Infinite Evolution: From Orphan to Cosmic Overlord

Darkness. Endless, suffocating darkness.

Then, pain.

A sharp, searing sensation spread through my skull, as if something was forcefully carving itself into my mind. I tried to scream, but my voice was stolen, lost in the overwhelming tide of something far greater than me.

[System Integration: 5%...]

A voice—no, not a voice. It was something deeper, something that resonated in my very bones. Cold, mechanical, and inhuman.

[System Integration: 15%...]

What... what was happening to me?!

The cavern, the floating sphere, the eerie blue light—it all blurred and faded as my consciousness teetered on the edge of oblivion. My body burned from the inside out, every nerve ignited with energy far beyond my comprehension.

[System Integration: 30%... Neural synchronization initializing.]

Flashes of light. Images that weren't mine. A battlefield stretching beyond the horizon, littered with the wreckage of civilizations lost to time. Towering beings clad in armor unlike anything I had ever seen, wielding weapons that shattered planets with a mere flick of their wrists. A war that had shaped the very fabric of the universe.

And then—

[System Integration: 50%... Core functions unlocked.]

Suddenly, the pain vanished.

I gasped, my body convulsing as I collapsed onto the cavern floor. My breaths came in ragged gasps, cold sweat drenching my back. My limbs trembled, the lingering echoes of the pain still dancing across my skin.

[Welcome, User. The Infinite Evolution System has successfully bonded with your genetic structure.]

I forced my eyes open, blinking rapidly as the world came into focus once more. The cavern was unchanged, the sphere now dim and silent, as if it had fulfilled its purpose. But something was different. I was different.

A strange weight settled within me, not physical, but something deeper. I could feel it, coiling in my veins, simmering beneath my skin. A power that wasn't there before.

[Initial Synchronization Complete. System Functions Unlocked: Status, Evolutionary Path, Quest Log.]

A translucent screen blinked into existence before me, floating just within my field of vision. My breath caught as I read the words displayed across it.

—

[User: Unnamed]

Race: Human (Evolving...)

System Level: 1

Abilities: None (Yet...)

Evolutionary Paths: Locked

—

I swallowed hard. This was... insane.

I knew about systems. Everyone did. They were the stuff of legends, myths of the past, remnants of the great cosmic war that humanity barely survived. Some people claimed to have found traces of them in ancient ruins, but no one had ever confirmed it.

Yet, here I was.

"This has to be a dream," I muttered, rubbing my temples. "Yeah, just a really vivid, extremely painful dream."

[User input acknowledged. Initiating Reality Stabilization.]

Before I could even process what that meant, a sudden jolt surged through my body. My muscles tightened, my mind snapped into focus, and the exhaustion from my fall and the integration process melted away in an instant. It was like my entire being had been fine-tuned, sharpened beyond anything I had ever experienced.

I clenched and unclenched my fingers, marveling at the newfound clarity and awareness. This... this wasn't a dream.

This was real.

And that meant...

I wasn't just some unlucky orphan who had fallen into an ancient ruin.

I had just become something far more dangerous.

[New Quest Acquired: "Survive the Ruins"]

[Objective: Find an exit and escape before the Ruin Guardians awaken.]

[Reward: System Upgrade + Skill Awakening]

My blood ran cold.

"Ruin Guardians?" I whispered, a sinking feeling settling in my gut.

A distant sound reached my ears. A low, grinding noise, like stone scraping against stone. Then another. And another.

The air in the cavern shifted, the temperature dropping as an ominous pressure settled over me. My instincts screamed at me to move.

I turned.

At the far end of the chamber, shadows shifted. Massive figures stirred from their slumber, their glowing eyes locking onto me with a single, chilling purpose.

I had seconds before they reached me.

Without hesitation, I bolted.

The chase had begun.