Nightborn Evolution

Kairo sat in a dimly lit room, his eyes locked on the glowing crate before him. The others had left him alone, giving him space to figure out what exactly they had stolen from the Eclipse Syndicate.

The Void Artifact inside pulsed with energy, sending faint vibrations through the air. His system had identified it as a rare find—something powerful, something dangerous.

[Void Artifact Detected]

- Status: Sealed. Requires System Synchronization to Unlock.

Kairo exhaled. If this was anything like the relics he'd read about, opening it without the right preparation could be suicidal.

But if he could synchronize with it…

It could change everything.

Lena's voice broke the silence. "So, are you going to open it, or just stare at it all night?"

Kairo glanced at her. She leaned against the wall, arms crossed, watching him with that usual mix of curiosity and skepticism.

He smirked. "You're worried about me?"

She rolled her eyes. "I'm worried about the Syndicate coming after us while you're busy playing with a time bomb."

Kairo turned back to the crate. "If I can unlock this, we might actually have a chance against them."

Lena sighed. "Then let's hope it doesn't kill you first."

He placed both hands on the crate.

[Would you like to attempt synchronization?]

[Warning: Failure may result in severe backlash.]

Kairo took a deep breath. "Do it."

The moment he accepted, a surge of dark energy erupted from the crate, wrapping around his arms like living tendrils. His vision blurred, his body locked in place.

[Synchronization Initiated…]

Pain flooded his mind. It felt like something was digging into his soul, trying to rewrite him from the inside out.

Images flashed before his eyes—ancient battlefields, alien landscapes, creatures that defied reason. He saw figures wielding weapons that could shatter mountains, beings that moved between dimensions with ease.

His system kept flashing warnings.

[Mental Resistance Failing…]

[Foreign Entity Detected…]

[WARNING: Potential Corruption.]

Kairo gritted his teeth. No. He wouldn't break.

He forced his will against the invading force, pushing back against whatever was trying to take hold of him.

And then—

A shockwave burst from the crate, sending him flying backward.

Lena rushed forward. "Kairo!"

He hit the ground, coughing. His entire body felt like it had been rewired, his veins burning with new energy. But something was different.

Something was inside him now.

His system sent a final notification.

[Void Synchronization Complete.]

[New Ability Acquired: Voidwalker's Grasp.]

Kairo slowly pushed himself up, his hands shaking. He clenched his fists, and for a brief second, black energy flickered around them.

"What… was that?" Lena asked, her eyes wary.

Kairo opened his status.

[Voidwalker's Grasp] – Awakened Tier

- Allows the user to momentarily manipulate space, phasing through objects or pulling enemies into distorted dimensions. Excessive use may result in Void Corruption.

Kairo exhaled sharply. This wasn't just another ability. This was something entirely different—something that felt alive.

Lena frowned. "Are you okay?"

He met her gaze, his mind still racing. He had won the synchronization battle. But he couldn't shake the feeling that something else was still watching him from the void.

"I'm fine," he lied.

For now.

Meanwhile, in a darkened chamber deep within the Eclipse Syndicate's territory, a man sat in front of a glowing display, his fingers drumming against the armrest of his chair.

"The shipment was taken," a voice reported.

The man—known only as Voss, the Syndicate's Shadow—smirked. "So, the boy thinks he can play at war?"

A hologram flickered to life, showing Kairo's face from a grainy street camera.

"He's more resourceful than we thought," the voice continued. "But we've identified him. He won't be able to run for long."

Voss leaned forward, his eyes gleaming with amusement. "No need to rush. Let him grow a little stronger."

His grin widened.

"After all, breaking someone is much more satisfying when they think they have a chance."