He awoke back in the darkness, unable to move, unable to see. He could only feel Essence swirling around him in waves. It probed his consciousness, his mind, and the body he had no control of. And yet, he stayed calm, knowing well that struggling wouldn't achieve anything.

I just have to wait.

The pain Nikra warned him about during the last evolution never came. Similar to the last time, his unexpected meeting with the Primes spared him from experiencing the entire process. He should be happy, he really should, but he still wanted to know how bad the pain was.

Next time, I guess. That's if nothing else tries to interfere again...

Still drifting through the endless void, Leo let his mind wander back to what he had just experienced. The loss of Hunter brought many complications, but neither he nor Nyx expected it to get to this point. Hell, after the fight against the Myrdrak, he thought that his control of bloodlust was improving.

Maybe that was the plan? Make me think that I'm in control and then rip it away when I don't expect it. Shit Hunter... I had no idea your power could even do that. It just shows how much I still have to learn about myself and the world I live in now.

Some people might have blamed Hunter for leaving them with such a burden, but Leo couldn't do it. In the end, they were still two sides of the same coin. Besides, how could he be mad at his Apex aspect when it literally saved his life.

Hopefully, Nyx won't blame herself for not noticing anything. He would have snorted if he could. Yeah, who am I kidding? She definitely will.

For a moment, he entertained the thought of hiding this from her, but he dismissed it just as quickly. With their link, she would find out the truth sooner or later. It was much better to just rip off the band-aid and be done with this mess.

Yeah, but I'm definitely not telling Lily. Not after what just happened out there.

It wasn't even a hard decision to make. His sister worried enough. He didn't want to add even more to her burden. She still blamed herself for not seeking him out in the past after all.

Time heals all wounds, right?

Suddenly, light exploded all around him. It slowly formed familiar golden letters that swirled and rearranged themselves into normal words. The process of evolution had come to an end.

Stage III evolution completed successfully. Cooling stage initiation in progress. Please take this time to acquaint yourself with previously unlisted changes brought about by your evolution. Some details may be available only after leaving the cocoon.

Similar to what I got the last time. Leo noted just as more text appeared. Here we go.

Your mutations Enhanced Vision, Minor Regeneration, and Basic Natural Armor have been absorbed into your evolved Basic Akirian Physiology trait, strengthening it further. Congratulations! Displaying description.

Basic Akirian Physiology (Epic)

This is the next step on your journey to become the best of the best. Survive and continue improving yourself. Always strive for perfection, or you will become the prey.

Effects:

Natural resistance against the Void's harsh conditions improved. Immunity to Void Storms below C+ grade. All body functions enhanced. Effects of Essence sustenance improved. Nightvision improved. Natural armor strengthened. Healing factor and life span significantly enhanced. Effects of Ether and Light on your body slightly decreased.

Sounds good. Leo summed up, scanning the effects from top to bottom. He didn't expect his mutations to just go away like that, but he didn't mind as long they still worked. Though if he understood everything right, they should be even stronger now.

Guess I will find out soon. Next, System.

The efficiency of Devour has been improved. Skill quality changed from Epic to Epic+.

So that's the effect of Void's Embrace trait. I will take that.

Natural Beta tier mutations unlocked. You might now access them in the Mutation menu at any point in time.

Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

No warning about my choices this time. Do you trust me not to fuck it up, System? Or did the hand-holding finally end?

Like always, the entity refused to answer, so Leo moved on to the next notification.

Your title effects have been updated. Displaying now. Changes will be highlighted.

Void's Heir:

You were crowned as the legacy of the first daughter, but now the Void has chosen you as its heir. The time has come to prove if you are worthy of this title. Stand proud, stand strong. Evolve and thrive.

Stacked Effects:

The Void's true power now flows through your soul and veins. Most Voidlings of lower rank won't be outright hostile, and some may even follow your orders. Night Hunters and related evolution paths are for you to command. Hostile Identify will fail if the enemy hasn't ascended to the Supernatural Tier at least once. All Effectiveness: +15%.

The shade was right. He blinked, and his eyelids actually moved. I can command normal Voidlings without the help of Minor Takeover. Holy shit, now I can really make an army... or maybe not, but the potential is here.

As fun as it sounded, even a few dozen low-level Voidlings wouldn't stand a chance against a single Nightmare. There were definitely some uses for this ability, but in the long run, it all depended on the situation.

Still gonna need to test this out. Gotta find out what is the maximum level I can control. With that thought, he summoned the next notification.

Your existence as a Prime has been realized. Skill Prime Legacy obtained.

Prime Legacy (Unique)

Every single Prime is a special existence, drawing power from the same source. It's a blessing and a curse hidden behind a bloody past. Now, you are part of it. Hunt or be hunted.

Effects:

Trials of Primes unlocked. Killing and devouring another Prime will now grant you a permanent increase in your power. Current Bonus: +5% All attribute Effectiveness.

Oh...

There were no words to describe how Leo felt about this new skill. He had hoped that maybe the shade was wrong about the relationship between other Primes. Yet, here it was, the only confirmation he needed.

The shard in his chest already made him a target. But now, an entire species of monsters just like him would hunt him for his power.

He wanted to believe that not all Prime Akirians were this power-hungry, but could he really entertain such a thought? Hell, deep inside his mind, he could already feel his bloodlust begging for another hunt, a hunt for Primes.

Are we all hardwired to hate each other from the beginning? How messed up is that?

Leo sighed, or he would have if his body had allowed him. There was nothing he could do about this new skill. He just had to be careful and never lower his guard when another Prime was near. Or he should just avoid them altogether.

Yeah, let's go with that. He decided. Got anything else for me, System?

Power recalibration finished successfully. Ruthless Efficiency has transformed into Relentless Hunger. May your future hunts be fruitful.

Relentless Hunger (Radiant)

Hunger and Bloodlust unleashed. The world is yours for the taking. Devour all you can. Feed on your enemies' corpses. Grow.

Effects:

Improves overall combat efficiency and the strength of your abilities. Healing and consumption speed enhanced. Relentless Hunger ramps up the longer it is used, but in return, it intensifies your bloodlust and hunger. Prolonged periods out of combat will deactivate this ability; the same will happen if you use it for defense for too long.

Well, well, well. Leo chuckled internally. I definitely won't miss you, Ruthless Efficiency. If I had known using it was just a trap... Whatever, hopefully, this one won't try to take over my body. It sounds strong too.

The only downside of losing Ruthless Efficiency was its ability to get him out of dangerous situations. Its Inferno stage was more than powerful, and now he would have to do without it.

Maybe that's for the best. I can't be reliant on something I can't control. Gonna need to figure out a different last resort.

Cooling stage ready.

Evolution menu will become available again at level 95. Just like with stage III, your future path depends only on you, User. The System will take all of your achievements into consideration when presenting you with stage IV evolutions. Until then, good luck, Pioneer of Earth.

Ninety-five... Holy hell, it's gonna be a long time before I get there. Also, pioneer of Earth? That sounds like an important title. Might need to ask the merchant about it.

Beginning cooling stage. Warning! Multiple living signatures detected close by. Please be careful upon awakening.

That's got to be Lily and Nyx. At least this time, my awakening will go smoothly. I really don't need a repeat of the last time.

Of course, there could be a possibility of some hostiles being nearby, but Leo trusted his sister and companion to deal with all of that. After killing the Myrdrak, they were all strong enough to defeat anything in Wolford with their hands tied.

Three…

Two…

One…

Cocoon cooling in progress. Time to release: 1 minute.