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The trees had grown stranger.
Yuki glided silently over the roots of immense elderwoods whose bark shimmered faintly with motes of light. Above, silvery leaves stirred though no wind blew, and clusters of glowing fungi blinked like eyes in the underbrush. The further he pressed into the Hollow, the more the forest felt *alive*—not in body, but in awareness.
His newly awakened \[Mindforge Core] pulsed softly in sync with the world around him. It wasn't just sensing mana now. He could feel the *intent* of things. Trees that reached toward the sky with longing. Stones that remembered ancient footsteps. Even the very air held whispers—fragments of voices lost to time, lingering in soul-echoes.
At first, it was disorienting.
> **Cognitive Shell** engaged passively.
>
> Mental clarity stabilized.
Gradually, he adjusted. Letting the sensations wash through him without overwhelming thought. As he walked, the forest responded—roots shifting subtly to guide his steps, mist parting where he wandered.
Suddenly, the ground trembled faintly. A resonant hum rose up from beneath the earth. Not dangerous—but purposeful.
Yuki paused.
From the roots below, a pale blue glow rose, tracing ethereal lines into a nearby slope. He followed them, eyes narrowing, until he reached a hidden glade where the forest seemed unnaturally still. A smooth, flat patch of stone jutted from the ground—circular, almost like an altar—and it pulsed with the same soft light as his forge.
> **Harmonic Stone Identified.**
>
> Ancient conduit of the Hollow. Calibrates to soul resonance.
>
> > Interaction possible: Mental Echo – Synchronize?
He stepped closer, instinct humming. The stone called not to his body, but his mind.
Lowering his head, Yuki touched the stone with his forehead.
The world blinked.
In a flash, he was somewhere else.
Floating in a dreamlike void—softly lit, filled with translucent trees, fading memories, and drifting soul-lights. A place halfway between the material and the spirit realm.
Here, thoughts felt louder.
Here, echoes could *speak*.
And something began to speak to him.
A deep, gentle voice—not threatening, but ancient. It wasn't a full message, only pieces.
"Flame… rebirth… guardian… soul bound… she waits…"
Then silence.
Yuki opened his eyes sharply, breath catching.
The stone was still glowing—but dimmer now. Whatever power it held had recognized him. Accepted him. Or warned him.
> **You have synchronized with the Echo of the Hollow.**
>
> Passive Skill Gained: \[Soul Resonance] – The spirit world responds to your presence. Grants increased intuition within soul-dense environments and minor resistance to spirit-class attacks.
>
> Trait Gained: \[Bound Walker] – You exist in partial overlap between realms. Rare spirit entities may acknowledge your presence.
He stood in silence for a long moment, watching the stone fade into dormancy.
The Hollow had more to it than monsters and mystery.
It had memory. Will. Maybe even destiny.
And now, he was tied to it.
Yuki turned and walked deeper into the trees.
He wasn't just learning to survive.
He was beginning to belong.
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