The nest trembled.
Elias pressed himself low against the rough twigs, his tiny body frozen.
Far below, the forest roared.
It was not the cry of any animal he had ever heard on Earth.
It was deeper.
Heavier.
A sound that seemed to shake the very air itself.
The mother crow gave a sharp warning caw and spread her wings over the hatchlings.
Darkness covered Elias.
Warm feathers enclosed him.
For a moment, he felt strangely safe.
Then the system chimed.
[Threat Assessment Updated]
External predator has entered lower territorial zone.
Current host survival probability: 4.5%
Elias resisted the urge to panic.
The numbers weren't helping.
He couldn't fight.
He couldn't even stand properly.
Right now, survival depended entirely on this crow—his mother.
The realization left a bitter taste in his mouth.
He had spent his entire human life depending on no one.
Now he was little more than a helpless chick waiting to be fed.
Hours passed.
The roars faded.
The forest returned to uneasy silence.
Eventually, the mother lifted her wings.
Sunlight spilled over the nest.
The other hatchlings immediately began chirping for food.
Elias stayed still.
His mind was racing.
He needed information.
How exactly did the system work?
As if responding to his thoughts, a blue panel appeared.
[Infinite Evolution System]
Species: Forest Crow Hatchling
Rank: F-
Stats:
Strength: 0.4
Agility: 0.3
Vitality: 0.5
Perception: 0.7
Evolution Points: 0/10
Available Functions:
Status
Scan (Locked)
Evolution (Locked)
Trait Fusion (Locked)
Requirements for Unlocking Evolution:
Reach Rank F
Elias stared.
So he was below even Rank F.
That was... humiliating.
Still, there was a clear path.
Survive.
Gain points.
Evolve.
Simple in theory.
The challenge was everything else.
The mother crow leapt from the nest.
She disappeared into the vast canopy.
The instant she left, the atmosphere changed.
The three other hatchlings squirmed and chirped blindly.
Elias glanced over the edge of the nest.
His tiny heart nearly stopped.
The drop was enormous.
The tree towered hundreds of feet above the forest floor.
If he fell, he'd become little more than a stain on the roots below.
He carefully backed away.
No escape there.
A rustling sound came from nearby.
Elias stiffened.
Something was moving along the branch.
Slowly.
Deliberately.
A small green shape slithered into view.
A serpent.
Its body was no thicker than a finger, but to Elias, it looked monstrous.
Its golden eyes locked onto the nest.
Then it flicked its tongue.
The hatchlings continued chirping.
Oblivious.
The snake moved closer.
Instinct screamed.
Danger.
Elias wanted to freeze.
To hide.
To wait for the mother to return.
But another message flashed before him.
[Emergency Survival Quest Triggered]
Objective: Survive predator encounter.
Optional Bonus: Eliminate predator.
Reward: +5 Evolution Points
Failure Penalty: Death
His breath caught.
Eliminate it?!
He was barely the size of the snake's head.
Yet the system offered the option.
Which meant...
It believed he had a chance.
The serpent struck.
Its head shot toward the nearest hatchling.
Without thinking, Elias moved.
He launched himself sideways.
His tiny body slammed into the snake's face.
The impact was pathetic.
But enough to throw off its aim.
Its fangs snapped harmlessly into empty air.
The snake hissed.
Its eyes fixed on him now.
Elias chirped sharply and backed away.
Think.
Think!
His gaze darted across the nest.
Twigs.
Dry moss.
Sharp splinters—
An idea formed.
The serpent lunged again.
Elias flung himself backward.
The snake's momentum carried it deeper into the unstable edge of the nest.
Twigs snapped.
The structure shifted.
The serpent recoiled too late.
A section of the nest collapsed beneath its weight.
With a violent hiss, the snake slipped over the edge.
Its body thrashed wildly as it fell.
Then silence.
Elias stared.
He had done it.
Barely.
A flood of blue light filled his vision.
[Emergency Quest Completed]
Predator neutralized.
Rewards Granted:
+5 Evolution Points
+0.2 Strength
+0.1 Agility
Level Threshold Reached
Rank Up: F- → F
Evolution Function Unlocked
Warm energy surged through his tiny body.
His feathers darkened slightly.
His claws felt sharper.
For the first time since hatching, Elias felt stronger.
Not powerful.
Not safe.
But stronger.
And then the final notification appeared.
[Evolution Available]
Would Host Like to Begin First Evolution?
YES / NO
Elias stared at the glowing prompt.
The forest wind howled around the nest.
Above him, dark clouds gathered.
And somewhere far below—
That same monstrous roar echoed again.
This time, it sounded closer.
He slowly focused on the screen.
His answer would change everything.