Primordial Awakening: I Can Evolve My Skills Infinitely

[Blood Verdict]

[Description: Your blood carries the weight of your resolve.]

[This skill allows you to see the "Verdict Bar" above an opponent, to see just how guilty they are, and some of the crimes they committed.]

[Attack them until the bar is full, and the skill will be able to give them "judgment."]

[Hell-Mode Analysis: Choose carefully. The verdict cannot be undone once given.]

---

"Hm."

Sam stared at the glowing panel before him, brow furrowed.

He didn't fully understand how this new skill worked.

What was the [Verdict Bar], exactly?

How did it increase?

And what would happen once it was full?

The word "judgment" bothered him the most.

Would it give him some sort of buff?

Maybe it would unlock a temporary skill or a hidden effect?

He needed answers, and the only way to get them was to test the skill right away.

Sam darted toward the nearest monster, excitement flickering in his chest.

His eyes glowed faintly, the strange mark of judgment flashing across them as he focused on his target.

And… nothing happened.

A cold, mechanical message appeared instead.

[Normal monsters cannot be judged, only those that have committed great sin may be.]

"Hm."

He tightened his grip on his weapon and tried again.

Another monster. Then another.

Each time, the same unyielding panel appeared.

He even tracked down a boss monster, a hulking [Ghost Serpent (Boss)], and focused the skill on it.

The result was just as frustrating.

[It varies from boss monster to another, but this one cannot be judged.]

"Hm."

The sound left his throat again, heavier now.

The conditions for triggering [Blood Verdict] were far stricter than he expected.

If even a boss like the Ghost Serpent couldn't be judged, then what exactly counted as "great sin"?

Sam had no idea, but he knew one thing for sure—this skill wasn't something he could use casually.

Still, he refused to be discouraged.

He would figure it out in time. That much was certain.

With a quiet sigh, he let the glowing skill panel fade and turned to the next reward.

The second-to-last panel shimmered before his eyes.

Ding!

[Since you have completed the "Maze of the Damned" by yourself, and were the first one to do it, you also receive... a mystery box!]

A grin tugged at Sam's lips.

'Good,' he thought. 'I hope I get something that makes me much stronger.'

---

[Mystery Box]

[Rank: Primordial]

[Description: Pour your mana into it, and a random item will come out.]

[Hell-Mode Analysis: Remember, this box will adjust to our intent to give us a reward.]

---

Sam's grin widened as he re-read the description, especially the final line.

The Hell-Mode note wasn't just flavor text. He had proof.

The last time he opened a mystery box, he desperately wanted a way to escape.

In response, the box gave him the [Realm Map], the perfect item for that moment.

The [Eternal] group had also proven the same thing.

They had opened a box while obsessing over killing the Primordial, and one of the two rewards they received was the [Primordial Compass].

Coincidence? No.

The box responded to intent.

Sam didn't need more evidence than that.

This time, his intent was clear. He wanted power. Real, undeniable strength.

The kind of strength that would carry him through the storms still waiting ahead.

He drew in a slow breath, eyes sharp, and poured his mana into the shimmering cube.

Click!

[Reward owner detected.]

Ding!

The mystery box began to hum.

[Primordial has been detected.]

[Giving a reward befitting of Determination...]

Just like before, the box reacted to him specifically.

It wasn't random at all, it was tailored to him.

Fwish! Fwish!

The cube floated upward, spinning faster with each passing second.

Light flared from every edge, so bright it forced Sam to shield his eyes.

The box's surface began to twist and warp, as if reality itself couldn't contain it.

Then it grew. The small cube expanded rapidly, crimson energy bleeding from its seams until—

BOOM!

The box exploded in a burst of blinding brilliance, showering the area in a crimson glow that lit the entire zone.

Ding!

[Congratulations, you have received an incredible skill from the "Mystery Box"!]

Sam's heart leapt.

'A skill?!'

His eyes widened in disbelief. This was even better than he hoped.

Before opening the box, he had wanted nothing more than to grow stronger, especially after his battle with the [Pale Monarch] and the knowledge that greater threats were coming.

It seemed the box had listened to that silent wish.

Ding!

A golden panel flared into view.

[Congratulations to Sam Walker for receiving the special skill "Fire Meteor" from the "Mystery Box"!]

"Oh?"

Sam's eyes gleamed.

He immediately opened the new panel.

A skill like this, gifted by a Primordial-ranked mystery box, could be a game-changer.

And if the box had reacted to his intent to grow stronger, then this skill might already be one of the most powerful weapons in his arsenal.

Excitement surged through him, stretching into a wide, satisfied grin.

---

[Fire Meteor]

[Tier: 2]

[Rank: Forsaken]

[Description: Use the power of your aura and affinities to summon a massive meteor from the sky, crashing into an enemy and destroying everything in its way.]

[Hell-Mode Analysis: =)]

---

'Perfect,' Sam thought, eyes bright.

The skill was already [Tier 2], which meant he could evolve it immediately.

Even without evolution, it radiated destructive potential.

He could already imagine the devastation it would unleash when fully upgraded.

This wasn't just another ability to add to his collection. This was a weapon of overwhelming power.

The thought of using it against the Monarchs, the Colossals, and eventually the so-called "King" sent a sharp thrill through his chest.

With skills like this, he would carve a path forward no matter who stood in his way.

His determination hardened like steel.

The box had given him exactly what he needed, and he intended to make full use of it.

Sam closed the glowing panel, eyes still gleaming with quiet satisfaction, and turned to the final reward.

Ding!

[Mission #5: Travel through the "Land of Judgment"]

"Ah, shit."

Sam exhaled sharply, his grin fading into a frown.

His fifth mission in the [Upper] realm looked strange at first glance.

Travel through the Land of Judgment? It sounded ominous.

"Hm."

He tapped his chin, considering the possibilities.

Whatever waited inside that land, it wouldn't be pleasant.

He already knew as much. The system seemed to agree.

[You have an insanely bad feeling about this.]

"Of course I do," he muttered under his breath.

Still, fear wasn't enough to stop him.

He would figure it out eventually. For now, there were other things to handle.

He needed to return to the [Forsaken] kingdom, rest, and evolve his skills.

Thankfully, the [Nullification] status effect had ended the moment he killed the [Pale Monarch].

That meant his wings were free again.

Sam summoned them without hesitation.

With a deep, steady breath, he called forth his [Primordial Wings].

Flap! Fwish!

Majestic wings of pure energy burst from his back, glowing with raw, otherworldly power.

He flapped them once, lifting high into the sky.

Another beat of his wings sent him soaring toward the distant horizon.

The [Fifth Zone] tempted him but Sam wasn't reckless.

He knew another Monarch would almost certainly be waiting there, and it was possible it could lock him inside!

He clenched his fists, eyes narrowing against the rushing wind.

'I know they're all watching,' he thought, 'But it doesn't matter.'

He would overpower them all. Every Monarch. Every Colossal. Even the King himself.

No matter who stood in his way, his determination would carry him through.

Sam flapped his wings once more, his path clear. The sky stretched before him, vast and endless.

And somewhere ahead, the Land of Judgment waited.