mortal_man

Betrayed by family. Bullied for being different. Left to rot in a remote orphanage with no future. Sixteen-year-old Orion had long accepted that life had dealt him the worst possible hand. But when a cruel twist of fate sends him plummeting into an ancient ruin, everything changes.

Awakening the Infinite Evolution System, Orion gains the power to defy fate itself. His body evolves beyond human limits, his strength growing with every battle, every challenge. But power doesn’t come without cost. As he fights for survival, he soon realizes that his fall into the ruins was no accident—it was a calling.

The universe is on the brink of war. Ancient races, forgotten civilizations, and cosmic overlords all vie for supremacy. Humanity stands on the edge of extinction, its fragile peace threatened by forces beyond comprehension. And at the heart of it all lies Orion’s own past—a mystery buried beneath layers of betrayal and blood.

Armed with an evolving system, a blade that adapts to his will, and a mind sharpened by hardship, Orion will carve his own path. He will rise from the ashes, claim the power stolen from him, and make those who abandoned him tremble.

From orphan to warrior. From outcast to legend.

He will become the Cosmic Overlord.

Infinite Evolution: From Orphan to Cosmic Overlord

That was the first thing I registered as I slowly regained consciousness. A dull, throbbing pain that pulsed through every inch of my body, like I had been thrown into a meat grinder and spat back out. My head felt heavy, my arms refused to move, and my ribs protested with every shallow breath I took.

I cracked one eye open, expecting to see the pearly gates or maybe the laughing faces of Darren and his gang hovering over me. Instead, what greeted me was... darkness. Not complete darkness, though. There was a faint, eerie blue glow illuminating strange markings on the jagged walls surrounding me. It was enough to tell me one thing:

I wasn't at the orphanage anymore.

Slowly, I tried to push myself up, only to let out a sharp gasp as pain shot through my side. I winced, clutching my ribs. That fall... right. I had been standing near the cliff, and then the ground gave way beneath me. Just my luck.

I tilted my head up, hoping to catch a glimpse of the sky or the edge of the cliff I fell from. Nothing. Just endless rock stretching upwards into darkness. How far had I fallen? How was I even still alive?

Taking a shaky breath, I focused on my surroundings. The cave—if I could call it that—was massive. The walls were lined with symbols that pulsed faintly, casting a dim glow over the area. The air felt... thick. Heavy. Like something ancient and powerful had seeped into every inch of this place.

"Alright, brain, think. I'm in a hole. A weird, glowing hole. I should be panicking, right?"

But I wasn't. My body hurt, sure, but my mind was surprisingly calm. Maybe it was the shock. Maybe it was just me being too dumb to understand how much trouble I was really in. Either way, I needed to move.

With gritted teeth, I forced myself to my feet, leaning against the wall for support. My legs wobbled, but I stayed upright. Step one: Assess the damage.

Bruises? Everywhere. Cuts? A few, but nothing too deep. Broken bones? Probably a rib or two, but nothing I couldn't handle.

"Could be worse," I muttered, trying to convince myself.

I took a slow step forward, testing my balance. The cavern floor was uneven, small cracks running through it like veins. With no clear path, I picked a direction and started walking, one hand trailing against the wall to keep steady.

Minutes passed. Maybe longer. Time felt weird down here. The glow of the symbols remained steady, never dimming, never brightening. It was unnerving.

A soft, low hum. Faint, but distinct.

I froze, ears straining. The sound wasn't natural. It was rhythmic, almost mechanical. And it was coming from up ahead.

"Okay, great. Either I'm heading toward salvation, or I'm about to get eaten by some ancient cave monster. Awesome."

Despite my joke, my feet carried me forward. Curiosity or stupidity? Hard to tell. But what choice did I have? Staying still wasn't an option.

The further I walked, the louder the humming became. Soon, the tunnel opened into a vast chamber, and my breath caught in my throat.

In the center of the cavern stood an enormous structure, unlike anything I had ever seen. Towering pillars surrounded a platform, pulsating with the same blue glow that lined the walls. And in the middle of it all, floating inches above the ground, was a sphere of pure energy.

As if in response, the sphere pulsed, sending a wave of energy through the air. My body stiffened. A voice—no, something deeper than a voice—resonated in my mind.

[Initialization Complete. Subject Identified. Commencing Synchronization.]

A sharp pain shot through my skull, and I barely had time to scream before everything went white.

Chapter 1: Into the Unknown