"I woke up in pieces, broken, barely ging to the string of life. This mortal body should've never been able to hold the power of an aspect, diminished as it is. Yet, somehow I mao open my eyes, only to find the world ged, almost dead, just like me. It took me a while to adapt to the new reality, but at least now I have a goal."

  ~ Peria, 1st ination after the colpse

  There was nothing around him. Leo stantly felt a slight pull on his Essence, yet he saw nothing. It was like traveling through the darkness but without the darkness. Like a true void.

  This shouldn't be possible. A simple thought, yet ohat crossed Leo's mind stantly as he drifted through the nothingness. Am I incapable of prehending what is happening around me? Is that why I 't even see a single color?

  Those were only a few questions from the pile that grew with every sed Leo spent in this pce. At least ba Earth, the System was somewhat helpful, but now?

  Now Leo couldn't even open his status, much less activate Identify or any other funs. Although he wasn't sure if that was because he lost the ability to see or if this pehow interfered with the System.

  And wasn't that a scary thought?

  The System was a stant ever since Leo woke up in this wisted universe for the first time. While not as helpful as he'd have liked, it still offered assistance wheruly . And now, without access to the System's base funs, Leo felt almost naked and more alohan ever.

  I swear, I will punch this Traveler if I ever meet him again. Fucker could have warned me. Leo grumbled like a little child.

  Yet, despite his current situation, Leo couldn't be furious with the mysterious man. The Traveler had saved his life, answered most of his questions, and hopefully provided him with a safe way home.

  Definitely not a fast one. Leo sighed, and just then, an invisible string pulled harder on his Essence. An inaudible gasp instantly escaped his lips, and Leo finally saw.

  Some distance ahead of him, in the middle of the nothingness, a blue portal hung. It sparked, bulging as it stretched into different forms, aying still for even a blink of an eye.

  This must be it, a way out. A thought that quickly became apparent the momeiced a single red straending from the portal to his body. Then there was the fact that he was flying like a bullet toward the evergi.

  Leo grimaced. This is gonna hurt. Again...

  Just then, Leo's body shht into the portal. A sudden bst of air hit him straight in the face as he exited oher side, eyes wide. Fuck!

  Leo bit back a scream that threateo escape his throat as he crashed right into the ground. He skidded along the pavement, gritting his teeth as bruises formed all over his body. Leo even heard a crack or trayed that whatever he had just broken wasn't too important.

  Yeah, I'm definitely pung that fucker. Leo groaned, rolling onto his stomad trying to pull himself up with his stiff arms. Another array of notifications almost blinded Leo. Yet, only ohiered in his mind when a familiar oppressive aura settled onto his shoulders.

  Shit, it's nighttime. Leo cursed, eyes opening.

  In a fsh, he sprung to his feet, his eyes darti and right in hopes of pierg through the surrounding darkness. Leo's corrupted arm provided barely any visibility, and he didn't dare to summon light above his hand.

  Ever so slowly, he finally noticed streaks of red and violet pierg through the dark all around him. Minding his steps, Leo activated True Stealth and dashed to the light.

  Screams and screeches exploded all around him, only at this point, those sounds were nothing more than background music. Horrifying but familiar and almost soothing in their own weird way...

  There! Leo shouted internally as his hand reached toward the blend of red and violet streaks of light. Just as his palm brushed the familiar hard yet soft on surface material, Leo snatched his hand away.

  Vetilim? Fuck! I should have realized what it was. But why is it everywhere? Where did the violet parts e from? Shit!

  Leo's head snapped in every possible dire, his eyes searg frantically for another way out. Only just like before, he found nothing. And as dangerous as a could be, there was no way anything was worse than staying outside in the middle of the night.

  Shit, shit, shit! Where is the fug entrance! Leo growled as he ran along the Vetilim-covered wall, the pulsing of his new hearth eg in his ears. Just no Nightmares inside. Please, I really don't ask for much!

  With that plea on his mind, Leo sped up, his gaze stantly searg for any signs of entrance or danger. Here! Jumping over a fallen door half ed by Vetilim, Leo quickly dashed through an opening in the wall.

  The veins on Leo's tainted arm instantly shone brighter, bathing a small reception room he had just entered in a soft glow. Well, it used to be a reception room. With Vetilim c every possible surfad tinuing to grow outward, this pow resembled the entrao a monster's jaws.

  I have to find an isoted room and barricade myself there. No way I'm going into the warehouse. o stir the . Nodding, Leo stepped towards a lone corridor, only to freeze when a sudden hiss filled the small chamber.

  I hate my life...

  Slowly turning towards the noise, Leo's healthy hand drifted to his belt, ready to draw one of his khere was no way ihat he could get out of this without a fight. A fact that was only reinforced by the sight in front of him.

  There, in the er of this small room, just where the remains of a reception desk id, a small figure stood. Its ruby eyes gred at Leo with unnerving iy, while its shadowy fur blended almost perfectly with the chamber's darkness.

  Shadow Tail (Voidling) | Rank: F | LVL: 5

  The mutated cat bristled as another hiss escaped its throat. Only this time, the sound didn't fade away. Instead, more of the same answered the call of the lonely monster, sending shivers down Leo's spine.

  Of course, that has to be more... Nothing be easy tely. He scowled, one of his knives now tightly gripped in Leo's hand.

  Taking it as a sign, the cat jumped off the desk, sailing towards the lone human in the room. Leo didn't respond in kind and stood his ground, green symbols spreading across his tainted arm.

  Now!

  Taking a siep to the side, Leo sshed at the monster, half-expeg the attack to work. To some degree, it did, as the moment Leo's kouched the cat, its body burst into a cloud of shadows.

  Leo didn't get a ce to pohis new bit of information as, almost instantly, another hiss came from behind him. He spun on his heel and cut at another ining ball of fur. The little almost growled mid flight before, just like its predecessor, bursting into shadows.

  What th... "Fuck!" Leo growled, almost jumping when something dug into his barely-covered back, scratg and biting like possessed.

  Twisting his neck, Leo gred at the motached to his back. Thinking quickly, he reached with his cws, ready to tear the cursed furball to shreds. Yet, when his hand got too close, the feline jumped straight into the cloud of shadows, where it faded from sight.

  Shadow travel and ing? Fug great... This better work, or I might have a problem. Leo backed off, a massive surge of Essence rushing into his taint as it lit up like a Christmas tree.

  With the entire room now bathed in soft red light, Leo traced the few barely visible shadows as they moved and twisted unnaturally. Not even a sed ter, three Shadow Tails jumped out of the disappearing hideouts, barring their needle-like teeth.

  Thank god. Leo sighed, a faint bck aura spreading across his knife's bde. Now just please die when I hit you.

  The three monsters attacked all at oheir nimble bodies carried them much faster thahe Cursed Runner Leo entered on his way bato Wolford. As such, he was forced to roll away from the first barrage.

  As the cats sailed past him, Leo quickly righted himself and threunch at the closest beast. For a moment, he thought that his fist ected, but the cat soon proved Le and burst into another cloud of shadows.

  For fuck sake! He growled and sidestepped atack from the two remaining cats. A quick Identify firmed that those were indeed different monsters, not es. There is no way they do this indefinitely, right?

  Like a game of Whack-a-mole, Leo danced betweehree's wild jumps and sshed at the annoyis whehey jumped out. Cloud after cloud was formed, but never more than three. No matter how frustrating this ability was, at least each Shadow Tail could only keep one cloud active.

  Yet, it didn't ge the fact that with three portals, those beasts could blindside Leo quite easily if they attacked from every possible a ohe dark blood dripping down his entire upper body definitely didn't escape on its own...

  Leo even tried to cut the shadow clouds, but just like everything else, it didn't do shit. The only thing he didn't try was the Crystalized Essence, and Leo wasn't mad enough to try that. During the night, no less.

  Hold up, what if... Leo stuttered, wing as more liquid slid down his arm.

  Returning the favor and bursting another cat into a cloud, he grinned and pushed his tainted arm into the shadows. Green symbols fred to life anew, but Leo paid them no mind and only focused on the cloud in front of him and the cats jumping around.

  With a single and, Essence rushed into his left palm in waves, begging to be released. Yet, Leo still held, beads of sweat f on his forehead as the pressure got stronger and stronger. And then, unfiltered and untamed, Leo pushed the Esse.

  'Boom'

  Groaning, Leo tumbled across the floor, Valron Ce shattering into a burst of green particles. Not that it was all bad, as in the er of his vision, Leo spotted one of the beasts flying through the air, its fur bleeding red.

  Got you. Leo coughed, climbing to his feet. The other cats evidently didn't expect this to happen, as they stopped their onsught. Their ruby gaze burned with hatred, which made Leo crack a smirk.

  Not so sure of yourself now, eh? This time Leo didn't wait and rushed forward. The two beasts hissed and responded in kind, meeting him halfway. Round two. Five minutes.

  Their dance tinued, although with o down, Leo had no problem keeping up. Something that his bloody body was undoubtedly grateful for. The cats could hiss and piss as much as they wanted, but now Leo had the advantage.

  While it took aen mio kill the remainis, Leo didn't pin. It was a much better alternative than exploding his arm or running bato the night.

  Well, that was a workout... Leo sighed as he draihe st beast, the glow around his taint dying out a bit. He rose and moved into the corridor. This pce had to have at least one room where he could rest.

  The answer came in the form of another hallway that Leo quickly entered, knowing damn well where the other one led. Until he created another way to deal with the shadow clouds, he had no pns of quering this .

  Finally... Slipping past a broken door, Leo the sight inside.

  Desks and chairs id scattered across the floor, half eaten by the Void's living matter. Here and there, Leo spotted bits of puters and other devices, but apart from that, the room was empty, almost too empty.

  At least there are no windows... Just food measure, Leo tucked himself into a far-off er and fuelled more Esseo his taint. He fully expected a Shadow Tail or two to find him during the night, and Leo would rather see them when they appeared.

  Besides, it wasn't like the strlow took a lot of Esseo maintain, even with True Stealth active. The increased power of his energy and high Mind attribute definitely paid dividends.

  Leo leaned his head against the cool Vetilim, a long sigh leaving his lips. Another sleepless night, just great... Might as well see what the System has for me.

  You have entered a p during its night period. Find shelter or prepare for a fight.

  Job Hunt: Cursed Humans failed. Reason: Time limit has epsed.

  Fuck! That's not good... I should still have about half a day for this quest. What the hell happened? How long was I in the Void? Leo gritted his teeth, fist g. What if he was gone for days and someone in his family died because he couldn't reach them?

  Don't go there, Leo. He scowled, quickly taking a deep breath. Don't overreatil you know what really happened. .

  Entering the of Shadow Tails. Find the core to destroy or quer this instance.

  quer? You mean like take this pyself? The System didn't answer, and Leo shook his head, moving on to the notification. If the entity didn't want to expin, then Leo could do nothing to ge that.

  Shadow Tail x3 sin | Experience awarded | 7 Ether gained | Night bonus: 3 Ether

  Not bad. Leed. The additional reward was wele, although he expected more from a night bonus. Now show me the new evolution requirements. I have waited long enough.

  Void Requirements:50 Ether (70/50), Mutatio of the Void, 72 hours of Sated Status (79/72)Evolution Unlocked: Prime Void Walker

  Thank god for all the Rock Eaters I drained. Leo smiled lightly. Let's see.

  Prime Void Walker (Stage II)Chosen of the Void, rejoice. Embrace the taint of the Void upon your soul and bee a Void-borhe walker of the Abyss. Take your first steps toward being a true Akirian, the perfect blend of two opposite worlds. Effects:Tainted evolves into Void-borne. Physical evolution involved. All Effectiveness: +10%, +8 Free Attribute points per css level. Natural Mutations: Unlocked

  Void-borne (Rare)Only those who embraced the path of the Void wield its power. You did just that, and now you reap the bes. Go and devour.Effects:You ow feed on Essethen yourself and absorb the power of your enemies. Limit Break: +1 Soul, Might, Grad Vision per level. Drain evolves into Devour.

  Huh, that's much better than Risen Human, even if a bit discerting... Still, I kinda expected more from the evolved trait. pared to evolution, it is a bit underwhelming. Leo mused before pulling up Devour's description.

  Oh, wow... Now it makes a lot more sense.