Ethan didn't sleep that night. The campfire had burned down to embers, and the forest around him seemed to hum with unseen life. Every crack of a branch, every whisper of the wind set his nerves on edge.
He clutched the pouch of food Darius had left him, his stomach growling. When he finally opened it, he found a few strips of dried meat and a handful of hard biscuits. It wasn't much, but it would have to do.
As he ate, his mind churned with questions. What was this power coursing through him? Why had it chosen him? And most importantly, how could he survive long enough to figure it out?
The glowing symbols on his hand pulsed faintly in the dim light. The warmth was soothing, but it also reminded him of the raw power that had erupted from him earlier. He stared at the markings, willing them to give him answers.
Instead, a faint whisper echoed in his mind.
"Absorption complete. Ash Serpent essence acquired. Accessing abilities… incomplete."
Ethan sat up straight, his heart pounding. The voice was soft, almost mechanical, but unmistakably real.
"What… what do you mean incomplete?" he muttered aloud.
There was no response, but a faint warmth spread from his hand, flowing up his arm and into his chest. He closed his eyes, focusing on the sensation, and a strange vision filled his mind.
He saw the serpent's life—a fleeting montage of its instincts, its movements, and its singular purpose: to hunt. He felt its strength, its agility, and something deeper—a connection to the ash and flame that had made it a creature of destruction.
When the vision ended, Ethan gasped, his body trembling. The warmth faded, leaving behind a strange sense of clarity.
"So I can absorb their abilities?" he whispered. "But… how do I use them?"
Before he could dwell on it, a guttural growl echoed through the trees, low and menacing. Ethan froze, his heart hammering in his chest.
The sound grew closer, accompanied by the rustling of leaves and the snapping of branches. He scanned the dark forest, his breath shallow, until a pair of glowing yellow eyes appeared in the distance.
The creature stepped into view—a wolf-like beast, larger than any wolf Ethan had ever seen. Its fur was black as night, and its eyes glowed with a predatory hunger. Sharp, jagged spikes jutted out along its spine, and its growl sent a chill down Ethan's spine.
The beast crouched, ready to pounce. Ethan scrambled to his feet, his mind screaming at him to run, but his legs refused to move.
You won't survive if you don't fight.
The words echoed in his mind—not Darius's voice, but his own. He clenched his fists, forcing himself to take a deep breath.
"Alright," he muttered. "If this is how it's going to be, let's see what I can do."
The wolf lunged, a blur of black fur and claws. Ethan threw himself to the side, barely avoiding the attack, and rolled to his feet. The beast skidded to a halt, snarling as it turned to face him again.
Ethan raised his glowing hand, focusing on the mark. "Ember Veil!"
The symbols flared to life, and a surge of heat enveloped him. Ash swirled around his body, forming a faint, fiery cloak that flickered and burned. The air around him shimmered with heat, and he felt a strange, newfound confidence.
The wolf hesitated, growling as it circled him, wary of the flames. Ethan clenched his fists, the warmth of the cloak energizing him.
"Come on, then!" he shouted.
The beast lunged again, its claws slashing through the air. This time, Ethan moved with surprising speed, dodging to the side. As the wolf's claws grazed the ash cloak, flames erupted, forcing it to recoil with a yelp.
Ethan didn't stop to think. He lunged forward, his fist colliding with the wolf's side. The impact wasn't strong, but the flames from the cloak ignited on contact, searing its fur.
The beast howled in pain, thrashing wildly, before turning and fleeing into the forest, its yelps fading into the distance.
Ethan collapsed to his knees, the cloak of ash fading as exhaustion hit him like a truck. His breaths came in ragged gasps, and his body ached from the effort.
He was alive.
Before he could process what had just happened, a faint glow began to emanate from the trail where the wolf had disappeared. Startled, Ethan forced himself to his feet, wobbling as he stumbled toward the source.
Half-buried in the dirt where the wolf had stood moments before was a crystal, small and pulsating with an otherworldly light. Ethan hesitated, his hand trembling as he reached out and touched it.
The instant his fingers made contact, warmth flowed into his chest, and the crystal dissolved into shimmering light. A familiar chime echoed in his mind:
"Absorption complete. Shadow Wolf essence acquired. Welcome to the Overgrowth System."
Ethan froze. "Overgrowth System?" he murmured, the words foreign and strange.
The voice continued, calm and mechanical:
"The Overgrowth System enables growth through the absorption of essence. Strength and survival are determined by your ability to adapt."
Ethan's mind raced as the implications hit him. He could grow stronger—if he survived long enough to absorb more essence.
"Survival and strength," he repeated softly. "Guess it's sink or swim, huh?"
For the first time since waking up in this strange world, a flicker of determination sparked in his chest.