Ethan's eyes flickered over the shifting forms as the atoms gathered. They weren't just enemies—they were echoes. Each bore distinct marks—etched like scars, twisted symbols of how they died. Bullet wounds. Burned skin. Shattered limbs.
And behind them, the town pulsed. A small fantasy village, warped by memory.
Cobblestone streets cracked underfoot. Lanterns swung from crooked poles, glowing with the last breath of fallen atoms. Buildings leaned like they were listening, their windows fogged with sorrow. A fountain in the center dripped black water, surrounded by statues frozen in agony—each one a monument to a final moment.
The sky above flickered violet, static stars blinking in and out like broken thoughts.
Ethan swallowed hard. The town felt alive. But not living.
"What are those marks on you?" he asked, voice steady despite the pressure closing in.
The atoms pulsed, growing denser. Their energy crackled like static in a storm. One stepped forward—calm, but laced with cruel amusement, his head cradled in his hands.
"The real question is: what is that mark on you? No one's ever carried something like that. You don't belong. You're a freak—an outcast. And we intend to correct that mistake."
Ethan's heart thudded. A cold realization settled in his gut. They weren't just observing him anymore. They were preparing to strike.
"What… why?" he stammered, panic rising.
A shiver surged through him as one atom lunged, its form twisting violently in the air. He froze—mind clouded with despair. His body refused to move.
"No… this can't be it. I have to fight back!"
He squeezed his eyes shut, bracing for impact.
"Atom Corruption activated," a soulless voice echoed in his mind.
But the attack never landed.
A strange sensation pulsed through him—foreign yet familiar. His vision sharpened. His body felt different. Stronger. Colder. A notification blinked in the corner of his vision:
EXP Gained.
"How…? I thought you had to kill someone to gain EXP," Ethan muttered, disoriented.
The atoms stirred. One trembled, its shape fluctuating with rage.
"You killed my brother, you monster!"
Energy crackled. A long-range attack charged. The air thickened with tension.
CRACKLE—an electric beam shot toward Ethan. He dodged, but too late. Pain surged through his side.
"Fuck, that hurt!" he gasped, stumbling.
"What do I do? What abilities do I have??"
A window appeared before him, glowing faintly:
Stats Unlocked:
Consumption of AtomsAtom CorruptionIntoxication FogMartial Arts (New)
"There's no way he's alive. No one survives my lightning," hissed the attacker.
Then came the voice again—cold, mechanical:
Self-Defense Mode Activated.
Ethan's body moved on instinct. Black steam poured from his skin, curling like smoke from a dying star.
"Intoxication Fog," he said, voice deep and unfamiliar.
The fog engulfed the battlefield. The atoms coughed, stumbled, blinded and disoriented. Ethan struck with Atom Corruption—his movements fluid, brutal, precise. One by one, they fell.
Only one remained.
"So, you think you're hot stuff? I'll show you true power!" snarled the first atom, charging a massive arrow of fire.
Ethan's eyes narrowed.
"You think I'll die this easily? After everything I've been through?"
The arrow hit—but dissipated against his deadly atom form. The flames curled around him, then vanished.
"How is this possible?" the leader panicked. "No one survives that…"
He turned to flee.
Ethan didn't let him.
With a corrupted arrow of his own, he struck—dark energy spiraling from his hand. The arrow pierced the atom's core. Silence followed.
Ethan woke up to reality. No atoms. No scorch marks. No proof.
Only silence—and the mark on his body, pulsing like a memory.
His breath was shallow. His hands trembled. He didn't know what had happened. Not fully. But he knew this:
He had killed. And something inside him had changed.
"Better left unsolved," he whispered.
A new notification blinked.
New Ability Unlocked: Corruption Arrow
The voice gnawed at the back of his mind. Not loud. Not clear. Just… waiting.