Immerse Evolution

Chapter 19: Immersive Evolution

Time slowed down around Caden.

The second energy blast was coming at him and the commander, a tidal wave of ruin that nothing seemed to stop. His instincts yelled at him to move, to dodge, to do anything but his body refused to listen, weighed down by the first impact.

Move!!!!! he screamed internally

He forced his arms up, katana clutched tightly, channelling every ounce of strength he had left to block the incoming force. Futile, perhaps. But he refused to go down without trying.

The air crackled. The ground shook. The shockwave exploded toward him

[Warning! Incoming Lethal Force Detected!]

A familiar voice boomed in his head, though this time it wasn't the robotic tone. It was. different.

Smooth. Oozing with condescension.

[Hah! Look at you, struggling like a worm. How pitiful.]

Caden barely had time to process that before the System spoke again time with a hint of amusement.

[Fine. You should be thanking me, but since you're too weak to survive on your own The great I The Strongest Interstellar Soldier System will step in and help you through this ordeal.]

And then 

Everything changed.

A violent surge of energy erupted from his body, a tidal wave of power tearing through his veins. His katana vibrated, humming as if it, too, recognized the sheer magnitude of what was happening.

His skin cracked. Not from damage but from overload.

It was too much-incoming energy, too fast. His cells screamed as they absorbed everything in the air: residual shockwaves, ambient energy of the battlefield, raw essence of every Proximar attack around him.

The sheer force of it arced his back in agony.

"AGHHHHH!"

His veins blazed with light beneath his skin, muscles spasming wildly as arcs of wild golden energy crackled around him. His eyes burned, his bones stretched and fractured, only to seal up again in an instant, stronger than before.

[Absorption Rate: Temporarily Increased to Tier 30]

The Proximar's energy, the one that should have killed him and the commander was devoured.

Not blocked. Not deflected. Simply. absorbed.

And the battlefield felt it.

Despite the pain, the commander looked over at him, eyes wide with the sight unfolding before her. The humanoid Proximar that had been oozing arrogance a few moments ago froze then, violet eyes narrowing in something so very nearly like wariness.

The other Proximars across the battlefield froze too.

As if reacting to something unnatural.

But Caden wasn't in control.

His body just couldn't handle it.

His skin continued to crack, his entire frame threatening to shatter under the sheer weight of what he had taken in. He was like a glass about to burst, unable to contain the energy running rampant within him.

Then, the System laughed.

A low, mirthless chuckle that made the chill run down Caden's spine.

[Too much to handle for a little boy? Tsk. Pathetic. But don't you worry, I don't intend to let my host die so soon.]

Caden barely had time to breathe before the System forcibly rerouted the absorbed energy.

The raw power twisted inside him, no longer running wild but reshaping, rebuilding, and reforging him.

[Forced Evolution using surplus energy.]

[Host Evolution: Tier 10 Attained.]

BOOM!!!!!

A blast of golden energy exploded from Caden's body, the sheer force of it gouging a crater beneath him.

His senses exploded outward. The battlefield snapped into sharp clarity like a scene made in HD, like slow-motion footage etched in his mind, while the weight of his body disappeared he was lighter, stronger, no longer confined by the limitations of before, he felt like a God.

He breathed and the air itself seemed different. Alive. Potent.

His fingers twitched.

His body, once at the point of breaking, now felt new again, his very skin was filled with intoxicating waves of strength coursing through his frame. His katana felt not just as an extension of his arm anymore but of his being.

For the first time in this whole war he could finally breathe.

The System laughed.

[Now that's more like it. Try not to embarrass yourself, would you?]

Caden's eyes snapped open, his pupils glowing with a blue brilliance now.

The humanoid Proximar cocked its head; the violet hue within its eyes locked onto him with an acutely sharp, analysis heavy stare.

It no longer looked amused.

For the first time since coming onto this battlefield, Caden was the one oozing danger.

A hush fell over the battlefield.

Proximar forces paused in their relentless assault as if some invisible force had tilted the balance of war. The wounded, too both human and alien turned their gazes toward the epicenter of the blast where golden energy crackled about his frame.

This humanoid Proximar regarded him with eyes of violet radiating something eerily akin to curiosity, and without a word raised a single hand.

BOOM!

The ground erupted underfoot, a jet of some unseen force shooting at him. He didn't even have time for his mind to think before his instincts kicked in.

His body released a counter force just from his Aura alone

The System snorted.

[Finally fighting like a warrior instead of a clumsy idiot. Progress.]

The humanoid Proximar didn't stop. It vanished in a blur of movement, reappearing behind Caden with an arm raised, it's first crackling with violet energy. It slashed downward, and Caden's katana flashed.

A metallic clang rang through the battlefield.

He had blocked it.

The eyes of the Proximar narrowed to violet slits. Its fists pressed against the katana's edge, sparks flying as raw energy crackled between them.

For a second, the two were locked in a silent battle of wills.

Then, the Proximar did something unexpected.

It smiled.

It seems to have met something that it recognizes as a challenge.

The Proximar leaned in slightly, its voice a whisper in the chaos.

"Interesting."

Then it vanished.

Caden's eyes widened in surprise when he heard the Proximar speak. His instincts screamed From the side.

He twisted just in time, katana slicing through the air, barely intercepting the blazing violet spear fist aimed at his chest. The impact sent him skidding backwards, his boots digging into the ground.

The System snorted.

[You're learning. Barely. Try not to die.]

Caden exhaled sharply.

Caden steadied his breath and readjusted his grip on the katana. The humanoid Proximar smiled, wiping that thin streak of violet blood from its cheek. Its gaze was seared into him more cold indifference; he appeared intriged.

Then, it pounced.

No superfluous movement, no unnecessary strike just pure and raw power

Caden barely caught the first blow as his katana clashed against the crackling energy arm blade of the Proximar. Vibrations ran across his arms, but he didn't move a bit. Then the other fist speared into view. And he twisted his body backwards escaping the fist by a hair breath and he made a horizontal slash.

The Proximar leaned back just far enough to avoid the blow, but Caden was far from finished. His muscles made explosive sounds, as he moved his body forward, into the next strike. His katana cleaved through the air quicker and sharper.

A thin streak of green golden energy trailed from the blade as it bit home.

SLASH!

The Proximar's shoulder jerked back, a deep gash tearing through its armorlike skin.

It didn't flinch. It didn't grunt.

It grinned wider.

And then its form glowed with a golden light.

Caden's instincts roared.

He spun just as the Proximar phased behind him, its knee slamming toward his spine. He barely managed to pivot in time, his katana interposing at the very last second. The impact sent him skidding backwards, as shockwaves of the clash spread to the surroundings as the floor cracked.

The System scoffed.

[Oh? Did you actually react in time? Color me surprised. What a waste of power]

"Shut the fuck up" Caden growled irritated [Make me] the system said and Caden could see its smug expression in his head

The humanoid Proximar shifted its stance. Its movements had been quick, exact but now Caden's moves were appearing in them as his arm blade transformed into a katana.

The Proximar lunged.

Caden barely had time to react before its katana came toward him, streaking like a bolt of violet lightning. Twisting, his own blade met it as sparks appeared everywhere. The force of the impact sent a tremor rippling through the battlefield, kicking up loose debris and sending cracks spiderwebbing across the already ravaged ground.

Then BOOM!!!!

A shockwave exploded from their collision, sending nearby soldiers, both human and Proximar tumbling like broken dolls. The groaning of war machines was heard as the metal frames buckled under the incredible force; trenches dug into the earth were dug deeper, as the earth fractured beneath them.

The battlefield felt their fight.

The other frontline soldiers, those who were still upright, had contracted in mid-fight rigid, unable to tear their gaze from the two green and violet figures fighting in a duel incomprehensible to mortal men.

Caden's breathing was sharp, ragged. His body had just evolved and this thing was keeping up with him and also improving.

This time, the Proximar moved with more speed. His katana flew in a blur of death and brutal precision through the air. Every strike sent shockwaves through the environment: fallen war machines were sliced; steel barriers rooted out; the very ground was gouged.

Caden felt its blows rattling through his bones, his arms screaming with muscles protesting the sheer force it had to absorb; yet, he gritted his teeth and held his ground.

Distant booms shook the area as stray energy blasts from the clashing auras exploded against weakened structures. A nearby transport ship that had been acting as cover for soldiers in retreat groaned as one of the shockwaves from their duel tore through its hull and sent it tumbling over in a fiery crash.

But neither combatant flinched as they kept on fighting.

Caden fought on, his katana weaving in a blur of golden arcs, parrying and counterstriking. With every passing moment of fighting, his moves grew sharper, instinctive.

And yet the Proximar was adapting too.

Much faster.

It wasn't merely learning his techniques; it was perfecting them.

Their next clash sent a column of energy bursting skyward, parting the storm-filled clouds above. 

Caden's feet slid back as the Proximar's katana pressed against his, its violet aura surging anew with more intensity. Their weapons screeched against each other, neither yielding an inch to the other.

Then, for the second time

The Proximar spoke.

"Still holding back or you can operate at full strength yet?"

Smooth. Mocking. A perfect mirror of the System's arrogance.

Caden's eyes widened under his mask.

This monster was enjoying itself.

The Proximar's grin grew wider.

Then it vanished.

Caden's instincts roared.

From the right.

He spun, barely in time to catch the attack, but the power of the blow sent him skidding back his boots ripping trenches into the ground.

The Proximar landed a few feet away, flexing its shoulders, its katana resting lazily against its shoulder.

It wasn't trying to defeat Caden, he was just toying with him.

The battlefield had turned into their personal arena.

Caden clutched the katana tight. His breath was steady, his body a thrum with energy. He wasn't tired. If anything, he felt unstoppable.

 But that was the problem.

His strength had increased tenfold astronomically, speed, reflexes, everything, the moment the incident had occurred, yet his body moved before he could even know what to do. The blows are sometimes softer than it's supposed to and sometimes stronger, even his footwork was alien to him.

He was stronger, but out of control.

The eyes of the humanoid Proximar glinted with something uncomfortably close to hilarity. It shrugged, kata still draped lazily over its shoulder. "Is that all?"

Caden's eyes narrowed. This thing was still underestimating him.

He loved forward fast forward.

The ground exploded beneath his feet as he launched himself toward the Proximar, golden green energy crackling wildly around him. His katana cut through the air like a golden streak, aiming to carve the creature in two.

But the Proximar simply cocked its head.

Then it disappeared.

Caden's instincts screamed.

He twisted just in time as a blade of violet energy whistled past his neck, inches from his face. His katana lashed out on reflex, but the swing was too fast and it overextended, leaving an opening.

The Proximar appeared instantly.

A blur of violet.

BAM!

A strike to his ribs sent him rocketing sideways, tearing through the air like a meteor. He crashed into the ground, carving a deep crater before flipping back onto his feet.

The Proximar stood where he once had, watching him with that same maddening expression.

"You can do better than that," it mused.

Caden exhaled sharply. He wasn't hurt. He hadn't even felt that blow. His body had absorbed the impact easily. 

The System snorted.

[Oh? Can't handle your own strength? Pathetic.]

"Shut up," Caden muttered under his breath, his shoulders rolling in agitation. He had to adjust fast.

The Proximar blurred once more.

Caden barely had a second to react before their weapons clashed. Sparks erupted as their blades met, interlocking in a fierce struggle. Another tremor went through the battlefield with the force of their clash, and shockwaves through debris flipped over burning wreckage.

The air screamed with the intensity of their duel.

Caden gritted his teeth and surged forward, muscles thrumming with power. His katana flared with golden energy, forcing the creature back an inch then another.

For the first time, its expression shifted.

A flicker of interest.

Then, with inhuman precision, the Proximar twisted its blade, deflecting Caden's strike just enough to throw him off balance.

Shit and before he could recover....

BOOM!!!!

A fist wreathed in violet energy crashed into his gut.

Caden didn't go flying this time.

Instead, his body reacted on instinct.

Green energy blew out of his body and it dissipated the weight of the strike. His boots braced, cracks spiderwebbing beneath him, yet he stood firm.

The Proximar's eyes narrowed.

"Oh?"

Caden smiled. Better.

He moved.

A surge of speed took him forward, his katana a streak of gold as it sliced through the air. The Proximar barely dodged, the blade grazing its side.

A thin streak of violet blood splattered to the ground.

The creature stopped.

Reached for its wound.

Then, It laughed.

And then, suddenly Its aura shifted.

Golden light exploded from its form, violently churning as its whole presence morphed into something greater.

Caden's instincts roared in alarm.

The battlefield shook.

And just right then another aura erupted on the battlefield again "Thanks for holding out and giving me the time I need to get to top shape soldier, you can leave the rest to me now" The commander said as she appeared beside Caden uninjured and fully recovered "This test as gotten out of hand and I'm beginning to get annoyed" she said as she looked at the proximal ahead with a frown on her face and her aura was terrifying.