The sky was blood-red at dusk, casting warped shadows across the wrecked city blocks. Collapsed towers leaned like drunken giants, overtaken by twisted vines and parasitic fungi. Wind carried the stench of rot — and death.
Asura crouched low behind a moss-covered taxi husk. His system scan flickered in his mind.
Target Identified : Winged Wraith MutantThreat Level: Mid-Tier Class 1Strength: Flight, Sonic Screech, CloakingWeakness: Sound Reverberation, Neural Core DisruptionEstimated Mutation Core Drop: 1
"Cloaked enemies… this is a test of mind cultivation," Asura thought.
Mental Combat Begins
He activated his Unity with Mind.
The world slowed slightly. His breath deepened. No sudden movements. He stretched his perception outward — not with his eyes, but with intent.
MentalSync:28 Mental Sync: 28% → 33%Cognitive Radar Activated (Passive)You can now detect hostile killing intent within 6 meters.
A cold ripple passed over his skin. Something had locked on.
"Left. Rooftop."
The Winged Wraith dropped from above — a blur of bones, wings, and screeching black mist.
⚔ Combat: Asura vs Winged Wraith
First Clash:
Asura dodged mid-sprint, narrowly avoiding the talons.
The Wraith shrieked, unleashing a high-pitched sonic pulse. Glass cracked around them. Asura's ears bled slightly.
"Unity with Body… absorb… redirect!"
He rolled, leaping upward from a fallen beam — slamming a steel rod into the wraith's chest. The creature howled but recovered mid-air, wings flapping with distorted gravity.
Trait Activation: Iron hide Skin
Iron hide Skin–Temporary TriggeredDuration: 2 minutesDefense: +70% PhysicalSide Effect: Increased strain on inner meridians
The wraith's claws sliced down — but this time, sparks bounced off his skin.
Asura grabbed its wing mid-air and yanked — flipping the beast into the ground. Crater formed. Dust exploded.
"Now!"
He thrust his fist directly at the exposed neural core behind its skull — enhanced by his system's Impact Point Prediction Line.
Enemy Defeated
Winged Wraith Mutant DefeatedMutation Core Acquired Blueprint Unlocked: Winged Mobility (Tier 1 Glider Mode)XP Gained: +450Mental Sync: +5%Body Harmony: +3%
Asura breathed hard.
The core floated in the air before dissolving into his palm. It sank into his flesh.
"Now I know how it feels to fight a true mutant.""This world… only respects power."
Trait Progress: Glider Wings (Incomplete)
Trait: Winged Glider Mode (Dormant)Activation: After successful core refinement + spinal resonance trainingProgress: 0/1 Flight Node Reactivated
Final System Prompt
System NotificationMid-Tier Combat Trial CompleteSub-System Expansion PossibleSuggestion: Unlock Martial-Spiritual Hybrid InterfaceRequirement: Meditation Ritual at next Underground Node
Asura stood amidst the burning ruins, the wind calm now. The wraith's body began to dissolve.
He looked at his hands — one hardened like stone, the other trembling with rising power.
"I've taken flight from the corpse of a monster.""Next... I learn how to stay in the air."
The sky above remained red.But for the first time… it didn't feel so far