Renata's chest heaved as the last puppet clattered to the ground, shards of simulated wood scattering around her boots. The rain-soaked VR forest smelled faintly of damp earth, almost real enough to make her stomach twist. Her blade, still humming with icy energy, felt heavier than it had moments ago. She swallowed hard, tasting metallic tang from where her gums had bitten her tongue during the fight.
The system's tiny humanoid form hovered on her shoulder again, flickering like a miniature lantern in the mist. "Host," it chirped, "your reflexes and instinct have improved. But your energy control still needs refinement. Would you like to continue?"
Renata wiped the sweat and rain from her forehead and let out a shaky laugh. "Continue?" she said, voice rough. "I feel like I just survived a week-long war. But… yes, let's continue. I need to be ready for this VR world, whether I like it or not."
She could feel the chaotic void energy still swirling in her veins, that cold, raw power that her body both craved and feared. The two hidden veins—her chameleon veins—were hungry, greedily lapping at the energy she had collected. It was intoxicating, but exhausting. Ordinary veins could barely handle this, and yet, the system promised the VR world would allow her to draw more without immediate strain.
The forest shifted slightly, the shadows of the simulation growing longer. Four new puppets appeared, this time moving in coordinated patterns. Renata's eyes narrowed. The first wave had been random, almost like a basic test. This one felt smarter. More deliberate. She had to rely not only on her strength, but her wits, her instincts.
Her hand tightened around the blade, summoning a thin layer of chaotic icy energy along the edge. A puppet lunged from behind a broken tree branch, but she was already pivoting, her reflexes finally catching up with the simulation's pace. A slash tore through the puppet's chest, releasing a frost-like mist, but two more were already circling from the sides.
Renata's heart hammered. Think, think, she told herself. Her mortal instincts screamed retreat, but she forced them down. In this world, hesitation could get her killed—or at least severely damaged. She leapt to the nearest tree branch, twisting midair to avoid a blow that would have shattered her arm in the real world. The rain made her footing slippery, but the chaos energy in her veins sharpened her reflexes in a way she couldn't have predicted.
The puppets adapted quickly. They had scanned her before, memorized her patterns. One struck again, catching her forearm despite her pivot. The pain radiated sharply, a reminder that simulation or not, her body wasn't invincible. Renata cursed under her breath, then smiled grimly. Good. At least it hurts. It makes it feel real. It makes me better.
She pushed off the branch with her legs, spinning and slashing in a wide arc. The blade hummed, icy energy trailing behind her strike, and two puppets staggered back, pieces of simulation wood cracking under the force. But one remained poised, unbroken, unyielding. Renata's chest burned with exertion; sweat and rain mingled with the cold from her blade.
The system's voice interjected, calm and almost clinical. "Host, remember, the energy in your two divine veins will circulate first, then feed the remaining veins. If you push too much, the overflow will destabilize. Control is as important as strength."
Renata paused mid-arc, letting the icy energy dissipate slightly. Her chest heaved, and she stared at her hand as if she were seeing it for the first time again. That first icy palm strike in the void space came back to mind—how simple it had seemed, how pure. Here, though, she had to combine it with movement, timing, and adaptability. A straight strike would not suffice.
Her eyes scanned the forest, tracking subtle movements. Even through the mist, she could feel the aura of each puppet, their simulated energy signatures distinct in a way her refined veins could sense. She let the chaotic void energy ripple through her body, not to overpower, but to sync. Each movement, each strike, each dodge became a rhythm, a dance with the simulated opponents.
It wasn't perfect. She still got hit—several times—but each time she adjusted faster, reacted sharper. She began to see patterns in the puppets' attacks, how they anticipated her movements based on previous simulations. And for the first time, a sense of pride crept in. Her body, mortal though it was, was adapting. Her mind, chaotic though it had been, was learning.
A sudden gust of wind—part of the simulation—swirled the mist around her. Renata's breathing steadied. She could feel her veins stretching slightly under the strain, the two divine veins pulsing greedily, her other three veins gradually stabilizing the energy flow. The icy blade hummed with a quiet power she hadn't yet tapped fully, a promise of what could come once her body caught up with her ambition.
She lunged at the nearest puppet, this time combining the chaotic energy with precise footwork she hadn't known she possessed an hour ago. The blade struck true, slicing through not just the puppet's torso, but the virtual aura of resistance it carried. It shattered into fragments of blue light, scattering across the forest floor.
Renata's chest rose and fell rapidly, her arms trembling. She looked up, half-expecting the simulation to restart immediately. But the system's voice came, neutral, almost approving. "Simulation complete. Energy efficiency improved by 12%. Reflexes and spatial awareness increased by 9%. Host, you may now proceed to VR world entry."
She let herself slump against the nearest tree, legs weak, blade still in hand. The forest around her hummed faintly, the VR simulation's rain still falling, but she felt a small thrill of victory. She had survived the first serious test. She had adapted. And more importantly, she had learned how much she could push herself, how far the chaotic void energy could carry her if she trusted it.
The system floated to her shoulder again, tiny and persistent. "Host, do you wish to save this progression and record combat experience, or continue training?"
Renata's lips curved into a wry smile, the exhaustion leaving a faint edge of thrill behind. "Save it. And let's prepare for the VR world. I want to see how far I can go—and I don't intend to lose to anyone there."
She rose slowly, feeling the weight of the blade, the icy hum a constant reminder of her potential. The puppets lay dormant at her feet, but Renata knew this was only the beginning. The VR world wouldn't wait for her to be perfect, and neither would the real challenges of cultivation.
She took a deep breath, letting the chaotic void energy settle, flowing evenly into her veins. She didn't just want to survive, she wanted to dominate.
And for the first time since awakening, she felt like she could.