Cain stood surrounded by fire and death.
The corrupted reincarnators — things that used to be people like him — now circled him warily. Their empty, glitching eyes twitched at the wild flames spiraling from his hands.
It was working.
They were afraid.
Chaos… feels good.
That thought wasn't entirely his.
The burning symbol beneath his feet pulsed like a heartbeat — older than language, older than fear. The ground itself was starting to crack beneath it.
[Warning: Chaos Fragment Activation exceeds Host's current control level.]
[Stamina and Mana Drain Increased!]
Cain's knees buckled slightly. His MP was draining like a leaking bucket.
He gritted his teeth.
"I can't keep this up forever…"
And that's when they charged.
Two from the left. One from behind.
Cain reacted without thinking — the black and violet flames around him flaring like a wild animal unleashed.
He spun, dragging a burning arc through the nearest corrupted reincarnator's chest.
Its body sizzled, the system code inside it crackling violently before shattering like broken glass.
[-1 Enemy Eliminated]
[Chaos Fragment Absorption: 3%]
Cain didn't stop.
He dropped low beneath a claw swipe, ramming his elbow — now covered in searing flame — directly into another monster's ribs.
Crack.
The thing flew backwards, screaming as the fire spread across its body like a living curse.
But the last one?
It was smarter.
Faster.
It didn't attack like the others.
Instead… it spoke.
"—Candi…date must…be…eliminated."
Its voice was clearer.
More human.
And its body was already changing — swelling, mutating — like the corrupted code inside was going berserk.
Cain's eyes widened.
[New Threat Detected: Corrupted Reincarnator – Beta Class]
HP: Unknown
Abilities: Adaptive Mutation, Code Overload, System Rewriting
"Oh hell no."
This wasn't just another grunt.
This was a mini-boss.
The thing exploded forward — its limbs twisting like serpents of glitching flesh and metal.
Cain barely dodged, feeling claws slice through the air an inch from his face.
[Mana Low: 2/50]
No time.
No power.
No options.
Until…
[Ascension System Emergency Protocol Detected]
Option Available: CHAOS DRAW
Cain's heart skipped.
"What's Chaos Draw?"
[Convert Lifespan into Mana. WARNING: Unknown Side Effects.]
Cain blinked.
Then he laughed — raw, wild, tired.
"Lifespan? Buddy, I just died from a vending machine. You think I'm scared of dying twice?"
He activated it.
[Chaos Draw Activated.]
Instantly, Cain felt like his soul was being wrung out like a wet rag.
But power surged back into him — more violent, more unstable than before.
The air exploded around him.
Black lightning laced with crimson energy arced from his hands.
The corrupted reincarnator froze… hesitating for the first time.
Cain pointed a single finger.
"Burn."
[Skill Evolution: Chaos Flame — Surge Mode Activated.]
A torrent of unstable black fire roared forward like a dragon being unleashed from hell itself.
The creature didn't even have time to scream.
It was consumed — body, code, system — erased from existence.
Only ashes remained.
Silence.
Cain dropped to one knee, breathing hard.
[Enemy Eliminated.]
[Chaos Fragment Absorption: 7%]
[Level Up!]
Current Level: 2
+3 Stat Points Awarded
Cain stared at the ashes… then slowly laughed.
"Holy… crap."
He survived.
He actually survived.
But before the relief could even settle in…
[WARNING: Host Location Marked by External Entity.]
Cain's blood turned cold.
Far above — beyond the red sky — a new screen blinked into view.
Gold. Elegant. Dangerous.
[Divine Executor Incoming…]
And below that… a name.
[Seraph Nyx — The Judge of Fallen Gods]