The city breathed like a graveyard—silent, except for the distant groan of crumbling steel and the occasional shriek of something not human. The moon was hidden behind clouds, leaving the streets soaked in darkness. Kairis moved through it with steady steps, his coat swaying at his knees, eyes scanning every shadow.
He wasn't looking for safety. He was looking for prey.
The system's pulse in his head was a reminder:
[Sub-Objective: Hunt Awakened Beasts – 0/10]
His grip tightened on the Graviton Edge. The blade vibrated faintly, warped energy coursing through its blackened steel. At Level 2, it felt heavier—more alive, as though reality itself resisted when he drew it.
He found the first one not far from the broken shell of a subway entrance. A twisted thing that once resembled a wolf. Its body was stretched, fur falling off in clumps, muscles rippling unnaturally under the skin. Two sets of glowing red eyes locked onto him, saliva dripping from fangs the size of knives.
The beast growled low, claws digging into the asphalt.
Kairis didn't flinch. "Perfect," he muttered.
It lunged, a blur of muscle and teeth.
He sidestepped, coat whipping in the wind, and swung the Graviton Edge in a sharp arc. Space rippled around the blade, a faint distortion cutting across the air. The monster's leg twisted unnaturally as the warped strike grazed it, sending it tumbling into a cracked wall.
The system pinged faintly in his skull:
[Skill Activated – Graviton Edge: Dimensional Shear]
Damage: 120% of Strength | Effect: Localized space distortion, minor collapse on contact.
The wolf-thing howled and scrambled back up, one leg mangled but not useless. It charged again, reckless.
This time Kairis met it head-on. His blade sliced through its open jaw, snapping bone and tearing it down the middle in one strike. Black blood sprayed across the ground, hissing where it touched the concrete.
The body collapsed at his feet. For a moment, the air stilled.
Then—
[Dark Matter Core Detected]
[Absorption Initiated…]
He inhaled sharply as the shadowy essence seeped from the corpse into him. It was cold, biting, like frost sinking into his veins. His muscles tightened, his vision sharpened. He staggered only for a second before straightening again.
[+5 Strength | +3 Agility]
[Skill Gained: Dark Matter Reinforcement (Passive)]
Your body absorbs traces of Dark Matter. Physical resilience increases with every kill.
A grin tugged at his lips. "Now we're getting somewhere."
---
He didn't stop.
Two hours bled into the night as he carved through the ruins. Each fight left blood—sometimes his, but mostly theirs. A mantis-like insect that screeched and spat acid. A grotesque bear whose back was split open, spines jutting from raw flesh. Even a winged creature that circled above the buildings before he dragged it down with a warped slash of Graviton Edge.
Every battle tested him, pushed him, forced him to adapt.
Every kill fed him.
By the time he stood over his seventh corpse, his clothes were slick with gore, his breathing heavy. But his eyes—they glowed faintly, purple rings pulsing against the dark.
[Quest Progress: Hunt Awakened Beasts – 7/10]
[New Skill: Gyro-Telekinesis (Active)]
Manipulate gravitational force on objects within 5 meters. Current Limit: 100kg. Cost: 10 MP per second.
Kairis raised a hand instinctively, testing. A loose pipe nearby shuddered, lifted, then floated into the air like a toy. He flicked his wrist, and it shot across the street, slamming into a ruined car.
He exhaled slowly, chest rising and falling. Power. It was building. Not fast enough, but enough.
Still—each time he absorbed Dark Matter, he felt something else lurking at the edges. A weight pressing down on his chest. As if the essence wasn't just empowering him, but whispering. Testing him.
He ignored it.
There was no time for hesitation.
He wiped the blade clean against his coat, gaze turning toward the deeper ruins. Somewhere out there, stronger monsters waited. Strong enough to push him to the edge. Strong enough to unlock the abilities he needed.
"Three more," he murmured, stepping into the shadows. "Then we'll see what this world has left for me."