The world didn't feel the same anymore.
Eli stood in the middle of the ruined street, staring at his hands.
They were trembling.
Not from fear.
Not from exhaustion.
But from something far worse.
Power.
It surged through him like a living thing—unstable, restless, almost… angry.
"…This is new," he whispered.
The energy he had stolen from the boss creature hadn't faded like before.
It lingered.
Thicker.
Heavier.
Like it had settled deep inside him instead of just brushing past.
[STATUS UPDATE]
Level: 5
Shadow Fracture: 3% → 5%
Residual Absorption: Enhanced
"…Enhanced?" Eli muttered.
"That doesn't sound dangerous at all."
He flexed his fingers.
Dark energy flickered between them.
But it wasn't smooth.
It stuttered.
Like it couldn't fully obey him.
"…Yeah," he said quietly. "Definitely not stable."
Behind him, footsteps echoed.
Eli didn't turn.
"…Still here?" he asked.
Veyr's voice answered calmly.
"I am."
Eli let out a slow breath.
"…Thought you'd disappear after watching."
"I considered it," Veyr replied. "But I'm curious."
Eli finally turned.
"…About what?"
Veyr's gaze locked onto him.
"…How long you can survive like this."
Eli frowned slightly.
"…What does that mean?"
Veyr stepped closer.
Not attacking.
Not threatening.
Just… observing.
"The power you took," Veyr said, "was not meant for you."
Eli scoffed.
"Yeah, I figured that much."
"But you don't understand," Veyr continued.
Eli's smirk faded slightly.
"That creature," Veyr said, "was not like the others."
"…Obviously."
"It had a core," Veyr added.
Eli paused.
"…A what?"
"A concentrated source of power," Veyr explained. "Dense. unstable. alive."
Eli's stomach tightened slightly.
"…And I took it."
"Yes."
"…That's good, right?"
Veyr's expression didn't change.
"No."
Silence fell.
Eli's grip tightened.
"…Why not?"
Veyr's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Because now," he said, "it will try to consume you."
Eli laughed.
A short, dry sound.
"…Yeah, okay. Sure."
But even as he said it—
He felt it.
A pulse.
Deep inside his chest.
Faint.
But real.
"…That's new," he whispered.
[WARNING: FOREIGN ENERGY DETECTED]
"…Okay," Eli muttered. "Not funny anymore."
The energy inside him shifted again.
Stronger this time.
His vision flickered slightly.
"—!"
He staggered.
Veyr watched silently.
"…You feel it," he said.
Eli clenched his teeth.
"…Shut up."
Another pulse.
Stronger.
Pain shot through his chest.
"GAH—!"
He dropped to one knee.
"…What the hell is this—?!"
Veyr didn't move.
"You stole something beyond your capacity," he said.
Eli's breathing grew heavier.
"…I didn't exactly have a choice!"
"You always have a choice," Veyr replied calmly.
"Yeah?" Eli snapped. "Then next time YOU fight the giant monster!"
Veyr didn't respond.
The pain surged again.
Worse.
Like something was clawing from inside him.
Eli gripped his chest.
"…No… no, no, no…"
[CORE INSTABILITY INCREASING]
[CONTROL REQUIRED]
"…Control?" Eli gasped. "HOW?!"
His body trembled violently.
The energy inside him expanded—
Spreading.
Burning.
Consuming.
"AHHH—!"
Then—
Silence.
Eli's breathing slowed.
Too suddenly.
Too unnaturally.
His head lowered.
His eyes—
Glowed faintly red.
"…So this is what happens," Veyr murmured.
Eli stood slowly.
But something was wrong.
The way he moved.
Too smooth.
Too calm.
"…Interesting," he said.
But the voice—
Wasn't quite his.
Veyr's gaze sharpened.
"…You lost control."
Eli tilted his head.
"…Control?" he repeated.
Then—
He smiled.
A cold, unfamiliar smile.
"…No."
Dark energy exploded outward.
"…I've never felt better."
He moved instantly.
Faster than before.
Faster than even Veyr expected.
"—!"
Eli's fist slammed into Veyr.
BOOM.
The impact cracked the ground.
Veyr slid back slightly.
"…Impressive," he said.
Eli laughed.
A low, unstable sound.
"…This is power?"
He looked at his hands.
"…Why was I holding back before?"
Veyr stepped forward.
"…Because it's not yours."
Eli's smile widened.
"…Everything is mine now."
He attacked again.
Faster.
Stronger.
More aggressive.
Each strike carried unstable energy.
Wild.
Uncontrolled.
But powerful.
Veyr blocked easily—
But not effortlessly.
"…You're damaging yourself," Veyr said.
Eli didn't stop.
"…Don't care."
Another attack.
Another shockwave.
"…As long as I win."
The energy inside him surged again.
More violent.
Less controlled.
His movements became sharper—
But more erratic.
[WARNING: HOST INSTABILITY CRITICAL]
"…Shut up!" Eli shouted.
He slammed his hand forward—
"Shadow Fracture!"
The ripple exploded outward—
Stronger than ever before.
Veyr actually staggered.
"…Now that's new," Eli grinned.
He rushed forward—
Grabbed Veyr—
[POWER LINK ESTABLISHED]
[STEALING: 6%]
"YES—!"
The energy flooded in—
Too much—
Way too much—
Veyr's eyes darkened.
"…Enough."
BOOM.
A massive surge of power erupted.
Eli was thrown back violently.
The connection snapped.
He crashed into the ground—
Hard.
Silence.
The red glow in his eyes flickered.
Faded.
His breathing became uneven again.
"…What… happened…" he whispered weakly.
Veyr approached slowly.
"…You lost control," he said.
Eli didn't respond.
He couldn't.
His body wouldn't move.
"…Your power is growing," Veyr continued. "But your control is not."
Eli forced himself to look up.
"…So what… I just stop?"
Veyr paused.
"…No."
Eli blinked.
"…What?"
"If you stop," Veyr said, "you die."
Eli let out a weak laugh.
"…Great… love that option…"
Veyr looked down at him.
"…You have two choices."
Eli didn't like where this was going.
"…Let me guess… both bad?"
"Yes."
"…Of course."
"Either," Veyr said, "you learn to control the power…"
He paused.
"…Or it consumes you."
Silence.
Eli stared at the sky.
"…Yeah," he muttered. "That sounds about right."
He slowly pushed himself up.
His body screamed in protest.
But he stood anyway.
"…So," he said, "I just… figure it out?"
Veyr turned slightly.
"…Or die."
"…Right."
Eli exhaled slowly.
"…Guess I don't have a choice."
His grip tightened.
"…I'll control it."
Veyr glanced at him one last time.
"…We'll see."
Then—
He vanished.
Eli stood alone again.
The city silent around him.
But inside—
The energy still moved.
Still pulsed.
Still threatened to break him.
He clenched his fist.
"…I won't lose to this," he whispered.
[NEW OBJECTIVE]
[MASTER STOLEN POWER]
Eli smirked faintly.
"…Yeah," he said.
"Let's do that."
But deep inside—
The core pulsed again.
Stronger than before.
Waiting.