Nightborn Evolution

Kairo sat in the dimly lit room, his breathing still unsteady from the synchronization. His hands tingled, the faint traces of Void Energy pulsing through his veins. He clenched and unclenched his fists, feeling the unfamiliar sensation of something else flowing inside him—something unnatural, something powerful.

Lena sat across from him, her arms crossed as she observed him carefully. "Alright, spill it. What the hell just happened?"

Kairo exhaled, staring at his status screen. The Voidwalker's Grasp ability shimmered in his skill list, a stark reminder of what he had just survived.

"I synchronized with the artifact," he muttered, his voice hoarse.

Lena raised an eyebrow. "And you didn't explode. That's impressive."

Kairo gave her a dry look. "Thanks for the encouragement."

She leaned forward. "You felt it, didn't you? That… thing inside the artifact. The Void is dangerous, Kairo. I don't know how, but you just absorbed something from it. You should be dead right now."

Kairo didn't deny it. The void had tried to consume him. He could still feel its presence, like a whisper in the back of his mind, lurking in the shadows of his thoughts.

And yet—

He was still here. Still in control.

At least, for now.

Kairo stood up, rolling his shoulders. "There's only one way to know what this ability can really do."

Lena frowned. "You're going to test it now?"

He raised a hand, and a faint ripple of Void Energy pulsed from his fingertips. It felt… strange. Like he was touching something beyond reality.

[Voidwalker's Grasp Activated.]

Kairo focused, extending his hand toward the wooden table in front of him.

For a moment, nothing happened.

Then—

The space around his hand twisted, the table's surface warping like liquid. His fingers phased through it, passing into an empty void where nothing existed.

Lena's eyes widened. "What the hell?"

Kairo pulled his hand back, and the table snapped back into its original form, as if nothing had happened.

His system sent a notification.

[Voidwalker's Grasp Usage: 1% Corruption Accumulated.]

Kairo tensed. Corruption?

Lena noticed his expression. "What's wrong?"

He hesitated before answering. "Using this ability… it comes at a cost."

Lena's expression darkened. "That's not surprising. Void Artifacts are never free. What happens if the corruption builds up?"

Kairo didn't know. And that was what scared him.

Before they could dwell on it further, a sudden explosion shook the building.

BOOM!

Dust rained from the ceiling as the walls trembled. The lights flickered.

Kairo and Lena were on their feet in an instant.

Lena cursed. "That came from outside!"

Kairo rushed to the window, peering out into the darkened streets. His heart sank.

Figures in black armor were spreading out, moving with military precision. The Eclipse Syndicate had found them.

A hovercraft hovered above, its searchlights scanning the streets. Armed men poured out from the shadows, surrounding the building.

One of them—a tall man with pale silver hair and glowing red eyes—stood at the center of it all. He wasn't just any enforcer.

Kairo's system immediately flagged him.

[Threat Detected: Voss – Eclipse Syndicate's Shadow]

[Status: Elite Enforcer – Rank Unknown]

Lena cursed under her breath. "Voss. He's one of the Syndicate's top men."

Kairo clenched his fists. "Then we're in trouble."

Voss raised a hand, and his men aimed their weapons. His voice, smooth and calculating, echoed through the night.

"Kairo. I assume you can hear me."

Silence.

Voss continued. "You stole from the Eclipse Syndicate. Did you really think we'd just let you walk away?"

Kairo's mind raced. They weren't ready for this fight. If they stayed, they'd be overwhelmed.

Lena grabbed his arm. "We need to move. Now."

Kairo nodded. They had to escape.

But how?

Then, an idea struck him.

He had just gained a new power. It was time to use it.

Kairo turned to Lena. "Hold on to me."

Lena hesitated for half a second before gripping his arm. "This better not kill us."

Kairo took a deep breath.

[Voidwalker's Grasp – Phase Shift Activated.]

The air around them rippled. The walls and floor turned translucent, as if reality itself was being rewritten.

And then—

They fell.

Right through the floor.