Chapter 3 – First Blood
The Abyssal Spawn roared.
Its deafening cry echoed through the deserted streets, sending shattered glass raining from the surrounding buildings. The monstrous creature stood over three meters tall, its body covered in black crystalline scales that pulsed with crimson veins. Two curved horns jutted from its head, and rows of razor-sharp teeth dripped with a dark liquid that hissed whenever it touched the ground.
Azrael’s heart pounded.
Seraphina instinctively stepped beside him instead of behind him.
Neither of them had ever fought before.
They were ordinary students just minutes ago.
Now...
A monster was charging toward them.
BOOM!
The creature kicked off the ground, leaving a crater in the road as it lunged forward with terrifying speed.
"Move!"
Azrael grabbed Seraphina’s arm, pulling her away just as the monster’s claw slammed into the pavement.
The asphalt exploded.
Chunks of concrete flew through the air like bullets.
The twins rolled across the street before quickly getting back on their feet.
The Abyssal Spawn didn’t give them a chance to recover.
It attacked again.
Its massive tail swept toward them.
Seraphina reacted first.
She raised both hands instinctively.
"I don’t know how... but... Genesis Touch!"
Golden light burst from her palms.
Instead of striking the monster, the light flowed into the cracked pavement beneath them.
To everyone’s surprise, thick vines erupted from the ground, wrapping tightly around the creature’s legs.
The Abyssal Spawn stumbled.
Its charge came to an abrupt halt.
The Celestial Evolution System responded immediately.
Skill Activated
Genesis Touch
Current Effect: Accelerates the growth of living organisms.
Mastery Increased
0% → 1%
"It worked!"
Seraphina’s eyes widened in disbelief.
"I actually did something!"
Azrael didn’t have time to celebrate.
The monster flexed its powerful legs.
CRACK!
The vines shattered instantly.
"It’s too strong!"
The Spawn roared again before leaping high into the air.
Its enormous shadow swallowed the twins.
Azrael narrowed his eyes.
A strange instinct surged through him.
His body moved before his mind could react.
He stretched out his right hand.
Dark energy gathered around his fingertips.
"Oblivion..."
A blade of pure black energy slowly formed in his hand.
"...Edge."
The air became noticeably colder.
The blade wasn’t large.
Barely the length of a short sword.
Yet the moment it appeared...
Everything around it seemed to lose color.
The System notified him.
Skill Activated
Oblivion Edge
Current Effect: Creates a blade capable of erasing physical matter.
Mastery Increased
0% → 1%
Azrael didn’t hesitate.
The monster descended.
He stepped forward.
One swing.
A silent black arc sliced through the air.
For a brief moment...
Nothing happened.
Then...
One of the Abyssal Spawn’s arms slid off its body.
It crashed onto the street.
Black blood sprayed everywhere.
The monster let out an agonizing scream that shook nearby buildings.
Azrael stared at the blade in his hand.
"...I cut it."
The Spawn staggered backward in shock.
Its severed shoulder writhed violently as crimson flesh attempted to regenerate.
The wound closed halfway...
Then stopped.
The creature looked down in confusion.
Its arm wasn’t growing back.
The System flashed another notification.
Passive Effect Activated
Oblivion
Targets damaged by Oblivion Authority cannot regenerate unless their Authority surpasses yours.
Azrael finally understood.
"My attacks..."
"...stop healing."
The monster’s crimson eyes burned with rage.
It no longer viewed the twins as prey.
It viewed them as threats.
With a furious roar, it charged again.
This time, it was faster.
Far faster.
The distance between them disappeared instantly.
Its claw struck toward Azrael’s chest.
He barely raised his blade in time.
CLANG!
The impact sent him flying through the wall of a nearby convenience store.
Shelves collapsed around him.
Pain shot through his back.
"So..."
He coughed.
"...I’m definitely not strong enough."
Outside, Seraphina found herself alone against the monster.
The Spawn turned toward her.
She froze.
Her heart pounded wildly.
She wanted to run.
Every instinct told her to flee.
But...
Azrael was injured.
If she ran...
He would die.
She clenched her trembling fists.
"I won’t..."
Golden light slowly gathered around her body.
"...let you hurt my brother!"
The warmth surrounding her intensified.
Flowers unexpectedly bloomed through the cracks in the broken road.
Trees lining the street began growing at incredible speed.
Leaves shimmered with golden light.
The monster hesitated.
For the first time...
It looked uncertain.
Seraphina raised her hand.
The giant oak tree beside the street suddenly twisted.
Its branches stretched forward like enormous arms.
They wrapped around the Abyssal Spawn from every direction.
The creature struggled violently.
The tree groaned under the immense force.
Cracks spread across its trunk.
"It won’t hold for long!"
Inside the ruined store, Azrael forced himself back to his feet.
His vision landed on a broken steel pipe lying nearby.
An idea appeared in his mind.
The System reacted instantly.
Compatible Object Detected
Would you like to infuse Oblivion Authority?
Yes / No
"...Yes."
Dark energy flowed from his hand into the steel pipe.
The rusty metal trembled violently.
Its surface darkened until it became pitch black.
Ancient runes appeared along its length.
The crude pipe transformed into a sleek black sword.
Azrael’s eyes widened.
"I can..."
"...evolve weapons?"
Novice Weapon Evolution Complete
Rusty Steel Pipe
↓
Oblivion Iron Sword
Grade: Common
Attack +10
Durability +50
A grin slowly spread across his face.
"Now this..."
"...feels like a real system."
Outside...
The massive tree finally snapped.
The Spawn tore itself free.
It immediately lunged toward Seraphina.
She had exhausted too much energy.
She couldn’t move.
The monster opened its jaws.
Just before its claws reached her—
A black figure flashed past.
SHING!
Azrael crossed in front of his sister.
His newly evolved sword sliced cleanly through the creature’s chest.
The monster froze.
A thin black line appeared across its body.
Then...
Its entire upper torso slid apart.
The Abyssal Spawn collapsed in two pieces.
Silence.
For several seconds, nothing moved.
Then the corpse began dissolving into countless crimson particles.
Instead of leaving behind blood or flesh...
It disappeared completely.
Only a glowing crystal remained on the ground.
The Celestial Evolution System chimed repeatedly.
Congratulations!
First Enemy Eliminated.
Rewards Issued
+100 Evolution Points
+10 Authority Experience
+1 Feral Core
+Basic Status Function Unlocked
+Basic Inventory Unlocked
+First Blood Achievement Obtained
Both twins stared at the floating notifications.
Azrael laughed softly.
"I guess..."
"We survived."
Seraphina smiled weakly.
"Barely."
The System expanded into a larger translucent panel.
Azrael
Authority: Oblivion
Evolution: 1%
Realm: Mortal
Level: 1
Strength: 15
Agility: 14
Vitality: 13
Spirit: 18
Evolution Points: 100
Seraphina
Authority: Genesis
Evolution: 1%
Realm: Mortal
Level: 1
Strength: 11
Agility: 12
Vitality: 14
Spirit: 21
Evolution Points: 100
Before they could inspect the new functions further, another notification appeared.
Unlike the previous blue screens...
This one was blood-red.
Emergency Global Announcement
Attention All Compatible Hosts.
The First Evolution Trial has begun.
Time Remaining Until Integration:
23:59:59
Survive. Grow. Evolve.
Only those who become stronger will live to witness the new world.
The countdown began ticking.
Across the city...
More crimson fissures split open.
One...
Ten...
A hundred...
From every crack, monsters emerged.
The apocalypse had only just begun.