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

Chapter 10 – The Chatty Noble and Poisonous Meat

I stared at the piece of monster meat in my hands.

It was freshly cooked, smelled… strange, and was still dripping with juices.

My fingers hesitated as I poked at it.

I mean, I could refuse… but then again, I was starving.

And I had no idea when I'd get another chance to eat.

Taking a deep breath, I bit into it.

The texture was somewhere between rubber and raw chicken, but the flavors? Slightly fishy, slightly spicy, and slightly like something that had no business being in my mouth.

But at this point, I was in no position to complain.

I chewed slowly, forcing it down—when suddenly—

A system prompt appeared in my vision.

> [Poison Resistance Acquired – Level 1]

I froze mid-chew, my eyes darting toward the remaining meat.

It wasn't glowing purple like the professor had warned.

So why did I suddenly get poison resistance?!

Just as I started internally panicking, my system calmly responded.

> [The meat consumed belonged to a Snake Variant Beast. Snakes possess natural poison resistance. Due to system abilities, Host has inherited a weak version of this trait. However, current resistance is low and only effective against very mild poisons.]

So it wasn't fully poisoned, it was just naturally venomous meat.

I sighed in relief—but also in frustration.

To be honest, I had only ever heard of systems in legends…

I shoved another piece of snake meat into my mouth, deciding that if it gave me free resistances, it was worth the weird taste.

The students continued chatting around the bonfire, as if it was just another normal night for them.

I focused on eating quietly, avoiding unnecessary attention.

At least, until someone sat next to me.

A boy with dark brown hair and black eyes grinned at me, looking friendly.

"I'm Quinn Lawrenceburg," he said proudly. "I'm from the Lawrenceburg Barony."

Even though technology had advanced, the hierarchy among people hadn't changed.

If anything, nobility had become even more solidified.

Barons weren't too special in the capital, but in the countryside, they were still a big deal.

I nodded slightly at him, not knowing how to respond.

Quinn took my silence as permission to keep talking.

"You must have lost your memories," he said, nodding as if confirming something. "Don't worry, it's not rare. You'll get it back eventually. Space fluctuations in unstable portals can mess with the brain. But it's only temporary!"

This guy just… made up his own explanation for my "amnesia."

I nodded again, going along with it.

But Quinn was clearly a chatterbox.

"The teacher only gave you a basic explanation," he said, leaning closer. "But don't worry, we're friends, so I'll tell you everything in detail!"

Wait. Friends? When did I agree to that?!

I could see his high nose from this angle… I could see his nostrils.

He was completely oblivious to my internal suffering.

Quinn talked non-stop, excitedly explaining everything about his family, the school, and even the entrance exams.

"I'm training to be a support mage," he said, puffing his chest out proudly. "Healing, logistics, reinforcement magic—you name it!"

I nodded absentmindedly, stuffing more snake meat into my mouth just to keep myself from screaming.

I felt like blood was going to drip from my ears.

This kid didn't know the meaning of 'stop