The Edge of Authority
Ezekiel's heart pounded as he stood face-to-face with the masked creature. His breath came in short, ragged gasps, his body still weak from exhaustion and hunger. But something had changed.
The moment his system flared to life, the creature hesitated.
For the first time, it was afraid of him.
He clenched his fists, feeling the lingering energy from the strange pulse that had frozen the creature for a moment. It had responded to his system—Sovereign's Paradox.
But what did that mean?
The creature recovered quickly. Its unnatural form straightened, its mask tilting slightly as if studying him. Then, without warning, it lunged again.
Ezekiel reacted purely on instinct.
The air around him shifted.
A ripple of unseen energy pulsed outward, and the space between them… twisted.
Suddenly, the creature was no longer in front of him. It was two feet to the right, mid-lunge, attacking empty air.
Ezekiel's eyes widened.
I… moved it?
The creature stumbled, its attack missing its mark. It whirled around, confused.
Ezekiel barely had time to process what had happened before a new notification appeared before his eyes.
---
[ Sovereign's Paradox – System Expansion Unlocked ]
New Ability Acquired: Authority Over Position
You may alter the placement of objects or entities within a limited range.
Limitations: Effect duration is brief, and energy consumption is high at your current level.
---
He had just manipulated space itself.
A thrill shot through him.
This system… it didn't just give him strength. It gave him control.
The masked creature tensed, its hesitation lasting only a second before it charged again, now wary.
Ezekiel dodged, narrowly avoiding its claws. His body was still weak—his muscles burned with every movement, and his hunger clawed at his stomach. He couldn't afford a prolonged fight.
But now, he had an edge.
The creature swiped again.
Ezekiel activated Authority Over Position.
The space twisted, and the creature's attack missed by inches, its claws scraping against stone instead of his flesh. It stumbled, unbalanced.
That was his opening.
Ezekiel moved.
Despite his exhaustion, he surged forward, twisting his body to put as much weight into his attack as possible. He drove his elbow into the creature's side.
A normal human strike wouldn't have done much—he had no combat training, no real experience in fighting monsters.
But the Sovereign's Paradox reacted to his intent.
The moment his blow connected, a ripple of force surged through the air, distorting space itself.
The impact amplified.
The masked creature was sent flying backward, crashing against the stone wall with a sickening crack.
Dust and debris fell from the ceiling.
Ezekiel stumbled back, panting.
The creature twitched but didn't rise. Its body shuddered for a moment before it went completely still.
Dead.
Silence filled the chamber.
Ezekiel stared at his hands, his pulse still racing.
He had just fought and killed something beyond human.
And he had won.
He let out a shaky breath, a mix of relief and disbelief washing over him. His entire life, he had been powerless. Forsaken. Cast aside as worthless.
But now?
Now he was something else entirely.
This power… what is it really?
He looked at the creature's corpse. Something about it felt… wrong. The way it had spoken, the way it reacted to his system—it wasn't just some mindless beast. It had known what he was.
And it had feared him.
That meant there were others.
And if there were others like it, then there were also others like him.
The thought sent a shiver down his spine.
A new notification flickered into view.
---
[ Absorption Available – Forsaken Entity Identified ]
Would you like to extract available system remnants?
(Y/N)
---
Ezekiel hesitated.
"Extract… remnants?" he muttered. Did that mean he could absorb something from the creature?
He had never heard of a system being able to do that. Most awakened individuals received skills based on their designated system, and those skills could be trained or enhanced, but they couldn't take abilities from others.
This was different.
His fingers curled into a fist.
He had already crossed the threshold—he had power now. He needed to understand it. All of it.
He reached out mentally.
Yes.
The air rippled.
The creature's body convulsed for a brief moment, then disintegrated into shadows, fading into the air like dust carried away by the wind.
A surge of foreign energy entered Ezekiel's body.
His vision blurred. For a split second, he saw something else.
Flashes of memories that weren't his. A vast, endless void. Countless figures in masks, kneeling before something immense.
A throne, wrapped in chains.
Then it was gone.
His mind snapped back to reality, and a new notification appeared.
---
[ Sovereign's Paradox – Absorption Complete ]
New Ability Acquired: Forsaken Echo
You can temporarily mimic abilities from entities you have defeated.
The ability's effectiveness is reduced based on compatibility.
---
Ezekiel's heart pounded.
Not only could he manipulate space—he could take powers from fallen enemies.
This system wasn't just some random awakening. It was something else entirely.
Something meant for conquest.
A sharp crack echoed through the chamber.
Ezekiel's breath hitched.
The massive stone door at the far end of the chamber… was shifting.
The ancient chains wrapped around it trembled, cracks forming along their rusted lengths.
Then, something on the other side moved.
A deep, resonating growl filled the air, vibrating through the stone itself.
Ezekiel tensed.
He wasn't alone.
Something else had been watching.
Something far worse than the masked creature.
His body screamed at him to run.
But before he could react, the chains shattered.
The stone door slammed open.
And the darkness beyond stared back at him.
---