Kael’s breathing steadied as he sat in the eerie quiet of the field, the remnants of the battle fading into the wind. The translucent screen still hovered before him, a silent testament to his first victory in this strange world. The words “Task Completed” glowed faintly, but they did little to ease the weight in his chest.
"Why me?" Kael muttered, his voice tinged with exhaustion. He rubbed his shoulder, still sore from the earlier attack. "What even is this Core, and what does it want from me?"
The star above pulsed rhythmically, casting long shadows across the landscape. The eerie twilight deepened, and Kael couldn’t shake the sensation that something—or someone—was watching him.
Before he could gather his thoughts, the screen shimmered, and new text appeared:
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[New Task Assigned: Explore Your Surroundings]
* Reward: Core Synchronization Progress (10%)
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Kael read the words aloud, frowning. "Explore? That’s vague." He pushed himself to his feet, brushing dirt off his torn shirt. "But if it’s going to help me figure out what’s going on, I guess I don’t have a choice."
The silvery grass crunched underfoot as Kael began walking, his eyes scanning the strange, desolate landscape. The twilight painted everything in muted hues, and the distant hum of the star above seemed to grow louder with each step.
He soon noticed that the ground beneath him was changing. The soft, metallic grass gave way to rough, uneven terrain. The silver blades disappeared entirely, replaced by blackened soil littered with jagged rocks that glimmered faintly in the dim light.
"This place doesn’t just look alien," he said to himself, his voice breaking the silence. "It feels... alive."
A chill ran down his spine as he reached the edge of a deep gorge. The air here was heavier, tinged with an acrid scent that made him wrinkle his nose. He peered over the edge and saw a river of glowing liquid snaking through the depths below. The liquid pulsed with a faint blue light, casting ghostly reflections on the gorge walls.
"Is that... energy?" Kael whispered, leaning closer. The sight mesmerized him, but a distant rumble snapped him out of his trance.
He turned sharply, his heart racing. The sound grew louder, and the ground beneath him trembled. From the shadows of a nearby hill, a massive creature emerged. It was unlike the shadow beasts from before. This one had a solid, physical form—its body covered in jagged, obsidian-like scales that shimmered faintly. Its glowing yellow eyes locked onto Kael, and a low growl escaped its throat.
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Kael stumbled back, his pulse quickening. "You’ve got to be kidding me."
The creature roared, the sound reverberating through the gorge. It charged, its massive claws tearing through the ground as it closed the distance between them.
Kael’s instincts screamed at him to run, but his legs felt rooted in place. Focus, Kael! he thought desperately. The Core responds to will. You did it before—do it again!
Gritting his teeth, he raised his hands and tried to summon the energy he had felt earlier. But nothing happened.
“No, no, no!” he muttered, panic taking over. The creature was almost upon him now, its jaws open wide.
In a last-ditch effort, Kael dove to the side, narrowly avoiding the creature’s swipe. He hit the ground hard, the impact knocking the wind out of him.
"Come on!" he shouted, forcing himself to his knees. "Work, damn it!"
The creature turned, its glowing eyes narrowing as it prepared to strike again. Kael clenched his fists, focusing all his energy on the warmth he had felt before. Slowly, it began to build, flickering like a spark threatening to ignite.
The creature lunged, and this time Kael thrust his hand forward. A burst of light erupted from his palm, slamming into the beast’s chest. The force knocked it back, but it didn’t dissolve like the shadow creatures. Instead, it skidded across the ground, digging its claws in to stop itself.
Kael stared, his chest heaving. "Why didn’t it die?"
“Physical entities require sustained force,” the voice echoed in his mind. “Channel your intent. Control the flow.”
"Easy for you to say," Kael muttered under his breath. The creature roared again, unfazed by the attack.
Kael rose to his feet, his legs trembling. The warmth in his chest flared brighter, and he focused on the sensation, willing it to grow. As the creature charged once more, Kael extended both hands, pouring his energy into a single, focused beam of light.
The beam struck the creature square in the chest, and this time it roared in agony. Cracks spread across its obsidian-like scales, glowing with the same blue light as the river below. With one final, earsplitting cry, the creature collapsed, its body dissolving into a fine, shimmering dust.
Kael dropped to his knees, every muscle in his body screaming in protest. The translucent screen appeared again, its glow faint but steady:
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[Task Completed: Explore Your Surroundings]
* Core Synchronization Progress: 10%
New Ability Unlocked: Energy Manipulation (Level 1)
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Kael’s vision blurred as exhaustion threatened to overtake him, but he forced himself to read the words. "Energy Manipulation..." he murmured.
The voice spoke again, calm and unwavering. “Your bond with the Core deepens. Each task will bring you closer to its full potential. However, beware: the path is fraught with peril. Power without control is a double-edged sword.”
Kael sat back, the weight of the voice’s words pressing down on him. The Core had given him incredible power, but the cost was becoming increasingly clear.
"I didn’t choose this, but if I don’t master it, I won’t survive," he thought grimly, his gaze drifting to the glowing river below.
As the twilight deepened and the star’s pulsing light cast longer shadows, Kael resolved to press forward. The answers he sought lay somewhere in this strange, unforgiving world.
And he would find them—no matter the cost.