World Awakening: The Legendary Player-Chapter 78: Void Evolution

’Reject it? How?’ His control was gone. He was just a passenger in his own body as it tore itself apart.

Then, through the blinding pain, a memory surfaced. The fight with Lola. The feeling of letting go, of letting that cold, dark rage take the wheel. He hadn’t tried to control the power then; he had become the power.

’Wait.’ An idea, born of pure desperation, cut through the agony. ’Don’t fight it. Don’t try to control it.’ His thoughts became sharp, clear, and utterly insane. ’Eat it.’

Instead of pushing the two warring energies apart, he did the exact opposite. He opened the floodgates of his will. He didn’t just let them in; he pulled. He drew on the memory of every insult, every beating, every moment of humiliation. He embraced the cold hatred that had fueled his awakening and used it as a catalyst.

’Come on, you bastards,’ he snarled in his mind. ’You want a fight? Fine. Fight inside me. But I’m the one who decides who wins.’

He focused all of his being on one single command: ’Integrate.’

The pain intensified for a single, terrifying moment, a nova of pure agony that made his heart stop.

[Catastrophic meltdown in T-minus 3... 2...]

Then, silence.

The pain vanished. The warring energies didn’t just stop fighting; they slammed together, merged, and became one. The countdown timer in his vision froze, then flickered out of existence.

A series of new, calm blue notifications began to scroll.

[Core Integration successful.]

[User’s Mana Core has undergone a profound evolution.]

[System compatibility re-established.]

[Core Upgrade]

[Mana Core: Grade C -> Void-Touched Core: Grade A]

[Description: Your mana core has been irrevocably altered by the Seed of Corruption. It now draws power directly from a chaotic, void-like essence. Mana capacity and regeneration are dramatically increased. All mana is now permanently Corrupted Mana.]

[New Passive Trait: Void Resonance - Your Corrupted Mana skills are 25% more potent and 15% more efficient.]

[Level Up! x5]

[You are now Level 23!]

[All stats increased by 5!]

[You have 25 unallocated stat points!]

A low, shaky laugh escaped his lips. ’Grade A. Just like that.’

But the System wasn’t finished with him. The integration of the Seed of Corruption hadn’t just upgraded his core; the volatile wave of power had washed through his entire being, forcibly rewriting every skill he possessed.

A flood of new notifications slammed into his vision, one after another.

[Your skill ’Regeneration’ has been assimilated by the Void-Touched Core!]

[Skill Evolved: Shadow Mend (Passive) - Lvl 3]

[Description: Your Corrupted Mana now constantly seeks to mend your flesh, forcefully stitching wounds closed with void-laced energy. Healing is rapid, especially outside of combat.]

[Your skill ’Indomitable Will’ has been assimilated by the Void-Touched Core!]

[Skill Evolved: Will of the Abyss (Passive) - Lvl 3]

[Description: Your will is no longer just your own; it is an anchor in the void. Grants near-absolute immunity to mental attacks, fear, and pain. You cannot be mentally dominated. Ever.]

[Your skill ’Weapon Mastery’ has been assimilated by the Void-Touched Core!]

[Skill Evolved: Void-Edged Arts (Passive) - Lvl 2]

[Description: You can channel Corrupted Mana into any weapon you wield, imbuing it with a void-laced edge that increases sharpness and durability. Greatly enhances proficiency with all weapon types.]

[Your skill ’Appraise’ has been assimilated by the Void-Touched Core!]

[Skill Evolved: Void Gaze (Active) - Lvl 2]

[Description: See the hidden truths of items, creatures, and individuals. May reveal weak points, hidden enchantments, or a target’s true nature. Effectiveness scales with Perception and the user’s own corruption.]

[Your skill ’Soul Link’ has been assimilated by the Void-Touched Core!]

[Skill Evolved: Tainted Bond (Passive) - Yeda, Kendra, Vasa]

[Description: The deep bond you share is now tinged with the void. You can feel their emotional state with greater clarity and may exert a subtle, calming influence over them when they are in distress. The corruption may have... other effects.]

[Your skill ’Parkour’ has been assimilated by the Void-Touched Core!]

[Skill Evolved: Shadow Glide (Passive) - Lvl 3]

[Description: Movement becomes an extension of the void. You move with an unnatural silence and fluidity. Massively reduces fall damage and allows for short-distance wall-running and enhanced aerial agility.]

[Your skill ’Core Integration’ has been assimilated by the Void-Touched Core!]

[Skill Evolved: Void Assimilation (Passive/Active) - Lvl 2]

[Description: Your Void-Touched Core can now devour other monster cores to directly absorb their power. The process is faster and more efficient, with a significantly reduced risk of failure. Grants a chance to absorb a more potent version of the creature’s traits.]

[Your skill ’Primal Strength’ has been assimilated by the Void-Touched Core!]

[Skill Evolved: Primal Void (Active) - Lvl 3]

[Description: Unleash the raw, savage power of the void through your physical form. Dramatically increases unarmed damage, Strength, and grants minor damage resistance. Stamina drain is significantly reduced.]

[Your skill ’Shadow Sculpt’ has been assimilated by the Void-Touched Core!]

[Skill Evolved: Void Forging (Active) - Lvl 2]

[Description: Shape your Corrupted Mana into complex, non-projectile melee weapons or simple pieces of armor. Creations are more durable and can possess sharper edges.]

[Your skill ’Shadow Step’ has been assimilated by the Void-Touched Core!]

[Skill Evolved: Void Step (Active) - Lvl 2]

[Description: Instantly dissolve into nothingness and reappear in any shadow within a 50-meter radius. Can now be used in rapid succession with increased mana cost.]

The list was long, and every single entry was a sledgehammer of a power-up. Every skill he had, twisted and made stronger by this new, dark power.

A final notification appeared, this one grander, its border pulsing with a faint, dark light.

[Your actions have broken the established parameters of the System.]

[You have forced an evolution upon yourself outside of expected progression.]

[New Title Acquired: Abyssal Anomaly]

[Title Effect: All Corrupted/Void-based abilities are 10% more effective. Entities of Chaos and Order will perceive you with heightened interest.]

He let out a long, slow breath, a dark, smoky vapor escaping with it. He looked down at his hands. They looked the same, but they felt different. They felt like they could tear the world apart.

He felt Serian stir on the other side of the room. He heard her take a sharp breath, and he looked up.

She was awake, sitting up and staring at him. Her eyes weren’t focused on his face, but on the air around him. Her elven senses could clearly see the faint, dark mist that was now clinging to him like a shroud, a visible echo of the power churning within him.

Her expression wasn’t one of fear. It was one of pure, unadulterated awe.

"Nox," she whispered, her voice barely a sound. "What... what have you become?"

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