The days blurred into each other, marked only by the rustle of leaves, snarls of beasts, and the quiet hum of Zane's blade slicing through the air.
Every morning, he hunted.
Every evening, he trained.
And every night, he returned to his cave—a once-empty hole in the cliffside, now lined with soft moss, a crude campfire circle, and shelves of stored food and trophies. It wasn't much, but it was home.
> [Beast Eliminated.]
[EXP Gained: +40]
Zane let out a slow breath as the creature slumped to the ground, steam rising from its hide. The slash had been clean—one strike across the throat.
"Leveling up's getting ridiculous," he muttered, flicking blood from the blade.
> [Level: 6 – EXP: 470/800]
"It was 500 to get to 5. Now it's 800? What's next—1,500?"
But despite the grind, he couldn't deny it—he was stronger. Faster. More in sync with the sword. His Voidwalk was sharper too—he hadn't teleported into a tree in days. Progress.
That evening, with the sun dipping low and his campfire flickering warmly, Zane finally sat back against the stone wall of his cave, letting himself relax for once.
Then it hit.
A pulse.
Like a drumbeat inside his chest. The system flared to life.
> [System Notification: Level Threshold Reached.]
> [Initiating Evolution Process...]
> Warning: Major Upgrade in Progress. System Interface Lockdown Imminent.
> User and System Synchronizing...
Zane's eyes widened. "Wait, what?"
The firelight dimmed. The shadows twisted.
He grabbed End Blade instinctively, but it pulsed with the same energy—dark, rippling, alive.
> [You are entering a phase of transformation.]
> [Current Abilities, Affinity, and Potential will be recalibrated.]
> [System Evolution: 2%...]
The voice in his head felt...different. Deeper. Like it wasn't just the system anymore—but something else, watching.
Zane sat up, tense. "You're evolving? What does that mean for me?"
No answer.
> [System Evolution: 5%...]
Zane stood, staring out into the forest.
Something was coming.
He didn't know what—but the system was changing. And with it, so was he.