Chapter 8: Power Lost, Power Gained

The Abyss of Weakness

Velgrath's vision swam into focus as his body once again began to feel the weight of reality. The world around him was not the same as before. The feeling of immense power that had once surged through his veins was gone. It had all been taken away.

He stood in the middle of a barren wasteland, the same black void he had encountered after his battle with Zon K. But now, everything felt different. The powerful surge from the Solo Levine System, the strength, the abilities—it had all vanished in an instant.

He clenched his fists, and the absence of his overwhelming strength hit him like a wave. His muscles, once heavy with the energy of gods, now felt like they had been drained. His mana, his stamina, everything was empty. The interface, the glowing system that had guided him so far, flickered once in front of him but then vanished as well, leaving only silence.

[SYSTEM STATUS]Power drained. No access to abilities.You are weak. You have no powers.

Velgrath's breath came out in harsh gasps. What happened?

It was as if the entire world was mocking him now, the very system that had granted him so much power now had abandoned him. His body shook as the memories of the Solo Levine System felt like distant echoes, fading away with every passing second.

"I... have nothing." The words escaped his lips in disbelief. He had been a force of nature, a being whose name struck fear into the hearts of gods. And now, he stood here, empty, powerless, with only the echo of his former glory.

But there was something that still lingered within him. A spark. A sense of resilience that refused to fade.

The System's Last Message

Just as Velgrath's despair began to overtake him, the system flickered back to life for a moment. A single message appeared in his mind, though the interface remained blank.

[SYSTEM MESSAGE]The Solo Levine System has detected a change in your core essence.You have been stripped of your divine powers temporarily, but this is not the end. You can choose a different path now. A new way to regain your strength.To proceed without completing the quests, you must forge your own path, using the remnants of the power you once had.Warning: The journey ahead will be more difficult than before. Your powers will not return easily, but if you can endure, you will grow stronger than ever.Choose wisely: Rely on the system, or rely on your own strength.

Velgrath's chest tightened. The words echoed in his mind. He had been stripped of his divine gifts, the very system that once guided him now offering him a new choice: rely on his own strength, or wait for the system's approval.

Rely on his own strength? Velgrath's lips curled into a bitter smile. He had always been a being of power, forged in the fires of endless battles. The system might have offered him a shortcut, but he had never relied on shortcuts. He had always earned his strength.

"I choose... to rely on myself."

A New Power Awakens

The instant Velgrath made his choice, the world around him seemed to shake. The ground beneath him cracked and twisted as a surge of energy ran through his body. It wasn't the overwhelming power of the Solo Levine System. It wasn't the divine might he once wielded.

No, this was different.

It was pure, raw power—like the kind he had always tapped into in his past. It came from within him, not from some external system. It was his.

Velgrath's senses exploded. His muscles grew stronger, and his heart began to beat faster. His mind sharpened as memories of his past battles flooded his consciousness. His rage, his pain, his will to never be defeated—it all surged back into him like an ancient beast awakening from a deep slumber.

The absence of the system wasn't a curse—it was a blessing. The power he was tapping into was his own, and it felt far more personal than anything the system had granted him.

Abilities Manifest

Velgrath's eyes flared with a new intensity as the world around him bent to his will. Though the system was gone, he could still feel something shifting within him. It was as though he had always had these abilities, but they had been locked away, held back by the system's interference.

He felt his body grow stronger, faster, and his senses sharper. It was as if his true potential had been waiting for him to unlock it. The rage that had once been his greatest weakness was now his greatest strength.

[NEW ABILITIES UNLOCKED]

Fury's Embrace: Unleashes an explosion of raw energy that temporarily boosts your strength by 50%. Consumes 10% of your total stamina.

Will of the Fallen: Summons the ghosts of your past to fight alongside you. Increases your defense by 30% for 5 minutes.

Unyielding Roar: A battle cry that stirs fear into enemies, reducing their combat effectiveness by 20% for 10 minutes.

Blood Rage: Activates an overwhelming rage that increases attack speed and power by 30% for 10 minutes. The more blood you shed, the stronger this ability becomes.

Velgrath grinned, the power surging through him with each new ability that manifested. This was his power. No system, no external force—just pure, unfiltered strength.

A New Purpose

As he stood in the wasteland, his hands clenched in anticipation, Velgrath realized something profound. The loss of the Solo Levine System had not broken him—it had freed him. He no longer needed a guide to lead him through this world. He would carve his own path, just as he always had.

The world around him seemed to respond to his newfound power. The sky above shifted from an ominous black to a deep red, signaling the arrival of danger. Shadows began to take form in the distance, and Velgrath could feel the eyes of monstrous creatures watching him.

He would need to fight—and he would fight on his own terms.

His eyes burned with a newfound resolve. This was just the beginning.

End of Chapter 8