Time had lost its meaning... It could have been mere seconds, or perhaps hours.
Kirin's consciousness slowly trickled back into his body. The first sensation to register wasn't sight or touch, but sound... A high-pitched ringing that pierced his eardrums, a screaming protest from a nervous system that had just endured severe trauma.
He tried to open his eyes, but nothing changed. He was still enveloped in darkness... No, this wasn't ordinary darkness. It was absolute, heavy, and suffocating, as if he were buried hundreds of meters underground.
The second wave of pain hit. His head throbbed as if it were about to split open. His mouth tasted gritty with concrete dust and the faint metallic tang of blood. Every breath he took was thick with the scent of burnt ozone, hot metal, and choking particulate matter.
"Ugh..." He groaned, attempting to move.
His businessman's brain, trained to remain ice-cold in every crisis, booted up automatically. Body check first.
Fingers... moving. Toes... moving. Sensation was intact. He slowly flexed his arms and legs. Pain shot through every limb, but there was no sharp, jagged agony indicating a fracture.
He ran his hands over his body... His clothes were torn in places, skin scraped raw. He touched something sticky on his forehead... Blood... but pressing on the wound revealed it wasn't deep.
Conclusion: Alive. No permanent disability.
Kirin let out a sigh of relief mixed with exhaustion. Choosing this bunker was the single best investment decision of his life.
With his body operational, the next mission was environmental assessment. He fumbled for the backpack beside him, hands trembling slightly as he unzipped the front pocket and grasped a cold, cylindrical object... The flashlight.
Click!
A brilliant beam cut through the darkness, slicing through the curtain of dust hanging in the air like a spotlight on a pitch-black stage.
The scene before him made Kirin hold his breath.
Everything was coated in a fine layer of gray concrete ash. The basement structure still held, but it was in terrible shape. The massive pillar he had leaned against showed visible cracks. The floor was littered with debris fallen from the ceiling. Overhead pipes were twisted, water dripping rhythmically onto the floor.
He slowly shone the light toward the ramp leading back up... It hadn't completely collapsed, but large chunks of rubble partially blocked the way.
He survived. He actually survived.
Just as relief began to wash over him, the System window flashed into existence in the dark. It wasn't the alarming red of before, but a cool, detached pale blue.
[Detecting Planetary State Alteration...]
[Calibrating System to New Physics Laws...]
[Confirmed Release of "Mana Particles" into Atmosphere.]
[WARNING: Low-level airborne transmission of "Z-Virus" detected.]
[Host body adapting to new conditions... Initiating Awakening Process.]
"What? Wait—"
Before Kirin could process the data, a new, entirely different wave of pain slammed into his body!
It felt like high-voltage electricity surging through every vein. His muscles convulsed violently. Sensations of scorching heat alternated with freezing cold until he felt like he was going insane. He could hear his own bones creaking and popping as if they were being forcefully rearranged. The agony was hundreds of times worse than the car crash that killed him in his old world.
"ARRRGHHHHHHH!"
Kirin screamed, his body writhing uncontrollably on the cold concrete floor. The flashlight rolled from his grip, casting wild, dancing shadows in the dark. He felt as if he were being torn apart piece by piece. His consciousness began to fade...
And then... everything went black again.
...
A long time passed... He didn't know how long he had been out.
Kirin slowly came to again. The violent agony was gone, leaving only a lingering soreness. But strangely... beneath the fatigue, he felt a new current of energy flowing through him. It was warm, revitalizing, and indescribably refreshing.
He pushed himself up. The body that had been frail and weak now felt lighter, denser. He clenched his fist... It felt solid.
He groped for the flashlight nearby and clicked it on. Without wasting a second, he summoned the Status Window.
His base stats had increased! And his unique skill had fully "Awakened."
Kirin swept the flashlight beam around again to assess the damage. Then, his gaze snagged on something miraculous.
Right there, in a crack on the concrete floor where he had writhed in pain earlier... amidst the damp concrete dust wetted by the dripping pipes...
A tiny, vivid green sprout was pushing its way up. Its color was so vibrant it looked alien in this lifeless environment. And even more amazing... it was glowing. A faint, soft green light emanated from it, piercing the darkness.
Kirin moved closer, entranced. He reached out a finger to touch the tender shoot.
The moment his fingertip made contact with the small cotyledon, the sprout pulsed with light. And he "felt" it... He felt its fragile yet resilient life force. He felt its craving for light and water. It was a connection beyond words.