Chapter 2: The Sacred Canopy of the Divine Bodhi (ម្លប់បារមីពោធិ៍ទេព)
🍂 The Polluted Forest Edge (គែមព្រៃដែលបំពុល)
Sok (ស័ក្តិ) tightly grips his large axe, his face unusually serious. He steps into the edge of the forest adjacent to his rice field and close to the ancient pagoda area where the Divine Bodhi Tree (ដើមពោធិ៍ទេព) stands. Everything here seems unnatural. The large trees in the forest are starting to wither, the lush green leaves have turned a dry black, and a nauseating stench emanates from the tree roots.
"This is not a normal sickness," Sok mutters, a mix of fear and anger in his voice.
He discovers traces of the monster's attack: large claw marks on the tree trunks and messy black fur trails left on the ground. The tracks lead Sok to the site of the creature's latest attack. There, he sees a strange light escaping from an old tree stump, a sign confirming that a small Gateway (ច្រកទ្វារ) to the Divine Magic Spell Realm (ពិភពមន្ដរាជ) is opening.
While walking cautiously, Sok stumbles over a tree root and witnesses a terrifying scene: three monsters are savagely devouring a flock of villagers' chickens.
👹 Confrontation with the Monsters (Mekha) (ការប្រឈមមុខជាមួយសត្វចម្លែក)
The three monsters resemble wolves (ឆ្កែចចក) but are much larger. Their skin is a gray-black color, like dried mud, and their eyes burn red like lifeless fire. They roar horribly when they see Sok. These creatures are Mekha (មេខា)—the first cross-boundary beasts of the Asura (សត្វដែលឆ្លងដែនដំបូងរបស់អសុរា).
With no other choice, Sok decides to fight. He raises his heavy axe to defend himself.
Mekha 1: Leaps toward Sok first. Sok evades quickly, moving faster than any normal human could. The axe comes down on the monster's shoulder, causing it to scream loudly.
Mekha 2: Attacks from behind. Sok quickly turns and uses his elbow to block. This collision should have broken Sok's arm or caused a severe injury, but he only feels slight pain. This is the first display of the Khong Vong Spell (មន្តគង់វង្ស) power.
✨ Sok's Unknown Strength (កម្លាំងដែលមិនស្គាល់របស់ស័ក្តិ)
Sok still doesn't understand why he can withstand such fierce attacks. He only feels a warm energy (ថាមពលកក់ក្តៅ) flowing from his wrist into every vein, making his body extraordinarily strong. Sweat pours from him, but it seems like a vaporized release of energy.
Mekha 3: This one is smarter, as it runs toward the Divine Bodhi Tree and attempts to destroy it.
Seeing this, Sok's anger explodes intensely. That rage is not a human's anger, but the wrath of a protector of nature and living beings.
"Don't touch that Bodhi Tree!" Sok screams louder than ever before.
As he screams, the krama (ក្រមា) around his neck emits a faint golden light (ពន្លឺពណ៌មាស)—the beginning of the Golden Naga King's (នាគរាជមាស) awakening. Under the influence of that fury and light, Sok leaps toward Mekha 3 with incredible speed.
He uses his bare hands to grab the monster's neck. The Mekha uses its claws to strike Sok directly in the chest with intense force. This blow should have killed Sok instantly, but instead, Sok's complexion suddenly turns a dull gold (ពណ៌មាសស្រអាប់), and the attack causes him no pain at all.
Mekha 3 is terrified and tries to escape. But it is too late. Sok uses his full arm strength to slam the monster onto a tree stump so hard that it loses consciousness.
🌳 Manifestation of Protective Barami (ការសម្ដែងបារមីការពារ)
As the three monsters fall, the ground begins to shake violently. Sok forgets his pain and turns to look at the Divine Bodhi Tree.
The colossal roots of the Bodhi Tree emit a brilliant Golden Glow (រស្មីពណ៌មាស) into the sky. That light completely engulfs Sok's body. At that moment, Sok feels the voice of the Golden Naga King roaring heavily in his heart:
"Person of Purpose (មនុស្សនៃបុព្វហេតុ)... the Gateway has opened... Darkness is coming! Your Khong Vong Spell (មន្តគង់វង្ស) must become the shield for both worlds!"
The golden light is absorbed into Sok's body. Every small scar on his body heals immediately. An unprecedented, immense strength fills Sok's entire being. He knows clearly that he is no longer just a simple young farmer, but the Chosen One (អ្នកដែលត្រូវបានជ្រើសរើស).
🚪 The Gateway to the Divine Magic Spell Realm (ច្រកទ្វារទៅកាន់ពិភពមន្ដរាជ)
The trembling grows stronger. At the root of the Divine Bodhi Tree, a large, circular Golden Ring Gateway (រង្វង់មាសដ៏ធំ) appears. Through the Gateway, Sok can see another world—beautiful golden and blue—but dark clouds are already covering it.
The golden light from the Gateway beckons Sok to enter. At that moment, the fierce roar of Maha Asura (មហាអសុរា) erupts from within the Divine Magic Spell Realm:
"No one can sever our Destiny (ជោគវាសនា)! We will destroy this Gateway and swallow your world!"
To counter that evil force, Sok must sacrifice his simplicity and accept this fate. He knows that if he does not enter that world, this catastrophe will destroy his village, Tuol Rolok.
With firm determination, Sok tightly grips his axe and runs toward the Golden Gateway (ច្រកទ្វារមាស), leaping into the brilliance without hesitation.