Cain laid flat on the scorched ground, staring at the red sky swirling above him like a bad acid trip.
His heart was still hammering from the fight with that nightmare creature. His arm was shaking. His palms still tingled from the black fire that exploded out of him like some angry dragon fart.
"Did I… really do that?"
Before he could even process what happened, that familiar, emotionless voice echoed in his head again.
[New Skill Acquired: Chaos Flame - Level 1]
[Due to Host's survival, Basic Status Window has been unlocked.]
A screen blinked into existence right in front of his eyes—transparent, glowing faintly like holographic glass.
[Cain Velaros]
• Level: 1 (Ascendant Candidate)
• Class: ??? (Hidden)
• Race: Human (Barely)
• HP: 100/100
• MP: 50/50
• Strength: 6
• Agility: 7
• Vitality: 8
• Intelligence: 9
• Luck: …Error
• Titles: The Accidentally Competent One
• Active Skill: Chaos Flame (Lv.1)
Cain's eye twitched.
"Wait. Barely human? What the hell is that supposed to mean?"
[Accurate assessment.]
He groaned. The stats weren't exactly screaming 'future god of destruction.' If anything, they looked like they belonged to a mildly fit librarian.
And then there was that Luck stat…
[Luck: Error Detected.]
[Due to highly unusual death conditions, luck has been classified as 'Chaotic Variable.']
"Is that a nice way of saying my life is permanently cursed?"
[Correct.]
Cain buried his face in his hands.
"God… I want to go back to dying."
Quest Notification
[Ascension Trial Active – Survive 24 Hours in the Wastes of Yxil]
Time Remaining: 23 Hours, 43 Minutes.
Cain forced himself up, wobbling like a newborn deer.
The bones crunching beneath his feet made him wince. He glanced around.
Wasteland. Rocks. Bones. Monster juice still sizzling on the ground.
In the distance, dark figures lurked beyond the fog.
[Warning: Host's weak scent has attracted nearby predators.]
Cain turned slowly.
Emerging from the ash were three new creatures.
Humanoid. Twisted faces. Glowing blue eyes.
But they weren't monsters.
They were people.
Except… not entirely.
[Race: Reincarnator Spawn]
[Condition: Mind Corrupted / System Slave]
Cain's stomach dropped.
"Oh… you have got to be kidding me."
Apparently, he wasn't the first fool to get isekai'd here.
And judging by their empty eyes and twitching limbs, they weren't here to share survival tips.
The lead one hissed, voice broken and glitchy.
"Ssssyste…mm…assimi…late…candi…date…"
Cain glanced at his rib-bone weapon, then back at three System-corrupted murder zombies.
He sighed deeply.
"You know what? Fine."
He raised his hand, willing the Chaos Flame to return.
Black fire sputtered into existence, burning hungrily at his fingertips.
"If I'm already stuck in hell, might as well burn something."