Elias awoke to the smell of wet concrete and burnt metal. His small apartment in District Seven reeked of damp, of rotting food, and of failure. The rain had stopped outside, but his soaked uniform had left a chill that settled deep in his bones.
He sat up on the creaking cot, hands trembling. The memory of the Orb, the humiliation, and the voice in his head played over and over.
Then the silver shimmer returned to his fingers. Objects on the floor quivered and lifted, spinning gently in the air. Elias froze. This was not a dream.
[SYSTEM: TALENT DATABASE SYNC COMPLETE]
[CURRENT STORED TALENTS: 1]
[NEW FUNCTION UNLOCKED: TALENT EXTRACTION RANGE TEN METERS]
His heartbeat raced. The System was real. Every thought, every movement, could now be measured in power.
Elias lifted a chair. It floated above him, spinning lazily. When he tried to push it harder, a pain shot through his chest.
> [WARNING: ENERGY OVERLOAD DETECTED]
[CONTINUED USE MAY DAMAGE HOST]
He swallowed, the taste of iron in his mouth. This power came with a price.
By midday, he ventured outside, hood up, eyes scanning the crumbling streets. District Seven was alive with desperation. F-Ranks moved quietly, avoiding patrols and surveillance drones. Advertisements flickered on the walls: Enhance your potential and Rise beyond your rank.
Elias muttered, "For F-Ranks, there is no rising."
In the distance, a broadcast flickered across a cracked holoscreen. Images of mutated beasts breaching containment zones appeared. Elite teams of S-Ranks and corporate bounty hunters engaged in explosions and flashes of energy.
[ASSIMILATION TARGETS INCLUDE BEASTS AND HUMANS]
[STRONGER TARGETS YIELD GREATER GROWTH POTENTIAL]
Elias's lips curled. This world was dangerous, unfair, and full of power waiting to be claimed.
Night came quickly. The alleys of District Seven smelled of smoke and rust. A figure moved toward him, cautious but deliberate.
"Kira Vale," said a girl with a hooded cloak. Her eyes glimmered with intelligence and cunning. "You're F-Rank, right? You trying to survive?"
Elias nodded, curiosity sparking.
"We lost a runner last week. Supplies are low. I could use someone like you for a job," she said, her C-Rank Tracking ability allowing her to sense movement in the city. "You help, I'll give you a cut."
Elias hesitated, then realized this was his first chance to test the System beyond these walls. "I'll do it," he said.
The crew moved through the drainage tunnels beneath the city. Water trickled over rusted grates. The air smelled of mold and metal. Elias's heart pounded. The farther they went, the more unstable the ground became. Outside the walls, ash and ruins stretched as far as he could see.
He peered through a crack in the tunnel wall. Broken factories, twisted metal, and faint roars of unknown beasts filled the streets. This was a forbidden zone.
"You ready?" Kira whispered.
Elias clenched his fists. "As ready as I'll ever be."
The group stepped out onto the ruined street. Supplies lay scattered among the rubble. Each piece could be salvaged or stolen. Elias felt the System hum inside his mind, senses expanding.
[TARGET DETECTED: LOW-TIER BEAST]
[ASSIMILATION POSSIBILITY: MINIMAL]
The first loot was easy. Objects moved, traps were avoided. Elias felt his confidence grow, the System whispering constantly.
Then the ground trembled. A roar split the night air.
From the shadows, an Aberrant Beast emerged. Its hide was mottled with jagged scales. Its eyes glowed red, teeth dripping. Even C-Ranks would hesitate.
The crew froze. Panic set in. Kira whispered, "Run or fight?"
Elias could feel the System analyzing every heartbeat, every motion of the beast.
[TARGET LOCKED: ABERRANT ENTITY]
[ABSORPTION POSSIBILITY: UNKNOWN]
[PROCEED?]
He stepped forward. Fear roared in his chest, but excitement coursed through his veins. Power waited. Growth waited.
The beast lunged.
Elias's hands glowed with faint gray light. The air thickened around him as energy pulsed from his fingertips.
"Yes," he whispered. "Assimilate."
Time seemed to stretch. The System mapped the beast's abilities, its energy signature. A shimmer of gray, then golden threads snaked from Elias's hand to the creature. The beast froze mid-leap, struggling as the System began the extraction.
Kira screamed in awe and terror. "What are you doing?"
Elias gritted his teeth. Pain, power, and exhilaration surged through him. His body felt like it was breaking and reforming at the same time.
The beast's roar turned into a whimper. Its strength drained into Elias. Power bloomed inside him, hot and terrifying. He realized the potential in the System—every creature, every talent, could be added to him.
[ABSORPTION COMPLETE]
The rain returned, dripping from the ruined rooftops. The creature lay subdued. The world was quiet again.
Elias's chest heaved. He flexed his fingers and felt the raw energy humming beneath his skin. He was no longer just a worthless F-Rank. He was a predator.
Kira looked at him, wide-eyed. "I think… you're not like the rest of us."
Elias faked a smile while talking in his mind. "No. I'm far from the rest of you."
From the shadows of the ruined city, more roars echoed. Something bigger, stronger, more dangerous was coming.
Elias turned his gaze to the darkness. The System pulsed in his mind.
[NEXT TARGET DETECTED]
A thrill ran through him. This was only the beginning.