Jacob let the system's words echo in his mind as he edged closer to the rushing river.

System: Water is not the enemy. It's the key. Remember, Jacob, evolution is adaptation. Failure to adapt is failure to survive. No pressure.

"That's easy for you to say," Jacob muttered, his voice gravelly, laced with doubt. He stared at the churning water before him, its power apparent in the way it had carved grooves into the rock. "You're not the one who has to figure out how to... merge with a river. I don't even have hands, for crying out loud."

System: Hands are overrated. Besides, we've been through this—you're not supposed to fight the water. You're supposed to become the water.

"Do you hear yourself? That makes no sense!" Jacob snapped. His voice trembled, a hint of panic bleeding through his usual sarcasm. "How am I supposed to become something I can't even touch without sinking to the bottom?"

The system didn't respond immediately, leaving Jacob to fume silently. The river roared before him, mocking his indecision. Minutes passed as he contemplated his next move, frustration mounting with each failed attempt to figure out what "adapting" to water really meant.

Finally, he gritted his teeth—or at least what he imagined teeth would feel like if he had them. "Fine. You win. Let's do this."

Jacob rolled into the river, his rough edges grinding against the stones beneath the water. The icy chill of the current surged over him, and for a moment, he felt nothing but the force of the water dragging him downstream.

Then, it hit him. The energy wasn't just flowing past him—it was pressing into him, seeping through his cracks and crevices. It was overwhelming, suffocating even, and Jacob fought to keep his focus as the water's power threatened to tear him apart.

System: Focus, Jacob. Don't resist. Let it in.

"I'm trying!" Jacob shouted internally, panic rising in his voice. The water's energy coursed through him, erratic and unrelenting. He could feel his rocky body heating up from the sheer force of it, cracks forming along his surface as the energy threatened to break him apart.

"Why is this so hard?" he grunted, his voice cracking with strain. "You said to adapt, not to drown!"

System: Adaptation isn't supposed to be easy. It's painful. It's growth. Now stop whining and focus on the rhythm. Match it. Become it.

Jacob clenched his thoughts, trying to focus. Slowly, he began to feel the rhythm of the water—not just its chaotic surface, but the deeper, steadier flow beneath. It was like a heartbeat, pulsing through the riverbed, guiding him.

With great effort, Jacob synchronized his energy with the water's flow. The pain began to subside, replaced by a strange sense of calm. He felt lighter, more fluid. The energy that had once threatened to destroy him now coursed through him in harmony, strengthening his core.

System: Congratulations, Jacob. You've successfully adapted to water. As a reward, your body has gained a new property: Hydrochannel. You can now redirect and store small amounts of water energy within your form.

Jacob rolled back onto the riverbank, exhausted but triumphant. "That... was awful," he panted, though relief tinged his voice. "But I did it."

System: You're welcome.

Before Jacob could respond with another sarcastic quip, he heard something—voices. Human voices. His core froze as he realized they were getting closer. He tried to roll further into the shadows, but it was too late.

A group of four humans emerged from the trees, their armor clinking softly as they moved. Leading them was a wiry man in a long, dark cloak. His sharp features and unsettling grin made Jacob's core shiver.

"Hold," the man said, raising a hand. His voice was smooth, almost playful. "Do you feel that?"

"What is it now, Eldrin?" one of the others groaned—a burly warrior with a massive axe. "If it's another rabbit, I swear—"

"No, no, this is different." Eldrin, the cloaked man, crouched low, his eyes narrowing as he scanned the area. "It's magic. Faint, but... unusual."

Jacob cursed internally. He could feel the mage's gaze sweeping over him like a predator searching for prey. He tried to stay perfectly still, hoping they'd pass by, but Eldrin's eyes locked onto him.

"There," Eldrin said, pointing directly at Jacob. "That stone. It's alive."

The warrior frowned. "A rock? Really? You're wasting our time, Eldrin."

Eldrin ignored him, striding over to Jacob with a strange glint in his eyes. He crouched down, inspecting Jacob with an unnerving intensity. "Interesting," he murmured. "Very interesting."

Jacob's mind raced. He wanted to move, to escape, but the mage's presence felt like a cage, trapping him in place.

"Let's take it," Eldrin said, standing abruptly. "I have some experiments in mind."

System: This is bad, Jacob. Very bad.

"You think?" Jacob hissed internally. "Do something!"

System: Like what? I'm a system, not a miracle worker. Just stay calm. Maybe they'll—

Jacob felt himself lifted off the ground as Eldrin picked him up. "Gotcha," the mage said with a grin. "Don't worry, little stone. You're about to become very useful."

The next few days were a blur of motion and dread as Jacob was carried along with the group. Eldrin kept him in a small satchel, his magic pressing against Jacob's form like a constant weight.

When they finally stopped to make camp, Jacob's worst fears came true. Eldrin pulled him out of the bag, setting him on a table in a crude tent. The mage's grin widened as he began to gather various tools and magical instruments.

"This might sting a bit," Eldrin said, his voice dripping with mock sympathy. "But don't worry—it's all in the name of research."

Jacob braced himself, but nothing could have prepared him for what came next. Eldrin began channeling raw magic into him—fire, lightning, ice—all in rapid succession. The energy tore through Jacob's form, each surge more agonizing than the last.

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"Stop! STOP!" Jacob screamed internally, his voice filled with desperation. "You're killing me!"

System: Jacob, listen to me. You need to stay calm. Focus on your core. Don't let the magic overwhelm you.

"I CAN'T!" Jacob roared, his thoughts fracturing under the relentless assault. "It's too much—it's too much!"

Eldrin laughed, his voice cold and cruel. "Oh, you're a tough one, aren't you? Let's see how much more you can take."

Jacob's form began to crack under the pressure, the magic burning through him like molten lava. His mind was a whirlwind of pain and despair, and the system's attempts to calm him felt like distant whispers against a raging storm.

System: Jacob, you need to adapt! Use the energy! Channel it into something—anything!

Through the haze of agony, Jacob grasped at the system's words. He focused on the energy coursing through him, trying to shape it, to direct it. Slowly, something began to shift within him—a spark of defiance.

System: New Skill Unlocked: Kinetic Pulse. Converts stored energy into an explosive force.

Jacob felt the skill activate, a surge of power building within his core. With a desperate scream, he released it, a shockwave of energy erupting from his form. Eldrin was thrown back, crashing into the side of the tent with a startled cry.

The mage scrambled to his feet, his expression twisted with rage. "You'll pay for that, you little—"

But Jacob didn't wait to hear the rest. He rolled off the table, his newfound skill propelling him forward in a burst of speed. The tent collapsed in chaos as Jacob made his escape, his core trembling with exhaustion and fury.

Jacob sped through the forest, his rocky form darting awkwardly but persistently. The shockwave he'd unleashed had given him a head start, but he knew it wouldn't last long. Eldrin was no ordinary mage. Even now, Jacob could feel the man's presence, like an oppressive storm cloud rolling in behind him.

System: You're doing great, Jacob. Just keep moving. He's fast, but he won't be able to catch you if—

"Don't sugarcoat it!" Jacob snapped, his voice strained. "I can feel him closing in. What if—what if I can't outrun him?"

The system paused, its tone uncharacteristically solemn when it replied.

System: Then you fight. Use Kinetic Pulse. Use the environment. You're stronger than you think, Jacob. Don't give up.

Jacob gritted his metaphorical teeth and pushed forward, his newly acquired skill allowing him to propel himself over rough terrain with bursts of stored energy. Trees blurred past him, the rushing sound of wind filling his senses. For a fleeting moment, he dared to hope he might actually escape.

Then, the air behind him shifted.

A surge of magic crackled through the forest, and before Jacob could react, a wall of shimmering energy erupted in front of him. He collided with it head-on, the force slamming him backward onto the ground.

"Gotcha," Eldrin's voice drawled, cutting through the ringing in Jacob's mind. The mage stepped out of the shadows, his eyes alight with a dangerous gleam. "Did you really think you could get away from me? That's adorable."

Jacob tried to roll away, but a series of glowing runes materialized beneath him, forming a circle that pulsed with a faint, ominous light. He felt an immediate, crushing weight press down on him, pinning him in place.

System: Warning! You've been trapped in a Neutralization Formation. All system functions are temporarily disabled.

"What?" Jacob's voice rose in panic. "No, no, no! You can't just—what do I do?! System, tell me what to—"

System: ...

"System?" Jacob's voice faltered. "Hey, come on. Don't go quiet on me now!" His pleas were met with silence. The familiar presence, the sarcastic commentary, the constant thread of guidance—it was gone. And with it, a cold, hollow fear began to creep in.

Eldrin chuckled, crouching down to inspect Jacob with a mocking grin. "Oh, that's cute. Talking to your little helper, are we? Don't bother. That formation isn't just a cage—it cuts off whatever magic your precious system runs on. You're all alone now, my fascinating little friend."

Jacob's core trembled. For the first time since his strange reincarnation, he was truly alone. No system. No guidance. Just him and the cruel reality of his situation.

Eldrin's grin widened as he ran a finger along Jacob's surface. "You've caused me a lot of trouble, you know that? I don't take kindly to disobedience." He stood, his tone shifting to something colder, sharper. "But that's fine. I've got all night to teach you some manners."

What followed was a nightmare.

Eldrin began his work with an almost scientific detachment, channeling bursts of magic into Jacob's form. The first surge hit like a sledgehammer, sending fractures spiderwebbing across his surface. Jacob screamed internally, his voice raw with agony, but there was no one to hear him. No one to answer.

Eldrin leaned in, his voice soft but venomous. "Hurts, doesn't it? You should be grateful, though. Pain is such a wonderful teacher."

Another burst of magic followed, this one searing hot. Jacob felt as if he were being melted from the inside out, his core struggling to hold itself together. Tears of desperation formed in his mind, though his rocky body couldn't shed them. He wanted to beg, to plead, but his pride wouldn't let him.

The mage seemed to sense this. "You're stubborn," Eldrin mused, his tone almost admiring. "I like that. It'll make breaking you all the more satisfying."

Hours passed in a haze of torment. Eldrin's magic shifted from fire to lightning to ice, each element tearing at Jacob in new and horrific ways. He lost count of how many times he screamed, his mind fraying under the relentless assault.

At some point, Eldrin began to speak, his words cutting as deeply as his magic. "You're nothing but a rock," he sneered. "An anomaly. A curiosity. And yet you dared to defy me? To hurt me? I am the GREAT MAGE ELDRIN YOU DON'T DARE GO AGAINST ME, You should have stayed in the dirt where you belong you filthy fucking pebble''.

Jacob's thoughts spiraled. He tried to cling to something—anything—to ground himself, but there was nothing. No system. No comforting voice. Just pain and Eldrin's sadistic laughter.

"I wonder," Eldrin mused aloud, his tone almost playful, "how much magic it'll take to crack that precious little core of yours. Let's find out, shall we?"

The mage unleashed another wave of magic, and Jacob felt his core splinter further. He couldn't think, couldn't process anything beyond the agony. His mind felt like it was breaking apart, fragments of himself slipping away with each passing moment.

Jacob...

The whisper was faint, almost imperceptible, but it wasn't the system. It was his own voice, buried deep within the chaos. He clung to it desperately, the last thread of himself that hadn't been shattered.

I'm not... done yet.

The thought sparked something within him—a tiny ember of defiance that refused to be snuffed out. As Eldrin prepared to unleash another surge of magic, Jacob reached deep into his fractured core, pulling on every ounce of energy he had left.

And then, something changed.

The magic that had been tearing him apart began to coalesce, pooling within his core. It wasn't the wild, destructive force Eldrin had unleashed—it was something new. Something sharp. Something dangerous.

Eldrin hesitated, sensing the shift. "What's this?" he murmured, his eyes narrowing. "You shouldn't be able to—"

Jacob didn't wait for him to finish. With a guttural roar, he released the energy in a violent burst. The formation spell shattered, the runes dissolving into sparks of light as the shockwave sent Eldrin flying.

The mage hit the ground hard, coughing and cursing. "You little—"

Jacob didn't give him a chance to recover. Summoning the last dregs of his strength, he activated Kinetic Pulse, propelling himself out of the tent and into the forest. His mind was a whirlwind of pain and exhaustion, but he refused to stop. He couldn't stop.

Eldrin's enraged shouts echoed behind him, but Jacob didn't look back. He rolled on, his fractured form barely holding together. Each movement sent waves of pain through him, but he gritted his metaphorical teeth and kept going.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he collapsed beside a quiet stream. The forest was silent, the only sound the gentle trickle of water. Jacob lay there, his body broken, his mind a shattered mess.

For the first time in his new life, he allowed himself to cry.

System: Reinitializing...

The voice was faint, almost hesitant. Jacob felt a flicker of something—relief? Anger? He wasn't sure. He was too tired to care.

System: Jacob... I'm sorry. I should have... I couldn't—

"Save it," Jacob muttered, his voice hoarse. "You werent there for me, I was alone why did you leave me all alone?"

System: Jacob- Im sorr-

''Just fuck off''

The system went quiet, leaving Jacob alone with his thoughts. He wasn't sure if he could recover from this—not physically, not emotionally. But somewhere deep within his fractured core, that tiny ember of defiance still burned. And as he lay there, broken but alive, he made a silent vow:

Eldrin will pay.