Returning to reality, I exhaled slowly, my breath stirring the fine dust of cyan gemstone fragments at my feet. Strength—that was all that mattered now. Every second wasted was a second my future enemies grew stronger.
I found shelter between two towering crystal formations, their smooth surfaces humming with latent energy. Crossing my legs, I closed my eyes and reached inward, calling upon the dormant power within me.
Black and silver flames erupted from my skin, twisting around each other like rival serpents. The heat was intense but painless, a familiar embrace. Above my head, a yin-yang halo materialized—perfectly balanced, its slow rotation sending ripples through the surrounding air.
*Good. My control is intact. At least my traits remain at the Emperor level.*
The swirling energies condensed into a dual-colored core, its obsidian and silver halves pulsing in harmony. As it sank into my chest, a wave of warmth spread through my body. My feet left the ground, suspended by the raw power coursing through me. When the flames finally receded, I landed lightly, my muscles thrumming with renewed energy.
Nearby, a shard of cyan gemstone caught my eye. I stretched out my hand, focusing my will. The fragment trembled, then shot toward my palm with surprising speed.
"Telekinesis," I murmured, examining the crystal. "A decent start."
---
"Tina!" My voice echoed through the alien landscape.
For a moment, there was only silence. Then—a rustle in the undergrowth. A small, serpentine creature burst from the foliage, its emerald scales glinting like polished jade. It moved with uncanny grace, its body undulating in a way that blurred the line between lizard and snake.
In seconds, it was upon me, slithering up my arm with surprising speed. Its forked tongue flicked out, tasting the air, before it nuzzled against my palm. Its eyes—deep pools of serpentine intelligence—locked onto mine.
"let's go," I said, stroking its smooth head.
---
The forest ahead was a tangle of towering, bioluminescent plants and twisted roots. The air hummed with unseen energy, thick with the scent of damp earth and something metallic.
Then I saw it—a horned black rabbit, its massive form crouched in a clearing. Its muscles bulged unnaturally beneath its fur, and its single, spiraled horn glinted like polished onyx.
"This should be easy prey."
Cil materialized in my grip, the crimson blade humming softly. I crept forward, my steps silent—
*Snap.*
The rabbit's head snapped up. Its red eyes locked onto me, glowing with predatory intelligence.
Instead of fleeing, it *charged*, its horn aimed straight for my heart.
"Too fast—!" I barely sidestepped, swinging Cil in a wide arc. The blade missed by inches.
The beast skidded to a halt, pivoting with unnatural agility. Its muscles coiled, and it lunged again.
Gritting my teeth, I hurled Cil like a javelin. The blade spun through the air, shattering the beast's horn before burying itself deep in its skull with a wet *thunk*.
**Level Up!**
**Level Up!**
---
I didn't bother with the niceties of skinning or cooking.
Dropping to my knees, I sank my teeth into the rabbit's flesh. Hot blood flooded my mouth, rich and coppery. The System's notifications chimed faintly, but I ignored them, too consumed by the primal need to devour.
Tina joined me, her tiny jaws tearing into the meat with surprising ferocity.
Only when my face and hands were slick with gore did I finally check the notifications:
- **+2 Agility**
- **+1 Dexterity**
- **[Air Steps Acquired]**
**[Condition Met.]**
**[Race Change Commencing.]**
**[Keep Your Mind Sane. Do Not Pass Out.]**
**[Good Luck.]**
---
"Ahhh—!"
The pain was instantaneous.
It felt like every bone in my body **shattered at once**, only to reform and break again. My muscles ripped themselves apart, fibers tearing and knitting back together in an endless cycle of torment. Blood streamed from my nose and ears, pooling beneath me.
Tina pressed against my trembling hand, her small body radiating warmth. Cil lay nearby, humming weakly as if trying to offer comfort.
Then—footsteps.
A woman emerged from the trees, her presence suffocating. Black hair framed a face of cold beauty, her ice-blue eyes sharp with calculation. Her aura screamed Awakened Realm, a pressure that made the air itself feel heavy.
She eyed Cil, curiosity flickering across her features. In one fluid motion, she seized the blade—
Cil thrashed violently, vibrating with such force that her grip faltered. The sword clattered to the ground.
"What *is* this?" she hissed, reaching again.
With a roar, I grabbed her wrist, my fingers digging into her flesh. "Don't. Touch. My. Sword."
Cil floated back to my grip, its hum growing stronger.
"Store." The blade vanished.
"You brat—!"
Then the pain peaked.
My spine shattered. My vision whited out. I screamed as my body reforged itself, bones elongating, skin burning away to reveal something new beneath.
The woman recoiled, her cold composure cracking. "Is he dead?"
Then—
Black flames erupted from my skin, star-dotted and hungry. They seared my flesh, purging weakness.
The last thing I saw before darkness took me was her **wide, terrified eyes**.