Arion's vision blurred as the world around him seemed to collapse, folding in on itself like the pages of a book being torn in half. The sensation was disorienting like being submerged in water, only to be thrust into the air moments later, gasping for breath.
A cold wind swept through him, biting into his skin. His hands shot forward, instinctively reaching out to catch his balance. But there was nothing to grab onto. Nothing but an endless, misty horizon of dark clouds and twisted trees. He stumbled forward, his bare feet sinking slightly into the soft, moist earth.
The air was heavy thick with a sense of danger.
Where am I?
His heart pounded against his chest. He wasn't in his room. He wasn't even in his world. The last thing he remembered was staring at the system prompt, the flashing words telling him to prepare for a challenge, but now, all that was left was the weight of his own breath and the eerie silence surrounding him.
This is a trial...
The realization hit him like a thunderclap. This was the "Mutation Awakening Threshold" the system had warned him about. The strange voice echoed in his mind, as if it were speaking directly into his bones.
> Trial Beginning. Challenge: Eliminate All Monsters. Survival Mode Activated.
He swallowed hard. The challenge was clear. Eliminate all monsters. That sounded simple enough... but Arion had a sinking feeling that simple wasn't what awaited him.
The ground trembled.
A growl. Low, rumbling, and filled with malice.
Suddenly, the first wave hit—a pack of F-rank monsters, three in total. Their bodies were a grotesque mix of reptilian and insectoid traits. Their eyes glowed with an unnatural yellow hue, their mandibles snapping in anticipation. Their speed was shocking, and as they charged toward him, Arion's instincts flared.
Focus.
His body moved before his mind could catch up, dropping into a combat stance without thinking. His legs, still weak from his recent recovery, threatened to give way, but his arms shot forward instinctively, grabbing a nearby jagged rock. The first creature lunged, jaws snapping.
Arion sidestepped with a swift motion, his foot grinding into the earth as he twirled. With an explosive grunt, he swung the rock in his hand with all his might, smashing it against the monster's skull. The creature let out a screech, staggering back. It didn't dieof course not but the impact stunned it long enough for Arion to slam his knee into its gut, sending it skidding across the dirt.
The second creature darted in from the side. Arion barely had time to react, twisting his body and throwing himself to the ground to avoid its sharpened claws. His chest scraped against the dirt, but he barely felt it.
I have to keep moving. I have to keep fighting.
He pushed himself to his feet, his hands still gripping the rock. As the second creature turned to strike, Arion hurled it with all his might. The rock collided with its head with a sickening crack, knocking the creature off balance. But it wasn't enough. The thing was still alive, enraged.
He ran forward, leaping at it with the desperation of a predator. His foot connected with its side, sending it crashing into the thick underbrush. As the creature shrieked in pain, Arion took the opportunity to retrieve a broken tree branch from the ground. He held it like a spear, his grip tight and steady, before driving it into the creature's exposed neck.
It spasmed violently before finally falling still.
A moment of silence passed.
But there was no time to rest. The third monster had arrived.
It was larger its body gleaming with an oily sheen as it prowled forward, its eyes narrowing in on Arion. This one was no mere beast; it exuded a certain intelligence, an awareness that the other two had lacked. Its claws were sharper, longer, and it moved with a predatory grace. The air around it crackled with a strange energy.
Arion's breath came in ragged gasps. His limbs were aching. His body felt alien—still too weak, too frail. He could barely stand, and yet, here was this creature, waiting for him to make his move.
Focus. Think. Fight.
His hand twitched as the system's voice echoed in his mind.
> Instinct Triggered: Activate Mutation Energy.
The world seemed to slow. Arion felt something deep inside him, like a dormant flame waking up. He clenched his fist, a strange heat flooding through him. His muscles burned with newfound strength, and his senses sharpened. The creature before him blurred into motion, a whirlwind of menace and sharp edges.
He didn't have time to think. Arion rushed forward, his body propelled by a mix of sheer instinct and a deep-rooted sense of purpose. The creature swung its claws, but Arion dodged, narrowly avoiding the slash. He felt the heat of the attack, the dangerous closeness, but his body responded dodging, weaving, reacting before the strike could land.
He aimed for the creature's neck, jabbing the broken branch into its flesh. The monster howled in fury, lashing out with a second, more vicious strike. Arion barely managed to block it with his forearm, but the force sent him stumbling back. The pain was sharp, but he gritted his teeth and fought through it.
This was it. This was the moment.
He could feel the energy rising within him, his core burning with intensity. The system's prompt echoed louder in his mind, urging him forward.
> Mutation Energy Level: High. Initiating Transformation Sequence.
Arion pushed past the pain. His body surged forward, his foot planting firmly in the ground as he twisted his torso to thrust the branch deeper into the creature's chest. The monster's screech reverberated in his ears, but it wasn't enough to stop him.
With one final, explosive motion, Arion drove the branch through the monster's heart. It crumpled to the ground, its body convulsing before falling still.
Breathing heavily, Arion stood over the beast, his body trembling. His skin burned, the heat of his transformation radiating out in waves. He closed his eyes, focusing on the steady pulse of energy that thrummed within him.
> Mutation Awakening: Transformation Complete. Congratulations, Host.
His body erupted in light.
For a brief moment, everything seemed to disintegrate into light a brilliant, golden radiance that enveloped him entirely. His limbs stretched, his muscles contracting and expanding, and his bones shifted in ways that should have been painful but weren't. Instead, it felt like he was becoming something more than human. His body, still young, was being reshaped, enhanced, made into something that could withstand the challenges ahead.
When the light faded, Arion stood tall. His senses were heightened, sharper, more attuned to the world around him. His eyes glowed faintly, an unnatural power simmering beneath the surface.
His transformation was complete.
The world around him seemed to hum with an energy he had never experienced before.
But it was not over.
The system spoke again, the voice now filled with a strange sense of finality.
> Challenge Complete. Mutation Awakening Threshold Passed. New Pathways Available.
Arion's body thrummed with power, his mind racing with the possibilities of the future.