Nightborn Evolution

Kairo stepped out of the arena, his body still trembling from the fight. The metallic taste of blood lingered in his mouth, and every breath sent dull pain through his ribs. But despite the pain, a strange feeling settled in his chest.

He won.

The energy from the fight still coursed through his veins, but so did something else—an eerie, almost hunger-like sensation. His instincts screamed at him that this wasn't over yet.

[ Host Evolution Progress: 15% ]

[ Absorption Available – Do you wish to absorb the defeated combatant's energy? ]

Kairo froze.

Absorption?

His eyes darted to the side, where Goro was being carried off by medical droids. The towering fighter was still unconscious, but his body twitched slightly—like his strength was still pulsing, waiting to be claimed.

Kairo clenched his fists. Was this what the system meant by Hunt, Kill, Evolve?

Lena leaned against a nearby wall, watching him. "You did better than I expected," she said, her usual smirk in place. "Didn't think you had it in you."

Kairo ignored the compliment. "What do you know about absorption?"

Lena raised an eyebrow. "Absorption?"

He hesitated. He still wasn't sure if he could trust her with everything about his system, so he changed the question.

"Have you heard of people getting stronger by… taking the power of others?"

She crossed her arms. "Sounds like a myth. Some crazy relic weapons can drain energy, and there are rumors about illegal genetic experiments, but if you're asking if a person can just steal someone else's strength? No. That's not normal."

Kairo nodded, deep in thought.

If this ability was unique to him, he needed to be careful. The moment people realized what he could do, he'd become a target.

[ Absorption will expire in 30 seconds. ]

His heart pounded. He had to make a decision—now.

Absorb or ignore?

Goro had been strong. If Kairo wanted to survive in this world, he needed every advantage he could get.

He couldn't afford to be weak anymore.

Kairo exhaled and made his choice.

[ Absorb. ]

A strange sensation washed over him—like a current of energy rushing through his body. His muscles tensed, his vision flickered, and for a moment, he felt like he was drowning in raw power.

Then it was over.

A notification appeared.

[ Absorption complete. Strength increased. Resistance to blunt force improved. ]

Kairo's eyes widened. He clenched his fist, feeling the subtle difference. His body felt denser, his movements a little smoother.

This was real.

He had just taken a part of Goro's strength for himself.

And he was only getting started.

A deep chuckle pulled Kairo from his thoughts.

He turned to see Roland Greaves, the man who ran the Blood Trials, approaching. The massive, scarred man grinned at him, his cybernetic eye flickering.

"Not bad, kid," Greaves said, his voice rough. "Didn't think you'd pull it off."

Kairo straightened, ignoring the dull ache in his body. "You put me in that match expecting me to lose?"

Greaves smirked. "Of course. That's how I test the fresh meat."

Lena rolled her eyes. "Sounds about right."

Greaves leaned in slightly. "But you… you're interesting. You fight like a rookie, but you adapt too damn fast."

Kairo tensed. He didn't like how closely Greaves was watching him.

The older man chuckled. "Don't look so paranoid. I like winners, and you just proved you're one."

Kairo crossed his arms. "What do you want?"

Greaves grinned. "I want to sponsor you."

Kairo blinked. "Sponsor?"

Lena whistled. "That's a big deal, Voss. You're getting noticed fast."

Greaves nodded. "Here's the deal—keep fighting in my arena, and I'll make sure you get proper training, better matches, and a cut of the real money. You'll go from street-level brawls to elite combat circuits. Maybe even military contracts if you're good enough."

Kairo narrowed his eyes. "And what do you get out of this?"

Greaves laughed. "Your success makes me rich. That's all I care about. No strings attached—just fight, win, and get stronger."

Kairo thought about it. It was tempting. The Blood Trials had strong fighters, and if he wanted to evolve, this was the best place to push his limits.

But something about Greaves felt… dangerous.

He glanced at Lena, who gave him a slight shrug. "Your choice, Voss. But if you take his deal, you'd better be ready for whatever comes with it."

Kairo exhaled.

If he wanted to survive in this world, he had to take risks.

He extended his hand. "I'm in."

Greaves grinned and shook it. "Welcome to the big leagues, kid."

Later that night, Kairo sat in the hideout, staring at his hand. The power he had absorbed from Goro still pulsed faintly within him.

This was just the beginning.

His system wanted him to hunt, kill, and evolve—and now, he had a perfect battleground to do just that.

The Blood Trials would make him stronger.

But they would also bring more enemies.

Kairo wasn't just fighting for survival anymore. He was on the path to something bigger.

And he had no intention of stopping.