Chapter 1: Sword's Resonance in the Wilds, Genesis of the Cataclysm
Thirty years into the apocalypse, the surface had long since turned into a scorched black wasteland. A crimson fissure split the sky, with a silent countdown suspended like the pendulum of doomsday's final hour. Toxic radiation mist drifted through the ruins like ghosts, while mutated beasts hid among broken walls and debris, waiting to pounce on any living thing. Human life was lighter than dust here; only fists and resilience could buy one more day of survival.
Chen Jin walked through this dead land like a sword plunged into charred earth.
He appeared to be around twenty-eight, with a tall, straight figure and an old scar running through his left eyebrow—a crack carved by fate. His black coat was worn and tattered, its hem stained with the blood of mutated beasts and ash. An ancient long sword hung at his waist, its scabbard unmarked yet faintly exuding a chilling aura. He spoke not a word, measuring the desolation with his steps, scanning every shadow that might conceal an enemy. He was the last sword-bearer in this apocalyptic world and the sole awakened possessor of the "Slash" ability.
Now, he was tracking a high-level mutated wolf—his goal: hunt it down and trade for survival supplies.
The wind blew from the northwest, carrying the scent of rust and rotting flesh. Chen Jin stopped, crouched down, and gently brushed the ground with his fingertips. On the scorched earth, a shallow claw mark cut diagonally into a pit, with scattered碎石 radiating outward—evidence that the prey had accelerated and leaped here not long ago. He narrowed his right eye, the scar over his left twitching slightly as his muscles contracted. Three hours earlier, he had discovered the first trace of blood five kilometers away—residue left behind after the mutated wolf had devoured one of its own. Since then, he had been moving against the wind, relying on experience and intuition to close in on this cunning predator step by step.
The sky darkened, and the concentration of toxic mist was about to rise. He had to end the battle within three hours, or he would be forced to retreat—and that meant no food tomorrow.
He stood up, the hem of his coat fluttering lightly in the wind, revealing metal spikes embedded deep in his boot soles. An old injury on his right arm throbbed faintly—a neurological remnant from a fight with a giant sand scorpion half a year ago, acting up whenever it was overcast or during intense movement. But he couldn't stop. In this abandoned world, stopping meant death.
He moved forward, his steps so light they barely disturbed a grain of dust. Ahead lay the collapsed entrance of a subway station, steel bars stabbing toward the sky like bone spurs, concrete blocks piled into natural cover. Chen Jin lowered his body, using the last traces of daylight to approach slowly. Thirty meters, twenty-five, twenty… He held his breath, pressing against a toppled billboard, his gaze piercing through the shadows to lock onto the faintly rising and falling dark mass deep inside the subway entrance.
The mutated wolf was there.
It was nearly the size of a calf, covered in gray-black scale-like fur, its limbs thick as steel pillars, a ridge of bone along its spine rising and falling with its breath. Most unsettling were its eyes—two pools of幽绿 light burning quietly in the darkness, as if they could see through any disguise.
Chen Jin slowly tightened his grip on the sword hilt, his knuckles turning white. He did not act rashly. In this wasteland, every hunt was a life-and-death gamble. He had to wait for the perfect moment.
The wind direction remained steady; his scent wouldn't give him away prematurely. He closed his eyes, using his ears to捕捉 every subtle change in the environment: the sound of sand grains rolling in the distance, the faint vibration of broken steel bars trembling in the wind above, and… the slow, deep rhythm of the wolf's breathing from its nostrils.
It was resting but not letting its guard down.
Chen Jin opened his eyes, his pupils contracting to pinpricks. He began calculating the distance, angle, and path of attack. A frontal assault would be met with explosive counterforce, likely resulting in a counterattack the moment he drew his sword. A flanking ambush was too risky in this complex terrain, where loose rubble could easily betray his presence. His only chance was to strike with his "Slash" ability the moment the wolf rose to move.
He slowly drew half an inch of the blade, its cold light gleaming like frost.
Just then—
The mutated wolf suddenly raised its head, its green eyes shooting straight toward the billboard!
Chen Jin's pupils constricted violently.
It had detected him!
Before he could react, the beast let out a low growl, its muscles bulging as it launched itself forward! Its speed tore through the air, aiming straight for his throat!
Chen Jin instinctively rolled backward, his coat slicing an arc in the air. Claws grazed his neck, and searing pain erupted in his right shoulder as blood instantly soaked through the fabric. Before he could steady himself, he pushed off the ground with his left hand, leaping up as his right hand drew the long sword in one fluid motion!
The blade wasn't fully drawn, but his ability was already in motion.
"Slash!"
An无形 sword energy shot out horizontally, like a bolt from the blue, cutting the mutated wolf in mid-air!
Blood exploded, organs and broken bones scattering everywhere. The beast's eyes widened, a low whimper escaping its throat as if in defiance, before it crashed heavily to the ground, twitched twice, and fell still.
Chen Jin panted, the tip of his sword pressed against the ground to support his exhausted body. The wound on his right shoulder burned fiercely, but he ignored it. That strike had been his first full use of the "Slash" ability in combat—no longer the vague sensation during training, but a true mastery of intent to sever实体.
But as he focused, an ancient sword's resonance echoed deep in his consciousness, like the sound of splitting heavens, vibrating painfully in his eardrums.
Then, a crimson countdown interface materialized before his eyes:
[Reverberations of the Ember Abyss · Activated]
[Echo Captured: Will to Survive (Lv.1)]
[Power Infusion: Enhanced Physique (Duration: 5 minutes)]
Chen Jin closed his eyes tightly, then opened them again. The interface remained, hovering at the corner of his vision, its numbers silently ticking down, endless and unnerving. At the same time, a surge of scorching power flowed from the sword into his arm, rushing through his meridians to every part of his body. His muscles tightened, his pain lessened, and his senses sharpened dramatically—he could even hear the faint sound of sand grains rolling a hundred meters away, smell the lingering scent of wolf blood in the air, and feel his heartbeat grow steady and powerful.
What was this?
He looked down at the long sword. The ancient scabbard remained silent, but a dark red pattern on the hilt was slowly glowing, like a waking vein.
"Reverberations of the Ember Abyss…" he murmured the phrase that had surfaced in his mind, as if some ancient covenant had been awakened.
He closed his eyes again, focusing on the energy flowing within him. Soon, he detected something unusual—this power hadn't appeared out of nowhere. It originated from the emotional surge of the mutated wolf at the moment of its death. In its final moments, those green eyes hadn't held only pain but also a fierce determination: to survive.
It was this determination that had been captured by some mechanism and converted into power.
"I… harvested its will?" Chen Jin whispered to himself.
He opened his eyes, his gaze sharp as a blade, sweeping across the wasteland. The outlines of distant ruins were清晰如刻, and every trajectory of dust in the wind was visible to him. The five-minute "Enhanced Physique" state had temporarily elevated him beyond human limits, but this was not the end—it was the beginning.
He walked slowly toward the wolf's corpse, crouched down, and reached for the gland at its neck. This was the energy sac unique to high-level mutated beasts, which could be refined into high-purity radiation crystals—the hardest currency for survival in the wasteland. He took out a small knife, skillfully cut out the gland, and placed it in a waterproof bag.
Mission accomplished.
But he knew the real change had only just begun.
He stood up, looking toward the crimson fissure in the sky. The countdown still hung there, as if mocking the struggles of humanity. Yet, now, a strange feeling rose in his heart—not hope, but a近乎暴烈的预感: this world would eventually be severed, and the one holding the sword would be none other than himself.
The wind picked up again, sweeping charred earth and ashes into the air. Chen Jin sheathed his sword, turned, and walked away, his solitary figure cutting through the fading sunset like a blade.
The wilderness fell silent, leaving only the sword's resonance echoing deep within his soul.
He knew that from this moment on, he was no longer merely a hunter.
He was the Reverberator of the Ember Abyss, the Harvester of Wills, the only one in this apocalyptic era capable of severing the chains of fate.
And on this scorched earth, countless wills awaited awakening, severing, and devouring.
He walked slowly but with unwavering determination.
His coat stained with blood, his sword not fully sheathed.
The next prey was already beyond his sight.
And he would eventually shatter the gates of annihilation, ascending to supremacy with sword in hand.