Nightborn Evolution

The night air was cold as Kairo and Lena slipped through the back alleys of Blackridge. The city's neon lights flickered above, casting long shadows across the cracked pavement. Every distant sound made Kairo tense, his senses sharper than ever.

His mind was still reeling. The system, the Voidborn, the assassination attempt—his entire world had changed in the span of a single night.

Lena walked beside him, her eyes constantly scanning their surroundings. "We can't keep running forever," she muttered.

"I know," Kairo replied quietly. His body still thrummed with the new power from his recent upgrades. He could feel the difference—the way his muscles coiled tighter, the way his reflexes felt on edge. It was like his entire body was in sync with something... unnatural.

But no matter how much stronger he felt, the Eclipse Syndicate was still out there. And they wouldn't stop until he was dead.

Lena glanced at him. "You said the system showed you something about them, right?"

Kairo nodded. "It called them the Eclipse Syndicate. I don't know who they are or why they want me dead… but they knew what I was before I even understood it myself."

Lena's brow furrowed. "I've heard rumors about them. Black market deals, assassinations... they operate in the shadows. If they've marked you, they're not going to stop."

Kairo's stomach twisted. He had always been the weakest, the one everyone overlooked. Now he was being hunted by one of the most dangerous organizations in the city.

What had he gotten himself into?

Lena led Kairo through the maze of alleys until they reached an old, abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of the city. The building was half-collapsed, with broken windows and rusted metal doors.

"This place?" Kairo asked, eyeing the crumbling structure.

Lena smirked. "No one ever looks for people in places like this."

She pushed open the door, revealing a small hidden space behind a stack of crates. It wasn't much—just a few blankets and supplies—but it would have to do.

Kairo sat down against the cold wall, his muscles aching from the fight earlier. Lena crouched beside him, pulling out a small first aid kit from her bag.

"You're lucky I came back when I did," she muttered, cleaning the cut on his arm.

Kairo winced but said nothing. He had been reckless—if Lena hadn't shown up, he would have been dead.

"Thanks," he said softly.

Lena's hands paused for a moment before she gave a small nod. "Don't mention it."

For a while, neither of them spoke. The only sound was the distant hum of the city.

Then, the system's cold voice echoed in Kairo's mind again.

[ Host Health Restored: 85% ]

[ Evolution Points: 0 ]

[ Next Evolution Stage Locked – Conditions Unknown ]

Kairo's eyes narrowed. Next Evolution Stage?

What exactly was he turning into?

Hours passed. The night deepened, and the temperature dropped.

Kairo couldn't sleep. His mind kept replaying the fight with the assassin—how easily he had almost died.

He glanced at Lena, who was resting with her back against the wall, her gun still clutched tightly in her hands.

She's only here because of me.

The thought gnawed at him. If the Eclipse Syndicate came after him again, she could end up dead.

Suddenly, a faint metallic clinking sound echoed from outside.

Kairo's eyes snapped open, his senses flaring.

"Lena," he whispered.

She stirred, her eyes instantly alert. "What is it?"

Another clink—closer this time.

Kairo's heart pounded. He didn't know how, but his instincts screamed that someone was out there.

[ Warning: Host Detected by Unknown Threat ]

The system's message flashed before his eyes, confirming what he already knew.

"They found us."

Lena gripped her gun tightly, her green eyes sharp. "How many?"

Kairo focused, trying to sense the threat. His hearing seemed sharper than before, picking up faint footsteps—two, maybe three pairs—circling the building.

"Three... maybe more."

Lena cursed under her breath. "They move fast."

Kairo's pulse quickened. He couldn't run anymore. Not this time.

"Stay here," he said, rising to his feet.

Lena grabbed his wrist. "What? Are you crazy? You barely know what you're capable of!"

Kairo's jaw clenched. "If they're here for me, they'll kill anyone who gets in their way. I'm not letting that happen."

Lena's grip tightened, but after a moment, she let him go.

"Don't die, Voss."

He managed a faint smirk. "I'll try not to."

Kairo slipped through the shadows, his heart hammering in his chest. The system's silent presence lingered in his mind, guiding his every step.

[ Phantom Step Activated ]

His body blurred, moving faster than any human should. He clung to the darkness, circling behind one of the masked figures patrolling outside.

The assassin's back was turned, unaware of Kairo's presence.

His heart pounded.

He had never killed anyone before.

But this was no different than the Voidborn… right?

The system's cold voice echoed again.

[ Kill or be killed. ]

Kairo gritted his teeth.

There was no going back.

He lunged forward—

His fist ignited with Nightborn Strike, slamming into the assassin's spine. The masked figure crumpled without a sound, collapsing into the shadows.

Kairo's breath caught in his throat. He had done it.

But there was no time to process the weight of what he'd just done.

The other assassins were moving.

[ Host Threat Level Increased ]

Kairo clenched his fists, the burning energy rising within him again.

He wasn't the weakling everyone had always believed.

Not anymore.