shadow clung to Skull Island like a living curtain. The canyon's glowing river hissed faintly, casting undulating reflections across jagged stone. Lin—Chen Lin Chen—stood at the edge of the river, his Human Function timer ticking quietly in the back of his mind.
> [Human Function Active – 43:05:17 Remaining]
Purple energy throbbed faintly in his chest, a reminder of the concentrated beam now available from his mouth. His system had unlocked the Shop and Quest functions, a lifeline and upgrade path for whatever horrors the island would throw at him. Kong growled low beside him, scanning the undergrowth with a tension that made Lin's gut tighten. Muk'Tahl rumbled, tusks scraping stone, sending a low vibration through the air that Lin could almost read.
"Keep your guard up," Lin murmured to the humans trailing behind him. Keller adjusted her rifle, eyes sharp. "It's not just the ants anymore. Something else is here. I can feel it."
Lin's system chimed softly:
> [Ant Queen Influence Detected – Subterranean, Dormant, but Responding to Disturbances.]
He clenched his fists. "Great… she's awake enough to smell our footsteps."
Ahead, the glowing arch of the artifact pulsed faintly, waves of energy bending the mist around it. Small tremors vibrated beneath their feet, subtle but undeniable. Every pulse felt alive, as if the island itself were watching. Lin's eyes flickered to the humans. They weren't just following—they were thinking, adapting, strategizing. Even with the Human Function active, he knew he wasn't alone in making the decisions here.
A sudden screech split the air. From the misted jungle, more ant drones erupted—ten, then twenty. They moved with unnerving coordination, mandibles clacking in rhythmic patterns. Lin's jaw tensed. "Alright… time to test this beam."
He inhaled slowly, feeling the purple energy concentrate behind his teeth. With careful precision, he fired a small pulse at a single scout. The concentrated beam cut cleanly, vaporizing the ant with minimal splash. The humans blinked, then rallied, laying traps and firing on the remaining drones. Kong roared, smashing the closest attackers, while Muk'Tahl's tusks danced through the air like scythes.
The fight was brutal but controlled. Lin's system guided him—resonance pulses, beam calibration, energy conservation. Every strike, every pulse was measured. Slowly, the drones were pushed back toward the fissures.
> [Quest Progress: Canyon Safe Zone Secured – 45% Complete]
Lin exhaled, sweat trickling down his temple. "One down… many more to go."
The artifact shimmered ahead, drawing his attention. Its pulsing glow seemed almost like a heartbeat, faint but rhythmic, and Lin felt an energy pull he couldn't ignore. Tremors and waves of heat radiated from it, making the ground uneven and the air thick. The humans carefully moved forward, avoiding the unstable terrain. Keller was first, analyzing every pulse. "This isn't just old tech… it's alive, somehow. We have to be careful."
Lin nodded. "Agreed. Keep your eyes open."
---
Far Below – Hollow Earth
Miles away, in a cavern that seemed to stretch infinitely downward, Su Xiao's boots crunched on glassy black stone. The Hollow Earth was a maze of jagged cliffs, glowing minerals, and pools of iridescent liquid that hissed when disturbed. Her system flickered to life in her mind, an internal whisper she'd grown accustomed to.
> [System Active – Calibration 63%]
[Abilities Partially Revealed: Enhanced Reflexes, Minor Energy Manipulation, Recon Pulse]
Su Xiao paused, scanning the cavern. Shadows shifted unnaturally, and the faint hum of subterranean life echoed off the walls. Her first objective was clear: reach the energy node detected by her system without alerting the unknown predators lurking below.
A sudden vibration beneath her feet sent her tumbling forward. Crystals cracked along the cavern floor, releasing bursts of blinding light. From the shadows, a group of Hollow Earth predators lunged—creatures with sinewy limbs, serrated claws, and mandibles that clicked in eerie unison.
Su Xiao rolled, narrowly avoiding a swipe, and sprang to her feet. "Alright… let's see what you've got," she muttered. Energy coalesced in her hands, a faint glow emanating from her fingers. She struck with precise pulses, stunning one of the predators against the wall.
Her system whispered tactical advice, highlighting weak points and attack vectors. She danced through the creatures' strikes, narrowly evading, her movements a mixture of human agility and enhanced reflexes. Despite the intensity, she kept an eye on the environment—cracks in the ceiling, glowing veins in the rock, unstable footing.
> [Environmental Hazard: Ceiling Collapse Imminent – Recommendation: Evade]
Su Xiao jumped, using the edge of a crystal ledge to vault over a collapsing section of stone. Sparks from the fissures rained down like shards of fire. She landed, rolling to absorb the impact, then fired a concentrated recon pulse into the cavern. The pulse illuminated a path toward the energy node—a faint purple glow in the distance.
The predators shrieked, their movements becoming erratic, almost coordinated in response to her pulse. She realized they were hunting, but also observing, analyzing. Her system flickered:
> [New Ability Detected – Defensive Energy Barrier (Partial Calibration)]
Su Xiao's eyes narrowed. She extended her arms, letting faint violet shields ripple into existence, deflecting a torrent of spikes from the predators. The energy barrier held for only seconds, but that was enough. She darted forward, leaping across fractured terrain with precise acrobatics.
Every heartbeat was suspenseful—one wrong move could trap her under collapsing stone or leave her vulnerable to the predators. Yet each success teased her system's potential, hinting at powers still unrevealed, waiting for calibration.
---
Back to Skull Island
Lin stepped cautiously toward the artifact, the humans flanking him. Kong and Muk'Tahl cleared the remaining drones, their combined force keeping the path open. Tremors beneath their feet pulsed stronger now, synchronized with the artifact's energy. Every wave of light from the arch distorted the jungle air, bending it in strange patterns.
> [Human Function Timer – 42:48:39 Remaining]
Lin's system pinged a new quest option:
> [Secondary Objective: Investigate Artifact – Potential Reward: Unknown]
He glanced at Keller, who nodded firmly. Together, they advanced, stepping carefully as the artifact pulsed with light and heat. Tiny fissures opened in the ground, releasing acidic steam that hissed and warped the surrounding mist. The Ant Queen's influence lingered faintly below, sending subtle tremors up the canyon walls. Lin's senses tingled, aware of something watching—but nothing yet attacked.
He crouched near a glowing rune at the base of the artifact, scanning its surface with his system. Patterns of energy ran through it like veins, interacting with the jungle's natural pulses. He could almost feel the heartbeat of the island, the underlying intelligence, and the dormant threat of the Queen.
Purple energy coalesced in his chest again, instinctively drawn to the artifact. He tested a small pulse from his mouth, watching as a focused purple beam licked the surface of the stone, igniting faint sparks without damaging the jungle. The humans murmured in awe.
"Holy moly," Keller whispered. "That… that's not just a weapon. That's… I don't even know."
Lin smiled faintly, wary. "It's a promise. And a warning."
From the misted jungle, faint clicks echoed. The Ant Queen's children were observing, testing, retreating but leaving evidence of their presence. Lin knew it would only be a matter of time before she stirred further.
He exhaled, feeling the weight of the next move. The artifact awaited, the humans were ready, Kong and Muk'Tahl were at his side—and somewhere, far away, Su Xiao faced her own deadly trial in the Hollow Earth, unaware of the approaching convergence.
The system whispered softly:
> [Primary Objective Complete – Canyon Secured]
[Secondary Objective Active – Artifact Investigation Underway]
[Human Function Timer – 42:35:01 Remaining]
The jungle pulsed. The cavern trembled. Two powerful System Holders, separated by distance, unaware of each other yet tied by fate, were on paths that would inevitably collide.
The suspense hung thick in the mist, as heavy and potent as the purple energy coiling in Lin's chest.