmarks that had appeared in his dream. The trees were a mix of birch and maple, their trunks covered with a thin layer of moss. He muttered to himself, "If I can't find the twisted birch tree this time, maybe the dream is just a fantasy. It's not worth chasing anymore."
Half an hour passed, and Felix was beginning to lose hope. He was about to give up when, suddenly, something caught his eye—a peculiar shape among the trees. His heart skipped a beat as he stared at the sight before him.
There, just ahead, stood the twisted birch tree—the same one from his dreams. Felix's breath caught in his throat as he approached it. His pulse quickened, and his mind raced with disbelief. He couldn’t help but whisper, "It’s real... the dream was real."
The tree stood as though it had been waiting for him. The trunk was gnarled and bent in an unusual shape, the branches spreading outward in a way that made it look almost alive. Felix approached it slowly, the weight of the moment sinking in.
He crouched down, scanning the ground for any signs of the compass. His hands trembled as he realized that this might be the moment he had waited for his entire life. But there was no time to waste. Felix needed to act.
He glanced around and, in his haste, realized he had forgotten to bring any tools to dig. The ground was soft from the heavy rain, but he would need something to uncover whatever lay beneath the earth. Nearby, he spotted a long stick. Without hesitation, he grabbed it and began to dig.
The process was slow at first, but Felix’s determination pushed him forward. The soft soil made it easier to dig, and before long, he had unearthed a small hole. His heart raced as he expanded the hole, hoping against hope that his dream had not deceived him.
And then, with a sharp sound, the stick struck something hard. Felix froze. Was it...?
"Could it be the compass?" he whispered, his voice shaky with excitement.
He dropped to his knees, his hands working feverishly to clear away the remaining dirt. What he uncovered left him breathless. The celestial pool of the compass glimmered beneath the dirt, its golden light faint but unmistakable. Despite the layers of brownish-black soil, Felix could clearly see the compass’s intricate design—the pivot needle, the magnetic needle, the meridian lines.
With trembling hands, Felix lifted the compass from the earth, and as he did, the air around him seemed to pulse with energy.
A loud voice echoed in his ears, as though from all directions at once. "The ten celestial laws are present, the golden lock and jade gate open."
In an instant, the compass was bathed in a golden light. The light streamed from Felix’s body, enveloping him in a brilliant glow. He was no longer on the mountain but in a vast, mystical space. Before him stood a figure—Max garbed in green, with a round face, blue-tinted skin, silver hair, and a long beard. He looked like a celestial being, exuding an aura of power and mystery.
Felix, now floating in mid-air, was unable to suppress the awe that washed over him. He managed to stammer, “Are you... Max?”
Max nodded, and with a wave of his whisk, Felix was pulled toward him. His body hovered before Max as if bound by an invisible force.
"It is indeed I," Max said, his voice resonating with ancient power.
Felix's eyes widened, and he struggled to find his words. "Why me? Why am I the one chosen?"
Max smiled softly. "Because you are the predestined one. You are the only soul in this world who can merge with mine. You are destined to reincarnate as the God of the Mysterious Gates."
Felix’s heart raced as the words sank in. “But... what does that mean for me?”
"You will inherit my power," Max continued. "But be warned. If you try to integrate my soul consciousness by force, your body will disintegrate. Instead, I will lend you my strength, that you may grow into your destiny."
The Gift of Power
Max ’s voice boomed as he waved his hand, and the knowledge of the Mysterious Gates flooded Felix’s mind. The techniques, the martial arts, the entire legacy of the Werewolf—the flood of information was overwhelming.
Felix’s body rotated in mid-air as if he were caught in a vortex. Knowledge of profound techniques—some ancient, some new—merged with his very being. His understanding of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu deepened, as the techniques and philosophies took root in his soul.
As the rotation slowed, Felix’s feet touched the ground. The golden light around him faded, and Max’s form began to dissolve.
Before disappearing completely, the figure spoke again. "Now, you are a Sensei of the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu technique. You have both martial skills and fortune-telling abilities. You are no longer an ordinary person. Your journey has just begun."
Felix nodded, his mind racing with new knowledge. "Thank you, Sensei. I will make sure your teachings are not in vain."
Max smiled. "You have the potential to become great. Remember, stay true to yourself and use your powers wisely."
With that, Max vanished, leaving Felix alone in the forest once more. But this time, he was not the same.
Felix stood silently, the weight of the experience settling over him. He reached up to his right hand and noticed the jade ring that had appeared on his finger. It was beautiful—a high-quality piece of jade—but its true nature was far more than aesthetic. This was a storage ring, one filled with tools and treasures necessary for mastering Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
Felix took a deep breath, looking at the mountain around him. The trees, the soil—everything seemed different now. He felt lighter, more attuned to the world.
Descending the mountain, he was faster than ever before, his newfound abilities allowing him to navigate the forest with ease. Within minutes, he was back at the foot of the mountain.
The spot where he had uncovered the compass was now pristine, as if untouched by time. The grass grew tall and green, the earth undisturbed.
Felix looked at the spot one last time, his heart full of determination. His life had just changed in ways he couldn’t yet comprehend, but he knew one thing for sure: This was only the beginning.
