Noah's knuckles were still sore from his earlier encounter, but he barely had time to process what had happened in the alley. The mysterious girl, the Aberration, and the Grindstone's cryptic messages were a blur in his mind as he returned to his apartment.
The glowing stone hovered over his palm, pulsating faintly as if alive.
"New quest available: Initiate training with Aberration Core. Reward: Basic Energy Manipulation."
Noah stared at the notification. "Training? Energy manipulation? What does that even mean?"
The Grindstone didn't answer. Instead, another notification appeared:
"Instructions: Consume Aberration Core to unlock latent potential. Proceed with caution."
Noah hesitated, holding the black, faintly pulsating sphere that had appeared after he'd defeated the creature. It felt wrong—like swallowing this thing might turn him into one of those monsters.
"What happens if I don't?" he asked aloud.
The Grindstone remained silent.
"Of course," Noah muttered. "Alright. Here goes nothing."
He closed his eyes and braced himself, lifting the core toward his mouth. As soon as it touched his lips, the sphere dissolved into a cold, bitter mist that rushed down his throat. Noah doubled over, choking as an intense heat spread through his chest.
Then came the surge.
It was as if his entire body had been plugged into an electrical socket. His vision blurred, his muscles tensed, and his heart raced. Images flashed through his mind—visions of strange symbols, glowing figures, and endless, twisting darkness.
When it was over, Noah collapsed onto his knees, gasping for air.
"Aberration Core consumed. Latent potential unlocked. New skill acquired: Energy Perception."
Noah groaned and pushed himself to his feet. "Energy Perception? What does that do?"
The Grindstone's voice returned, calm as ever. "Skill allows Host to sense ambient energy fields and identify sources of power. Useful for tracking threats, allies, or resources."
Noah blinked, focusing on the room around him. At first, nothing seemed different. But then, faint threads of light began to appear—wispy tendrils of blue, green, and gold energy weaving through the air.
"Whoa," he muttered, reaching out to touch one. His hand passed through it harmlessly, but he could feel its faint warmth.
"Host is advised to utilize Energy Perception during training exercises to enhance proficiency."
"Training exercises?" Noah sighed. "I just fought a monster in an alley. Can't I take a break?"
"Training is essential for survival. Host will face greater challenges as progress continues."
"Yeah, yeah, I get it," Noah grumbled, rolling his eyes. "What's next?"
The Grindstone displayed a new notification:
"Next quest: Complete one hour of endurance training. Reward: Minor Stamina Upgrade."
Noah groaned. "You're relentless, you know that?"
Still, he couldn't deny the results so far. His body felt stronger, more alive than it had in years. And if this thing really could help him climb out of the pit his life had become, he wasn't about to give up now.
Noah stepped outside, the early morning air crisp against his skin. The streets were quieter than usual, with most of the city still waking up. He tightened the laces on his worn-out sneakers and started jogging.
At first, it was miserable. His legs ached, his lungs burned, and the cold air stung his face. But as he pushed himself forward, the Grindstone's glow seemed to pulse in time with his heartbeat, urging him on.
[Quest Progress: 0:00/1:00:00]
Noah gritted his teeth. "One hour. Just one hour."
By the time he hit the 30-minute mark, his body was screaming for rest. But the Grindstone had other ideas.
"Host is advised to maintain consistent pace. Stamina reserves are being optimized."
"Easy for you to say," Noah panted, wiping sweat from his brow.
His Energy Perception skill activated without him realizing it, revealing faint trails of light crisscrossing the streets. Some led to mundane sources—a flickering streetlamp, the electrical hum of a nearby transformer—but others seemed to emanate from people.
One trail, a dark crimson thread, caught his attention. It led into a nearby alley, much like the one from the night before. Noah hesitated, his instincts screaming at him to ignore it.
But curiosity got the better of him.
The alley was empty, except for a single figure slumped against the wall. It was a man, his clothes tattered and his face gaunt. The crimson energy swirled around him, pulsating erratically.
Noah approached cautiously. "Hey, are you okay?"
The man's head snapped up, his eyes glowing faintly red. A low growl escaped his throat, and Noah's blood ran cold.
"Hostile entity detected. Classification: Lesser Aberration. Combat required."
"Of course," Noah muttered, raising his fists.
The creature lunged, faster than the one from the night before. Noah barely managed to dodge, his heart pounding. He grabbed a discarded metal pipe from the ground and swung it with all his might.
The blow connected, but the Aberration barely flinched. It snarled and lashed out with clawed hands, forcing Noah to retreat.
"Utilize Energy Perception to identify weaknesses."
Noah focused, the threads of energy around the creature becoming clearer. A faint, pulsating spot on its chest glowed brighter than the rest.
"There!" Noah shouted, dodging another swipe and driving the pipe into the glowing spot.
The Aberration let out a guttural scream, its body dissolving into ash. Noah collapsed to the ground, gasping for air as the Grindstone displayed a new notification.
"Hostile eliminated. Reward acquired: Lesser Aberration Core (x1). Combat proficiency increased."
Noah stared at the ash pile, his hands trembling. "This is my life now, huh?"
The Grindstone glowed faintly, as if in agreement.
[Quest Progress: 1:00:00/1:00:00]
"Quest complete. Reward granted: Minor Stamina Upgrade."
As the familiar surge of energy coursed through him, Noah couldn't help but smirk. He was exhausted, battered, and still a little terrified.
But for the first time in years, he felt alive.
End of Chapter 5.