Training Protocol Initiated
The next morning, Arin's muscles ached.
Not from wounds—those had already begun healing, thanks to Bio-Regen—but from strain. His body was still adjusting to the stat boosts. Strength, stamina, agility… they were more than just numbers. They reshaped how he moved, breathed, reacted.
And the best way to master them?
Train.
> [New Daily Quest: Day 3 – Body, Mind, Code]
Objectives:
– Complete 3 sets of combat shadow drills
– Meditate for 10 minutes
– Access Combat Log and review past encounter
Rewards:
– +1 Stat Point
– +1 DNA Fragment
– Skill Progress +1% (Reflex Boost)
– New Path Hint
Arin raised an eyebrow. "Meditation? Really?"
Still, he accepted the quest. The rewards were too valuable to ignore.
---
He started with the shadow drills—simulated combat sequences displayed through the system's Combat Memory Interface. It was like watching a ghost version of himself fight an invisible enemy.
Each movement—punch, dodge, strike—was guided by glowing lines. The system used his previous battle against the rodent drone as a reference.
Arin mimicked the movements.
Jab. Sidestep. Elbow. Retreat.
Again. And again.
> [Combat Form Correction: +12% Efficiency]
[Reflex Boost Skill Progress: +0.3%]
His balance improved. His movements flowed naturally. He felt it—the body learning.
---
Next came meditation.
He sat on the rooftop, legs crossed, eyes closed.
The hum of city drones above. The distant sirens of patrol bots. The occasional shout from street vendors below. It was all there—but somehow, distant.
The system projected a soft pulse—like a metronome—guiding his breath.
Inhale. Exhale. Focus.
For the first few minutes, his mind wandered. But then…
> [Neural Sync Detected – Early Stage]
Synaptic Response Rate: +2%
Cognitive Overclock: 1-minute burst available
Eligible for new trait: "Instinctive Dodge" (Locked – 50% Reflex Boost Progress Required)
Arin's eyes opened slowly.
"That… was worth it."
---
He descended back to his room and opened the Combat Log Memory, replaying his sewer battle.
This time, he didn't just watch—he analyzed.
Every hesitation. Every misstep.
The way he charged too early. The way he overcommitted on a swing. The missed opportunity to strike when the creature exposed its underbelly.
> [Insight Gained: +1% Reflex Boost Skill Progress]
[DNA Rank Progress: 3.0%]
And then came a new message:
> [New System Menu Unlocked: Skill Fusion – Beta Access]
He blinked.
"What's… Skill Fusion?"
A tab opened.
> [Skill Fusion: Combine compatible abilities to create hybrid traits.]
Requirements:
– 2 Skills (≥ 25% progress each)
– DNA Fragment x2
– Bio-Core Resonance ≥ 5%
> Current Bio-Core Resonance: 4.2%
Status: Not Yet Eligible
"Not yet," Arin muttered, "but soon."
---
The system chimed again:
> [Daily Quest Completed]
Rewards Granted:
– +1 Stat Point
– +1 DNA Fragment
– Reflex Boost Progress +1%
– Hint Unlocked: "Adapt to Advance"
> [New Stat Point Unlocked – Assign Now?]
He put it into Intelligence.
> Intelligence: 5
Instantly, he felt a wave of mental clarity. Thoughts came faster. Problem-solving instincts sharpened. Even the system interface felt easier to navigate.
> [System Sync Efficiency Improved – Neural Access Delay Reduced by 0.2s]
Arin smiled. "I'm evolving in the brain too."
---
That afternoon, he left his building.
The quest had been mental and physical training, but he knew that survival required one more thing—information.
So he headed to the only place that might help.
Sector 9's hidden tech bazaar.
Buried beneath the ruins of an old metro station, the bazaar was a chaotic jungle of neon signs, rogue AIs, and outlaw inventors. If you had money—or something valuable—you could get data, weapons, implants… or answers.
Arin made his way to a stall covered in holographic skulls. Behind the counter sat a wiry man with cybernetic eyes and fingers made of wire.
"Looking for something specific, kid?" the man asked.
"I need information on… system integration," Arin said cautiously.
The man leaned in, eye modules adjusting. "You a contractor? A test subject?"
"Something else," Arin replied. "I just… want to know if others like me exist."
The man grinned.
"You're not the first to come asking about mysterious upgrades. But most who come looking either get hunted by Corps or disappear."
"Disappear?"
"They get acquired. Your body, your brain—it becomes property once they find out what's inside you."
He slid a black data chip across the table. "Here. No charge. Call it a favor to someone I used to know."
Arin took it carefully.
> [Item Acquired: Encrypted Data Chip – "Anomalies of New Terra"]
Access Level: Restricted – Intelligence ≥ 6 Required
"Need more brainpower, huh…" Arin sighed.
One more reason to evolve faster.
---
That night, Arin sat on his bed, chip in hand. The city's lights twinkled through the window like artificial stars.
He looked at the system menu. The DNA bar now read:
> Rank F – Progress: 3.9%
Next Rank: E (5.0%)
So close.
He opened his Skill Tree again.
New nodes had become visible:
> – Instinctive Dodge (Locked – Reflex Boost ≥ 50%)
– Neural Scan (Locked – Intelligence ≥ 6)
– Combat Flow (Locked – DNA Rank E Required)
– Fusion Skill Slot 1 (Locked – Resonance ≥ 5%)
He was building momentum—but questions still haunted him.
Who built the system? Why was it in him? What happened the night the AI Sphere fused with his body?
And most of all—how far could he evolve?
---
Somewhere in a high-rise facility in Sector 2, Director Kane reviewed fresh reports.
> Subject: Arin Verma
Activity: Rapid Skill Development
Tags: Reflex Boost, Bio-Regen, Combat Simulation Access
Threat Level: Escalating
Suggested Action: Observation, Containment, or Extraction
"Containment will risk exposure," his assistant warned. "The system inside him is… reactive. Interference could cause backlash."
Kane nodded. "Then we observe. But assign a watcher."
"Someone from the academy?"
"No," Kane replied. "Someone who can get close."
He stared at the hologram of Arin's face.
"If he really is the first successful evolution…"
He clenched his jaw.
"We can't afford to lose him."
---
Meanwhile, unaware of the growing eyes on him, Arin stood beneath the stars—alone but not afraid.
The system pulsed gently in his mind.
And tomorrow?
He would chase evolution again.