Yuto was still trying to recover from the fight. Breathing as hard.
Corrupted light stopped pulsing in the sky, and the scorched crater left by the Dragonkin still glowed faintly with dissolving mana threads. Yuto took two shaky breaths and forced himself upright.
Sweat dripped from his chin, mixing with gray ash along the torn earth. Everything around him was quiet… unnervingly quiet. Even corrupted beasts feared approaching this place now.
He glanced down at his trembling fingers.
His aura flickered, burning faint and unstable.
[ Advisor: "You burned too much during Purification Burst. Your spirit channels are temporarily overclocked."]
"Feels like someone shoved lightning into my veins."
[Advisor: "I told you to invest more into endurance. But nooo, 'I wanna punch dragons.'"]
"Still punched one."
[Advisor: "Half credit."]
Yuto snorted.
His legs hurt. His lungs burned. His heart echoed with a strange vibration almost like something ancient pounding from inside his chest, impatient to be released.
He clenched his fist slowly.
"…I'm getting closer."
---
Beneath him, the earth trembled lightly. Not an earthquake. More like… something shifting far below the corrupted soil. A pulse, slow and steady.
Black roots slithered under the surface..
Trying to consume what corruption remained.
Yuto frowned.
"Corruption's trying to regrow this fast?"
[Advisor: "It isn't natural. Someone or something is accelerating its spread."]
Yuto scanned the dark horizon. Corrupted fog rolled thicker there, like a storm waiting behind mountain.
" Something way strong is there"
[ Advisor: "Correct. And you are approximately zero percent ready."]
"…Encouraging."
[ Advisor: "Anytime."]
---
Checking Stats (adjusted)
Yuto mentally flicked open his system window again.
---
⭐ YUTO — STATUS
Level: 50
Strength: 200
Agility: 218
Endurance: 198
Intelligence:102
MP: 6000
Spirit Control: 73
Purification: 52%
Evolution Progress:(...)
---
Not outrageous. Not broken. Not safe either.
Yuto exhaled slowly.
Everything inside him felt unstable, like evolution wanted to break him open and force something new to emerge, but wasn't ready yet.
"Feels like fire in my bones."
[Advisor: "Congratulations. You're cooking slowly. Like a baked potato."]
"Great. My destiny is starch."
[Advisor: "Possibly fries. Outcome uncertain."]
---
A presence… was watching...
Yuto suddenly froze.
Something distant stared at him.
Not physically. Not emotionally. Primally.
A predator far, far beyond corrupted beasts.
His skin prickled.
He wasn't alone anymore.
On a broken peak, far away, barely visible through the corrupted haze a tall black shape stood motionless.
Unmoving. Unbreathing. Observing.
Not attacking. Not approaching.
Just… watching.
Yuto's pulse hammered.
"…Who the hell.."
The figure shifted ever so slightly.
Red flicker. Eyes like fading stars.
Then.
Gone.
Like it was never there.
---
[Advisor: "We should leave. Immediately."]
"Was that a corrupted monster"
[Advisor: "…No."]
"…Something worse?"
[Advisor: "Something older. Something curious."]
Yuto clenched his jaw.
"If they're watching me… I have to become someone worth watching."
Away from the Dragonkin's remains, deeper into corrupted territory. Every step heavier than the last. His aura dim, but determination sharper than ever.
Dark fog rolled around him like shadowed tidewater.
Black vines curled toward him only to shrink away from his burning spirit aura.
Somewhere ahead, beasts stirred.
Growls echoed. Multiple voices. Hundreds. Thousands.
Welcoming him. Or hunting him.
Maybe both.
Yuto lifted his head and smirked.
"Round two then."
[ Advisor: "More like round two hundred."]
"Still counting as warm-up."
[ Advisor: "Oh boy, delusion has arrived."]
.....
---
Far above the corrupted sky, a heavy moon pulsed faint crimson. Spirit threads stretched invisible across continents, converging toward one singular rising point:
Nerulia Haven.
The world was reacting to Yuto now.
Corruption stirred. Spirit domains trembled.
Overlords… began to notice.
---
Back in Nerulia Haven...
Seraphina stood on the wall, staring into the corrupted horizon. Her knuckles clenched around her spear, jaw tight.
Elira knelt silently at the edge of the gate, fingers faintly glowing with healing mana, as if trying to will Yuto's safety from afar.
Mimi's tails drooped anxiously. Zarek crossed his arms, scowling like the world offended him.
Silence between them heavy, tense.
Then Seraphina whispered..
"…Yuto. Come back alive."
---
Meanwhile, Yuto enters deeper
Trees twisted into spirals. Dead roots glowed red. Corrupted storms swirled above.
Things more enormous snarled beyond the ridge.
Yuto tightened his fist, breathing deep.
"This time I won't stop until I break through. Until evolution stops hurting. Until corruption recognizes me."
His aura flared faintly, silver flickering like sparks trying to ignite.
[ Advisor: "Reminder: stay alive long enough to grow."]
"I plan to."
[ Advisor: "Good. Because dying would be inconvenient for my daily schedule."]
---