Chapter 5: Emergency Evolution
620 Words
The world disappeared.
For Kai, there was only darkness.
No screams.
No explosions.
No Shadowlings.
Not even the sound of his own breathing.
Then a blue light appeared.
[EMERGENCY EVOLUTION]
[Analyzing host...]
Kai looked around.
"Where am I?"
[Host condition: Critical.]
[Energy reserve: 7%.]
[Combat potential: Insufficient.]
[Evolution probability: 12%.]
Kai frowned.
"That's not exactly encouraging."
The interface changed.
[Evolution requires a catalyst.]
A new window appeared in front of him.
Three options materialized.
[PATH 01 — PHYSICAL EVOLUTION]
Increase strength, speed and endurance.
[PATH 02 — ENERGY EVOLUTION]
Increase energy capacity and unlock energy manipulation.
[PATH 03 — SYSTEM EVOLUTION]
Unknown.
WARNING: Unauthorized pathway.
Kai stared at the third option.
Of course.
The dangerous one.
The one the System didn't want him to choose.
His instincts told him to select Physical Evolution. It was safe. Simple. He needed strength if he wanted to survive the Alpha.
But something about System Evolution pulled at his attention.
"What's the risk?"
No response.
Kai smiled.
"Right. You don't want to tell me."
He selected it.
The interface immediately flashed red.
[WARNING]
[UNAUTHORIZED EVOLUTION PATHWAY DETECTED.]
[THIS ACTION MAY RESULT IN SYSTEM INSTABILITY.]
Kai hesitated for only a second.
"Do it."
The darkness shattered.
Kai opened his eyes.
The Shadowling Alpha was already upon him.
Its enormous claw swung toward his chest.
Kai moved.
Not because he thought about moving.
His body simply reacted.
He slipped beneath the attack and rolled across the street.
The Alpha's claw smashed into the pavement.
Kai stood.
Something felt different.
His pain was still there, but distant.
His damaged arm was moving again.
[SYSTEM EVOLUTION COMPLETE.]
[NEW CLASSIFICATION: SYSTEM USER — UNREGISTERED]
Kai's eyes widened.
"Unregistered?"
His interface continued.
[Level: 1]
[Strength: 14]
[Agility: 19]
[Intelligence: 16]
[Endurance: 13]
[Energy: 18]
His previous statistics had nearly doubled.
But that wasn't all.
A new ability appeared.
[SKILL ACQUIRED]
System Vision — Level 1
Kai activated it.
The world transformed.
Everything around him suddenly displayed information.
Buildings.
Vehicles.
Shadowlings.
Even the Alpha.
[SHADOWLING ALPHA]
Rank: D
Level: 18
Weakness: Core instability beneath sternum.
Kai stared.
"There you are."
The Alpha roared.
Hundreds of Shadowlings rushed toward him.
Kai raised his hand.
[SYSTEM HACK]
The nearest Shadowling froze.
Kai immediately hacked another.
Then another.
Then another.
His ability wasn't powerful enough to control them permanently.
But he didn't need permanent control.
He needed seconds.
The hacked Shadowlings turned against the others, creating chaos throughout the street.
Kai sprinted toward the Alpha.
The massive creature swung at him.
Kai ducked.
Another attack came from above.
He jumped.
For the first time, Kai felt like he could actually keep up.
He landed on the Alpha's shoulder.
The creature tried to shake him off.
Kai held on.
His System Vision highlighted a glowing point beneath its chest armor.
Weakness detected.
Kai concentrated.
[SYSTEM HACK]
Target: Shadowling Alpha Core
Success Probability: 61%
Kai grinned.
"Let's break the System's rules."
He activated the hack.
The Alpha screamed.
A c***k of blue energy spread across its body.
Then—
[CRITICAL WEAKNESS EXPLOITED]
The creature collapsed.
Silence filled the street.
Kai jumped down.
For a moment, nobody moved.
Then the System spoke.
[ELITE TARGET DEFEATED.]
[REWARD CALCULATED.]
[LEVEL UP.]
[LEVEL 1 → LEVEL 4]
Kai stared at the notification.
Then another message appeared.
This one was different.
It wasn't blue.
It was black.
[CONGRATULATIONS.]
[THE OBSERVER HAS TAKEN NOTICE OF YOU.]
Kai looked toward the sky.
High above the city, the Core suddenly changed.
Its enormous surface opened like an eye.
And something inside it looked directly at him.
[HIDDEN OBJECTIVE UPDATED.]
Find the Observer before the Observer finds you.
Kai's smile disappeared.
Because beneath that message was another one.
[99-YEAR COUNTDOWN: 98 YEARS, 364 DAYS REMAINING.]
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