The Alpha exploded.
Black energy swallowed everything, choking out the night with a crushing wave of corruption. The ruins screamed, stone walls dissolving like sand. Nerulians were flung back, some pinned under debris.
I barely had time to react before the Alpha's corrupted essence slammed into me.
"GAAHHHH!"
The world went black. My chest burned like fire and ice all at once. It felt like something was crawling under my skin.
---
When I opened my eyes, I wasn't standing in ruins anymore.
I was in… a void. Pitch black, endless. In front of me loomed the Alpha's twisted shadow, grinning with jagged teeth.
"Anomaly… you are one of us now."
My fists clenched. "Like hell I am!"
The shadow surged, tendrils of corruption lashing toward me. But a familiar voice echoed in my head
[Observation: Host integrity compromised. Activating countermeasure.]
Light flared. My body burned, but this time with heat I recognized...Cleansing Light.
I screamed, slashing through the void itself. The shadow howled and dissolved into ash.
---
I woke up gasping, sprawled on broken stone.
Lyra knelt over me, tears in her eyes, hands glowing desperately. "Protector! Stay with me!"
Elira's face was pale, her blade raised in case the corruption overtook me.
But then a chime echoed.
[Body Evolution Progress: 19% → 32%]
Warning: External influence detected.
I froze. "Wait..what?! Thirty-two already?!"
Elira's eyes narrowed. "Explain. Now."
I coughed awkwardly. "Uh…I don't really know how to explain what just happened "
" Well thank goodness you are ok"
I sat up, testing my limbs. My body felt different. Muscles denser. Vision sharper. Even my breathing sounded controlled, deliberate.
[Observation: Physical performance has increased beyond projected parameters.]
I grinned. "So basically… I got a free upgrade?"
Elira glared. "Or you got cursed and we'll have to chop you up."
"…I'll take the upgrade option."
---
We regrouped. The pack was gone, scattered after the Alpha's death. But the ruins… were worse than ever. Entire sections had melted into tar.
Bran's voice was grim. "This land is unsalvageable. We can't stay."
Lyra bit her lip. "Then where will we go?"
All eyes turned to me.
I blinked. "Wait, why me? I'm just the newbie here!"
Elira's eyebrow twitched. "You're the 'Protector,' remember? Congratulations, you're in charge."
I groaned. "…Being a hero sucks."
---
That night, as the Nerulians packed, I checked my status again.
Status
Name: Yuto (Reincarnated Human-Form Spirit)
Level: 7
HP: 210/210
MP: 360/360
Strength: 26
Agility: 31
Endurance: 25
Intelligence: 26
Skills:
- Absorption (Enhanced)
- Analyze (Lv.2)
- Mana Shaping (Lv.3)
- Cleansing Light (Lv.1)
- Regeneration (Basic)
Unique Trait: Shared Growth
[Body Evolution Pending… Progress: 32%]
I stared at the number, my gut twisting.
If this progress kept spiking… what the hell was I evolving into?
---