The boy and his sister knelt beside Jacob, their faces streaked with tears and dirt, their gratitude radiating in every movement as they softly touched his surface.

Boy (whispering): "Thank you... thank you so much."

The girl nodded, her eyes filled with awe. Their mother, weak but steady now, rested in her chair, tears silently trailing down her cheeks. Jacob's core pulsed faintly, caught between wanting to respond and the crushing realization that he couldn't.

System: "They don't have enough magical affinity to hear you, Jacob. At best, they'll feel your vibrations."

Jacob vibrated faintly in frustration, his thoughts swirling. He needed to communicate, to tell them he meant no harm and couldn't stay to protect them forever.

System (gently): "I understand your frustration. Check the shop. There might be something useful for this."

Jacob opened the shop menu, scrolling through endless lists of items and skills. After what felt like an eternity, he found something that caught his attention:

Skill: Mouthless Communication

Description: Allows the user to speak by converting thoughts into audible words. Mana cost: 1 mana per word.

Cost: 10 EP.

It was perfect. Jacob barely glanced at the details before confirming the purchase, eager for the chance to finally speak his mind.

System: "Jacob, wait! Did you—"

The purchase was complete, and a new interface appeared, displaying his current mana pool: 20 Mana Remaining. Jacob paused, finally noticing the fine print about the skill's cost.

Jacob (muttering): "One word... one mana? Are you kidding me?"

System (sighing): "I tried to warn you. But 20 words should be enough for now. Use them wisely."

Jacob hesitated, but the children were still staring at him with hopeful eyes. He focused, forming the words carefully in his mind.

Jacob (thinking): "Do not fear. I will not hurt you."

The words echoed in the room, startling the siblings. The boy gasped, looking around for the source, while the girl clutched her brother's arm tightly.

Boy: "Did... did you hear that?"

Girl: "It sounded like a voice... but where—"

Jacob focused again, his mana ticking down with each word.

Jacob: "I cannot protect you anymore. I will leave now."

The siblings' faces fell, their gratitude quickly replaced with concern and sadness.

Boy: "But... we need you."

Girl (pleading): "We're not safe without you."

Jacob's core pulsed with regret, but before he could reply, another message appeared.

New Quest: "Kill Count Tarmin and Obliterate His Forces."

Details: Free the region from the tyrannical rule of Count Tarmin by defeating him and his army.

Rewards: Evolution Path Unlocked.

Difficulty: Extreme.

Jacob's core dimmed as the weight of the quest settled over him.

Jacob: "Kill... Count Tarmin? Impossible."

System (somberly): "It's the only way forward, Jacob. Completing this quest will unlock your evolution tree. With it, you can evolve into something capable of facing such a challenge."

The system pulled up a glowing image of a humanoid figure composed of solid stone. Its features were sharp and intimidating, but its movements were fluid, almost human.

System: "The Stone Golem. This evolution mimics a human body, allowing you to blend in with them. You'll gain incredible strength, the ability to eat, speak without mana, and even see through physical eyes."

Jacob stared at the projection, both awestruck and terrified. "You're saying I'll look like them? Be like them?"

System: "Yes, but the power comes with a price. You'll need to complete a secondary quest to prepare your core for the evolution. It won't be easy."

Jacob's core flickered anxiously. "What kind of quest?"

The system hesitated before displaying another prompt.

New Sub-Quest: "Stone's Resolve."

Details: Face the Guardians of the Forest, powerful creatures imbued with elemental energy, and absorb their cores. Collect three Guardian Cores to complete the quest.

The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

Rewards: Evolution Preparation Complete.

Jacob groaned. "More fighting. Of course."

System (softly): "You've come this far, Jacob. Trust me."

The words struck a nerve. Trust. It wasn't something he gave easily, especially not after the betrayal of his former life, which he couldn't fully recall but still felt deeply. Yet, as much as the system frustrated him, it had been his only constant.

Jacob (sighing): "Fine. But if this goes sideways, I'm rolling myself into a river."

The siblings watched as Jacob began to roll toward the door.

Boy: "Wait! Where are you going?"

Jacob hesitated, spending his last two words.

Jacob: "Stay safe."

Into the Wild

The forest was alive with the sounds of night. Jacob rolled cautiously, his core buzzing with nervous energy. The system chimed in, displaying a map of the forest with three glowing markers.

System: "The Guardians are powerful, Jacob. You'll need to use every skill you've learned to defeat them. Are you ready?"

Jacob: "Do I have a choice?"

The first marker wasn't far. Jacob braced himself, wondering what kind of creature awaited him.

Jacob rolled deeper into the forest, his senses heightened by the soft hum of the system in his mind. The first marker grew closer with every cautious movement, the air around him growing unnaturally still.

System: "We're close. The energy signature is massive—be prepared."

Jacob (grumbling): "Prepared? I'm a rock with barely enough weight to break a twig. How exactly do I prepare?"

The system didn't respond. Jacob's irritation spiked, but before he could press further, a low growl rumbled through the forest. A hulking beast stepped into view, its body resembling a massive wolf but covered in a crystalline exoskeleton that glimmered faintly in the moonlight. Its eyes glowed with elemental fury, and with every step, the ground beneath its claws cracked.

System: "This is the Guardian of Earth. It's slower than you but immensely strong. Your best chance is to use your skills to strike its weak points—the exposed joints in its armor. Be careful; one hit could shatter you."

Jacob's core dimmed in fear, memories of Eldrin's torture flooding back. For a moment, he froze, unable to move or think.

System (urgent): "Jacob, listen to me! Snap out of it! You've survived worse than this—you can do it!"

The Guardian growled again, its glowing eyes locking onto Jacob. With a snarl, it lunged, claws tearing into the dirt as it charged.

System (shouting): "Use 'Kinetic Shot' now!"

Jacob tried to focus, but his core trembled. The memories of pain, helplessness, and Eldrin's mocking voice echoed in his mind, drowning out the system. The beast closed in, its crystalline claws gleaming in the moonlight.

System (desperately): "JACOB, FOCUS!"

The shout cut through his haze, snapping Jacob back to the present. With every ounce of willpower, he activated Kinetic Shot, channeling energy into a focused blast.

A loud CRACK echoed as the blast struck the Guardian's front leg, shattering the joint. The beast howled in pain, stumbling to the ground.

Jacob (panting): "I... I hit it?"

System (encouraging): "Yes! Now don't stop—hit it again!"

Fueled by a surge of adrenaline and anger, Jacob rolled forward, dodging the beast's desperate swipes. He launched another Kinetic Shot, this time striking the creature's exposed underbelly. The Guardian let out a final, guttural cry before collapsing, its crystalline form dissolving into shimmering dust.

System: "Well done. That was the first step toward your evolution."

A glowing orb remained where the Guardian had fallen.

System: "That's the Earth Core. Absorb it quickly; the other Guardians will sense its destruction."

Jacob hesitated for only a moment before activating Absorb Energy, pulling the core into his being. A surge of power coursed through him, his form glowing faintly as his energy reserves increased.

Jacob (grimacing): "One down, two to go. Why do I feel like this is only going to get worse?"

The Second Guardian

The next marker was deeper in the forest. The air grew colder, and frost began to cling to the trees. Jacob shivered—a sensation he didn't think possible as a rock.

System: "This is the Guardian of Ice. It's faster than the last one but less durable. Keep moving and use your weight to your advantage."

Jacob (sarcastic): "Great advice, system. I'll just roll around and hope for the best."

As Jacob approached the clearing, a sleek, ice-like serpent slithered into view. Its body shimmered with frosty light, and its breath left a trail of frozen mist.

The serpent struck without warning, its tail lashing out like a whip. Jacob barely rolled away in time, the ground where he had been freezing over instantly.

System (shouting): "Use 'Weight' to stabilize yourself! You're too light to dodge its tail swings effectively!"

Jacob activated Weight, increasing his mass to the maximum 15 kilograms. The change made him more sluggish but grounded. The serpent's next strike glanced off his side, the added weight preventing him from being launched.

System: "Good! Now aim for its head with 'Kinetic Shot.' It's its only unarmored spot!"

Jacob steadied himself and fired, the blast striking the serpent's head. It shrieked, coiling back in pain, and Jacob took the opportunity to roll closer.

Jacob (gritting): "I'm not letting this thing freeze me!"

With a final, desperate effort, Jacob activated Kinetic Shot again, aiming directly into the serpent's open maw. The blast tore through its body, leaving it writhing on the frozen ground before dissolving into a misty glow.

Jacob absorbed the Ice Core, feeling a cold yet invigorating energy merge with his own.

System (calmly): "Two down. One more to go, Jacob."

Jacob (panting): "You know... you could at least lie and say the last one's a cakewalk."

System (smirking): "Where's the fun in that?"

The Final Guardian

The third marker was ominously still. The forest seemed to hold its breath as Jacob approached.

System (seriously): "This is the Guardian of Fire. Its attacks will be relentless. You'll need to end this fight quickly or risk overheating your core."

Jacob rolled into the clearing, where a towering, flame-covered figure awaited. The Guardian resembled a humanoid made entirely of fire, its molten core glowing brightly in its chest.

The fight was brutal. The Guardian's fiery strikes melted the ground, and Jacob had to push his new skills to the limit, using Weight to anchor himself and Kinetic Shot to attack its vulnerable core.

After a grueling battle, Jacob fired a perfectly aimed Kinetic Shot, shattering the Guardian's core and extinguishing its flames.

Jacob absorbed the Fire Core, his energy surging to new heights.

System (proudly): "You did it, Jacob. You've collected all three cores. You're ready to evolve."

Jacob rolled to a stop, exhaustion overtaking him.

Jacob (softly): "Fuck me am I really ready for this?."