KILL (2)
Elijah sprinted through the crumbling remains of the city, his feet pounding against the broken concrete, the wind whipping through his hair. The decaying buildings around him loomed like ancient giants, their windows shattered, their walls cracked and blackened by past battles. Daemones noticed him as he passed, but he didn't slow down. Some lunged at him—creatures with twisted, insect-like bodies and gnashing mandibles—but Elijah either ignored them or dispatched them swiftly with his blade, their Cores left untouched in the chaos.
"I need to break through!" Elijah growled, feeling the surge of power just beneath the surface. His Soul Level had climbed to 96.29%, the edge of evolution within reach. From his previous hunts, Elijah had collected a wide array of Cores, storing them in his ring. Some were from cockroach-like Daemones, others from oversized ants, and even a few from massive earthworm Daemones that slithered through the city's underground.
Without stopping, Elijah reached into his storage ring, summoning several Cores into his hand. He barely glanced at them before his Avatar began to absorb their energy. The Will of the Veil, which existed in both worlds, communicated his gains directly to his mind.
*DING*
[Poison Cockroach Core absorbed. 0.5 Soul Energy gained. Basic Soulshard, Poison Sac, earned.]
[Poison Cockroach Core absorbed. 0.5 Soul Energy gained. Basic Soulshard, Poison Sac, earned.]
[Earth Worm Core absorbed. 0.5 Soul Energy gained. Basic Soulshard, Stone Shell, earned.]
The notifications came one after another as Elijah continued to run, energy flooding into his body. He could feel the subtle shifts as the Avatar processed the Cores, his Soul Level creeping upward with each one.
*DING*
[Red Ant Core absorbed. 0.5 Soul Energy gained. Basic Soulshard, Ant Carapace, earned.]
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Elijah's Soul Level surged forward, reaching 99.74%. His heart raced. "So close!" he muttered through gritted teeth. There was no time to waste. He darted through the ruins, dispatching more Daemones along the way. Each one fell with swift strikes, their Cores extracted as he moved. His focus was singular—he needed just a little more.
*DING*
[Soul Level Limit reached, Gene Evolution commencing...]
Suddenly, a wave of pain shot through Elijah's body, nearly sending him to his knees. His muscles contracted violently, his vision blurring as the energy inside him exploded outward. "Shit!" he hissed, stumbling as he ducked into a nearby building. His entire body felt like it was on fire, every nerve searing with agony as the Gene Evolution began. The pain intensified with every second, slowing him down, forcing him to take shelter in the shadow of a collapsed wall.
He collapsed against the cold stone, his body trembling. His breath came in ragged gasps as the Evolution continued to wrack his body with pain. It felt as though every cell in his body was being torn apart and rebuilt, piece by piece, as the Avatar worked its magic. The familiar presence of the Will of the Veil hovered just beyond his consciousness, silent but watchful.
The Gene Evolution was more than just a transformation. It was a remaking, a reconfiguration of his very being. His body screamed in protest, but deep within, Elijah could sense something changing—something healing. He clenched his fists, his knuckles white as he fought to maintain control. His legs spasmed, muscles twitching violently as if something inside him was being repaired, but the full extent of it was still beyond his understanding.
Finally, after what felt like hours but was only minutes, the pain began to subside. Elijah's breathing slowed, and he slumped against the wall, drenched in sweat. He could feel the shift within him, a subtle but unmistakable change in his body. The Evolution had ended.
He exhaled deeply, forcing himself to focus. A smile crept across his face as he checked his status.
---
**Name:** Elijah
**Status:** Awakened
**Physical Condition:** Semi-Crippled
**Realm:** 2nd Realm of the Apprentice Stage
**Ability:** Avatar (Level 2)
**Soulshards:** Black Jackal's Stealth (Basic) | Bumble Bee's Sting (Basic) | Agility of the Wolf (Basic) | Predator's Intent (Basic) | Energy Strike (Basic) | Poison Sac (Basic) | Ant Carapace (Basic) | Stone Shell (Basic) | Fly's Swiftness (Basic)
**Soul Level:** 1%
**Attribute Energy:** 10
**Strength:** 35 (+3 Recovered Internal Stats)
**Agility:** 32 (+3 Recovered Internal Stats)
**Endurance:** 33 (+3 Recovered Internal Stats)
---
Elijah stared at his stats in disbelief. "Semi-crippled? Avatar Level 2? Recovered Internal Stats? Attribute Energy?" he muttered, piecing it together. His recovered internal stats were remnants of his strength before he was crippled. Now, with part of his body restored, those lost attributes had returned. His smile widened.
"Attribute Energy... I can distribute it." He closed his eyes, feeling the raw power within his core. "Agility," he whispered, guiding all the energy toward his agility stat.
**Agility: 42 (+10)**
His muscles twitched as the boost in speed surged through him. Elijah stood, his body lighter, faster, more agile than ever before. Just as he was about to dash forward, his eyes locked on a figure standing by the entrance to the building. A tall, imposing silhouette.
A voice, low and rough, echoed through the ruins. "Are you done evolving yet?"
Elijah's heart sank as the figure stepped into the light, revealing the Fiend from earlier. Its twisted smile stretched across its face, blood still dripping from its lips. "The higher on the Evolution scale humans are, the better their flesh is. So… are you done yet?"
"Fuck," Elijah muttered under his breath. Gripping his sword, he activated every support Soulshard he had, Soul Energy swirling around him like a storm.
There was no turning back now.