Chapter 11: The Awakening Instinct
A thick silence fell over the arena. Eyes widened. Whispers rippled through the watching crowd. UV stood there—bloodied, battered, and breathless—but not broken. His cloak, stained with red, fluttered in the wind like a worn-out banner refusing to fall.
"Seven HP left out of twenty!"
The system's warning echoed in UV's ears, each syllable sharp like the edge of a blade. But instead of fear, something else stirred inside him.
Resolve.
The boy in front of him—arrogant and laughing—had already turned his back, thinking it was over. That was a mistake.
UV clenched his fists, his knees trembling but spirit unwavering. The pain in his body had dulled, replaced by a growing surge of energy—something raw, something ancient. The kind of power that didn't come from skill points or level stats.
Danny narrowed his eyes from the sidelines. "This is new," he murmured. "The system's scan isn't picking it up."
Then came another notification:
[WARNING: System anomaly detected.]
[A sealed instinct is trying to break free.]
UV staggered forward—and then suddenly dashed. Faster. Faster than before. So fast that the boy barely turned around in time to see the blur racing toward him.
"Impossible—" the boy gasped as UV's elbow slammed into his ribcage with a bone-cracking impact.
The crowd gasped.
UV didn't stop. His movements weren't refined. They weren't martial arts. But they were unpredictable—wild, feral. He was improvising, fighting with every ounce of instinct and desperation.
A flurry of blows landed. One to the jaw. Another to the chest. A sweeping leg strike that knocked the boy off balance.
The boy tried to retaliate, but UV ducked beneath the punch, countering with a swift knee into his opponent's stomach.
The boy choked and fell back, groaning in disbelief.
"Wh-What is this?! Your strength... it's changing!"
UV's vision blurred for a moment. A new system notification blinked rapidly.
[You have gained 1 Strength Point.]
[Current Strength Points: 1/3 — Skill Unlock in Progress...]
The crowd had gone quiet, stunned by the shift.
But UV knew he was still in danger. His HP was at 5, and the healing process still ticked away at his health. Any wrong move could cost him everything.
Then, Jeevika—still watching—felt a strange chill crawl up her spine.
"That aura… it's the same from last night. But now it's stronger… darker."
She stepped forward unconsciously, drawn toward UV, the boy who had chased her in the night, and now stood tall amidst the chaos.
The boy stood again, rage flaring in his eyes. "You little... you're not going to humiliate me like this!"
He charged.
UV didn't flinch. His body moved on its own, sliding past the attack, grabbing the boy's arm, and throwing him over the shoulder in a single fluid motion. The technique was clean. Almost professional.
Danny's eyes widened. "That's... a martial skill. But he doesn't have any…"
[Martial Combat Skill Acquired: Instinctive Reversal]
[Auto-learned via Survival Mode Activation.]
UV looked down at his trembling hands.
What is happening to me...?
His body was running on something beyond logic now—his instincts, awakened by desperation. A sealed potential now beginning to crack open.
The boy tried to rise again—but this time, UV stood over him, one hand extended, the other clenched into a fist glowing faintly red.
"Give up," UV said, his voice low and steady.
The boy hesitated. His pride screamed to fight. But his instincts whispered: Run.
Before he could answer, a final system alert appeared:
[Two Strength Points Remaining to Unlock: HELL MODE Skill.]
[Warning: If HP reaches 0 during the next activation, permanent death may occur.]
UV's eyes narrowed.
The real battle hadn't even started yet.
To Be Continued...
Will UV survive the next round? What is the true nature of the sealed power awakening within him? And what exactly is "Hell Mode"...?