"For the majority of races, the first evolution is the most important step in their new lives. It is the beginning of your path treatness, and the System always siders this first step when it prepares the following evolution choices for you. Of course, at any moment, you step away from this path if you try hard enough, but this process take a bit of time.

  Then there are those few races who are born more powerful than others from the start. With them, the System takes a bit different approach as their base power makes it impossible to ge their entire being with one evolution. Some might think this a curse, but as history has taught us, it is usually a blessing in disguise."

  ~tral Academy, Ger

  "Did you see anything?" Dyn asked when Tyler stepped bato the room, a frown on his face.

  "Not much," the boy muttered, running a hand through his hair. "Only a cloud of dust in the distance slowly fading away. Whatever went down, it went down hard..."

  Dyn's head bobbed in agreement, his expression mirr the shared by those around him. The tremors that rippled through the city had left them all shaking food few minutes. It was hquake by any means, but sidering how their world had ged, Dyn didn't even want to think of what could be capable of such destru.

  "Tyler? Where did it e from?" Laura spoke up from behind him. Hours passed since Leo helped her, and while she wasn't getting worse, she could barely stand up.

  "Town square," Tyler sched his brow. "At least I think so... I wao get on the roof a a better view, but them bloody birds were way too close for my liking."

  Dyn grimaced. Those Seekers were one of the reasons for their current predit. If not for those birds, they would have gone in a different dire and pletely dodged the weird Voidling that got Laura.

  "Isn't that where Leo went?" Laura's shaky voice pulled Dyn back to reality, and he quickly shook his head.

  "Nay, ss. He might 'ave headed in that dire, but from what he told me, his brother's ft is a good trek away from the town square," Dyn expined, and the girl rexed her stiff shoulders just a bit.

  "One of us should've goh him," Tyler grumbled as he sat down beside his cousin.

  Dyn chuckled, ign how the boy's eyes narrowed. "And do what, Tyler? Slow him down? He's an assassin, d. He'd leave the two of us eatin' the dust. Besides, you've seen what he's capable of."

  "He is right, Tyler," Laura quickly cut in just as her cousin was hoping to retort.

  The boy scowled and picked up the hunting rifle gifted to them by Leo. "Doesn't mean I have to like it." He shot his cousin a look. "He heal you, Laura. Bloody fuck, he might be the only one who , and we've got no clue if he'll e back. He could be dead for all we know."

  "Tyler," Dyn hissed sharply, gring at the younger man. "Leave it. Leo should still have a couple of hours before nightfall to make his way back. If he found his brother, that might be why it's taking him a while."

  "And what if he didn't?" Tyler shot back. "What if he doesn't show, Dyn? We 't be waiting here forever, and Lu still ain't doing well. We've gotta do something, and I hate putting all our trust in a bloke we barely know."

  A knot formed in Dyn's throat as he swallowed hard. He didn't want to think about such a possibility, but he knew well that it would be stupid not to. No matter how strong Leo appeared, this world likely had already cimed people more powerful than him.

  Moreover, Tyler was right about pg all of their hopes in the hands of a strahey had just met. Except for being a det human being, Leo had no other reason to return.

  Grimag, Dyyler's eyes. "If he doesn't e back, then the moment the Sun es up, we make a move. We head straight for the trainyard and pray they got someone like Leo or someone who sort you out, Laura. And if they don't, well, we'll figure something out, I swear on it."

  They kept their eyes locked, a silent assiweeyler, after another moment, offered a resolute nod. "Very well," he ceded.

  Despite Nikra being right about him not being a normal human any longer, Leo definitely still felt the same amount of pain as he did before the Outbreak. The st fumes of adrenaline might have pushed his body far enough to crawl into a small bathroom ihe building, but the moment he colpsed face to the floor, the full force of his injuries surged forth, engulfing him in a symphony of torment.

  Searing agony tore through every single scrape and cut on Leo's body, rippi another silent scream from his throat. His muscles — hell, his entire being —, abused from the overuse of Reinfort and Limit Break, gave out almost entirely at this point, barely letting Leo move a finger.

  Soured down his face, mixing with the crimson rivulets of blood that trickled down his battered form. Even each breath he took felt like inhaling shards of gss, stabbing at his lungs with eatake of air.

  Yet despite all of that, Leo just ched his jaw tightly and instead listeo the rampant pulsing of Nikra's shard inside his chest. Though his Essence reserves may have beeed, his newfou refused to yield, supplying him with the mueeded strength to persevere.

  The healing factranted by the mutation worked overtime, slowly knitting together the torn tissues and closing the deep wounds that adorned Leo's battered body. It would probably take days to fix everything, but at this point, he didn't care how long it took. Only survival mattered now, and for that, he he ability to move his limbs back.

  It took longer for that to happen than Leo would have liked. Or so he thought as, without any precise means of measuring it, he relied on his own fwed sense of ting seds and the scarce rays of sunlight that filtered into the corridor he could see through the open bathroom door.

  At least the Sun is still up. Leo grimaced as he crawled towards the wall and leaned against it. While the pain barely let up since he crawled into the room, he could at least do something productive.

  Alright, System, hit me with it. Anything to focus my mind on.

  Like any other time, over a dozen of kill notifications greeted him first, mainly from the Cursed Humans lying oreet. However, there was one message that caught Leo's gaze.

  Apex Cursed Runner sin | No Experience awarded | 18 Ether gained

  Boher received: 9

  What? Why the fuck would you reward me for this? Fucker died to thanks the Juggernaut…

  Yet, the longer Leo thought about this, the more se made. He was the st oo damage the Apex beast, and even though it died due to Juggernaut's rage, the colossal monster ouched the Runner directly.

  Huh, that might be something to abuse iure... If I'm even right, that is. Shit might just be a happy ce.

  Letting the kill notification drop, Leo summohe test one. He really wao know what the System tried to tell him after he killed all those fuckers oreet.

  Teique Shadow: Eruption obtained.

  So that's how I mao sughter those normies outside. Sounds abht cuz I 't remember much more than fuelling all my Essend emotions into a siad then releasing it... The System must have dohe rest.

  Shadow: Eruption (Novice)A teique born out of the User's hatred and pain. This simple ability give birth to hundreds of tiny shadow tendrils capable of spearing through evero armor if provided with enough power. Please hat this teique be made stronger by ive emotions and usually takes a few seds to form when used by beginners.

  So I wasn't imagining things... I really became a tentacle monster for a moment there. Leo shuddered slightly, instantly biting on his lip as the pain in his batensified. Right, no sudden movements…

  Pushing the disfort away, Leo reread the description once more.

  To put it simply, Leo doubted that Eruption could be used in a typical fight. Sure, it owerful, but the time and Esse took to prepare just didn't fit the bill for a small brawl.

  Now against multiple enemies... That was a pletely different case. All Leo needed was a bit of time to prepare, and this teique could sughter everything that stood in its way. He just had to get the hang of it and he could probably challehe Tainted Wastend once more.

  Yeah, no. Leo instantly grimaced at the thought. I ain't challenging anything before I recover and evolve... Speaking of. I at least see if my close enter with death was even worth it?

  There were still a few more notifications waiting, and Leo summohem right away. They had to be hiding the ao his question.

  Apex evolution requirements met. Apex Night Stalker unlocked.

  Leo sighed. Thank fug God... It would be embarrassing if I almost killed myself for nothing. Not that I'm doing shit like that again without more preparations... Now to see what it do-

  Before Leo could even access the evolution menu, the System reacted, throwing another notification straight into his face.

  All sed-stage evolutions unlocked. Please evolve, User. The System guarantees prote for anyone going through their first evolution if their e to the System is greater than Average.

  You've got to be kidding me. Eyes wide, Leo gaped at the text hanging in front of his vision. And here I was fug worried about finding a safe pce. I could have used this information earlier, you bloody wanker!

  Without the traditional outlet for his anger — his hand definitely couldn't handle pung another wall right now — Leo just closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths. It never really worked too well for him, but anything was better than nothing at this point.

  Alright, Leo, there's o get too angry at shit that didn't matter much before now. He tried to reason with his own mind. I nning on evolving today anyway. Now I just won't have the others with me... Might be even for the best.

  His new group might be friendly, but there was no real reason to pin if Leo could evolve safely without their involvement. Besides, it wasn't like he could return to them in his current state.

  Hopefully, they will let me talk before attag. That could get messy.

  Nodding, Leo took the st step and summohe description of his new evolution, a myriad of notifications immediately assaulting his vision.

  What the hell?

  Apex Night Stalker (Stage II)Creatures of the Void, rejoice. A new king is born, ready to take his first step treatness. Go forth, young Voidling, brih to your enemies a nothing stop you from ing their flesh. Effects:Tainted evolves into Void-borne. Heavy physical evolution involved. All Effectiveness: +10%. +3 Might, +3 Grace, +1 Soul, +2 Free Attribute points per level. Natural Mutations: Unlocked

  Attention User! Fusion evolution is now avaible for this stage. Dispying necessary information now.

  Hold the fuc-

  Fusion evolutions usually bihe power of your Job with one or two possible evolution paths. While retively rare in the first stage, they bee a on occurreer on if a User possesses a proper Job. Please hat going through Fusion evolution will forever block the ability to switch your Job.

  you stop for a da-

  Fusion avaible: Prime Night Huhanks to Hunter, Prime Void Walker, and Apex Night Stalker. Dispying description.

  I give up... Do whatever the fu-

  Prime Night Hunter (Stage II)Hunt. Kill. e. op, little Akirian. Hunt. Kill. e. Effects:Tainted evolves into Void-borne. Heavy physical evolution involved. All Effectiveness: +15%. +1 Might, +3 Grace, +1 Vision, +1 Soul, +1 Mind, +3 Free Attribute points per level. Natural Mutations: Unlocked

  Oh... Leo blinked. Yeah, I five you, System. Fuck this, a's do it straight away. I've wasted enough time and would have to be bloody stupid not to take an additional five pert and one more attribute point. Switg jobs be damned…

  Proceeding with evolution. System Prote: Avaible. Estimated time to plete: 30 minutes. Please hat while your current injuries won't affect the process, you also won't be healed. Do you really wish to proceed?

  Leo gulped, fists g as his mind pletely tuned out the stant pain. This is it. No going back...

  Proceed.

  Choice Aowledged. Beginning Stage II Evolution.

  Three.

  Two.

  One…

  Good luck.

  Chaos65