The Awakening of a New Power

[[Location: Sixth Floor of the D.M.U. – Labyrinth Guardian's Arena]][[Time Elapsed Since the Start of the Battle: 07:42]]

Mark gritted his teeth, panting, while the Labyrinth Guardian staggered a short distance away. Deep cracks ran across the creature's living stone body, powered by raw energy, and the glowing core at its center looked on the verge of collapsing. Every rumble it let out reverberated through the arena like thunder.

Agonizing pain radiated from Mark's left shoulder, where his arm had been severed only moments before. Blood pooled on the cracked floor. Yet, in Mark's eyes, determination still burned fiercely. Surrender was not an option.

In a final surge of rage, the Guardian raised its massive stone fist to crush him once and for all. Mark realized he lacked the strength to dodge if that blow landed. He had to act immediately.

Summoning what little energy remained, he activated Titan's Frenzy, feeling a searing heat race through his muscles. He clenched his only functioning fist and sprang forward, despite the fatigue that weighed on his legs. His lungs burned, but he had no choice.

— "I won't die here…" he muttered.

The monster brought its arm down, obliterating a chunk of the wall. A cloud of debris rose, obscuring Mark's vision. He seized that brief instant to dash toward the Guardian's already-fractured core. Splintered stone plates, glowing fissures—everything suggested the beast was on the brink of destruction if he could just hit hard enough.

Ignoring the vibrations in the ground, the sweat and blood, he focused every last reserve of strength into one final strike. His right fist, crackling with fierce energy, collided with the core.

[[Critical Damage Inflicted!]]

A tremendous crash echoed across the arena. The Labyrinth Guardian let out a final, guttural roar before its core shattered completely, erupting in a blinding flash of white light. The layers of living stone broke apart, scattering in a whirlwind of rubble and dust.

[[Boss Eliminated.]][[Rewards Obtained: 15,000 Credits – Evolution Crystal – +5 Constitution]]

Mark, utterly spent, collapsed onto the ground. Darkness closed in on him as he barely registered the monster's final breath.

[[Location: D.M.U. Waiting Room]][[Time Elapsed Since Leaving the Dungeon: 00:00]]

He jolted awake, heart pounding. His first reflex was to reach for his left shoulder. To his shock and relief, his arm was there, intact, free of pain.

[[Full Recovery Performed.]][[All Physical Damage Has Been Restored.]]

A nervous laugh escaped him. The memory of blood and excruciating agony was still fresh, yet his body showed no sign of injury. He lifted the arm, flexing his fingers. Everything felt normal.

Looking around, he noticed the waiting room felt different somehow. The air seemed heavier, charged with a strange, electric energy.

[[New Options Unlocked]]

Customize Room (Advanced Training)Bloodline Analysis

"Bloodline Analysis…" he repeated softly. He'd heard rumors about a Stellar Bloodline Cultivation System, a path said to be reserved for those who grew stronger through pain and trial. His recent feats suggested those rumors might be true.

Before sating his curiosity, he tapped on "Customize Room." A new list of parameters appeared:

Gravity: 1.5xTemperature: +3°CAtmospheric Pressure: Increased

The moment he confirmed, he felt his body grow heavier. His muscles tensed under the increased gravity, sweat beading on his forehead as each movement grew more demanding. Yet it was a bracing kind of hardship. His body, still teeming with adrenaline, seemed to crave such training, as though it wanted to transform the horror he'd endured into new strength.

He performed a few combat maneuvers, replaying in his mind the fight against the Labyrinth Guardian. Each step, each strike brought back memories of the beast, of losing his arm. Yet here he was, fully restored, able to retry endlessly until he perfected his techniques.

After some time, he halted the advanced training to catch his breath. The intensified conditions were already exhausting him, and he shuddered to imagine what double or triple gravity might feel like.

Finally, his gaze shifted to the still-unselected "Bloodline Analysis." His fingers hesitated over the icon, but he chose to proceed.

The interface flooded with cryptic data: symbols, numbers, fragments of text. Eventually, a clear message appeared:

[[Bloodline Name: Unknown]][[Status: Evolution Detected]][[Ability: The more the user fights and endures damage, the more their body adapts.]][[Current Level: Chain Breaker (First Stage)]]

Mark's brow furrowed. Chain Breaker… First Stage… The mention of other levels like Threshold Walker, Titan's Spine, Bastion of Flesh and Steel hovered at the edge of his mind. He hadn't heard of them before, but now he had proof that his path of evolution was only just beginning.

— "Chain Breaker," he murmured. "So that's what I am right now. And there are more stages after this…?"

A surge of excitement lit up his chest. If he'd managed to defeat such a formidable boss at this entry-level stage, how much further could he go?

He flexed his newly restored left fist—the one severed by the Guardian. This capacity to survive, paired with the Stellar Bloodline Cultivation System, hinted at nearly limitless possibilities. It explained how he could withstand the unimaginable and keep fighting. It also pointed to a future where his power might evolve in ways he could hardly imagine.

Just thinking about the battles to come sent a thrill through him. Stronger enemies, harsher trials. But now he felt ready. The waiting room had transformed into his personal training ground; he could push himself to the limit, without fear of irreversible loss.

After a few moments of introspection, he let out a slow breath and resumed a combat stance, reactivating the heightened-gravity setting. If he wanted to reach those higher stages—Threshold Walker, Titan's Spine, or Bastion of Flesh and Steel—it was time to start right away.

Mark slowly straightened up, still panting under the gravity he had set to 1.2x. His clothes were drenched in sweat, and his muscles demanded a break. Yet, he couldn't help but smile. Even a short training session under these extreme conditions already seemed to be strengthening his resolve.

— "This room… it's going to change everything," he murmured.

A beep sounded just as he had finished deactivating the advanced settings. He glanced at his interface. An incoming call: Father.

[[Incoming Communication: Father]]

Mark accepted the call. His father's hologram appeared in front of him, visibly pale and exhausted. The lower floors had never been kind.

— "Mark? Are you sure you're okay? I felt..."

— "I'm fine, Dad," he replied, wiping sweat from his forehead. "I... passed the boss trial I told you about."

His father sighed, relieved but still nervous.

— "I can't stop worrying about you, son. That floor seemed… brutal."

— "It was." Mark gave a small smile. He hesitated, running his hand over his left arm. "But I discovered something."

His father furrowed his brows, intrigued.

— "Something? What do you mean?"

Mark took a deep breath before responding.

— "There was a strange mention in my status. Something called 'Chain Breaker (First Stage).' I get the feeling that… my body changes with every battle, getting stronger when I take damage."

A silence settled. His father remained still for a few seconds before slowly shaking his head.

— "I've never heard of that… A bodily evolution linked to injuries? That's… frightening."

— "But you didn't find anything similar in your own status?" Mark asked, hopeful.

— "No. Nothing like that."

Mark felt a slight disappointment creeping in. He had hoped his father would have an answer, an explanation. But he seemed just as lost as he was.

— "Be careful, Mark. This kind of ability… If it's real, then it must come with a price."

Mark slowly nodded. He could only agree. He ended the communication and exhaled deeply. He needed to talk to Kilian.

A beep sounded again.

[[Incoming Communication: Kilian]]

He immediately accepted. Kilian's hologram appeared in front of him, arms crossed, looking slightly concerned.

— "Mark? You look exhausted."

— "I had a tough fight. But that's not what worries me. I discovered something…"

Kilian raised an eyebrow.

— "Another weird thing? Go on, tell me."

Mark hesitated for a moment, then spoke.

— "I found something in my status: 'Chain Breaker (First Stage).' Do you know what that is?"

Kilian's gaze hardened slightly.

— "'Chain Breaker'? Isn't that a skill? Some special D.M.U. thing?"

— "That's just it, I don't know. It doesn't resemble anything I've seen before. I think it has to do with how my body reacts to fights."

Kilian thought for a moment before shaking his head.

— "I've never seen anything like that in my interface. And trust me, I've checked every possible option. But… if it's something unique, that means you're special. And that… that could be dangerous."

Mark took a deep breath.

— "Do you think other people might have something similar?"

— "No idea. If they do, they're not talking about it. But let me ask you something: have you felt any physical or mental changes since this appeared?"

Mark paused, looking at his hands. He hadn't had time to analyze everything, but…

— "Yeah. I feel like my body absorbs blows better, my muscles are more resistant. And my endurance… It's skyrocketed compared to before."

Kilian sighed before giving a small smirk.

— "Well… You've turned into a monster, man."

Mark let out a nervous chuckle.

— "Maybe. But I want to understand what this really is. If this 'bloodline' is real, then there have to be other levels beyond Chain Breaker."

— "And how far do you plan on going with this?" Kilian asked, half-curious, half-worried.

— "As far as possible."

Kilian didn't respond immediately. He just gave a small smile, a mix of admiration and concern in his eyes.

— "Then promise me one thing. If you ever find more clues, you'll let me know, okay?"

Mark nodded.

— "Promise."

He ended the communication and lay down on the waiting room's bench. He had more questions than answers. His father had no information, and Kilian neither. But one thing was clear: he was alone on this path.

He cast one last glance at his status menu.

[[Current Level: Chain Breaker (First Stage)]]

The first step of a long journey. All that was left was to keep moving forward.