Chapter Thirty-Eight: Evolution

In front of Ferrin, a small black case lay open on the table. The three vials of energy chips it once contained had already been taken by the three sisters, but Ferrin paid them no mind. Those chips no longer held any value for him. If they had been of the refined quality, like those found in the elite energy-siphoning creature, he might have kept them. But these ordinary, low-grade chips were now useless to him.

What truly captured Ferrin’s attention was another item inside the case—a delicate, compact glass vial, in which nestled a crimson, pomegranate-seed-sized gem. This was the reward the Blackstone Consortium had offered Ferrin: the Seed of Evolution.

The so-called Seed of Evolution was an exceedingly rare crystal born from the cores of energy zones. It served a single purpose—to be activated by energy, allowing an ability user to evolve and manifest new powers.

Every ability user, upon awakening, would possess a unique "core form" that absorbed energy, enabling their abilities to evolve and grow. The Seed of Evolution could stimulate this core, granting it entirely new powers.

For ability users, the more powers one possessed, the better. Though it meant they’d need to expend large quantities of energy chips to raise the levels of each ability, in combat, a single ability was easily countered. The more powers one held, the better prepared they were for any situation.

Seeds of Evolution were extraordinarily rare, typically found only where energy cores existed. No one knew precisely how these seeds were formed, nor could anyone predict when or how frequently they would appear. The only certainty was that a single Seed of Evolution required a tremendous length of time to mature. For the Blackstone Consortium to present six at once was to lay bare all their most precious reserves. If not for such a prize, Ferrin and his companions would never have been foolish enough to follow the "Emperor" into this den of trouble.

It seemed the Blackstone Consortium kept their word.

Ferrin had no fear of the Consortium switching the seed for a fake or poisoning it. Ever since the "Great Cataclysm," everyone carried their own system interface; with a simple focus of attention, they could see a detailed description and information of any item. Though the principles behind this remained unknown, Ferrin was at least certain that the Seed of Evolution in his hand was genuine and untouched.

"Master, do you need my assistance?"

"No need," Ferrin replied, shaking his head at Derin’s inquiry. "Go check on Eluca and the others. I can handle things here myself."

"Understood."

Having received her answer, Derin nodded and left without another word. Once she was gone, Ferrin settled back into the sofa, raised the vial, and gazed intently at the Seed of Evolution. Carefully, he tipped the seed from the vial into his palm. After a moment’s pause, he swallowed it in one gulp.

The pomegranate-seed-sized gem slid smoothly down his throat into his stomach. Instantly, Ferrin felt a surge of fiery energy erupt from his abdomen, like a blazing fireball. The heat rapidly spread from his core, and he felt as though his nerves and veins were aflame—burning, searing pain. His blood vessels throbbed, the molten flow within threatening to melt his very flesh. Yet, in stark contrast, his mind remained perfectly cool, as if it had been placed in a freezer.

This bizarre duality of burning and freezing was hardly pleasant, but every ability user endured this trial. Only by surviving it could they awaken new powers, distinguish themselves from ordinary people, and claim the right, in this post-apocalyptic world, to kill rather than be killed.

Ferrin slowly lowered his head, watching his right hand. There, the worm that normally lay dormant in his arm began to stir. Its eyes opened, glowing a vivid blood-red, and its tiny mouth parted. Wisps of white mist curled from it, enveloping the little creature in a shroud, so that only a faint black silhouette could be glimpsed within.

At last, the scorching sensation faded. Ferrin reached to wipe the sweat from his brow, then narrowed his eyes to examine the new ability displayed before him.

[Mist (LV1): The host can generate mist to conceal themselves, with a radius of up to three hundred meters.]

What an intriguing power...

Ferrin raised an eyebrow, curiosity piqued, then snapped his fingers lightly. At once, dense white fog silently filled the room, and in the next instant, Ferrin vanished from sight as if swallowed by the mist itself. Moments later, the fog dissipated, and Ferrin’s figure reemerged.

So that’s how it works...

Surveying the fading mist around him, Ferrin nodded. His brief experiment had already revealed the nature of his new ability—just as its description suggested, [Mist] was a sustained power. When activated, Ferrin could generate a dense fog covering up to three hundred meters in radius. While within this mist, he gained the [Invisibility] effect—not true invisibility, but more akin to optical camouflage, blending perfectly with the fog. Within the mist, Ferrin was almost impossible to detect and utterly silent.

A perfect skill for travel, assassination, and erasing all traces.

Regrettably, as a low-level skill, [Mist] had its limitations. Its range was not immense, and it was primarily a supporting power. If the fog was dispersed—by wind, for example—Ferrin’s form would become visible again. Fortunately, however, this ability was not confined to mere visual deception; it provided true concealment and masking. If it relied only on confusing the eyes, its usefulness would be severely diminished. Many ability users could target foes without sight—like "Viper," one of the Seven Titans, who possessed infrared vision capable of seeing all living movement. If [Mist] could not mask Ferrin’s heat signature, using it would be pointless against someone like "Viper."

But for now, at least, it was highly useful.

It was time to begin the next phase of action.