Abruptly, the skies darkened.
Thunder rumbled across the heavens, deep and resonant, shaking the very air. Lightning crackled violently, illuminating the swirling clouds overhead in jagged bursts of silver.
Within moments, rain began to pour from the sky in relentless sheets, drenching the origin world once again in a storm of chaos.
Countless people raised their heads toward the heavens, eyes wide with fear and uncertainty.
The last time this had occurred, abominations had descended upon the land the very next day.
Dread seeped into their bones as memories of the past came flooding back.
A chorus of anxious voices erupted from the crowd that had gathered nearby.
"What is going on in this origin world? First the abominations, and now this? Will some other kind of creature appear?"
Lightning tore through the sky once more, the booming thunder almost deafening.
The clouds swirled violently as if something massive was stirring within.
At that moment, a sudden and unprecedented wave of heat surged outward from Aleron.
The blast was intense. The air rippled and distorted as though reality itself were bending.
The wave swept across the battlefield, incinerating everything in its path.
The overwhelming heat gave no time for reaction; it tore through the abominations like a wildfire unleashed from the abyss.
In less than a breath, they were reduced to ashes.
Over a hundred tier-four abominations were annihilated. Even the portal that had begun forming the gateway to the world of tier-five abominations was obliterated before it could fully stabilize.
The abominations did not even realize what struck them before their bodies were reduced to cinders.
Witnessing this devastation, the expressions of the origin experts changed. Their eyes narrowed sharply as alarm bells rang in their minds.
Something was terribly wrong.
Sensing the overwhelming heat racing toward them, they wasted no time.
They retreated without hesitation, fleeing as quickly as their abilities allowed.
Simultaneously, Drax shouted, his voice laced with panic.
"Quick, fall back! This wave of heat is not ordinary!"
As he spoke, he unleashed his full speed, sprinting toward the protective barrier of the city with desperate urgency.
At that moment, the system interface sprang to life in Aleron's vision, glowing faintly as though excited.
[Congratulations, host, on killing one thousand abominations!]
[Abominations killed: 1000/10000]
[Mission: Kill 10,000 abominations to awaken an Origin Ability.]
[Origin Ability Grade: ???]
[Congratulations on the successful breakthrough of your contracted summon. The Infernal Eyes have leveled up!]
A series of notifications blinked rapidly before Aleron's eyes, but he paid them no mind. His attention remained locked on the battlefield, eyes sweeping the vast expanse of scorched earth around him.
Seeing nothing in immediate range, Aleron gave a slight nod, his wings spreading wide as he flapped them rapidly and vanished into the air.
By the time the nearby guards noticed his movement, it was already too late. Aleron had vanished like a phantom, disappearing beyond their reach.
As he flew, the distant growls and shrieks of abominations reached his ears. They were closing in from every direction, drawn by the noise and destruction.
Their numbers were immeasurable, forming a black tide of monstrous figures. Yet Aleron remained calm. He felt no real pressure. Not yet.
With swift movements, he swooped down from the sky, evading the incoming swarm. He landed quietly behind a twisted, half-burnt tree on the outskirts of the battlefield.
Once grounded, he deactivated his fusion ability, separating from Ashkar. The intense heat faded slightly. Then he summoned the system interface with a thought.
A screen appeared immediately before his eyes, words forming with a quiet shimmer.
Aleron could feel a subtle, almost imperceptible shift in his body, as though something inside him had changed forever.
[Congratulations, host, on killing one thousand abominations.]
[Abominations killed: 1000/10000]
[Mission: Kill 10,000 abominations to awaken an Origin Ability.]
[Origin Ability Grade: ???]
Seeing the mission's progress, Aleron raised a brow in mild surprise, then swiped the screen to reveal his remaining stats.
The next notification caught his attention like a spark in dry grass.
[Congratulations on the successful breakthrough of your contracted summon. The Infernal Eyes have leveled up!]
His breath quickened. His pulse throbbed with anticipation.
He read the next line with burning focus.
[Infernal Eyes Level 3: Drastic changes to heat vision and fire spirits.]
The words stirred something inside him. He scrolled quickly to the explanation.
[Infernal Eyes Level 3: Increased fire control.]
[All previous ability costs have been reduced drastically.]
[Fire Spirits: While in fused state, depending on mana levels, you can create waves of fire spirits to launch targeted attacks.]
Although the explanation was brief, Aleron understood the message clearly.
Even if he didn't, he could always test it later.
But just as he prepared to scroll again, the next set of notifications made his heart skip.
[Congratulations. You have killed 885 abominations.]
[You have received 885,000,000 EXP.]
His eyes widened.
That number was absurd.
[Congratulations. You have leveled up!]
Previously, he had only just reached the Origin Initiate Realm, and he recalled needing about four hundred thousand experience to break through further.
Now?
[Congratulations, host, on reaching the Origin Apprentice Realm!]
[Origin Apprentice Level 12: 1/240 Origin Experience.]
He blinked. His mind froze for a second.
'System, explain what you mean by "requires 240 Origin Experience."'
The system responded at once.
[A single Origin Experience is equivalent to one million standard experience.]
Aleron reread the explanation twice to make sure he had not misunderstood.
Finally, he exhaled slowly, his breath shaky from the implications.
With a thought, he called up his stats.
[Strength: 166]
[Agility: 127]
[Defense: 136]
[Origin Energy: 250/250]
He stared at the numbers with satisfaction and let out a soft sigh of relief.
He had become terrifyingly strong.
'I wonder how many abominations I'll have to kill to reach the Origin Adept Realm.'
His mind sharpened again. He needed a plan.
First, he would ascend to the next realm. Then, he would find a way into the city.
There was no way he would give up the opportunity to enter the Tower of Heaven.
As the thought crossed his mind, he remembered something important and asked aloud.
'System, among all these abominations, wasn't there a key to the Tower of Heaven?'
The question lingered for a moment before the system displayed another message.
[Congratulations, host. You have received three D-Grade Keys.]
Aleron read the message carefully and nodded. It was only natural.
With the number of abominations he had defeated, three D-grade keys made perfect sense.
Satisfied, he slowly stood from his crouched position, dusted himself off, and turned his gaze toward the dense waves of abominations waiting beyond.
'Time to break through to the Origin Adept Realm and then head for the city.'
He was eager to see what the fire spirits would look like in action.
With that final thought, he activated the Level 3 Infernal Eyes. His pupils narrowed into thin, glowing slits, and flames danced faintly within.
"Ashkar, let's fuse."