The Grimalkin's blood was still warm on Kaelen's hands as the System's notification burned in his vision. 150 Evolution Points. The number he needed. The corpse at his feet was a stark reminder of the cost, but the potential humming in his veins was a siren's call he couldn't ignore.
Standing there in the oppressive silence of the Blackwood, the choice was clear. The [Path of the System Host] had called to him from the beginning, promising understanding over brute force. He needed to know the rules of the game he was playing. Who was the dealer? What was the ultimate stake?
He opened the Evolution screen. The constellation of possibilities glowed before him, the [Path of the System Host] node now pulsating with a soft, inviting light. He focused his will.
[Confirm Evolution: Path of the System Host (Unique)? Cost: 150 EP.]
Yes/No.
He selected Yes.
This time, the change was not physical. It was a deep, fundamental shift in his consciousness, a silent earthquake in the bedrock of his soul. It felt like a key turning in a lock he hadn't known existed, opening doors to rooms within his own mind.
New menus and subroutines blossomed in his interface, options that had been greyed out now glowing with potential. The connection to the blue screens felt less like using a tool and more like flexing a new limb, an integral part of his being.
[Evolution Stage Updated: F+ (System-Attuned)]
[New System Functionality Unlocked: Quest Log. Mini-Map (Local). System-Assisted Analysis.]
[New Passive Skill Gained: System Synergy (Novice). Slightly increases effectiveness of all other Skills and Evolutions.]
Knowledge flooded him. The Quest Log was a timeline of his progress, a record of past missions and their outcomes.
The Mini-Map was a ghostly overlay in the corner of his vision, charting the immediate terrain around him in real-time, highlighting the terrain and the pulsing dot that was his own location. Most intriguing was System-Assisted Analysis, a function that promised to break down the world into its constituent parts, though its full capabilities remained to be explored.
He was no longer just a Blooded Brawler. He was something else, something the world of Veridia had likely never seen—a being whose power was not of mana, but of information and direct, systemic manipulation.
The sound of snapping twigs and rough voices from the direction of the city road shattered his reverie.
"...saw a flash from in there. And a scream. Maybe the beast got someone."
Guards. Drawn by the light of the sunstone and the Grimalkin's death cry.
Kaelen's eyes snapped from his interface to the dead beast. The bounty was three silvers. A fortune that could buy him safety, food, and time. But claiming it meant revealing himself, explaining how a "magically crippled orphan" had solo-killed an E- threat. It would paint a target on his back far brighter than the one from Darian's family.
It was a risk he couldn't take. Not yet. Power had to be tempered with prudence.
With a final, lingering look at the silver he was leaving in the dirt, he turned and melted deeper into the Blackwood, the new Mini-Map guiding his steps through the treacherous terrain.
He moved with a new confidence, the forest's secrets slowly unveiling themselves to his enhanced perception. He could see the faint trails of smaller creatures on the Mini-Map, could sense the slight elevation changes in the ground ahead.
He had gained a new, profound power, but he had to leave a tangible prize behind. In this world, every step forward seemed to come with a cost. The Ghost was evolving, not just in strength, but in cunning.
He was learning that sometimes, the most powerful move was to remain in the shadows, his true capabilities hidden, his potential unknown. The path of the System Host was not one of glorious display, but of quiet, absolute understanding. And Kaelen was just beginning to read the first page.