Primordial System Awakening

Chapter 5

Chapter 5: The First Choice

The red light burned bright between my hands. The beast’s jaws were coming straight at me again, fast and deadly. I had no time to think hard, but the System made the words clear and sharp in my head.

Primordial Fusion initiated.

Choose your first evolution path.

The three options floated there like they were waiting just for me.

Path 1: Void Predator

Path 2: Eternal Scale

Path 3: Essence Sovereign

I did not know what any of them meant exactly, but I felt the hunger from the System push me. It wanted me to pick fast. The beast was too close. Its hot breath smelled like old graves and rotten meat.

The jaws opened wider. Rows of teeth glistened in the red glow.

I shouted the first one that felt right.

“Void Predator!”

The light exploded outward. It slammed into the beast’s face like a hammer. The creature roared in pain and pulled back hard. Its head hit the chamber wall and brought down more stones.

Power rushed through my whole body. It felt cold at first, then sharp, like shadows moving under my skin. The blue words changed quickly.

Evolution chosen: Void Predator

New skill unlocked: Shadow Step

New skill unlocked: Essence Drain

All stats +5

Level up! You are now level 6.

I looked at my hands. They looked the same, but when I moved, faint dark lines followed me like smoke. I felt lighter, faster, like I could slip through the air itself.

The beast shook its head and came at me again. This time I did not climb or run away. I took a step forward and used the new skill without thinking.

Shadow Step activated.

My body turned into shadow for a split second. I moved through the space between us and appeared right beside the beast’s neck. My fist, now wrapped in dark energy, punched hard into the soft spot under its jaw.

The hit landed with a wet thud. Black energy sank into the creature’s scales. I felt it pull something out of the beast and into me.

Essence Drain successful.

Strength +3

Agility +2

The beast screamed. It sounded weaker now. Part of its life force was gone, taken by me.

I jumped back using Shadow Step again. This time I landed on its back. I kept hitting the same spot, draining more and more. Each strike made me stronger and the beast slower.

The remaining hunters who had not run away watched with open mouths. One of them dropped his sword and ran for the tunnel. The others followed soon after. They left their dead friends behind without a second look.

I stayed on the beast. My new power felt good. Too good. The hunger inside me grew with every bit of essence I took. It wanted me to finish the creature, to take everything it had.

The guardian thrashed and tried to throw me off. Its tail whipped around and caught me in the side. I flew off and hit the ground hard. Pain shot through my ribs, but I rolled to my feet quickly. The Scale Armor and my higher vitality kept me from breaking anything.

I looked up. The beast was breathing heavy. Blood and dark smoke came from the wounds on its neck. Its red eyes still burned with anger, but they looked dimmer.

The System spoke again.

Boss entity weakened. Finish it to claim major reward.

I wiped sweat and blood from my face. My body felt full of energy, but I also felt tired in a new way. Like the System was using me as much as I was using it.

The beast lowered its head and charged one last time. Its mouth opened wide enough to swallow me whole.

I stood my ground. Shadow wrapped around my right arm like a glove. I pulled it back and punched forward with everything I had.

The dark fist met the beast’s snout. A loud crack filled the chamber. The creature’s head snapped back. It gave one final weak roar before its body crashed to the ground. Dust rose up around it.

You have slain the level 15 Ancient Guardian of Nethralis.

Major essence absorbed.

Level up! You are now level 9.

All stats +4

New passive skill: Void Hunger (increases essence gain from kills)

Reward: Primordial Shard Fragment x3

I dropped to one knee. My breathing came fast. The power that filled me felt almost too much. My stats looked much higher now. Strength at 22, Agility at 19, Vitality at 18. I could feel the difference in every muscle and breath.

The chamber grew quiet except for the sound of falling pebbles. The beast lay still. Its body slowly started to break apart into black dust that floated toward me and disappeared into my chest.

I stood up slowly and looked around. The hunters were gone. The ruins felt empty again. But I knew this was not the end. The System had woken up something bigger than just this one beast.

A new message appeared, glowing softly.

Main quest unlocked: Path of the Void Sovereign.

Objective: Leave Nethralis and reach the city of Valthor.

Warning: Hunters will spread word of the anomaly.

I put the black relic back in my pocket. It felt lighter now, like it had given most of its power to me. The three new shard fragments floated into my hand and merged with the first one.

I had grown strong in one day. Stronger than most men in the ruins could dream. But the System’s voice came one more time, quiet and hungry.

More essence awaits outside these ruins. Go. Grow. Devour.

I looked toward the tunnel that led back to the surface. Fresh air and danger waited out there. People would come looking for the dead hunters. They would want answers. They would want the power I now carried.

I took a deep breath and started walking.

Whatever came next, I was ready to face it.

But as I reached the exit, a loud horn sounded from far above. It was the signal used by the city guards of Valthor when they sent patrols into the ruins.

They were already coming.

And they were not coming alone.