The last Blackhide Hound collapsed.
Silence returned to the street.
Kael stood among the abandoned cars, breathing heavily.
He looked at the system.
[COMBAT RESULTS]
Blackhide Hound ×1 defeated
Experience gained: 45
Skill acquired: Blackhide
Threat Detection proficiency: 7% → 12%
Enhanced Hearing proficiency: 23% → 28%
Kael opened his status.
[STATUS]
Name: Kael
Race: Human
Level: 2
Experience: 117 / 200
Evolution Stage: Stage 0 — Ordinary
[Attributes]
Strength: 10
Agility: 12
Vitality: 10
Endurance: 9
Perception: 10
Unassigned Points: 0
[Skills]
Enhanced Hearing — Level 1
Proficiency: 28%
Threat Detection — Level 1
Proficiency: 12%
Blackhide — Level 1
Proficiency: 0%
[Unique Trait]
Adaptive Evolution
Adaptation: 0.11%
Kael stared at the last number.
0.11%.
It was tiny.
Almost meaningless.
But it had increased.
He looked at his arm.
There was no visible change.
Yet he could feel something beneath his skin.
His body was learning.
That thought excited him.
It also frightened him.
Because he had no idea what his body would eventually become.
"Kael."
Mira's voice interrupted his thoughts.
He looked up.
The three survivors were watching him.
Dan pointed at the fallen hound.
"You killed that one alone."
Kael nodded.
"You didn't even use a skill."
"I did."
Dan frowned.
"Which one?"
"Blackhide."
Dan looked surprised.
"You already got a skill?"
Kael nodded.
Mira's eyes narrowed.
"That's lucky."
Kael didn't answer.
He didn't think it was luck.
The System had given him the opportunity.
But he had been the one who survived long enough to take it.
Dan walked over and inspected the creature.
"These things are Level 2."
He looked at Kael.
"You know what that means?"
Kael shook his head.
"They're weak."
Dan pointed toward the bodies.
"Then why were there six?"
Kael looked around.
The answer was obvious.
They were hunting together.
And if six Level 2 monsters could appear together...
there could be dozens.
Maybe hundreds.
The city was becoming a hunting ground.
Mira suddenly looked toward the sky.
"There's something else."
Kael followed her gaze.
A strange blue light had appeared above the city.
It spread across the clouds.
Then the system activated.
[WORLD NOTICE]
The first evolutionary cycle has begun.
All living organisms will experience accelerated evolutionary changes during the next 24 hours.
Environmental danger will increase.
Monster populations will increase.
Evolutionary resources will begin appearing.
Kael's eyes narrowed.
"Evolutionary resources?"
Dan looked at his own system.
"I've got the same message."
Another notification appeared.
[New Feature Unlocked: Evolutionary Map]
Areas containing unusually high evolutionary energy may now be detected.
Kael opened the map.
The city appeared as a simple grid.
Most areas were grey.
Some were yellow.
But three locations were glowing red.
Kael zoomed in.
The nearest red area was only two streets away.
[High Evolutionary Energy Detected.]
[Estimated Source: Unknown.]
[Recommended Level: 5+]
Kael stared at it.
Level 5.
He was Level 2.
That meant he wasn't supposed to go there.
Which made him even more interested.
"What are you looking at?" Mira asked.
Kael showed them the map.
Dan immediately shook his head.
"No."
Kael looked at him.
"We don't know what's there."
"Exactly."
Dan pointed at the recommendation.
"Level five or higher."
Kael closed the map.
He understood the danger.
But he also understood something else.
If evolutionary resources could make people stronger, the strongest survivors would eventually gather them.
And Kael couldn't afford to stay behind.
He looked at his status.
117 experience.
He needed 83 more.
There were six Level 2 monsters here.
That meant—
he was close.
Very close.
Kael turned toward the street.
"I'm going."
Dan stared at him.
"You're insane."
"Maybe."
Kael picked up his metal rod.
"But I need experience."
He walked away.
Mira hesitated.
Then followed.
Dan cursed quietly.
"Fine."
The third survivor followed as well.
They moved through the ruined streets.
The deeper they went, the stranger the city became.
Plants had grown through windows.
Roots had cracked open the roads.
Several buildings were covered in dark vines.
Kael activated Enhanced Hearing.
Nothing.
Then—
[Threat Detection activated.]
Kael stopped.
"Wait."
Everyone froze.
He pointed toward a building.
"Something's inside."
Dan raised his bat.
"How strong?"
Kael focused.
The system scanned the structure.
[MONSTER DETECTED]
Species: Razorclaw Spider
Level: 3
Classification: Mutated Beast
Evolution Stage: Stage 0 — Ordinary
Strength: 14
Agility: 22
Vitality: 13
Endurance: 12
Perception: 25
Skills: Web Control — Level 2
Ability: Venomous Fangs
Kael's expression changed.
"Level 3."
Dan smiled.
"Now that's something we can handle."
The building suddenly shook.
A web shot through the broken window.
Dan barely moved aside.
The web struck the wall.
The concrete began to crack.
Mira's face paled.
"That isn't normal webbing."
The spider emerged.
It was nearly the size of a motorcycle.
Eight sharp legs moved across the wall.
Its eyes focused on the group.
Then it vanished into the shadows.
Kael activated Enhanced Hearing.
Nothing.
He looked around.
"Where did it go?"
Dan raised his weapon.
"Above us!"
Kael looked upward.
Too late.
The spider dropped from the ceiling.
Kael rolled away.
Its legs struck the ground where he had been standing.
The battle began.
Dan attacked from the front.
Mira supported him.
Kael moved around the side.
The spider was fast.
Far faster than the hounds.
But Kael's body was adapting.
His vision tracked its movements.
His hearing detected the movement of its legs.
His Threat Detection warned him moments before each attack.
The system began flashing repeatedly.
[Combat experience acquired.]
[Threat Detection proficiency: 12% → 15%]
[Enhanced Hearing proficiency: 28% → 31%]
[Blackhide proficiency: 0% → 8%]
Kael ducked beneath another attack.
The spider turned.
Kael saw an opening.
He activated Blackhide.
His skin hardened.
The spider struck.
THUD!
Kael was thrown backward.
Pain shot through his body.
But he remained conscious.
He stood.
And smiled.
The system appeared.
[Physical impact survived.]
[Adaptive Evolution activated.]
[Analyzing impact resistance...]
[New adaptation developing.]
Kael looked at the spider.
"Again."
The creature charged.
Kael raised his weapon.
This time—
he was ready.