The night in the Gray Zone was as ruthless as ever. This was the part of the city that both time and the government had long forgotten. The air here was thick with the stench of rusting iron and rotting garbage—a smell so foul it could choke anyone new to these streets. Hanan lay slumped in the corner of a derelict factory, his body battered and stained with mud and blood. But deeper than his physical agony was the heavy silence seeping into his very veins.
The blue transparent screen still drifted before his eyes.
[Warning: Physical Integrity at 14%. Immediate Genetic Stabilization Required.]
Hanan let out a cold, shaky breath. "Stabilization? I don't even have the strength left to die," he muttered through gritted teeth. Every breath felt like a jagged saw cutting through his chest. He remembered how the elite guards had tossed him here like trash simply for being a 'Level 0.' Their laughter still echoed in his ears: "A defected piece... your very existence is a burden on this world," they had sneered.
Suddenly, a strange heat ignited within his body. This warmth started in his gut and slowly began to spread through his bloodstream.
[System Logic: Survival Instinct Triggered.]
[Initiating 'Cellular Rebirth'—Warning: This process will be extremely painful.]
Before Hanan could even process the message, an explosion of agony erupted within him. It felt as if thousands of white-hot needles were being driven under his skin all at once. His body arched like a bow. He tried to scream, but only a raspy, guttural sound escaped his throat. His cells were dividing. The old, weak, and diseased cells were dying off, replaced by new, stronger, and 'evolved' ones.
"Aaah... stop... just stop!" Hanan gasped, digging his fingernails into the hard ground. His nails snapped, and blood began to ooze, but the miraculous part was that as soon as a nail broke, a new one grew back within seconds.
This wasn't ordinary healing. This was Evolution.
The System's voice resonated in his mind, flat and mechanical:
[Genetic Code: Recalibrating...]
[Muscle Density: Increasing...]
[Bone Hardness: Enhancing...]
Hanan felt as if his bones were being shattered and fused back together. Every 'crack' echoed through the silence of the factory. The pain was so intense that Hanan's consciousness began to flicker, but the System refused to let him pass out. He had to feel every moment of the agony so his brain could sync perfectly with his new body.
For nearly half an hour, this torment continued. When the pain finally subsided, Hanan was drenched in sweat and a thick, black, sticky fluid—the impurities purged from his body. He lifted his hand. The limb that had once looked like a mere skeleton was now filled out and felt remarkably solid.
He clenched his fist slightly, feeling a surge of energy in his muscles that he had never witnessed even in Level 1 or 2 individuals.
[Evolution Phase 0.1 Complete.]
[New Passive Skill Acquired: Pain Tolerance (Level 1)]
[Status: Level 0 (Evolving)]
Hanan took a deep breath. For the first time, he felt his lungs fully absorbing the air. "So... this is what power feels like?" He punched an old wall lightly. A crack spiderwebbed across the surface. A strange glint appeared in Hanan's eyes—not of gratitude, but of vengeance.
He was just beginning to steady himself when two crimson eyes emerged from the darkness, moving toward him. A predator of the Gray Zone had arrived, lured by the scent of his blood.
Chapter 2: The Symphony of Cracking Bones (Part 2/4)
From the dark corner of the factory, those crimson eyes began advancing toward Hanan. It was an 'Iron-Claw Rat'—a common but lethal mutator of the Gray Zone. It was roughly the size of a small dog, and its claws were as sharp and rigid as ancient swords. Under normal circumstances, a Level 0 human would have died of fright just at the sight of it, but something inside Hanan had fundamentally shifted.
[Target Scanned: Iron-Claw Rat] [Level: 2] [Threat Level: Low-Mid] [Advice: Use newly evolved Agility to strike the neck.]
Hanan followed the System's directive. He realized that his vision could now cut through the darkness with perfect clarity. Suddenly, the rat lunged at him with explosive speed, its claws whistling through the air. The old Hanan might have frozen in place, but the new Hanan—with the fresh blood of 'Infinite Evolution' coursing through his veins—stepped aside effortlessly.
"So slow?" Hanan thought, surprised at himself. The rat's movements appeared to him as if they were in slow motion.
The creature hit the ground and spun around instantly, but this time, Hanan didn't wait. He grabbed a heavy iron chain lying nearby. His hands now possessed enough strength to swing the massive chain as if it were a mere toy.
Swish!
The chain collided with the rat's head. A sickening 'crack' echoed as the creature's skull shattered. Droplets of blood sprayed across Hanan's face. For a fleeting moment, he felt a surge of disgust, but it was quickly replaced by a strange, primal hunger—not a hunger of the stomach, but of his 'Cells,' which were craving new data and evolution points.
[Enemy Defeated: +20 Evolution Points] [Extraction Available: Do you wish to absorb 'Iron-Claw' DNA?]
"Yes... do it," Hanan whispered.
A faint blue light emanated from the rat's carcass and entered Hanan's body through his palms. He felt an intense burning sensation at his fingertips. He watched as his fingernails grew slightly longer and became significantly harder—sharp enough to tear through almost any surface.
[Evolution Progress: 28%] [New Feature Unlocked: 'Genetic Ledger'] [Status Updated:] * Strength: 8 (Was 2)
Agility: 10 (Was 3)
Vitality: 7 (Was 1)
Unique Trait: Infinite Potential.
Hanan walked to the shattered factory window and looked out. In the distance, the colossal skyscrapers of the 'A-Class Zone' were glittering. People there were sleeping peacefully, unaware that from the piles of trash, a 'monstrosity' was being born that would shake their entire world to its foundations.
"Level 0 Defect..." Hanan muttered, digging his new, hardened claws into the wall. The concrete crumbled like dry soil under his grip. "You threw me away because I didn't fit into your system. Now, I will build a system of my own."
But his victory was short-lived. The heavy thud of combat boots began to echo from outside the factory. A 'Scavenger Team'—thugs who hunted for valuables and survivors in the ruins—stood at the entrance.
"Hey! I heard something screaming in there," a deep voice boomed. "Check it out. Maybe we'll find a live 'rat' we can sell on the market."
Hanan held his breath. These weren't mere animals. These were trained thugs, likely Level 4 or 5. His evolution had only just begun; could he face such a massive threat this early?
Chapter 2: The Symphony of Cracking Bones (Part 3/4)
The heavy iron door of the factory groaned with a soul-piercing screech. Hanan instantly ducked behind an ancient machine. His heart was thumping wildly, not out of fear, but fueled by pure adrenaline. The System immediately scanned his surroundings.
[Notice: Multiple Human Targets Detected.]
[Average Level: 4.5]
[Strategy: Direct confrontation not recommended. Use Environment and Stealth.]
"There's nothing here but a dead rat," one of the thugs spat, his voice echoing. In his hand was an electric baton, flickering with blue sparks. "But the blood is fresh. That 'defect' is hiding somewhere in here."
Hanan held his breath. He saw three men entering the factory, all wearing light leather armor. These men possessed 'Classes'—two were Warriors and one was a Scout whose eyes glowed with an unnatural light. The Scout knelt down, examining Hanan's footprints in the dust.
"He's right there, behind that old press machine!" the Scout shouted, pointing frantically.
Hanan knew the time for hiding was over. As the two Warriors lunged toward him, he tapped into his newly acquired Agility. He didn't leap away from the machine to escape; he leapt to attack.
[Skill Activation: Predator's Leap (Temporary boost from Rat DNA)]
Hanan pounced onto the first thug's shoulders. His new, hardened claws tore through the man's leather armor like it was paper, sinking deep into the flesh. The thug screamed in agony, but Hanan didn't pause. He grabbed the man's neck and twisted it with every ounce of his strength.
Crack!
A Level 4 Warrior collapsed into a heap in a single motion. Hanan could hardly believe his own power. The System immediately flashed a notification:
[Kill Confirmed: Level 4 Human Warrior]
[Exp Gained: +150 Points]
[Stealing Essence: Strength +2, Stamina +1]
"You bastard! You killed Big Ben?" the second thug roared, blinded by rage. He swung his electric baton at Hanan, landing a heavy strike on his arm.
Hanan felt as if his entire body was being set on fire by the surge of electricity. But this was the moment the Infinite Evolution System showed its true brilliance.
[Warning: Electrical Damage Detected.]
[Analyzing Current... Adapting Nerve Endings...]
[New Resistance Developed: Minor Electricity Resistance (Level 1)]
Hanan's body stopped trembling almost instantly. He reached out and grabbed the live baton with his bare hand. The thug froze, trembling with terror. "How... how is this possible? A Level 0 should have been turned to ash by that current!"
"I am no longer what you think I am," Hanan said, his voice cold and devoid of emotion. He wrenched the baton from the man's grip and shoved the electrical charge directly into his chest. The thug convulsed and slumped to the floor.
Now, only the Scout remained. He began to back away, trembling. He reached for a silver whistle hanging around his neck, desperate to signal the rest of his crew outside.
"No, you don't get to die just yet," Hanan moved like a shadow, catching the Scout's hand mid-air. "I still have a lot to learn from your mind... the DNA of your 'Class' is far too valuable for my system to waste."
The red glint in Hanan's eyes grew even darker. He realized that human 'Essence' was significantly more potent than that of mere beasts. He slammed the Scout against the wall and commanded the system: "Deep Extraction."
[Warning: Deep Extraction will consume the target's memories. Proceed?]
"Proceed," Hanan replied without a second thought. He had only one goal now: to evolve until no one would ever dare call him 'Zero' again.
Chapter 2: The Symphony of Cracking Bones (Part 4/4)
The muffled screams of the Scout echoed through the dark factory, but there was no mercy on Hanan's face. He placed his hand on the Scout's head, and the System began draining data directly from his brain.
[Deep Extraction in Progress: 45%... 70%... 100%] [Data Acquired: Gray Zone Map, Scavenger Base Location, Basic Combat Maneuvers.] [Target Essence Absorbed: Intelligence +4, Perception +5]
The Scout's body collapsed to the floor like an empty shell. Hanan felt his mind working far faster than ever before. Every sound, every slight rustle outside the factory, was now crystal clear to him. However, the most profound change was happening deep within his own body.
[Notification: Total Evolution Points reached 500/500.] [Condition Met: Initiating First Major Rank-Up.]
Hanan sank to his knees, biting his tongue to suppress the sound of his struggle. This time, the pain was different—intense and structural. It felt as if every single cell in his body was exploding and reassembling itself. His height increased by a few inches, and his muscles became leaner, yet as hard as tempered steel. Most strikingly, the pupils of his eyes shifted, becoming slightly rectangular—resembling those of an apex predator.
[Major Evolution Complete!] [Current Status: The Alpha Outsider (Rank 1)] [New Skill Unlocked: 'Void Step'—Allows 2 seconds of near-invisibility in shadows.] [New Ability: 'Cellular Mimicry'—Can partially adapt traits of the last 3 absorbed targets.]
Hanan stood up and felt the weight of his new body. He picked up an old hooded jacket belonging to the Scout and pulled it over himself. He no longer looked like the frail 'Level 0' boy. Every step he took possessed a strange sense of balance and lethal power.
He stepped out of the factory. The night was finally fading, and a faint light began to appear on the horizon. The alleys of the Gray Zone were still dangerous, but for Hanan, this was no longer a death trap—it was his Hunting Ground.
"Level 0 Defect..." Hanan said with a soft, cold laugh. "You were right. I am not part of your old system. I am the one who will destroy it."
He clenched his fist and lightly tapped the factory wall. The stone crumbled like dust under his touch. He looked toward the shimmering lights of 'Central City' in the distance, where the self-proclaimed gods of 'Levels' and 'Classes' resided.
His journey had truly begun. He would hunt every person who had rejected him, and every kill would only make him stronger.
[System Goal Updated: Reaching Level 100... Current Level: 1 (Evolving)] [Next Target: Scavenger Outpost - 2km North.]
Hanan pulled his hood over his head and vanished into the dark shadows of the alleyways. The Gray Zone was about to face a new kind of terror.