The forest lay quiet, but within Cain Azaroth, a storm raged.
Kneeling on the scorched earth, he clutched his chest, where the remnants of Laurifer's heart pulsed deep inside. His breath came ragged, his muscles quivered under the strain of internal war. Sweat beaded down his neck, mixing with streaks of blood from his nose and lips. The world seemed distant, muffled—like it waited, holding its breath.
"You are at the edge now," came Laurifer's voice, resonating from within like a drumbeat in the void. "This is your chance to defy the path written for mortals. Circulate your Essence. Let me show you the way of our bloodline."
Cain's eyes fluttered closed.
His mind expanded.
And then—he let go.
A current, no—a river of raw, untamed Essence erupted inside him, roaring through his body. It wasn't just fire. It wasn't just lightning. It wasn't merely darkness. It was all of them—chaotic, wild, demanding domination over his flesh.
Cain bit down, refusing to scream. He triggered the skill.
---
Skill Activated: Unique Essence Circulation
Circulating internal Essence...
→ Fire Affinity: Active
→ Lightning Affinity: Active
→ Darkness Affinity: Active
Initiating Node Circulation:
• Node 1 of 12 – Activated
• Node 2 – Activated
• Node 3 – Surge Intensity: 31%
• Node 4 – Surge Intensity: 45%
• Node 5 – WARNING: Overload Detected
---
His spine arched violently as the fifth node flared. The pain wasn't physical anymore—it was spiritual. Each node he unlocked felt like a gate opening inside his soul, unleashing something ancient and immense. The fire tried to consume him. Lightning wanted to burst through his skin. Darkness urged him to fall into stillness, to abandon sensation altogether.
But Cain held on.
"More," he growled through clenched teeth.
"Your body is past its limit," Laurifer warned. "One more mistake and you'll rupture your meridians."
"I don't care," Cain snapped, eyes glowing faintly with the threefold hue of his elements. "I won't stay weak."
---
• Node 6 – Activated
• Node 7 – Flow Stabilized
• Node 8 – Active
• Node 9 – Surge Intensity: 82%
• Node 10 – Completed
• Node 11 – Completed
• Node 12 – Complete
---
The final node unlocked with a thunderous pulse. Cain screamed—not in pain, but release. His body glowed faintly beneath the skin, his veins lit with streams of red, violet, and black. Essence radiated off him in waves, pulsing like a second heartbeat.
Then came the silence.
And the shift.
Cain collapsed to one knee. The world felt clearer. His senses sharpened—he could hear the blood coursing through a bird perched half a mile away, smell the sulfur residue from the earlier battle, and taste the metallic tang of raw Essence still lingering in the air.
A system window bloomed in his mind:
---
Breakthrough Detected
Cultivation advanced:
→ From Mid Great Warrior Realm
→ To Low High Warrior Realm
Attribute Adjustment:
• Strength – 38
• Vitality – 39
• Mind – ∞ (Unlocked: 33)
• Essence Pool: 380 / 380
New Passive Unlocked:
Essence Compression – Your Essence is 15% denser than cultivators of equal rank. Attacks are more devastating.
Unique Essence Circulation (Advanced):
– Essence flow efficiency increased
– Regeneration speed +20%
– Supports simultaneous multi-affinity channeling
---
Cain slowly stood. Power pulsed in every limb—raw, barely contained. But more than that, he felt centered for the first time since the night of the attack. His body was no longer merely human. It was evolving.
A deep growl echoed from behind.
Hellfang, his bonded Hellfire Direwolf, padded forward. The beast's burning crimson eyes shimmered with pride. There was a new recognition between them now—not merely master and beast—but something more unified.
Cain stretched his hand.
Without a word, Hellfang's form blurred into tendrils of black flame and vanished into Cain's shadow.
The Shadow Constitution activated silently. Cain felt it—an open gateway within him, a realm of endless night. Hellfang resided there now, protected, connected.
"Good," Cain whispered, lowering his arm. "You'll rest in the dark. And strike when I call."
Laurifer's voice stirred again. This time quieter, thoughtful. "You've done well. You've awakened something I never thought I'd see again. But it's only the beginning."
Cain raised a brow. "What's next?"
There was a pause. Then came a name, laced with history and silence.
"Nevrak."
Cain frowned. He'd heard of it in passing—an isolated village north of the forest. It was said to have vanished from all maps two decades ago.
"What's in Nevrak?"
Laurifer's tone grew grave. "A debt. A betrayal. And a piece of your legacy."
Cain turned his gaze northward. The horizon was distant, but his path was no longer uncertain. The embers had been lit.
Now came the fire.