Primordial Awakening: I Can Evolve My Skills Infinitely

Three [Stars of Hatred] hovered around Sam, slowly spinning in the air as they pulsed with raw crimson light.

The aura they gave off twisted and warped the void itself, but only Sam could see them.

The [Pale Monarch] had no idea what floated just inches from his head, invisible to every other eye but Sam's own.

And yet, Sam knew he couldn't waste even a second.

'I can't stay here any longer.'

Only five minutes remained on his timer.

If he failed to kill the [Pale Monarch] before it reached zero, his advancement task would be sealed forever.

Even with his infinite revivals, that single condition would erase every path forward.

And that was something he could never allow.

The Monarch's words still rang in his ears about the hierarchy.

If they were true, then Sam was standing at the bottom of a mountain so tall it made him feel small.

The Forsaken Lords. The Monarchs. The Colossals.

And above them all, the King.

If this was only the first of five Monarchs, and it was already this overwhelming, what would the next one be like?

Would he actually be able to kill them too?

Sam doubted it, but even if he could push through… when he reached the last realm and stood against ten Colossals and the King himself, he knew deep down it would be the end.

But right now wasn't the time to think about that.

Now, he had to focus on the three [Stars of Hatred].

His eyes closed for a moment as he pushed away every distraction.

He couldn't try to summon anymore.

He already felt like his hatred had reached its current peak, and pushing it further would be impossible.

So three would have to be enough.

Fwish! Fwish! Fwish!

The stars spun faster, leaving streaks of red light behind them as Sam's eyes turned completely crimson.

The void trembled beneath his feet, reacting to the pressure.

[How futile.]

The [Pale Monarch]'s distorted voice echoed from its mask, each of its eight eyes glowing.

[Do you think your desperate attempts will succeed? I will nullify every one of them.]

[You will die again, and again, until your will breaks.]

[And I have the certainty it will break soon. Very soon.]

Sam's voice came calm, flat, steady.

"Agreed." His crimson aura swirled violently, shaking the void itself, "I'm getting out of here."

FWISH! BOOM! BOOM!

The [Stars of Hatred] erupted, crimson shockwaves bursting outward with every spin.

The [Pale Monarch] couldn't see the stars, but it could feel their power, and it could see the devastation.

The void quaked as if reacting to a force even it couldn't suppress.

[Well.]

The fissure carved across the mask widened like a grin.

[I suppose we've spoken long enough.]

[I know the others are watching. Let's give them a performance to remember.]

The Monarch's laughter vibrated across the void as its body swelled, the snake-like form twisting violently.

SNAP!

Two massive hands of void erupted from its body, fingers stretching wide as white light spilled from between them.

The space shook.

[You cannot cut the void.]

[There is no hope for you.]

[We will watch as you die, endlessly, over and over again, until your very soul erodes.]

Fwish! Boom!

The hands merged into a single colossal spike of void, spinning so violently that Sam couldn't see anything but the gleam of white at its core.

VOID EXECUTION!

The Monarch's voice thundered, trembling even through Sam's bones.

This wasn't one of the skills he had seen on its panel. This was something greater.

One of the monarch's strongest moves that he rarely used.

The spike swirled tighter, trembling with endless destructive force.

Sam's crimson eyes narrowed.

His expression didn't change. No fear. No hesitation.

[The Monarchs have won, once again.]

Fwish!

The [Void Execution] roared toward him, a strike that would not only kill him once but end him forever.

Sam knew the danger instantly.

There was one flaw in [Determination is Fuel], one weakness that explained why every other Primordial before him had perished.

Revival wasn't absolute.

If Sam died in a situation where his revival instantly put him in the exact same death again, then there was no escape.

That had nearly happened when the void crushed him endlessly thousands of times.

This spike was the same. If it pierced through him, it would remain.

Every time his body reformed, the spike would impale him again, killing him instantly before he could move.

The Pale Monarch would stand and watch forever, making sure nothing could change. It would be over.

[Game over.]

But even with that, Sam's crimson aura surged brighter.

He wasn't afraid. Because now, he had everything he needed.

The [Stars of Hatred] shifted around him, their orbits tightening.

Their glow flared so bright they began to reshape themselves.

The stars weren't stars anymore. They were blades.

Fwish! Boom!

Three crimson swords erupted into form, each one radiating hatred so intense it felt like the void itself recoiled.

The third ability of the class skill [Stars of Hatred] had been unlocked.

A panel flashed before Sam's eyes.

---

[Stars of Hatred abilities based on number of stars activated:]

[One Star — Hatred Boost: Fuels your entire being with "Hatred", massively boosting strength and speed for a short period of time.]

[Two Stars — Hatred Beam: Focus two stars into a condensed beam of pure hatred that can pierce almost any defense.]

[Three Stars — Hatred Swords: Summons three floating swords that embody hatred itself, able to cut down anything the user despises.]

[Four Stars — ???]

[Five Stars — ???]

---

Three abilities revealed. Two still hidden.

Sam didn't know what it would take to unlock the rest.

But he knew this much: the level of hatred he'd need to reach for four and five stars would be catastrophic.

Still, his expression didn't waver. Hatred filled his soul, steady and unrelenting.

The Monarch laughed, the void rippling around it.

[Dead end.]

[See you in Hell.]

The colossal spike tore through the void, ripping space as it came for Sam.

But just before it struck him—

Hatred Swords!

Swish! Slash!

The three [Hatred Swords] fully manifested, their crimson edges gleaming as they spun into formation.

The [Pale Monarch] froze.

[What—?!]

One sword placed itself in front of Sam, intercepting the void spike.

Clang!

The impact shook the void, but the sword held.

The second sword cut down through the spike in a single blazing arc, splitting it apart.

The third whirled around Sam, deflecting stray fragments.

[Impossible!]

The Monarch roared, dozens of massive void hands stretching from its body.

It conjured spike after spike, launching them in endless waves.

Each one crashed forward, but none reached Sam.

The [Hatred Swords] spun, slicing through everything, cutting and deflecting in perfect sync.

Of course, they weren't moving on their own. Sam was controlling them.

But he didn't need to raise a hand.

They floated, darted, spun exactly as he willed them, his hatred guiding every strike.

The Monarch's voice shook.

[You…!]

Fwish! Boom!

Dark energy pulsed from the void, slamming into Sam's soul.

He recognized it instantly: [Nullification].

The Monarch was trying to strip the swords away like it had done to his other skills.

But this time—

[You cannot nullify this ability.]

The words rang, unshakable.

[!!!]

For the first time, the [Pale Monarch] was shocked.

Sam was still trapped, still bound by the void, his arms and legs swallowed.

By all rights, he should have been helpless.

But the [Hatred Swords] carved through its execution skill.

The one place the Monarch thought itself absolute was no longer absolute at all.

[No matter.]

Massive claws erupted from the Monarch's form, swinging down at blinding speed.

[If I cannot erase it, then I'll rip you apart myself!]

Slash! Clang!

The [Hatred Swords] deflected every blow, repositioning with flawless precision.

Again and again the claws slashed, the Monarch's form blurring with speed.

But Sam's crimson eyes followed everything.

His hatred carried his control. Not a single strike landed.

[ENOUGH!]

The Monarch roared.

[If I cannot kill you, then my void will consume you again!]

The void surged, dragging harder at Sam's limbs.

The substance that bound him pulled, swallowing deeper, trying to drag him under forever.

Ding!

[1 minute 30 seconds left.]

The timer was almost gone.

Sam grit his teeth. He didn't know if his determination had already faltered.

If it had, he'd die without ever realizing it. But he didn't care. This was his last chance.

"Alright," Sam thought, his crimson aura blazing, "Last assault."

Cooldown Breaker! Primordial Clone!

Ding!

[Which skill do you wish to reset the cooldown of?]

"Primordial Barrier!"

It had already recharged twice or thrice, but the void kept burning through its durability immediately.

But now Sam was ready to use its last 100 hits.

His clone appeared in front of him, crimson aura already flaring. It didn't need instructions.

Primordial Wings!

The clone's wings flared open, cutting into the void as it launched forward.

Slash! Slash! Slash!

It carved through the substance binding Sam with its primordial sword, severing the tendrils holding his body down.

Sam's limbs came free. But freedom meant falling.

The void yawned beneath him. If he fell, it was death.

Revival would mean dying again. An endless loop.

But the [Hatred Swords] were still with him.

Fwish!

One blade slid beneath his feet, angling perfectly.

Sam landed on it, standing tall upon its edge as it carried him upward.

His clone floated beside him, wings spread, ready to strike again.

'Alright,' Sam thought, crimson light spilling from his eyes, 'Let's end this.'