The pain didn't leave.
It never fully left.
Eli sat against a broken concrete wall, breathing slowly, trying to steady himself. The city around him remained quiet, but inside—
Nothing was calm.
Every few seconds—
A pulse.
A deep, heavy throb in his chest.
Like something alive.
Watching.
Waiting.
"…Yeah," Eli muttered. "Still there."
[CORE INSTABILITY: ACTIVE]
[CONTROL REQUIRED]
"Yeah, I got that already," he said dryly.
He clenched his fist.
Dark energy flickered around it—
Stronger than before.
But unstable.
Like holding fire with bare hands.
"…So I either control it…"
Another pulse.
"…or it kills me."
Silence.
"…Great options."
He pushed himself up slowly.
His body protested immediately.
Every muscle ached.
His ribs still hurt from Veyr's last attack.
But compared to the thing inside him—
That pain felt small.
"…Alright," Eli said.
"No more guessing."
He stepped into the open street.
"If this thing wants control…"
His eyes hardened.
"…I'll take it first."
Minutes Later
Eli found another creature.
Smaller.
Weaker.
Nothing like the boss.
It prowled near a collapsed building, unaware of him.
"…Perfect," Eli whispered.
A test subject.
He stepped forward.
No hesitation.
The creature noticed instantly and charged.
Eli didn't move back.
Not this time.
"Shadow Fracture."
The ripple hit—
The creature froze briefly.
Eli moved in—
Grabbed it—
[POWER LINK ESTABLISHED]
[STEALING: 0.6%]
The energy flowed in—
And immediately—
The core reacted.
"—!"
Pain exploded in his chest.
"GAH—!"
Eli dropped the creature instantly.
The connection snapped.
He staggered back.
"…Okay… that's new…"
The creature recovered—
Charged again—
Eli barely dodged.
"Not now!"
He forced himself to focus.
Control.
Not stealing.
Not taking.
Holding.
Containing.
"…Calm down," he whispered.
The energy inside him surged again.
Violent.
Unstable.
But—
He didn't let it explode.
He held it.
Forced it down.
Slowly.
Painfully.
"…Stay… still…"
The pulse weakened slightly.
Eli exhaled.
"…Okay…"
The creature lunged again.
Eli reacted—
This time—
Without using his ability.
He sidestepped.
Struck.
Dodged again.
Moved.
Clean.
Controlled.
"…Right," he muttered. "I can fight without it too."
The creature attacked wildly—
But Eli stayed calm.
Focused.
Patient.
Then—
One clean strike.
The creature fell.
[ENEMY DEFEATED]
[+15 EXP]
Eli stood still.
Waiting.
Watching.
The core—
Didn't react.
"…So that's it," he said.
"If I take more power…"
He touched his chest.
"…it fights back."
An Hour Later
Eli sat again, this time on a broken rooftop.
The city stretched endlessly before him.
Burning.
Ruined.
Dangerous.
"…There's rules," he said quietly.
"Everything here has rules."
Power wasn't free.
Nothing was.
"…If I keep stealing blindly…"
He exhaled slowly.
"…I die."
Simple.
Clear.
"Good. You're not completely stupid."
Eli didn't react immediately.
"…You again."
He turned slightly.
The girl from before stood behind him.
But this time—
She wasn't distant.
She wasn't cautious.
She looked… serious.
"…You're still alive," she said.
Eli smirked faintly.
"Yeah," he replied. "Barely."
She studied him carefully.
"…You changed."
Eli raised an eyebrow.
"Good change or bad change?"
"…Dangerous change."
"…I'll take that as a compliment."
She stepped closer.
"…What did you do?"
Eli hesitated.
Then shrugged.
"…I took something I probably shouldn't have."
Her expression darkened.
"…From what?"
"…Big monster. Glowing core. Tried to kill me."
Her eyes widened slightly.
"…You absorbed a core?"
"…Yeah?"
She stared at him like he just said something insane.
"…You're an idiot."
Eli blinked.
"…Wow. Okay."
"Do you even know what that is?" she snapped.
"…Power?"
"No," she said sharply. "It's concentrated essence. It doesn't belong to you."
"…Yeah, I figured that part out already."
She stepped even closer now.
"…You're going to die."
Eli sighed.
"…You sound like someone else I know."
"Then maybe you should listen," she replied coldly.
Silence.
Eli looked at her.
"…So what do I do?"
She paused.
"…You don't absorb more."
"…That's not happening."
"Then you die."
"…Also not happening."
She frowned.
"…You don't have options."
Eli smiled slightly.
"…I always have options."
She crossed her arms.
"…Then explain."
Eli tapped his chest.
"…It reacts when I take more power."
"…Of course it does."
"But…" he continued, "…it calms down when I don't."
She nodded slowly.
"…That means it's unstable."
"…Yeah."
"…And growing."
"…Also yeah."
She stared at him.
"…You need control."
Eli smirked.
"…That's what I've been saying."
"No," she said. "You need real control."
She turned slightly.
"…Follow me."
Eli blinked.
"…That's it? No explanation?"
"If you stay here, you die," she said simply.
"…Fair point."
He stood.
"…Lead the way."
Later
They moved through the city carefully.
Avoiding stronger creatures.
Staying in shadows.
Eli noticed something quickly—
She was good.
Very good.
Her movements were precise.
Efficient.
Silent.
"…You've been here longer," Eli said.
"…Yes."
"…How long?"
"…Long enough to survive."
"…Not helpful."
"…Not meant to be."
They stopped near an underground entrance.
Half-buried.
Hidden.
"…What is this?" Eli asked.
"A safe zone," she said.
"…Those exist?"
"…Barely."
She stepped inside.
Eli followed.
Inside
The space was dim but stable.
Reinforced walls.
Makeshift lights.
Signs of people.
Real people.
Eli blinked.
"…Wow."
"…Don't get used to it," she said.
A few others glanced at them.
Cautious.
Wary.
But not hostile.
"…You brought someone," a voice said.
Eli turned.
A man stepped forward.
Older.
Serious.
"…He's not normal," the girl said.
"…I can tell," the man replied.
Eli raised a hand.
"Hi. Not normal. Nice to meet you."
No one laughed.
"…Yeah," Eli muttered. "Tough crowd."
The girl turned to him.
"…If you want to survive…"
She paused.
"…You follow the rules."
Eli crossed his arms.
"…Let's hear them."
She held up one finger.
"Rule one: Don't attract attention."
"…Too late."
"Rule two: Don't fight what you can't kill."
"…Working on it."
"Rule three…"
She looked directly at him.
"…Don't absorb what you can't control."
Silence.
Eli exhaled slowly.
"…Yeah."
"…I broke that one already."
"…I know," she said.
He looked at her.
"…What's your name?"
She hesitated.
"…Mira."
Eli nodded.
"…Eli."
Mira crossed her arms.
"…Starting now…"
Her gaze sharpened.
"…You train."
Eli smirked.
"…With you?"
"…Yes."
"…And if I say no?"
She didn't hesitate.
"…Then you die."
Eli laughed softly.
"…You and the armored guy would get along."
"…Who?"
"…Never mind."
He looked around the safe zone.
Then back at her.
"…Alright."
His expression shifted.
More serious now.
"…Let's do it."
Elsewhere
Veyr stood atop a distant tower.
Watching.
Always watching.
"…He found shelter," he murmured.
His eyes glowed faintly.
"…Good."
Dark energy pulsed around him.
"…Struggle."
"…Adapt."
"…Grow."
A faint smile appeared.
"…Because the stronger you become…"
The air trembled slightly.
"…the more valuable you are."
Back Inside
Eli sat down against a wall.
For the first time—
Not running.
Not fighting.
Just… breathing.
But even here—
The core pulsed.
Still there.
Still waiting.
Eli closed his eyes.
"…Control," he whispered.
[NEW PHASE INITIATED]
[OBJECTIVE: STABILIZE CORE]
Eli smiled faintly.
"…Yeah."
"…Let's not die."