Selene stood in the dim glow of the fading dungeon, her eyes fixed on the shimmering core in her hand.
It pulsed gently, a steady rhythm that seemed to sync with her own heartbeat. But this core… it was different.
Stronger. Wilder.
The system's voice echoed in her mind, cool and clinical as always.
[Warning: Host should wait before absorbing the core. Processing the energy will take time. Premature absorption may result in unpredictable consequences.]
Selene's brow furrowed, her fingers tightening around the core.
"Wait?"
She murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.
Her instincts screamed at her to consume it. She had always swallowed the cores after finishing a dungeon, and her body craved the power it would bring. But this time…
Something felt wrong.
Her grip loosened slightly, her mind torn between caution and instinct.
[Host should absorb the core immediately.]
The system repeated itself, but Selene's body betrayed her.
Her fingers moved—
On their own.
