The beast charged.
Its enormous claws tore through the broken floor as it rushed toward Aether.
BOOM!
Aether moved.
He didn't retreat.
He stepped forward.
The instant the beast swung its massive claw, Aether ducked beneath it.
The claw passed over his head.
He could feel the wind created by the attack.
Too close.
Aether twisted his body and struck the beast's rear leg with everything he had.
CRACK!
The metal rod bent.
The beast stumbled.
But it didn't fall.
Instead, its stone-covered body began glowing orange.
[Stonehide activated.]
[Physical defense temporarily increased.]
Aether's eyes narrowed.
"So that's your trick."
The beast turned.
Its jaws opened.
Aether jumped backward.
A wave of heat rushed past him.
The wall behind him melted.
Lyra stared.
"That wasn't there before!"
Aether nodded.
"Abilities can evolve during combat."
"Evolve?"
"Or reveal additional functions."
The beast roared again.
Lyra stepped beside him.
"Then what do we do?"
Aether looked at the beast.
Then at Lyra.
"Hit the same weakness."
"But its defense increased."
"Exactly."
Lyra blinked.
Aether pointed toward its rear leg.
"If it increased its defense everywhere, it would become slower."
His eyes narrowed.
"But it didn't."
Lyra understood.
"You think it concentrated the defense around its body."
"Most likely."
The beast charged again.
This time Lyra moved first.
Lightning exploded beneath her feet.
She shot forward.
The beast swung.
Lyra ducked.
Aether moved from the opposite side.
For a brief moment—
The two attacked simultaneously.
Lightning struck the beast's front.
Aether struck its rear joint.
BOOM!
CRACK!
The beast stumbled.
Its enormous body crashed into the floor.
[Weakness successfully exploited.]
[Target stability: 42%]
Aether's eyes sharpened.
"Again."
Lyra grinned.
"Gladly."
Lightning gathered around both of her arms.
The beast struggled to stand.
Aether rushed toward it.
The creature suddenly opened its mouth.
A massive stone spike formed inside.
Aether stopped.
His instincts screamed.
"Lyra!"
She understood immediately.
They both jumped aside.
WHOOSH!
The stone spike shot across the store.
It destroyed the entire back wall.
Cold night air entered through the opening.
Aether looked at the destroyed wall.
"That would have hurt."
Lyra gave him an annoyed look.
"You think?"
Aether smiled.
Then his expression changed.
The Origin System appeared before his eyes.
[Hidden Function]
[Activation Progress: 99%]
Aether's heartbeat quickened.
The beast charged again.
Aether didn't move.
Lyra shouted,
"Aether!"
He raised one hand.
"Wait."
The beast was almost upon him.
Five meters.
Three meters.
One meter—
[Activation Condition fulfilled.]
The world stopped.
Not literally.
But to Aether, everything suddenly became incredibly slow.
The beast's claw moved toward his chest.
Dust floated through the air.
Lyra's lightning hung motionless around her.
Even the sound of the beast's roar seemed distant.
Then—
A new message appeared.
[Origin System has detected a critical threat.]
[Host has survived an encounter with a higher-ranked lifeform.]
[Hidden Function unlocked.]
[Origin Adaptation]
[Description:]
[The Origin System can now analyze, adapt to, and gradually optimize the Host's body according to encountered Origin forces.]
Aether's eyes widened.
"Adaptation..."
A surge of energy exploded inside his body.
BOOM!
The beast's claw finally reached him.
Aether raised his arm.
The impact sent him sliding backward.
His shoes tore across the floor.
But—
He didn't fall.
Aether looked at his arm.
There was no wound.
A faint silver-blue glow covered his skin.
[Origin Adaptation activated.]
[Earth Attribute resistance increased.]
[Physical resistance increased.]
[Origin Energy circulation efficiency increased.]
Aether slowly clenched his fist.
Something had changed.
His body felt lighter.
Stronger.
More responsive.
He could feel the energy around him far more clearly than before.
The beast stared at him.
For the first time—
It hesitated.
Aether smiled.
"Now it's my turn."
He disappeared.
Lyra's eyes widened.
"What?!"
Aether appeared beneath the beast.
He drove his fist directly into its damaged rear joint.
BOOOOOOM!
The beast's stone armor shattered.
Its leg collapsed.
It roared in pain.
Aether didn't stop.
He grabbed the beast's exposed limb and pulled.
CRACK!
The creature slammed into the ground.
[Target stability: 11%]
Lyra raised her hand.
Lightning gathered.
Aether looked at her.
"Together."
She smiled.
"Together."
Lightning erupted.
Aether rushed forward at the same time.
BOOOOOOOOOOM!
The entire building shook.
The beast's roar echoed through the ruined streets.
Then—
Silence.
The massive creature lay motionless.
[Target defeated.]
[Rank D Beast eliminated.]
[Origin Energy +15]
[First successful defeat of a superior-ranked lifeform.]
[Additional reward available.]
Aether looked at the final message.
"Additional reward?"
A new panel appeared.
[Reward selection available.]
[Option 1: Origin Energy ×30]
[Option 2: Basic Skill — Origin Step]
[Option 3: Random Beast Egg]
Aether stared at the choices.
His eyes immediately focused on the third option.
"Beast Egg..."
Lyra walked toward him.
"What's wrong?"
Aether quickly closed the interface.
"Nothing."
She narrowed her eyes.
"You've been saying that a lot."
Aether ignored her.
He looked at the defeated beast.
A strange thought crossed his mind.
If beasts could have abilities...
Could they become companions?
Could they evolve?
Could they grow alongside him?
The thought made his eyes brighten.
But he pushed it aside.
Not yet.
First, he needed to understand this world.
And he needed somewhere safe to stay.
Lyra suddenly looked toward the broken wall.
"Aether."
He turned.
"What?"
She pointed outside.
More lights were appearing in the distance.
Not human lights.
Pairs of glowing eyes.
One.
Three.
Ten.
Then dozens.
Aether's expression became serious.
The battle had attracted them.
[Multiple Origin signatures detected.]
[Hostile targets: 27]
[Highest detected rank: D+]
Aether looked at Lyra.
She looked back.
Neither spoke.
Then Aether smiled.
"Looks like we're leaving."
Lyra sighed.
"Finally, you say something sensible."
They quickly left through the destroyed wall.
As they disappeared into the darkness, neither noticed the faint glow beneath the corpse of the Rank D beast.
A tiny crystal slowly emerged from its shattered armor.
It pulsed once.
Then again.
And somewhere far away—
Something answered.
[Origin resonance detected.]
[Unknown entity has noticed the Host.]
The system flickered.
[Warning.]
[The Host's existence has begun attracting higher-level Origin entities.]
Aether continued walking through the darkness.
Completely unaware.
His journey had just changed.
He no longer possessed merely an awakened body.
He now had the first true function of the Origin System.
And somewhere beyond the ruined city—
the first piece of his future was already waiting.