The Black Legion’s Hunt

Kyle's breath steadied, but his mind burned with urgency. The figures at the tree line—The Black Legion—moved with practiced efficiency, their weapons drawn, their approach methodical. They weren't just mindless marauders. They were hunters, and right now, he was the prey.

He counted six of them, but something in his gut told him they weren't alone. Their armor was blackened steel, etched with blood-red sigils that pulsed faintly in the morning gloom. Their eyes, an eerie unnatural glow, locked onto him with terrifying precision.

Kyle didn't hesitate. Standing still meant dying.

He dashed toward the nearest intact building, his legs carrying him faster than they should have. Evolutionary Growth had made him stronger, but he still had limits. The Black Legion weren't charging recklessly. They moved in formation, each step deliberate, their bows drawn in a way that spoke of expertise, not hesitation.

An arrow whistled past his ear. Another clattered against stone as he ducked behind a shattered wall, forcing himself to breathe. Think, dammit. You're not going to win a straight fight. You don't know what they're capable of, but they know what you are.

Another arrow struck, piercing through the stone and lodging itself inches from his face. Too damn close.

Kyle peeked out for half a second before jerking back. One of them—taller than the rest, wearing heavier armor—wasn't holding a bow. He held a blade, massive, serrated, and lined with dark runes that hissed against the air itself.

A notification flickered.

??? Identified: Black Legion Executioner

Level: ???

Threat Level: Fatal

Kyle swallowed hard. Fatal. That meant he wasn't just outclassed—he was outmatched. If the system itself was warning him, that meant one hit would end him.

He needed options.

Another notification pulsed.

Skill Progression Active – Evolutionary Growth Engaged.

Analyzing Combat Situation…

New Adaptive Ability Unlocking…

Kyle felt it before he saw it. A rush of heat, unlike anything he had experienced before. His fingers twitched as raw instinct rewired itself into something more. The air around him crackled. His vision sharpened, his muscles tensed differently, his stance shifting without thought.

The system was teaching him how to survive.

New Ability Acquired: Tactical Instinct (Lv. 1)

Your body reacts faster than your mind, adapting mid-battle. Incoming projectile threats can be dodged more effectively. Combat awareness heightened.

Kyle barely had time to register the change before his body moved on its own.

He twisted to the side just as an arrow should have hit him, the shift so fast and natural that he almost didn't believe it himself.

They were getting closer. He could hear their armor shifting, hear the subtle shift of boots over ash-covered dirt.

They weren't in a hurry.

They were hunting him.

Kyle gritted his teeth. They thought he was weak. They thought he was prey.

He was about to show them how wrong they were.

---

He lunged out from cover before they could anticipate it, dashing toward the wreckage of a nearby house. His body, fueled by Tactical Instinct, responded with inhuman precision, dodging another volley of arrows as he moved. The Legion members adjusted instantly, breaking formation to cut him off.

Good.

That meant they weren't invincible.

Kyle spotted an opening and took it. He vaulted over a collapsed beam, closing the distance to the first archer before the man could switch weapons. The archer's eyes widened—too slow.

Kyle's blade sliced through the man's neck.

The moment the blood splashed onto Kyle's arm, another notification flickered.

Blood Reclamation Activated.

Absorbing Energy… Minor Strength Increase.

Kyle felt it immediately. The rush of power, the subtle but real increase in speed, in reaction time. The second archer backpedaled, reaching for a short sword. Too late.

Kyle's blade flashed, cutting through the man's wrist. The archer's scream was cut short as Kyle plunged the sword into his chest.

Two down.

The others didn't hesitate.

The Executioner moved.

Kyle barely had time to dodge before the massive serrated blade carved through the space he had been standing in. Too close. The air around the weapon shimmered, dark energy twisting in its wake.

That sword wasn't normal.

Kyle didn't wait for the Executioner to swing again. He kicked off the ground, his agility surging as he flipped over the man, landing behind him. His blade shot forward—

The Executioner didn't flinch.

A gauntleted hand snapped out, caught Kyle's wrist mid-strike, and before Kyle could react, he was slammed into the ground with a force that knocked the air from his lungs.

Warning! Health Critically Low!

Pain exploded through his ribs, but Kyle had no time to recover. The Executioner's boot crashed down toward his skull—

Kyle rolled, barely avoiding the impact. He gasped for breath, forcing his aching body to move, to get up. His vision blurred. The impact had done serious damage.

The Executioner loomed over him, his blade glowing with black energy.

"You bear the Mark. That means you die."

Kyle gritted his teeth. He wasn't dying here.

His fingers curled in the dirt, bloodied but not broken. His breath slowed. His vision sharpened. His body still burned from Blood Reclamation. The Black Legion was powerful, but they had made a mistake.

They had let him live too long.

The system pulsed.

Evolutionary Growth Triggered: Emergency Adaptation.

Analyzing Surviving Combat Strategies…

New Skill Acquired: Relentless Endurance (Lv. 1)

You refuse to die. When critically wounded, pain is reduced, stamina surges, and your next attack hits with double force.

Kyle moved.

Faster than thought, faster than his own body should have allowed. His blade slashed up, the surge of unnatural power exploding through him.

The Executioner barely blocked it, stumbling from the sheer force of the strike.

Kyle didn't stop.

He lunged forward, tackling the armored warrior with everything he had. His sword dug into the cracks of the Executioner's armor. He twisted the blade—

The Executioner grunted, shoved him back, but it was too late.

Blood spilled.

Kyle absorbed it.

The Executioner staggered.

The Black Legion hesitated.

Kyle smirked, bloodied and breathing hard.

"You should've killed me when you had the chance."

The Executioner's glowing eyes narrowed.

"This is not over, Marked One."

A sharp whistle echoed through the ruined village. The remaining Legion warriors moved instantly, retreating into the trees. Within seconds, they were gone.

Kyle stared after them, heart pounding. They could have killed him.

But they didn't.

They were testing him.

A final notification appeared.

Black Legion Encounter Survived.

Title Acquired: Marked for War.