Astralis City – The Walk Home
By the time Kai stepped back into the city, his body was screaming.
His arms felt heavy. His legs ached with every step. His chest tightened as if his lungs were struggling to adjust. His vision, sharper than before, occasionally flickered—as if his senses were failing to stabilize.
The rush of battle had hidden it, but now that his body had calmed, the reality set in.
His body wasn't ready for this power.
At first, he had thought the newfound strength was a gift. The enhanced senses from the Duskrender Wolf, the sheer boost in physical ability from the Abyssal Entity he devoured—it felt like he had surpassed his human limits overnight.
But now… he realized the truth.
He hadn't surpassed his limits.
He had broken them.
His body wasn't adapting fast enough. The power was there, but his physical form was struggling to contain it.
If I don't fix this, I'll tear myself apart.
Kai clenched his jaw, forcing himself to keep walking. His apartment wasn't far. Just a few more blocks.
He needed to rest. Then, he needed to train.
---
Kai's Apartment – The Price of Power
The moment he stepped through the door, Kai collapsed onto the couch, gasping for air.
His body was overheating, the muscles in his arms twitching involuntarily. His heart was beating too fast, as if it were trying to push energy through a system that wasn't built for it.
Then—
[SYSTEM NOTICE: Power Stabilization in Progress…]
A wave of coldness flooded through his veins, dulling the pain. His breathing slowed, his heart rate settled, and his trembling body finally began to ease.
Kai exhaled, gripping his arm. "Damn… This system is insane."
It was keeping him alive—but just barely.
If a single Abyssal Entity and a Natural Monster's essence had put him in this state, what would happen when he devoured something stronger?
Kai shut his eyes, letting exhaustion take him.
For now, he needed rest.
Tomorrow, he would train.
---
The Next Morning – A Necessary Lie
Kai sat on the edge of his bed, staring at his phone.
He had already typed out the message.
Kai: Hey, not feeling well today. Gonna stay home.
His thumb hovered over the send button.
Then, with a sigh, he pressed it.
Message sent.
Within seconds, a reply came back.
Lena: You okay? Need me to bring anything?
Kai felt a pang of guilt. Lena had always been the worrying type, even when he had been powerless. She wouldn't believe for a second that he was actually sick.
But he wasn't going to school today.
Because today, he wasn't a student.
Today, he was a warrior in training.
---
Training Begins – Strength Without Control is Nothing
The Titanwood Expanse was quiet in the morning.
Kai stood in the middle of a secluded clearing, stretching his arms, rolling his shoulders, assessing his new body.
The changes were subtle, but undeniable.
His grip strength had increased.
His reaction speed was sharper.
His endurance… well, it still needed work.
And then, there were the Duskrender Instincts.
Kai closed his eyes, focusing on his senses. Immediately, the world expanded.
He could hear the rustling of leaves in the distance.
He could smell the faintest traces of other creatures nearby.
He could feel the shifts in the wind, predicting movement before it happened.
It was overwhelming at first, but Kai forced himself to adjust.
If I can't control my own power, then I don't deserve to have it.
---
Building the Foundation
Kai started simple.
First, body conditioning.
He went through a series of exercises he had learned from Master Alden—push-ups, squats, running drills. His movements were sharper than before, but his stamina still drained too quickly.
After just an hour, he was gasping for breath.
"Damn it… Even with this strength, my endurance is garbage."
It wasn't just about getting stronger.
He needed to last longer in battle.
---
Training With His Abilities
Once he caught his breath, Kai turned to the next challenge—testing his Sinbound abilities.
He held out his hand, focusing on Gluttony.
Immediately, a strange hunger burned in his chest. It wasn't just normal hunger—it was something deeper, something primal.
It wanted to consume.
Kai narrowed his eyes. He needed to understand this ability, not just let it control him.
Question one: Could he absorb things other than living creatures?
He placed his hand on a fallen tree branch and focused.
…Nothing.
Question two: Could he activate it at will?
He gritted his teeth, forcing the hunger down, trying to suppress it.
It resisted.
For a brief moment, he felt something fight against him.
Then, the system's voice rang in his head.
[WARNING: Forced Suppression of Gluttony Will Lead to Instability.]
Kai immediately stopped.
So, it's not something I can just turn on and off easily.
Gluttony was alive.
It wasn't just an ability. It had instincts of its own.
That was dangerous.
He needed to learn how to work with it, rather than against it.
---
Breaking Through His Limits
For the next several hours, Kai trained relentlessly.
He sprinted until his legs burned.
He forced his muscles to their breaking point.
He pushed his stamina until he collapsed.
Each time his body screamed, he pushed harder.
Because if he couldn't even handle his own strength, then how could he hope to unlock the rest of the Sins?
And by the time the sun began to set, Kai stood at the edge of the forest, covered in sweat, dirt, and exhaustion.
But despite everything—he felt good.
His body was still adjusting, but he was improving.
His mind was clearer, his reactions sharper. He was getting stronger—not just by absorbing power, but by building a foundation that would let him control it.
---
A Step Forward, A Long Road Ahead
As Kai walked back toward the city, his phone vibrated.
He checked the message.
Lena: Hey, where are you? Master Alden was looking for you earlier. He seemed… serious.
Kai's expression hardened.
Master Alden? Why now?
Something wasn't right.
And he had a feeling that whatever it was, it had something to do with his awakening.
Kai exhaled, his grip tightening on his phone.
His journey had only just begun.
And now—the real challenges were about to start.
---
To Be Continued…