The city slept uneasily that night.
Storm clouds gathered above Sector 7, swirling like a black wound in the sky.
In the ruins below, deep beneath the streets, a faint light flickered —
the entrance to the Gate of Origin.
Ryn stood before it, his coat torn, his katana slung across his back.
The gate pulsed like a heartbeat, alive, whispering in a language older than man.
> [Gate Detected: The Origin.]
[Level: Unknown.]
[Entry not recommended.]
[Would you like to proceed?]
He smirked.
> "You already know the answer."
The system paused — almost as if it sighed —
and the gate opened.
A surge of air hit him, thick with the scent of rust and ancient blood.
The moment he stepped through, the world twisted.
The city vanished.
The sky turned black —
not empty, but watching.
---
He stood in a wasteland of bones.
Massive remains of beasts, twisted and fused together, stretched for miles.
Every step he took echoed through the hollow earth.
There was no wind, no sound…
only whispers.
> [Subject identified.]
[Host signature: Incomplete.]
[Return… to where it began.]
The ground trembled.
From the piles of bones, a creature began to rise —
its skull made of fused steel and bone, its body stitched from countless others.
Its eyes glowed white like dying stars.
Ryn drew his blade slowly.
His pulse matched the rhythm of the monster's breath.
The system's voice became sharp — colder than ever:
> [Warning: Entity "Prime Beast" detected.]
[Estimated survival rate: 0.02%.]
[Recommendation: Retreat immediately.]
Ryn chuckled.
> "You keep saying that, but I'm still here."
The beast roared — the sound shattered the ground beneath him.
Ryn darted forward, his body blurring as Shadow Acceleration activated.
His sword clashed with the beast's claws, sparks igniting the darkness.
Each impact was a storm —
stone shattered, blood sprayed, and lightning cracked through the black sky.
But the monster didn't bleed red.
It bled light — white and blinding.
> [System Sync – Overdrive Mode Initiated.]
[Warning: Neural strain critical.]
Ryn's vision blurred, pain splitting his mind in two.
For a second, he wasn't sure if he was fighting —
or being devoured by his own power.
Then, a new voice — not the system, not human — whispered inside him:
> [You carry my blood.]
[Prove you deserve it.]
The world froze.
The beast lunged again —
and Ryn's body moved on instinct.
He caught the strike barehanded —
bones cracked, blood flew,
but his shadow twisted behind him, forming wings of darkness.
> "If this is where it began…" he said through clenched teeth,
"…then this is where I end it."
He drove his katana straight into the creature's heart —
and the Gate exploded in a burst of crimson light.
---
When the light faded, Ryn stood alone.
The wasteland was silent again — but something inside him had changed.
He looked down at his hands —
his veins glowed faintly white, pulsing like living energy.
> [Evolution Complete.]
[Title Unlocked: "The Origin's Heir."]
[New Skill Acquired: Primordial Instinct.]
Ryn exhaled slowly, a dark smile forming on his lips.
> "So… I wasn't born a monster."
"I was made into one."
The system hummed, quieter now — almost… respectful.
And far above, in the real world, the skies of Sector 7 cracked open again —
a sign that the true hunt had only just begun.
---
> "Sorry for the delay — new chapter is finally here!"