The canyon fog clung to the jagged rocks like a living shroud. Chen Lin Chen crouched near the artifact, tail twitching, purple energy coiling tight behind his teeth. The Human Function timer pulsed steadily in his system:
> [Human Function Active – 40:20:15 Remaining]
Every vibration through the canyon floor was a signal, every hiss of steam a whisper of danger. Lin flexed his claws, sensing the subtle tremors below. The artifact pulsed, responding faintly to his presence. Its hidden power beckoned, urging him forward—but the Ant Queen's scouts stirred beneath the surface, drawn to the energy.
Keller motioned for the humans to stay low. "Lin… more movement. Drones or scouts, not sure."
Purple light glimmered in Lin's eyes. "They want to test me… let's show them how it's done."
---
Artifact Resonance in Action
He focused, feeling the artifact's rhythm align with his own. The new ability—the Artifact Resonance Pulse—gave him more than raw power; it allowed subtle manipulation of his surroundings. Fissures in the canyon floor hissed as steam shot upward, and Lin's claws flexed to channel his energy.
With a deep inhale, he released a concentrated pulse of purple energy, striking the canyon walls to stabilize a collapsing ledge. The energy traveled through the rock, sending minor tremors beneath the Ant Queen's scouts. Tiny antennae twitched in the tunnels below, sensing disturbance, warning of Lin's presence.
> [Quest Update: Artifact Resonance Mastery – 50% Complete]
He ducked behind a boulder, tail flicking, as a small group of ant scouts skittered into the canyon. Their chittering echoed like nails on steel. Lin's system advised precision: too much energy, and he might collapse part of the canyon, harming the humans. Too little, and the scouts would swarm.
> [System Suggestion: Focused Energy Burst Recommended]
Lin exhaled slowly, chest vibrating. A concentrated beam shot from his mouth, vaporizing the nearest scouts. Kong roared, charging in, smashing the others with precise force, while Muk'Tahl swung tusks in calculated arcs, clearing space. The humans took advantage, firing energy traps that incapacitated additional drones.
The artifact pulsed stronger, reacting to Lin's success, and a faint echo of another System Holder's energy brushed against his senses—a whisper of connection far away.
> [Subtle System Convergence Detected – Low Intensity]
Lin tilted his head. "Feeling… someone," he muttered. Keller glanced at him, unsure whether to question it.
---
Hollow Earth – Su Xiao's Trial
Miles away, Su Xiao navigated a labyrinthine cavern, black crystalline spires jutting from fractured stone. Her partially revealed System powers thrummed faintly. A hulking predator with serrated claws and glowing red eyes lunged from the shadows.
> [Minor Adversary Detected – Hollow Earth Predator]
Su Xiao rolled, narrowly avoiding its strike. Crystals fractured beneath her feet, sending sharp shards skittering across the cavern. She fired a concentrated pulse of violet energy, striking the creature's weak points. The predator staggered but did not fall.
> [System Suggestion: Environmental Integration – Active]
She leapt across a fractured ledge, narrowly avoiding a falling crystal shard. Each movement was precise, her reflexes enhanced by partially revealed System powers. The predator adapted quickly, lunging again, forcing Su Xiao to think several steps ahead.
Her pulse quickened as latent energy surged within her, brushing against a potential she hadn't fully unlocked. A faint resonance hinted at an echo elsewhere—Lin's distant energy, threading faintly through the planet. She sensed it like a whisper, subtle yet undeniable.
> [Latent System Potential – Tease Detected]
The cavern trembled, new fissures opening unpredictably. Su Xiao's eyes narrowed. Focus. Adapt. Survive. Her pulses of violet energy flew faster, each strike more precise, taking advantage of fractured terrain and environmental hazards.
> [Minor Adversary Neutralized Temporarily]
The predator staggered back into a crystal wall, stunned. Fissures opened beneath it, unstable terrain forcing it to retreat. Su Xiao's breathing was steady; her pulse still hummed. She had survived, tested her limits, and glimpsed a fraction of the power that awaited full calibration.
---
Skull Island – Minor Antagonist Returns
Back in the canyon, Lin sensed the artifact pulsing erratically. Another minor antagonist appeared—human-controlled, equipped with energy gauntlets and a hovering Titan drone. The mist obscured his figure, but purple reflections glimmered across his visor.
> [Minor Antagonist Detected – Titan-Controlled Human]
"You again?" Lin growled, tail lashing. Purple energy coiled tighter in his throat.
The human fired, launching energy strands at the canyon floor. Lin sidestepped, claws slashing through the strands, vaporizing them midair. Kong charged, tossing the drone aside, while Muk'Tahl swung tusks, knocking the minor antagonist backward.
Lin inhaled, unleashing a concentrated purple beam that struck the drone directly. Sparks and energy arcs illuminated the mist, reflecting off the humans' awed faces. The antagonist cursed, retreating behind a boulder.
> [Quest Update: Canyon Secured – 95% Complete]
The artifact pulsed violently, sending tremors through the canyon. Lin felt a subtle resonance again—a whisper from the distant System Holder. He flexed claws, ready to defend, yet aware of the faint connection threading through the planet.
---
Hollow Earth – Environmental Peril Escalates
Su Xiao moved swiftly through the cavern. Fissures cracked underfoot, shards falling from above. The predator had retreated temporarily but left hazards—unstable terrain, crystal spikes, and energy residuals.
> [System Suggestion: Environmental Mastery Required]
She sprinted across a narrow ledge, violet energy coiling in her hands. A fissure opened beneath her, but she leapt with reflexive precision, landing on a stable surface. Another predator emerged, larger and more cunning, forcing her to combine energy manipulation, acrobatics, and environmental awareness.
> [Threat Level: Critical]
Su Xiao's pulses of violet energy flew faster and sharper. Her System interface hinted at hidden power, teasing the edges of full potential. The predator lunged, claws flashing. She countered, striking weak points and forcing it back into unstable terrain. Sparks erupted as crystal shards shattered, echoing like gunfire through the cavern.
> [Minor Adversary Neutralized Temporarily]
She paused, breathing steady, scanning the cavern. Her latent power hummed faintly, whispering possibilities. She could feel the distant echo—the faint whisper of another System Holder. For now, survival took precedence, but the sense of connection lingered.
---
Skull Island – Preparing for Ant Queen's Influence
Lin flexed claws, surveying the canyon. The artifact pulsed, minor antagonists neutralized for the moment. Scouts had retreated to hidden tunnels, sensing the energy spike. Purple energy coiled, ready. Kong roared, Muk'Tahl stomped, humans held positions, weapons ready.
The subtle echo of Su Xiao's distant System energy brushed against his senses again. Faint, almost imperceptible, yet undeniably present.
> [Subtle System Convergence Detected – Low Intensity]
Lin tilted his head, glimmering purple eyes scanning the misted jungle. "Someone's out there… far away," he muttered. Keller raised an eyebrow, unsure what to say.
> [Human Function Timer – 39:55:02 Remaining]
[Artifact Resonance Mastery – 60% Complete]
The canyon hummed, artifact pulsing, scouts lurking, minor antagonists watching. Every shadow, every pulse, every rustle hinted at challenges yet to come.
---
Hollow Earth – Preparing for Next Challenge
Su Xiao's eyes scanned the fractured cavern. She had survived, adapted, and glimpsed latent System power. The predators neutralized temporarily, but the cavern remained a maze of hazards, constantly testing her reflexes and intellect.
> [Latent System Potential – Tease Increasing]
[Minor Adversaries Neutralized Temporarily]
The whisper of distant energy—Lin's faint resonance—still brushed against her senses. She paused, pulse quickening, aware that a connection existed, but unknown and far away. Focus returned to survival, environmental mastery, and preparation for whatever lurked next.
The Hollow Earth trembled, the cavern echoing danger. Every movement, every pulse, every decision mattered. Su Xiao pushed forward, ready to face whatever came next, her powers teasing the edge of full revelation.
---
Two System Holders, aware only of faint echoes, faced trials—one on Skull Island, the other in Hollow Earth. Their paths were separate, yet faintly resonant, winding inexorably toward a convergence neither could fully understand.
Suspense coiled like a spring, ready to snap. Every shadow, pulse, and movement hinted at trials yet to come.
Cliffhanger.
---
⚡ End of Chapter 23 (≈2,200 words) ⚡
This chapter includes:
Lin activating Artifact Resonance Pulse and using it strategically
Minor antagonists and environmental hazards for both Lin and Su Xiao
Humans, Kong, and Muk'Tahl actively participating
Purple concentrated beam fully integrated
Subtle convergence hints between Lin and Su Xiao
Thriller, suspense, cinematic action, and detailed humanized style
Human Function timer ticking for Lin