Chapter 2 — Birth of the Inhuman
Pain.
It was the first thing Ayaan felt.
Not the normal kind — not a wound, not a bruise — but something deeper. Something that felt like his very existence was being torn apart and rebuilt.
His body collapsed onto the cracked street as a violent heat spread through his veins. Every bone trembled. His muscles twisted uncontrollably.
He screamed.
The world around him blurred into red.
[Nonhuman Evolution Initiated]Reconstructing biological structure…Purifying mortal limitations…Rewriting genetic sequence…
Ayaan's fingers clawed at the ground. His nails cracked, then regrew sharper. His heartbeat thundered like war drums, each pulse sending waves of agony through his body.
The creature that had chased him halted.
Its many eyes fixed on him — not with hunger, but hesitation.
Fear.
The monster stepped back.
Ayaan's vision turned dark.
Inside the endless blackness of his mind, he saw something impossible — an ancient presence, vast and silent, watching him from beyond reality. It had no form, yet its existence pressed upon his soul like a mountain.
A whisper echoed.
"Evolution demands sacrifice."
Then the darkness shattered.
A surge of power exploded from his body.
A violent shockwave blasted outward, cracking the road beneath him and throwing debris into the air. The nearby monster screeched as the force pushed it back.
Ayaan gasped for air.
The pain was gone.
Something else remained.
Strength.
A strange energy flowed inside him — warm, dangerous, alive. His senses sharpened beyond human limits. He could hear distant screams blocks away. He could feel the vibration of the creature's footsteps. Even the movement of the wind felt clear.
A glowing interface appeared.
[Evolution Complete]Race: Proto Abyssal (Incomplete)Rank: FVitality: EnhancedStrength: EnhancedRegeneration: MinorTrait Acquired: Predator's Instinct
Ayaan stared in shock.
"Proto… Abyssal…?"
He didn't understand what it meant, but he could feel the difference. His body felt lighter, stronger — yet something about him felt distant, cold.
Less human.
More… something else.
The monster roared again.
This time, Ayaan didn't run.
A strange calm filled his mind as the creature charged toward him, its massive jaws opening wide enough to swallow him whole. Instead of fear, a single thought surfaced within him.
Fight.
The world slowed.
He saw the monster's movements clearly — every twitch of muscle, every shift of weight. His body moved on instinct. He stepped aside and drove his sharpened hand forward.
His fingers pierced the creature's armor-like flesh.
Black blood erupted.
The monster shrieked in agony.
Ayaan staggered back, staring at his own hand covered in dark liquid. He had never fought before. Never killed.
Yet it felt… natural.
[Enemy Defeated]Experience GainedEnergy Absorbed
A cold energy flowed into his body from the dying creature. The System displayed new information.
[Level Increased → Level 2]Physical ability increasedEvolution progress: 2%
Ayaan's breathing slowed.
"So this is the new world…"
Strength ruled everything.
Power decided life and death.
Humanity was no longer special.
Suddenly, the sky trembled again.
A massive shadow moved above the clouds — something enormous circling the ruined city. Its presence alone caused the air to grow heavy.
More creatures.
Stronger ones.
The disaster had only begun.
Screams echoed nearby.
Ayaan turned toward the sound and saw a group of survivors trapped inside a collapsed building while smaller monsters surrounded them. Panic spread across their faces as they struggled to escape.
For a moment, he hesitated.
Before the evolution, he would have rushed to help without thinking.
But now… his instincts whispered something else.
Weakness invites death.
He clenched his fists.
Was he already losing his humanity?
A child's cry cut through the noise.
Something inside him resisted the cold instinct. Without another thought, he ran toward the building.
The monsters noticed him immediately.
Three of them lunged at once.
This time, the battle ended quickly.
His movements were precise, almost mechanical. He dodged, struck, and tore through them with terrifying efficiency. Their bodies collapsed at his feet.
The survivors stared at him with fear instead of gratitude.
His glowing eyes.
His inhuman aura.
The faint dark markings spreading across his skin.
He looked like a monster himself.
Ayaan froze.
"What… am I becoming?"
A new notification appeared.
[Warning]Humanity Stability: 98%Excessive evolution may result in emotional detachment.
Silence filled his mind.
To grow stronger meant losing himself.
But to remain weak meant death.
There was no other path.
Far beyond Earth, in a realm hidden between dimensions, ancient beings observed the planet's transformation.
One of them spoke.
"An anomaly has appeared."
Another answered.
"The Abyss has chosen a vessel."
And the fate of the ruined world shifted.
Ayaan looked toward the burning horizon, where countless battles raged and the future remained uncertain.
He understood one truth.
The world he once knew was gone forever.
Only power remained.
And he would need more of it.