The collapse thundered through the cavern like the wrath of the heavens.
Kael threw himself behind a fractured pillar as countless tons of stone crashed onto the Void Fang Alpha. Dust erupted in every direction, swallowing the chamber in a dense gray cloud. The impact shook the ground so violently that Kael lost his footing and slammed onto the cold floor.
For several seconds, all he could hear was the roar of falling debris.
Then...
Silence.
Kael remained where he was, his chest rising and falling heavily. Blood continued dripping from the fresh wounds across his chest, and every breath sent sharp pain through his ribs.
"Did..."
He coughed, tasting blood.
"...did it die?"
The dust slowly began to settle.
A massive mound of shattered stone now occupied the center of the chamber. Broken pillars lay scattered everywhere, and the once-pristine cavern had become a ruin.
Kael struggled to his feet.
One cautious step.
Then another.
His eyes never left the pile of rubble.
The System remained silent.
No notification.
No confirmation.
His heart sank.
If the Alpha had died, the System should have recognized the kill.
That could only mean one thing.
It was still alive.
A low growl answered his thoughts.
The pile of rubble shifted.
Large stones rolled down its sides.
Then an enormous black paw burst through the debris.
Kael's pupils contracted.
"No..."
With a deafening roar, the Void Fang Alpha forced itself free.
Blood streamed down its body.
Several crystal spikes had shattered.
Its left shoulder hung unnaturally low.
One of its eyes was swollen shut.
But it was alive.
Barely.
The System appeared immediately.
Void Fang Alpha
Rank: E
Condition: Critically Injured
Combat Ability Reduced: 71%
Threat Level: High
Recommendation: Finish the Target.
Kael blinked.
The recommendation had changed.
Not escape.
Fight.
A smile slowly spread across his exhausted face.
"So now..."
"We're equals."
The Alpha roared in fury and limped toward him.
Its movements had become noticeably slower.
Its breathing was uneven.
Every step left a trail of dark blood.
Kael quickly searched the ruined chamber.
His stone dagger had disappeared beneath the rubble.
His father's sword was gone.
Then he saw it.
A broken crystal spike had snapped off the Alpha's back during the collapse.
It lay only a few feet away.
Kael sprinted toward it.
The Alpha immediately charged.
Despite its injuries, it was still terrifyingly fast.
Kael grabbed the crystal spike.
It was surprisingly light despite its size.
One end had broken into an incredibly sharp point.
Perfect.
The Alpha leaped.
Kael rolled beneath it.
As the monster landed awkwardly on its injured hind leg, he drove the crystal spike into the old fracture the System had revealed earlier.
The beast released a deafening howl.
The spike pierced deep into the weakened leg.
The Alpha stumbled violently.
Kael didn't stop.
He pulled the spike free and struck again.
And again.
Dark blood splashed across his clothes.
The beast swung a massive claw.
Kael reacted a heartbeat too late.
The attack caught his shoulder, throwing him across the cavern.
He crashed into a broken wall.
Pain exploded through his body.
His vision blurred.
One arm refused to move.
The Alpha limped toward him.
Its injured leg barely supported its enormous weight.
Still...
It kept coming.
Kael forced himself upright.
His body screamed in protest.
"I..."
He wiped blood from his mouth.
"...am not dying here."
He charged.
The Alpha charged.
The distance between them disappeared in seconds.
The monster opened its jaws.
Kael didn't dodge.
Instead, he threw the crystal spike with everything he had.
The sharpened shard shot forward like a spear.
Straight into the beast's open mouth.
The point pierced upward.
Through flesh.
Through bone.
Into the brain.
The Alpha's body froze.
Its momentum carried it forward until it stopped barely an arm's length from Kael.
Neither moved.
A single drop of blood fell onto the stone floor.
Then the giant beast collapsed.
The cavern trembled.
Kael stood there for several seconds before finally letting out a shaky breath.
"I..."
"...won."
A soft chime echoed through the cavern.
Void Fang Alpha Eliminated.
Devour Target?
YES / NO
Kael smiled weakly.
"Yes."
The corpse began dissolving.
Unlike the rats, however, this time the entire cavern shook.
Countless streams of black energy erupted from the Alpha's body, swirling through the air like a storm before crashing into Kael.
His eyes widened.
"So much...!"
The energy flooded every part of his body.
His wounds healed at a speed visible to the naked eye.
Broken ribs reformed.
Torn muscles repaired themselves.
The System released notification after notification.
Void Energy +150
Strength +4
Agility +3
Vitality +5
Soul +2
The notifications continued.
Evolution Progress: 28%
Evolution Progress: 41%
Evolution Progress: 57%
Evolution Progress: 73%
Evolution Progress: 89%
Kael watched the numbers climb in disbelief.
They finally stopped.
Evolution Progress: 100%
Everything became silent.
For one brief moment...
Time itself seemed to stop.
A new notification appeared.
Requirements Fulfilled.
First Evolution Available.
Evolution Options Generated...
Three glowing panels materialized before Kael.
Option I — Void Stalker
A swift evolution specializing in speed, stealth, and assassination.
Option II — Void Berserker
A powerful evolution focused on overwhelming strength, endurance, and close combat.
Option III — Hidden Evolution Detected
?????
Compatibility: 100%
Warning: Unknown Evolution Path.
Kael frowned.
The first two made perfect sense.
The third...
Even the System couldn't identify it.
Another notification appeared.
Unique Evolution Path Detected.
Only the Host may choose.
Warning: This choice cannot be reversed.
Kael stared at the three options.
His heartbeat echoed loudly within the silent cavern.
One decision.
One path.
It would shape everything that came after.
He slowly reached toward the mysterious third option.
The one hidden beneath a veil of darkness.
And the moment his fingertips touched it...
The entire Abyss trembled.