The forest erupted into chaos.
The moment the three corrupted beasts lunged forward, the air itself seemed to twist under their presence. Their movements were erratic, unpredictable, as if driven by something beyond instinct. Dark energy pulsed through their bodies, spilling outward in violent waves.
Unit Seven scattered instantly.
"Spread out!" Lira shouted, her voice cutting through the noise.
Dain moved to the left, intercepting the nearest beast with a sharp strike aimed at its flank. Another member followed, coordinating without hesitation. Their movements were faster than before, more precise—but the pressure was different now.
This wasn't a controlled environment.
This was survival.
Zarek stood still for half a second longer than the others.
Watching.
Analyzing.
The system activated.
[Multiple Hostile Entities Detected]
[Energy Signature: Corrupted / Unstable]
[Threat Level: High]
"…So this is what they meant," Zarek thought.
This wasn't a random mission.
It was designed.
The first beast broke through Dain's defense with brute force, ignoring the strike that should have slowed it. Its body twisted unnaturally, redirecting its momentum straight toward the center of the group.
Zarek moved.
He stepped forward, intercepting its path.
The ring pulsed immediately, suppressing the surge of energy within him.
But this time—
The pressure from the outside pushed back.
The beast collided with him.
The impact forced Zarek a step backward, the ground beneath his feet cracking slightly. Its claws scraped against his arm, drawing a thin line of blood.
Zarek didn't flinch.
Instead, he grabbed it.
His fingers dug into its neck, locking it in place.
"…Devour."
The pull activated instantly.
Stronger than before.
Violent.
Unstable.
The beast's energy surged into him like a flood.
Not smooth.
Not controlled.
Chaotic.
Zarek's vision flickered for a brief moment.
His grip tightened.
The system reacted.
[Warning: Corrupted Energy Overload]
[Stability Declining]
"Zarek!" Lira's voice cut through again.
He heard it.
But this time—
It felt distant.
The energy inside him twisted, clashing with his own. The suppression ring pulsed harder, trying to regulate the surge—but it wasn't enough.
Not this time.
Zarek's breathing grew heavier.
Faster.
The beast struggled, its body convulsing as its energy was forcibly drained. But instead of weakening cleanly—
It exploded inward.
A shockwave of corrupted energy burst through Zarek's system.
He staggered.
And for the first time—
His control slipped.
Across the battlefield, the others felt it.
The shift.
Dain turned sharply, his eyes widening.
"…Something's wrong."
It wasn't just the beast anymore.
It was Zarek.
Zarek's head lowered slightly.
His grip loosened—
Then tightened again.
The energy within him roared.
Unstable.
Wild.
Hungry.
The system flickered violently.
[Emergency State Activated]
[Host Control: Critical]
"…Stop…" Zarek muttered under his breath.
But the energy didn't listen.
It spread.
Leaking outward.
The ground beneath him cracked further, dark veins of energy tracing outward in jagged lines.
The remaining beasts hesitated.
Not out of fear—
But confusion.
Because the presence in front of them had changed.
Lira stepped forward, her expression tense.
"…Zarek!"
He didn't respond.
Dain moved beside her.
"…We need to pull him back!"
"But if we get close—"
"We don't have a choice!"
They moved.
Both of them.
Closing the distance carefully.
Zarek's eyes lifted slowly.
And for a brief moment—
They weren't the same.
Darkened.
Distorted.
Something else looked through them.
"…Stay back," he said.
But his voice—
Wasn't steady.
The energy surged again.
The suppression ring flared—
Then—
Cracked.
A sharp sound echoed through the forest.
The ring dimmed.
Its control weakened.
The system reacted instantly.
[Suppression Device Damaged]
[Energy Release Increasing]
Zarek's body tensed.
The pressure inside him—
Exploded.
A wave of dark energy burst outward.
Forcing everyone back.
Lira barely managed to hold her ground.
Dain was pushed several steps away.
"…This is bad," he muttered.
Zarek stood at the center.
Unmoving.
But the energy around him—
Was no longer contained.
It twisted and coiled like something alive.
Hungry.
Searching.
The remaining beasts reacted first.
Drawn to it.
They charged.
Zarek didn't dodge.
Didn't block.
He stepped forward.
And everything slowed.
His hand moved.
Too fast to follow.
He grabbed the first beast—
And devoured it instantly.
No resistance.
No delay.
The second followed.
Then the third.
Each one collapsing faster than the last.
The energy surged into him—
Stacking.
Expanding.
And yet—
He didn't stop.
Because he couldn't.
The system screamed warnings.
[Energy Overload Critical]
[Host Stability Failing]
But something else was happening.
Something new.
The chaos—
Was starting to… settle.
Not completely.
But enough.
Zarek's breathing slowed.
His grip loosened.
The energy around him stabilized—
Just slightly.
Then—
It stopped.
Silence fell.
The forest stilled.
Zarek stood alone.
The beasts were gone.
The energy within him—
Quiet.
Not calm.
But controlled.
For now.
Lira stepped forward cautiously.
"…Zarek?"
He didn't move.
Then slowly—
He turned.
His eyes—
Were back to normal.
"…It's over," he said.
But no one relaxed.
Because they had seen it.
All of it.
The moment he lost control.
The moment he broke past it.
And the fact that—
He came back.
Dain exhaled slowly.
"…You almost didn't."
Zarek didn't deny it.
"…I know."
Silence lingered.
Then Lira spoke.
"…We need to report this."
Zarek looked at her.
This time—
He didn't argue.
"…Yes."
Because now—
Even he understood.
This wasn't something he could hide.
Far above—
Watching from a distance—
Rovan's expression remained unchanged.
But the elder beside him spoke quietly.
"…He broke through it."
Rovan nodded once.
"…And came back."
A pause.
"…That confirms it."
Rovan's gaze didn't waver.
"…He's no longer just a risk."
The elder's voice lowered.
"…He's becoming something else."
Below—
Zarek stood in silence.
The forest no longer felt hostile.
But something had changed.
Not just in the world around him—
But within him.
The system spoke one final time.
[Threshold Crossed]
[New Evolution Phase Unlocked]
Zarek's eyes darkened slightly.
"…So this is what comes next."
And somewhere deep inside—
Something answered.