Nightborn Evolution

Kairo lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling, his mind a whirlwind of thoughts. The events of the night played over and over in his head—the Voidborn, his sudden surge of power, the system messages.

Everything had changed.

"What is happening to me?"

He turned his head toward his window, where the city lights flickered in the distance. Everything outside looked normal. But Kairo knew that beneath the surface, something dark was stirring.

That Voidborn… it wasn't a coincidence.

His gut told him it was just the beginning.

And the worst part? He wasn't sure if he was ready for what came next.

A soft vibration from his bedside table pulled him from his thoughts. His holo-phone lit up with a message.

— Lena: Are you okay?

Kairo exhaled. At least she hadn't completely freaked out and cut ties with him.

— Kairo: Yeah. Just thinking.

A few seconds later, another message arrived.

— Lena: Whatever happened to you… we'll figure it out, okay?

Kairo stared at the message for a moment before typing back.

— Kairo: Thanks.

He appreciated her words, but deep down, he knew this wasn't something they could simply "figure out." This was bigger than either of them.

And something told him that whoever—or whatever—had given him this system wouldn't let him walk away from it.

As if responding to his thoughts, a sudden chill ran down his spine.

He froze.

A presence was near.

His instincts screamed at him to move, but before he could react—

A shattering sound echoed through the room.

The window exploded inward, shards of glass scattering across the floor as a dark figure burst through.

Kairo barely had time to roll off his bed before something embedded itself into the mattress where he had just been lying.

His eyes darted to the object—

A dagger, its blade dripping with a strange black liquid.

Poison?

Kairo's heart pounded as he quickly scrambled to his feet, turning to face his attacker.

A tall, masked figure stood in the moonlight, their black cloak billowing.

Their voice was cold, emotionless.

"You shouldn't have survived."

Kairo's blood ran cold.

"They came for me…?"

Kairo didn't get a chance to respond before the assassin moved.

They were fast—too fast.

In a blink, the assassin closed the distance, their dagger slashing toward Kairo's throat.

His body reacted on instinct.

[ Phantom Step Activated ]

One moment, he was in the assassin's line of attack—

The next, he was behind them, his own movements a blur.

The assassin faltered for a brief second. "Tch. Looks like the rumors were true."

They turned to face him, eyes narrowing. "You've already started evolving."

Kairo didn't know what they meant, but he had bigger things to worry about—like surviving.

His muscles tensed as he raised his fists, his mind flashing back to the Voidborn fight.

If this system could help him then—

It could help him now.

[ Nightborn Strike Available ]

Kairo lunged forward, his fist igniting with the same dark energy as before.

He threw a punch—

But this time, the assassin was ready.

They twisted their body at the last second, dodging his attack with inhuman reflexes. Before Kairo could recover, a knee slammed into his stomach, knocking the wind out of him.

"Gah—!"

Pain exploded through his ribs as he stumbled backward, gasping for air.

The assassin didn't let up. They followed up with a brutal kick to his chest, sending him crashing into his desk, scattering books and papers everywhere.

Kairo coughed, trying to push himself up, but the assassin was already looming over him, dagger raised.

"This is over," they said coldly. "Die."

Kairo's vision blurred as the blade descended toward his heart.

Then—

A gunshot rang out.

The assassin jerked back, barely dodging the bullet that whizzed past their head.

Kairo's eyes widened as he turned toward the door.

Standing there, gun in hand, was Lena.

"Get away from him," she growled.

The assassin clicked their tongue, clearly annoyed. "Tch. I don't have time for this."

They stepped back, their free hand reaching for their belt.

Kairo realized what was happening a second too late.

A small sphere dropped to the floor—

And in an instant, thick smoke filled the room.

Kairo coughed, his vision obscured.

By the time the smoke cleared—

The assassin was gone.

Kairo sat on the edge of his bed, still catching his breath.

Lena stood nearby, arms crossed, her expression a mix of frustration and concern. "Mind telling me why a literal assassin just tried to kill you?"

Kairo exhaled sharply. "I wish I knew."

Lena's gaze didn't waver. "You're lying."

Kairo hesitated.

Should he tell her about the system?

Would she even believe him?

Before he could decide, a new system message appeared before his eyes.

[ Warning: You Have Been Marked for Termination ]

[ Unknown Organization Identified – Eclipse Syndicate ]

[ Survival Priority Increased ]

Kairo's grip tightened.

He wasn't just evolving.

He had just become a target.

And whoever the Eclipse Syndicate was…

They wanted him dead.