Nightborn Evolution

Everything was silent.

Kairo felt weightless, floating in an endless void. He tried to move, but his body wouldn't respond. It was as if he had been pulled into another dimension—one without light, sound, or time.

Then, a voice echoed through the emptiness.

[ System activation… initializing host synchronization… ]

His mind jolted, and suddenly, he felt something rushing into him—like a flood of foreign energy surging through his very being. His veins burned, his muscles ached, and his thoughts blurred as an overwhelming force took hold.

He wanted to scream, but no sound came out.

[ Warning: Host synchronization unstable. Adjusting parameters… ]

[ Adjustments complete. Awakening process stabilized. ]

Just as suddenly as it had begun, the pain subsided, and Kairo found himself standing—no longer floating in the void.

Instead, he was in a dark, ancient chamber. Ethereal blue flames flickered along the stone walls, casting eerie shadows that danced like spirits. The air was thick with an overwhelming presence, something powerful and unknown.

Before him, a massive throne of black obsidian stood, crackling with strange energy. And seated upon it was a figure cloaked in shadows.

A deep voice rumbled through the chamber.

"You are not worthy."

Kairo stiffened as the shadowy figure rose from the throne. It had no discernible features—just a mass of darkness in humanoid form, pulsing with an unnatural aura.

"And yet… fate has chosen you."

The figure raised a hand, and suddenly, chains of crimson energy erupted from the ground, latching onto Kairo's arms and legs. A sharp, burning pain spread through his body as the chains pulsed with raw power.

Kairo gritted his teeth, struggling to move. "W-What is this…?"

"A test." The voice was cold, emotionless. "The weak do not deserve power. If you cannot endure this pain, you are unworthy of evolution."

The chains tightened, sending another wave of unbearable agony through Kairo's body. It felt as if his very soul was being torn apart.

But something inside him refused to give in.

No… I won't break.

He clenched his fists, his breathing ragged. Every fiber of his being screamed at him to surrender, but he refused.

For years, he had been told he was weak. That he was useless. That he didn't belong in a world where only the strong thrived.

I won't be weak anymore.

A deep growl built in his throat as he pulled against the chains, even as they burned him from the inside.

The shadowed figure watched silently. Then, after a moment, it spoke again.

"Good… you resist."

The chains shattered.

Kairo gasped as he collapsed to his knees, his body trembling. The pain faded, replaced by a strange surge of energy flowing through him—something foreign yet… familiar.

A system notification appeared before his eyes.

[ System Initialization Complete. ]

[ Welcome, Host. ]

Kairo's breath hitched.

What… just happened?

A sharp gasp tore from Kairo's throat as his eyes snapped open.

The dark alley, the towering Voidborn, the terrified Lena—all of it came rushing back in an instant.

But something was different.

His body no longer felt weak or sluggish. Instead, it thrummed with a newfound energy—one that was both alien and intoxicating.

And then, system messages flooded his vision.

[ Name: Kairo Voss ]

[ Race: Human (Unclassified Evolution) ]

[ Status: Awakening in Progress… ]

[ New Ability Acquired – ??? ]

Before Kairo could even process what was happening, the Voidborn screeched, its monstrous form shifting as it lunged toward him.

Instinct took over.

Without thinking, Kairo moved—and the world blurred around him.

In a flash, he was no longer standing where he had been. Instead, he had somehow dodged the attack in an instant, appearing several meters away without even realizing how.

Lena stared at him in shock. "Kairo…?"

But he had no time to respond.

The Voidborn snarled, its glowing red eyes locking onto him once more.

And for the first time in his life, Kairo didn't feel helpless.

A smirk tugged at his lips as he clenched his fists, feeling the strange power coursing through him.

"This time… I'm not the weak one."