Ming dropped to one knee, his breath ragged, his body trembling. The black dust of the Pawn scattered across the void floor, dissolving into the formless dark of the Veil of Silence. His blade was still slick with soul ichor, but his arms felt like lead.
Then—
> [System Upgrade Initiated.]
[Host: Brace yourself.]
Before Ming could comprehend what the System said, agony exploded through him. His vision went white as if every fiber of his soul was being ripped apart and reforged. Muscles tore and knit themselves back together. His veins burned like molten fire, and his bones groaned under invisible pressure. He bit down hard enough to taste blood, his scream muffled by clenched teeth.
> [Synchronization with Host: 30% achieved.]
When the pain ebbed, another window unfolded before him, different from the ones he had seen before.
> [System Expansion: Soul Codex Unlocked.]
Before his eyes, faint ethereal pages materialized—shifting, half-formed, but undeniable. On them, strange sigils pulsed with quiet light. Two slots glowed faintly, filled with familiar names:
Soul Sense – Perceive hostile intent, predict movements your eyes can catch.
Soul Rend – A strike that bypasses any form of defense, tearing directly at the soul.
The second ability felt brutal and dark to Soul Ming.
"Good — a soul-based attack. Just what I want," Ming said.
He clenched his fists. Not yet. He knew it was just the beginning and this was only one of many skills he could obtain. His resolve grew stronger. His unbroken will to grow stronger hardened.
Above him, the silence of the void rippled. For a moment, the endless black seemed to tremble as if something beyond was watching.
Far away, in the unseen heights of the cosmic order, the Watcher stirred.
The Pawn's destruction had not gone unnoticed. Threads of fate snapped, echoing into the higher planes. The Watcher's eye turned briefly toward the mortal who had done the impossible.
> "So… you survived the void, little insect. You've stepped out of death's shadow. But this will be your last."
"I will send what's needed to end your lowly existence."
The presence faded, but Ming felt the weight of it even across the Veil, like a storm looming at the horizon.
His hands still shook from the pain, but his resolve hardened. That Pawn hadn't been by chance. The gods—or whatever monsters they served—had taken notice of him. More would come. Stronger.
Ming rose slowly, his breathing steadying. His gaze cut through the dark, his eyes now sharper, deeper, as though touched by something beyond human sight.
"I'll be ready," he whispered into the silence. "You'll regret not finishing me the first time."
The void answered only with stillness, but somewhere above, enemies were already preparing their next move.
But to Ming, they — and the Watcher — were just stepping stones.
"I will get stronger. I will face the cosmic beings. I will kill all of them."