[Congratulations! You have reached Level 19]
[You have gained 5 Evolution Points]
[You now have 11 Evolution Points]
Jay couldn't help but grin. His body ached, his muscles burned, but deep inside, he felt it—he was stronger. Not just from the fight, but from surviving it. The raw energy coursing through his veins was proof.
He walked toward the demon's lifeless body, its once menacing form now nothing more than a broken husk. Dark ichor seeped into the muddy ground, the scent of burnt flesh still heavy in the air from Nathan's earlier attacks.
Jay crouched down and reached into the demon's chest cavity, his fingers wrapping around something solid, smooth, and unnaturally cold. Pulling it free, he revealed a faintly glowing, blood-red crystal—the demon's awakening stone.
He held it up, glancing at Nathan. Nathan simply nodded with a small smirk. "Go on. You earned it."
[Awakening Stone detected! Would you like to absorb it?]
The familiar blue panel hovered in front of Jay's eyes.
"Yes," he muttered without hesitation, mentally selecting the option.
The effect was immediate.
Agonizing heat exploded in his chest, spreading through his arms and legs like wildfire. His vision blurred, his breath hitched, and his hands trembled. It was the same unbearable sensation he'd felt when he absorbed the Invisibility Stone—a burning that wasn't entirely physical. His very soul felt like it was being reshaped.
Then, as suddenly as it began, the pain stopped. A new window appeared.
[Martial Arts Mastery (C)]
[Allows you to utilize and strengthen your body while enabling the use of advanced hand-to-hand combat techniques.]
Jay's breathing steadied. His heartbeat was strong, steady, and he felt… sharper. His senses felt heightened, his body lighter, and his muscles seemed to hum with potential energy.
"Martial arts, huh… That's going to be fun," Jay muttered, clenching his fists and feeling the faint surge of strength within each movement.
His gaze wandered upward. Above them, the storm had finally passed, leaving the sky clear and dark. A large, luminous moon cast its pale light over the battlefield. But… it wasn't the usual pale white moon. Tonight, it was a deep shade of blue, almost ethereal.
"The moon is magnifi—" He stopped mid-sentence, his eyes widening. "Wait… the moon???"
It clicked in his mind instantly.
"Wait… It's night already?!" His voice rose in panic. "No… no, no, no. I'm screwed."
Nathan raised an eyebrow, curious.
"My sister… she's gonna kill me," Jay groaned, rubbing the back of his neck. "I was supposed to be home hours ago!"
Nathan burst out laughing, his deep chuckles echoing in the quiet, damp forest. "Oh, man… yeah, you're dead. She's probably waiting at the door with a slipper."
Jay shivered—not from the cold, but from a very real fear that had nothing to do with demons. "I'm not even joking, I felt the chill down my spine. She's worse than anything we just fought."
"Hah! You're welcome to crash at my place tonight," Nathan grinned. "Might save your life."
Jay didn't hesitate. "Yeah, I think I'll take you up on that."
The two of them slowly made their way toward a fallen tree, where they sat to catch their breath. Their bodies were still battered, and every movement reminded them of the intense battle they'd just endured.
They each pulled a potion from their inventory, the glass bottles glinting under the moonlight. With a quiet clink, they uncorked them and drank in unison. The warm, tingling sensation of the potion spread through their wounds, dulling the pain and knitting torn muscles back together.
For a moment, they said nothing—just sat there, side by side, looking up at the strange blue moon.
"You know," Nathan said quietly, "I don't think tonight was just luck. That demon… it felt like something was off about it."
Jay glanced at him, but didn't reply right away. Instead, he stared at the moon, wondering if its unusual color had anything to do with the fight they'd just survived.
Whatever the case, one thing was certain—this was far from over.
But for now, they just enjoyed the rare, peaceful silence.
The rain had finally stopped, leaving only the faint sound of dripping water from the trees. The streets were quiet, almost too quiet, as Jay and Nathan walked side by side, their boots squelching on the damp ground.
They hadn't said much since they'd decided to leave the battlefield behind. The fight had taken more out of them than either wanted to admit.
Jay broke the silence first.
"You know…" he said, glancing at Nathan with a smirk, "today was your fault."
Nathan raised a brow. "My fault? How exactly?"
"Because you're the one who spotted that thing and said, 'Hey Jay, let's go check it out.'" Jay's voice dripped with mockery. "And like an idiot, I followed you. Next thing I know, I'm getting tossed through the air like a ragdoll."
Nathan snorted. "You didn't have to come."
Jay scoffed. "Oh please. You know if I didn't come, you'd be demon food right now."
Nathan smirked faintly. "Maybe… or maybe I'd have soloed it and taken all the loot."
Jay narrowed his eyes. "Ha. Sure. Let's pretend you could have handled that thing alone."
They both chuckled, but there was a heaviness in the air that neither could shake. The image of the demon's last moments, its twisted expression, its final desperate attempt to escape—it was burned into their minds.
Nathan let out a long sigh. "Honestly… there were a few moments I thought we weren't going to make it."
Jay nodded. "Same. When it started regenerating its arm in the middle of the fight, I was this close to thinking, 'Yup, this is how I die.'"
Nathan gave a dry laugh. "You and me both."
For a few minutes, they walked in silence again, the only sound their footsteps and the occasional croak of a frog somewhere in the darkness.
Jay tilted his head toward the sky. The moon was still bright, casting a silver-blue glow over the wet streets. "Crazy night, huh?"
"That's one way to put it," Nathan replied.
The thought of sleeping after all this seemed impossible. The adrenaline still lingered, mixed with the soreness of their bodies and the faint warmth of the potions they had drunk.
Jay shoved his hands into his pockets. "You know… I think I'm actually glad I came. Not for the near-death part, but—"
"—for the level up?" Nathan interrupted with a grin.
Jay shrugged. "That too."
They both laughed quietly.
Finally, Nathan's house came into view at the far end of the street. The warm light from the windows spilled out onto the wet cobblestones, giving the place a cozy, almost safe feeling.
Jay let out a relieved sigh. "Man, I can't wait to just sit down and—"
"Jay."
The voice was sharp. Familiar. And terrifying.
Jay froze mid-step, his stomach dropping instantly. He turned his head slowly, dread pooling in his chest.
Standing just a few feet away, arms crossed, was a figure he knew all too well.
"Oh no…" Jay muttered, eyes wide.
Nathan blinked in confusion. "Who—?"
Jay didn't let him finish. "It's my sister," he whispered, his voice trembling like a man who had just seen death twice in the same day.
Her eyes locked onto him like a predator spotting its prey. "We need to talk," she said in a tone that sent a chill straight down Jay's spine.
Nathan grinned wickedly. "Oh, you're so dead."
Jay's mouth went dry. "I survived a demon tonight… but I might not survive this."