The forest around Caden was dense and twisted, each tree gnarled and darkened as if it, too, had suffered from the Shattering. Shadows stretched between trunks, and the ground was littered with brittle leaves and dried brambles that cracked under his feet. He held the crystal shard in his hand, feeling the faint thrum of power pulsing from it, guiding him forward.
The Echo System's message had left him with little explanation but one goal: retrieve the first fragment. Where this fragment was, or even what it would look like, remained a mystery. All he knew was that every step he took deeper into the forest was leading him closer to it.
[Proximity to the First Fragment: 87%.]
The notification floated before him, faintly glowing. The percentage had been counting down as he walked, and a strange feeling of anticipation tingled in his fingertips. He'd never seen anything like this system before—it wasn't like the stories he'd heard of simple charms or magical items. This was something else entirely. Something ancient, mechanical, and alive.
A chill ran down his spine.
Every so often, the forest would grow silent, and Caden could feel eyes on him. He scanned his surroundings, hand resting on the hilt of the old dagger he carried. The weapon was little more than a rusty relic he'd found among the ruins, but it was something. Right now, anything was better than nothing.
As he stepped forward, the air grew colder, and the trees seemed to lean in closer, as if listening. Then, out of nowhere, a soft, eerie whisper floated through the trees.
[Warning: Hostile entity detected nearby.]
Caden's heart skipped a beat. His gaze shot toward the underbrush to his right, where something moved—a dark, hulking shape. He could barely make it out through the mist, but its glowing red eyes were unmistakable. His pulse quickened as the creature emerged from the shadows, its form somewhere between wolf and shadow, with fur that seemed to absorb the light around it.
[Hostile Entity: Shadow Beast, Class: Lesser.]
The system's words floated in front of him, but they offered little reassurance. This creature was real, and it was close enough that he could feel its hot breath on the cold air.
[Combat Initiated.]
Caden took a step back, his hand shaking slightly as he gripped his dagger. He'd never fought anything before—at least, not anything like this. The Shadow Beast growled, low and menacing, before lunging at him with surprising speed.
He barely dodged in time, the creature's claws slashing through the air where his head had been. His heart thundered in his chest as he stumbled backward, the dagger raised defensively.
[Tip: Aim for the eyes to disorient the Shadow Beast.]
Caden's grip tightened on the dagger as he took a shaky breath. He waited for the creature's next move, his gaze focused on its gleaming eyes. When it lunged again, he threw himself forward, striking upward with the dagger.
The blade hit its mark, slicing across one of the creature's eyes. It howled, rearing back in agony, its form flickering like a shadow caught in the wind. Caden seized the moment, backing away to gain some distance.
[Critical hit achieved.]
The Shadow Beast staggered, its form flickering as it tried to steady itself. Caden's breathing was ragged, but he could see the beast was weakened, though not defeated. With a trembling hand, he tightened his grip on the dagger and prepared to strike again.
The beast snarled, then lunged forward, faster than before. Caden threw himself to the side, barely escaping the swipe of its claws. He was running out of time; he could feel his energy waning. But he knew he had to end this now.
Summoning all the strength he had, Caden charged toward the creature, aiming straight for its other eye. He plunged the dagger forward, feeling the blade sink into its target. The beast let out a final, agonized roar before dissolving into wisps of shadow, leaving nothing behind but the faint echo of its growl.
The silence that followed was almost as jarring as the fight itself. Caden stood there, panting, the dagger still gripped tightly in his hand. He was alive, but only just.
[Combat completed. User status: Stable.]
[Congratulations: First Hostile Entity Defeated. Experience gained: +50]
A strange warmth flooded through him as the message appeared, like a rush of adrenaline that left him both exhausted and exhilarated. This system was more than he'd ever imagined. It didn't just offer power; it offered survival. And if he was going to survive in this broken world, he'd need every advantage he could get.
As he took a deep breath, he noticed another message appearing.
[Proximity to the First Fragment: 98%.]
Caden's gaze shifted through the trees. There, in a small clearing just beyond the underbrush, he saw a faint, golden glow. The pull he felt intensified, urging him forward. He stumbled into the clearing, his heart pounding with anticipation.
In the center of the clearing lay a fragment of the Echo System. It was unlike anything he'd seen—a shard of crystal, much larger than the one he held, with a strange, otherworldly glow. As he reached out to touch it, the crystal in his hand pulsed, resonating with the fragment before him.
The moment his fingers brushed against it, a surge of energy shot through him, and new words formed in front of him.
[Fragment acquired. Ability Unlocked: Temporal Blink.]
[Ability Description: Allows user to momentarily displace themselves in time, evading danger or repositioning.]
Caden blinked, trying to process the information. Temporal Blink? It sounded... impossible. But then again, everything about this system had seemed impossible until now.
He stood in the clearing, feeling the weight of the fragment in his hand. The power thrummed through him, and he could feel the system weaving itself around him, integrating this new ability.
The forest seemed somehow different as he looked around. The shadows didn't seem quite as dark, and the silence was no longer oppressive. Instead, he felt a sense of purpose, a drive that he hadn't known he possessed.
[Objective Updated: Seek the next fragment and continue to rebuild the system.]
He clenched his fist around the fragment, feeling its energy pulsing in sync with his heartbeat. The journey was just beginning, and the world of Aetheris held secrets and dangers he couldn't yet imagine. But as he looked at the words floating before him, he knew one thing for certain: he would uncover the truth of the Shattering, piece by broken piece.
And with this new power, he was no longer afraid of what lay ahead.