Jack carefully advanced through the dense forest, where the darkness thickened with every step. The forest seemed to have a life of its own, and with each step, he felt the tension around him mounting. Nature here pulsed with a strange, eerie energy, growing stronger as he approached the center. His muscles tensed as he noticed movement in the shadows.
— There's a rank E creature up ahead. Be prepared, it's going to be a serious opponent, — the parasite's voice echoed in his mind.
A twig snapped, shattering the silence, and in the next instant, a creature burst from behind the trees, resembling a giant lizard with an armored, spiked back. Its jaws were so massive they could snap a tree trunk in half, and its razor-sharp claws scraped the ground, tearing up roots. The creature charged straight at Jack with relentless power, its huge yellow eyes gleaming with aggression.
Jack drew his knives and tensed instantly. He knew this battle would be far from easy. The monster lunged at him, jaws open, almost knocking him off his feet on the first attempt. Jack managed to dodge in time, rolling to the side, but the creature immediately turned and attacked again, toppling a nearby tree with a single sweep of its tail.
— Too slow. Dodge faster! — commanded the parasite.
The battle was intense. Each time Jack tried to get close enough to strike, the monster swatted him away with its massive claws or tail. At one point, Jack spotted a weak point — a section under its belly where the scales were thinner. He lunged forward, plunging one of his knives into the soft flesh.
The monster roared in pain, its tail slamming the ground near Jack like a hammer. But just as he prepared to strike again, Jack felt his knife crack. The blade broke, and part of it remained lodged inside the creature.
— Damn it! — Jack gritted his teeth, realizing he'd have to fight with only one knife now.
The beast lunged again, aiming at Jack's head, but he dodged just in time, rolling under the creature's belly and plunging his remaining knife directly into the soft flesh between the spikes on its back. The monster shuddered, its screams tearing through the air. With great effort, Jack delivered another blow, and within seconds, the creature collapsed onto the ground, letting out a final deathly roar.
Jack fell beside it, breathing heavily, clutching the remaining knife. He gathered his strength, pulled the crystal from the monster's body, and began bandaging his arm, wounded by one of the lizard's attacks. He was about to rest briefly when suddenly a shadow started to move. He felt a chill emanating from the forest.
Jack barely had time to realize something was approaching again. From the shadows slipped a new opponent — a strange creature that blended almost completely with its surroundings. The monster looked ghostly, its body seeming to dissolve into the air, taking on the shape of the forest. It was fast, stealthy, and deadly. Its sharp claws gleamed for an instant as it lunged at Jack.
The creature suddenly emerged from the darkness, materializing out of nowhere, and slashed at Jack's side with its claws. Jack barely managed to defend himself, but his movements were slowed by exhaustion from the previous battle. Pain shot through his body, and he lost his balance for a moment.
— It's using the forest to its advantage. Watch carefully — it'll blend in and attack unexpectedly. Stay alert!
Jack got back on his feet, but the wound from the claws burned, and blood dripped onto the ground. He could see the monster vanishing, blending into the shadows of the trees, then suddenly reappearing in another spot. The creature moved quickly, and Jack could barely keep track of it.
— You're at your limit. You'll have to use cunning to defeat it.
The monster attacked again, but this time Jack was ready. He managed to roll to the side, and the creature's claws missed, leaving deep marks on the ground. Jack knew if this fight went on much longer, he'd run out of strength. He tried to anticipate where the next attack would come from and noticed that after each disappearance, the monster reappeared from the denser part of the forest.
Focusing, Jack decided to lure the monster into attacking. He deliberately slowed his movements, pretending to be weaker than he was. The monster lunged again, emerging from the shadows, and Jack sprang forward, stabbing his remaining knife straight into the creature's chest. The blade pierced its flesh, and the monster howled, caught off guard by the sudden counterattack.
— Now — finish it! — commanded the parasite.
Gathering all his remaining strength, Jack delivered several quick strikes to vulnerable spots, and the monster, shuddering, collapsed onto the ground.
Jack dropped to his knees, breathing heavily. He was exhausted, injured, and could barely move. By some miracle, he had survived this battle, but his body could no longer bear the strain. He urgently needed to find shelter.
— You're nearly spent. Find a place to recover before you face another threat, — the parasite's voice was calmer now.
Struggling to his feet, Jack headed toward the old tower where he had once found the parasite. There, he could bandage his wounds and catch his breath before diving back into battle.
Exhausted and wounded, Jack barely made it to the tower where he'd first found the parasite. His body ached with pain, blood trickled from several deep cuts, and his clothes were torn after the two fierce battles. The tower stood motionless, like an old watchtower fortress, its stone walls offering a sense of safety. Jack hoped that here he could bandage his wounds and recover a little.
Entering, he sank onto the stone steps, feeling the weight of fatigue overwhelming him. He managed to find a piece of cloth and bandages in his backpack, part of a basic kit. Jack began carefully bandaging his wounds, trying to stop the bleeding.
— You're doing well, but battles like these will happen over and over unless you find a way to grow stronger faster, — the parasite's voice echoed in his head, as cold and emotionless as ever.
— I… know, — Jack replied with difficulty, his breathing still unsteady. — But I need to go home. How can I do that? How can I get back to Earth?
The parasite was silent for a few moments, as if pondering the answer, then its voice returned, now with a slight hint of mockery.
— Why go back? Do you really want to return to that artificial world that will soon cease to exist?
Jack frowned, not understanding what the parasite was talking about.
— What do you mean? What does "artificial world" mean?
— Your world is just one of Aurora's modulations, — the parasite said with cold certainty. — When a race reaches a certain level of development, the world they live in becomes unnecessary. Aurora absorbs that world, and the modulation ceases to exist.
Jack felt a surge of panic building inside him. Earth, his home, everything he knew — would it all disappear?
— Are you saying that Earth will stop existing? That this is all... a lie?
The parasite continued with the same confidence:
— It's real, but it's not eternal reality. It's just one of many worlds created to develop intelligent races to a certain level, after which they transition into the real world of Aurora. Your race is already on the edge of that transition.
Jack froze for a moment, processing what he had just heard. His thoughts were in chaos. If Earth was only a modulation, what would happen to his family? What would happen to the billions of people when this transition occurred?
Jack leaned against the cold wall of the tower, his mind still struggling to grasp it all. The future of Earth looked like a catastrophe. He understood that he needed more information.
— What will happen to people? — he asked, trying to keep from panicking. — My family, my friends. They don't know anything about this.
— All people will be transferred to Aurora, but not immediately, — the parasite began to explain. — Each race is given what is called an adaptation period. This is the time allowed for a race to prepare for life on Aurora. Typically, this period lasts from five to seven years from the appearance of the portals. After that time, those who fail to survive or adapt will vanish. The rest will start a new life here.
Jack's heart began to beat faster. His family, his friends — would they end up in this brutal world, among monsters he could barely handle himself? How would they survive?
— But they won't be able to prepare! I've seen what's going on here! They'll all die! My family... — Jack tried to control his voice, but fear crept through it.
The parasite was calm:
— Those who fail to become stronger will die; that is Aurora's law. Your family is no exception. But you have the chance to change that if you act quickly.
— How? How can I save them? — Jack asked, his eyes shining with the realization of the situation's gravity.
The parasite responded with clear confidence:
— You can protect them if you reach a high enough level of power. If you become a lord, you can teleport them to a safe place. But to do that...
The parasite's words sounded like a challenge. To reach rank S? Jack knew that reaching even rank E had been a huge ordeal, but rank S seemed impossible. Yet he was willing to make any sacrifice for his family.
— How can I reach rank S? — Jack looked down at his bloodied hands, feeling how limited his strength still was.
— It's not as simple as you think, — the parasite was direct. — To reach rank S, you must undergo the first evolution. Normal energy absorption won't give you such power. You'll need to go through a process of transformation.
— What is this evolution?
— The first evolution is the key to your ascension. It's a process that will change your physical and mental structure. You'll become something more than human. But surviving this is incredibly difficult. Of the hundreds of my hosts like you, only eight reached rank S and went through the first evolution. The others died or failed the trial.
Jack froze. The realization of how dangerous this path was seized him. But despite this, a feeling of determination flared within him.
— If it's the only way to save my family, I'm ready. I'll go through it, no matter what it takes, — Jack clenched his fists, his heart filled with resolve.
— Then prepare, mortal. This will be a difficult path, and you won't be able to reach rank S within two years without accepting more of my power, — the parasite's voice became soft and lulling, like the first day they met, when it first offered Jack its strength. — If you accept more of my power, I can speed up your rise to rank S. And then your family will be safe.
Jack felt doubt stir within him again. He knew the parasite always acted in its own interests.