Inside the Tower of Chaos, I watched Darius with keen interest as he toyed with his status—scrolling through and analyzing the new information. The sight sparked a reflection on my own progress, and I decided to check what had changed in my status after the recent events.

"Status," I said softly.

Name: Unknown

Level: 2

Talent: Legendary – Eye of Chaos

Experience: 15/200

Stats:

Strength: 6

Agility: 8

Endurance: 6

Intelligence: 31

Chaos Energy: 1000

HP: 110/110

Mana: 105/155

Unassigned Stat Points: 5

Skills:

Basic Energy Manipulation

Basic Energy Analysis

"Chaos Storage" (allows the storage of chaos energy within one's hair)

Before my eyes, the familiar, radiant system window appeared. For a moment, I stared at the flickering symbols, analyzing the changes in my statistics. My intelligence had soared to an extraordinary level—explaining why my ability to manipulate chaos energy had become so precise. "Magical energy" had completely vanished, replaced by "chaos energy"—an impressive 1000 units pulsing inside me like an untamed force.

I couldn’t help but wonder what had brought about these changes. Was it the effect of my last battle, or perhaps the result of manipulating chaos on a level I had yet to understand? Then I recalled a notification from the system.

[SYSTEM] Reached the first level of understanding of the Law of Chaos.

Progress: 1%

I realized that the surge in my intelligence was directly linked to these developments. I also began analyzing the rise in my mana and concluded that it had most likely increased as a result of my enhanced intellect. I calculated that each point of intelligence might add 5 mana units—and that would explain why my mana had risen so significantly.

I then examined the new skill that had appeared in my panel—"Chaos Storage."

[SYSTEM] Skill: Chaos Storage

Description: Allows for the storage of chaos energy within the structure of one's hair. The energy can be released at the user's will.

I focused on its description and felt my hair respond to my command, gathering chaos energy within itself. It was both fascinating and unsettling. My hair had become shinier and silkier, as if chaos had imbued it with its own, hypnotic life—a side effect I had not anticipated.

I analyzed how my recent battle with Darius had affected me. I noticed that during the encounter, I had expended 50 mana—even though I had used my abilities only once. This indicated that the skills didn’t rely on a one-time activation for repeated use. Instead, over time, mana began to be drawn automatically to power the abilities, even if I didn’t reactivate them. Moreover, this wasn’t counted as an extra use of the skill, which was confirmed by the experience gained—my EXP had increased by only 15 points, as if I had indeed used the ability just once.

With this fresh new knowledge, I looked at my name in the status and decided it was time to take the next step—to embrace this new reality.

With a slight smile, I entered my new name: "Ashira." There was something in it that reflected my new identity and connection to chaos. "Ash"—the ash from which I was reborn, like a phoenix rising from its own ruins. This world had destroyed me, yet it had also reshaped me anew. In that moment, I felt that I had truly accepted myself—my body, my transformation, and the power bestowed upon me. No longer was it merely a temporary adjustment to new circumstances; it was a conscious embrace of my new identity as a woman.

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[SYSTEM] Name has been updated.

I closed the status window. Now, fully aware of who I had become, I approached the warrior—who was still engrossed in his system, scrolling through additional lines of text with evident fascination.

"What's your name?" I asked.

The warrior lifted the corner of his mouth in a slight smile.

"Darius. You can call me that."

Before I could answer, he added with a mischievous glint in his eye,

"And you? What's your name?"

I hesitated for a moment, then nodded.

"Ashira," I replied with a confident smile.

Darius studied me intently, and I decided to break the silence.

"What are your plans for the future?" I asked, curious about his answer.

He raised an eyebrow and grinned cheekily.

"The system told me that I can become stronger by leveling up. So the plan is simple—to hit the highest level possible."

His straightforward answer made it impossible not to smile.

"Perhaps you'd like to join me in my territory?" I suggested.

Darius pondered for a moment, then looked at me with a slight smile.

"Interesting. And will I be able to level up there?"

I chuckled softly.

"Of course. In my territory you'll find plenty of challenges to level up. You won't get bored."

Darius nodded, though a shadow of contemplation crossed his face as he gazed into the distance, as if weighing all possibilities.

"Maybe it’s actually a good idea," he said slowly. "Throwing ourselves alone into an unknown world might be foolish. At least for now, it's better to stick together. So... I'll join you."

I was delighted by Darius's decision, feeling hope for collaboration growing within me.

"That's good," I said with a smile. "It's time to leave this place and return to the shelter."

Darius nodded, and together we headed toward the exit of the tower. However, we quickly realized that we had no idea how to leave this place.

[SYSTEM] DO YOU WANT TO LEAVE THE TOWER OF CHAOS? YES/NO

I looked at Darius, and he nodded.

"Yes," I replied.

Before we had a chance to think further, we were transported right in front of the Tower of Chaos. For a fraction of a second, I felt as though my body had been torn apart, only to reassemble moments later. The sensation was both alien and fascinating. The air was cooler, and dusk slowly enveloped the surroundings. The shadows of tall trees stretched across the ground, creating a somber yet peaceful atmosphere. Every breath tasted different now, as if the outside world obeyed different rules than the interior of the tower.

As we made our way back to the shelter, Darius scanned the surrounding forest with interest, his gaze tracking every strange form of vegetation and the subtle vibrations of energy still lingering in the air.

"This place... is nothing like I expected," he muttered, frowning.

When we approached the base, his eyes widened in astonishment as he saw a Hungry Chaos Ogar carrying a root in its mouth—as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

"Is that dog... bringing you roots?" he asked in disbelief.

"It's not a dog, it's an ogar. And yes, it's bringing me food," I replied with a slight smile, amused by his remark.

Upon reaching the base, I noticed that there were dozens of roots brought by the Hungry Ogar, scattered around the entrance. I set about collecting them and arranging them in the resource depot, creating order in our makeshift base. Meanwhile, a curious Darius began exploring the surroundings, examining every nook and cranny and scrutinizing the structure of the shelter.

We sat down together to discuss potential threats and the possibilities for further exploration. Darius looked around the shelter, frowning.

"This isn’t quite how I imagined my home," he muttered with a hint of impatience.

I chuckled softly, nodding.

"I agree, it looks a bit sparse. But we can always change that."

After a while, Darius furrowed his brow and pointed at the shimmering line encircling the base.

"What is that energy shield around the territory?" he asked, intrigued.

I looked at him, then at the barrier surrounding us.

"It's a shield that separates me from the outside world. It probably protects against whatever lurks beyond. But I'm not sure if that's its only function."

"Maybe we should venture beyond its boundaries and see what the outside world looks like?" he proposed in a determined tone, a spark of resolve in his eyes.

For a moment, we fell silent, both gazing at the shimmering line of the shield that separated us from the rest of the world. My mind swirled with thoughts. Was I ready for what might await us there?

"We don't know what awaits us there," I said slowly, weighing each word. "But I suppose we won't find out if we stay here."

I looked at Darius. His confidence was almost tangible, and it spurred me on. In the end, I nodded.

"Alright. Let's see what awaits us on the other side."