[Protocol Triggered: Evolution Path Forked]
[Choose Mutation Type:]
A. Predator's Core – Physical boost, kill-based stacking power B. Umbra Echo – Shadow clone/decoy, stealth-focused C. Voidborn Hunger – High-risk, high-reward growth, devours enemies for permanent upgrades
[Timer: 10... 9... 8...]
Kael's eyes flicked between the options, the air vibrating with tension.
Predator's Core sounded brutal, direct. Umbra Echo was safer, strategic. But Voidborn Hunger…
His instincts screamed yes.
He didn't know why.
Maybe it was the pain. The System. The shadows twisting in his blood.
Or maybe it was the raw promise behind the word hunger.
He had died once because he held back. Because he played fair.
No more.
[Selection: C – Voidborn Hunger]
[Mutation initializing…]
[Warning: Mutation is unstable. Side effects possible.]
Kael's body seized.
He dropped to his knees as dark energy surged through him thicker, colder, and far more alien than before.
His veins went black.
His breath hitched.
Something inside him broke, then reformed.
[Void Core embedded.]
[New Skill: Consume Essence]
Devour defeated enemies to absorb fragments of their strength permanently.
[New Trait: Insatiable – Energy threshold increased. Mutation requires feeding.]
[New Shadow Skill: Void Pulse (Tier 1)]
Ash screamed his name, grabbing his shoulders, but Kael barely heard her.
His vision darkened not from unconsciousness, but from power.
The world shifted.
His senses sharpened. He could hear the Overseer's heartbeat. Smell the chemicals in the air. See the veins beneath Ash's skin.
He blinked, and glowing System glyphs danced across the room like fireflies.
[Tier Upgrade Complete: You have ascended to Voidmarked]
[System Sync: 52%]
[Next milestone: Feed the Core – 0/3 Essences absorbed]
Kael rose slowly, blood still leaking from his nose. His body trembled not from weakness, but potential.
The Overseer tilted his head. His voice, still smooth, now carried a hint of something else.
Surprise.
"You chose the Hunger."
Kael didn't answer.
The Overseer chuckled. "You'll be fun to break."
Kael's chain coiled tighter in his hand.
Thenmsuddenly the Overseer raised his hand.
The chamber shifted. Walls opened. Tubes hissed. Three abominations stalked forward mutated beasts stitched with metal, each radiating corrupted cultivation energy.
[New Trial Initiated: Feed the Core]
[Objective: Consume 3 Essences – 0/3]
[Warning: Death is permanent]
"Three enemies," the Overseer said. "You'll either evolve... or become another test subject."
Ash pulled a jagged blade from a nearby wall socket, breathing heavily.
"You shouldn't have picked the craziest option," she hissed.
Kael stepped forward, lips curling into a grin that wasn't entirely human.
"I didn't come here to play it safe."
The first beast lunged a chimera-like creature with three serpent heads and jagged steel claws.
Kael dodged to the left, shadows trailing behind him like smoke.
The world slowed.
[Void Pulse: Ready]
[Shadow Step: 3-second cooldown]
Kael crouched, drove the chain under the first snake's chin, and activated the skill.
[Void Pulse Activated]
A shockwave of dark energy erupted from his core slamming into the beast, pushing it back mid-attack. Its heads recoiled, stunned.
Kael didn't hesitate.
He leapt forward, driving a makeshift spike into its left eye.
It shrieked, collapsing into a spasming heap of limbs and bone.
[Target defeated.]
[Essence available: Consume? Y/N]
Kael clenched his jaw. "Do it."
[Consume Essence: Confirmed]
[Absorbing…]
[Shadow Trait Gained: Scale-Flesh (+minor defense)]
[Void Core: 1/3 fed]
The feeling was euphoric like drinking pure lightning.
Kael exhaled, his skin faintly shimmering for a moment with dark armor.
"Damn," Ash breathed behind him.
But there was no time to celebrate.
The second creature struck.
It was fast quadrupedal with bladed limbs and no eyes. Just a gaping mouth that screamed as it charged.
Kael activated Shadow Step, reappearing on its back.
He drove the chain around its throat, choking it as he twisted his legs under its front limbs.
It thrashed, screamed, bit air and dropped.
[Target defeated.]
[Consume Essence? Y/N]
[Void Core: 2/3]
[Trait Gained: Echo Spine (Enhanced reflex chain reaction)]
Kael fell to his knees, the strain starting to show. Two core consumptions in less than a minute…
His skin burned. Bones ached.
The third creature loomed. Twice the size of the others, humanoid but hunched. Metal teeth. Six arms. Cultivation runes burned across its chest like tattoos.
It charged.
[Warning: Enemy class – Elite Mutant]
[Chance of survival: 39%]
Kael didn't care.
He stood, staggering, raising the chain again.
The monster was almost on him when
Ash stepped in.
She hurled her jagged blade straight into the creature's eye socket.
It howled, staggering.
"Finish it!" she screamed.
Kael surged forward, Void energy spiraling around him like a storm.
He jumped, using Shadow Step to blink past its swinging claw appearing behind it.
He slammed the chain down onto its spine with everything he had.
[Target stunned]
[Void Pulse: Activated]
Another blast. This time, the beast fell to one knee.
Kael didn't stop.
He leapt up its back, wrapped the chain around its throat, and pulled with all the rage in his reborn body.
It fell.
[Target defeated.]
[Consume Essence: Y/N]
[Void Core fed: 3/3]
[Void Evolution milestone reached]
Kael collapsed to his knees, panting, bleeding.
[New Trait: Monstrous Will – Resistance to mental suppression]
[Void Core upgraded to Rank 1]
[New Skill Unlocked: Consume Trait – Sacrifice one trait to evolve another]
Ash ran to him, catching him before he fell.
"You did it," she said.
"I'm… not done yet," Kael muttered.
Above them, the Overseer said nothing.
But the floating orb dimmed slightly.
A pause.
Then a cold voice: "You're a mistake. But mistakes can be… repurposed."
[Danger: Teleportation Block Disengaged]
[System Alert: Incoming security sweep – 90 seconds until reinforcements arrive]
Kael grabbed Ash's hand.
"We need to leave. Now."
Ash pointed toward a crack in the far wall barely visible.
"A ventilation artery. It leads to the surface tunnels. I wasn't sure if it was real, but"
"Let's find out."
They ran, shadows peeling off Kael's body with every step.