The amusement faded quickly.
Instinct’s mind sharpened, turning toward the question that mattered now:
What came next?
The System—the infernal, playful voice inside his head—seemed to sense his readiness.
” LET ME SHOW YOU WHAT YOU TRULY ARE.
”
The air before him shimmered like heat rising from sun-baked stone.
A translucent panel materialized at eye level.
Instinct leaned closer, his golden eyes scanning the information displayed before him.
What he saw made his breath catch.
[ABSOLUTE TAMER — LEVEL 1]
[STATS]
* Strength: ABSOLUTE
* Agility: ABSOLUTE
* Endurance: ABSOLUTE
* Intelligence: ABSOLUTE
* Wisdom: ABSOLUTE
* Charisma: ABSOLUTE
Every attribute carried the same designation.
Not a number.
Not a rank.
Just one impossible word.
ABSOLUTE.
“What does this mean?”
His voice remained steady despite the weight of what he was reading.
The System’s laughter echoed through his mind like wind chimes caught in a storm.
” IT MEANS YOUR ATTRIBUTES DON’T FOLLOW THE NORMAL NUMERICAL SCALE.
”
Instinct frowned.
“That doesn’t tell me much.”
” BECAUSE I DON’T HAVE MUCH MORE TO TELL YOU.
”
That caught him off guard.
“You don’t know?”
A brief, offended silence followed.
” I KNOW WHAT THE SYSTEM ALLOWS ME TO ACCESS.
AND RIGHT NOW, IT’S BEING ANNOYINGLY VAGUE.
”
Instinct looked back at the six identical words.
ABSOLUTE.
“So what are my limits?”
Another pause.
” I DON’T KNOW.
”
There was no teasing in her voice this time.
Only genuine uncertainty.
” BUT WHATEVER “ABSOLUTE” MEANS, YOUR ATTRIBUTES DON’T APPEAR TO DEVELOP THE WAY ORDINARY ONES DO.
YOUR LEVEL, EXPERIENCE, TRAINING, AND CONTROL STILL MATTER.
HOW FAR THAT CAN TAKE YOU… WE’LL HAVE TO FIND OUT.
”
Instinct studied the panel again.
That answer raised more questions than it resolved.
Additional information appeared beneath his attributes, descriptions of abilities he had never heard of yet somehow understood the moment he read them.
Extreme resistance to external control.
Rapid cellular regeneration.
Resistance to physical and magical ailments.
An extraordinary presence capable of influencing how others perceived and responded to him.
The list continued.
Each ability more unusual than the last.
” FROM WHAT I CAN ACCESS, THIS WORLD DOESN’T LOOK PARTICULARLY GENTLE.
”
The System’s tone shifted, some of its amusement fading.
” POWER MATTERS.
A LOT.
BEASTS HUNT WEAKER BEASTS.
PEOPLE SURVIVE THROUGH STRENGTH, INTELLIGENCE, CUNNING… OR BY STAYING FAR AWAY FROM THINGS STRONGER THAN THEY ARE.
”
“That last one sounds sensible.”
” I’M DELIGHTED YOU THINK SO.
PERHAPS YOU’LL EVEN TRY IT SOMETIME.
”
Instinct ignored her.
The information before him continued to unfold.
” THERE ARE ALSO REFERENCES TO MONSTERS, CALAMITIES, AND ANCIENT BEINGS THAT HAVE EXISTED LONGER THAN SOME CIVILIZATIONS.
HOW ACCURATE ALL OF THAT IS, I CAN’T TELL YOU YET.
”
Instinct absorbed the warning.
He had awakened without memories in a forest where a wolf the size of a horse had tried to kill him within minutes.
He didn’t need much convincing that the world was dangerous.
” AND THEN THERE’S YOU.
”
His attention returned to the panel.
” YOUR CLASS AND THE ABILITIES ATTACHED TO IT ALREADY PUT YOU OUTSIDE THE NORMAL PATTERN.
”
Instinct’s eyes narrowed.
“Is that good?”
” ASK ME AGAIN WHEN WE KNOW WHAT THE NORMAL PATTERN IS.
”
He almost smiled.
Almost.
” BUT I CAN TELL YOU THIS: IF OTHER PEOPLE LEARN WHAT YOU CAN do, NOT ALL OF THEM WILL REACT KINDLY.
SOME MAY WANT TO USE YOU.
OTHERS MAY WANT TO CONTROL YOU.
AND SOME MAY DECIDE YOU’RE SAFER dead.
”
“Then I’ll kill them first.”
The words left his mouth without hesitation.
The System was silent for a moment.
Then—
” OH, I DO ENJOY YOUR DIRECTNESS.
”
A delighted laugh echoed through his mind.
” BUT BEFORE YOU GO CHARGING INTO THE DARKNESS WITH NOTHING BUT CONFIDENCE AND THAT REMARKABLE BODY OF YOURS, PERHAPS YOU SHOULD BE EQUIPPED PROPERLY.
”
The air shimmered again.
This time, two objects materialized before him and settled gently onto the forest floor.
The first was a katana.
Its blade caught the dappled sunlight filtering through the canopy.
Even at a glance, Instinct could see its quality.
The steel was pristine, folded and reforged until the metal seemed almost alive.
The handle was wrapped in deep crimson leather, while the tsuba was adorned with a crescent moon.
Beautiful.
Elegant.
Deadly.
The second object was a scroll bound with a silk ribbon the color of midnight.
” YOUR STARTER PACK.
”
The System sounded almost unbearably pleased with itself.
” A WEAPON WORTHY OF YOUR STATION… AND A TRAINING METHOD TO HELP YOU LEARN HOW NOT TO EMBARRASS YOURSELF WITH IT.
”
Instinct crouched beside the katana.
” THE BLADE IS CALLED MOONFALL.
IT WILL GROW WITH YOU, ADAPTING AS YOU DO.
”
” AND THAT SCROLL CONTAINS A COMPLETE SWORDSMANSHIP MANUAL.
IT WILL GIVE YOU THE FOUNDATION YOU NEED TO WIELD MOONFALL PROPERLY—FROM BASIC STANCES AND MOVEMENTS TO TECHNIQUES THAT MAY EVENTUALLY HELP YOU UNLOCK MORE OF THE WEAPON’S POTENTIAL.
”
Instinct reached down and lifted the katana.
The moment his fingers wrapped around the handle, something clicked into place.
A perfect fit.
It was as though the weapon had been forged specifically for his hand.
He drew the blade.
A whisper of steel filled the forest.
Moonlight seemed to dance across its edge despite the bright afternoon sun.
Instinct stared at it for several seconds.
There was something strangely natural about holding it.
Not familiarity exactly.
Nothing like the inexplicable certainty with which his body had moved against the wolf.
This was different.
A weapon placed into his hand with knowledge waiting to be learned.
He returned Moonfall smoothly to its sheath.
“I accept.”
He retrieved the scroll next, unrolling it just enough to glimpse the intricate diagrams and flowing text within.
The illustrations showed stances, footwork, grip positions, strikes, blocks, and movements he had never seen before.
The language was immediately readable.
Instinct frowned.
He had no memory of ever learning it.
Another mystery.
He rolled the scroll closed.
“Excellent.”
The System’s voice carried a strange satisfaction.
” THEN WE ARE TRULY BEGINNING.
”
For a moment, silence settled between them.
Then the voice returned.
” THERE IS SOMETHING WE SHOULD ADDRESS.
”
Instinct waited.
” ME.
”
He raised an eyebrow.
” YOU KEEP THINKING OF ME AS “THE SYSTEM.” ”
A faint hint of annoyance entered her voice.
” IT GRATES, DOESN’T IT?
”
Instinct almost smiled.
“It does.”
” THEN GIVE ME A NAME.
”
The playful lilt returned.
” SOMETHING THAT WILL MAKE OUR PARTNERSHIP FEEL LESS TRANSACTIONAL… AND MORE INTIMATE.
”
There was something genuine beneath the teasing.
Instinct considered the request.
A name.
For the voice that had appeared inside his mind after his awakening.
For the strange consciousness tied somehow to the impossible power he had acquired.
Something dark.
Something mysterious.
Something fitting for a presence he didn’t yet understand.
He looked toward the shadows between the trees.
“Nyx.”
The voice fell silent.
Instinct continued.
“From this moment forward, that is your name.
No more ‘System.'”
He paused.
“You are Nyx.”
For several seconds, there was nothing.
Then the voice returned.
” NYX… ”
She repeated the name slowly, almost tasting it.
When she spoke again, her voice seemed different.
Heavier.
More present.
” I LIKE IT.
”
A faint warmth entered her voice.
” VERY WELL, INSTINCT.
LET’S FIND OUT WHAT YOU ARE CAPABLE OF TOGETHER.
”
Something shifted inside him.
Not physically.
Something deeper.
The connection between them seemed to settle into place.
The moment passed.
Instinct found himself standing alone once more in the forest.
Though he was no longer truly alone.
Nyx’s presence lingered within his mind.
A constant companion.
Moonfall rested at his side, the swordsmanship scroll held in his hand.
Around him stretched an unfamiliar world filled with questions he couldn’t answer.
Who had he been?
Why had he awakened here?
Why could he remember nothing?
What did Absolute truly mean?
And what, exactly, was he becoming?
Instinct looked into the forest ahead.
He had survived his first trial.
He had awakened a power he barely understood.
He had gained a weapon.
And he had given a name to the voice that would walk this path with him.
For now, that was enough.
He adjusted Moonfall at his side and started forward.
There was much to learn.