The battlefield had fallen silent, but the echoes of death still lingered.
Ladrius' body was gone — either recovered by surviving allies or dragged to the gods' sanctum.
I didn't wait to find out. My shadowed spear now pulsed with a deeper energy, the system feeding on the first kill.
[SYSTEM UPDATE: Rank Up Confirmed — Darkness Authority Stage 4 Complete]
[New Ability Unlocked: Shadow Dominion — manipulate multiple shadows independently across distance]
I moved forward, through a forest of blackened trees and scorched earth, feeling the pull of life nearby.
Humans, other mortals… some curious, some terrified. Their fear… it tasted like potential.
Among them, one figure caught my attention. A young woman, her hair silver like moonlight, eyes sharp and calculating. She didn't run. She watched.
— Who… are you? I asked, lowering the shadows slightly to appear less threatening.
She smirked, stepping closer with surprising confidence.
— I could ask the same of you, Godslayer. But I think… we might have mutual interests.
Something in her gaze struck me — not fear, not respect, but intrigue. The system whispered softly:
[New Contact Detected — Potential Ally / Unknown Risk]
I didn't respond with words. I simply allowed a fraction of the shadows around me to swirl gently, a silent acknowledgment.
She tilted her head, studying me, then smiled faintly.
[HINT: Character Bonding Possible — Effects on Story Progression Unknown]
I moved on, deeper into the wasteland, but a part of me felt her gaze lingering — curious, almost playful.
It was the first thread of connection since the void. Something human… something dangerous.
The hunt continued. Gods were still out there, watching, waiting.
But now, other lives began to intersect with mine — some would aid, some would betray, and some… would complicate the shadows within me.
And somewhere in the distance, I sensed eyes — not divine, not mortal, but something in between.
The predator had drawn attention, and the game was only beginning.