[Integrity Sync Complete.]
[Integrity 100% Reached]
> Level Up → 20.0
> Parameters boosted → All stats +1
> Bonus Point 5!
[You reached the Second threshold!]
[Null Sequence System can be updated. Your Integrity point will be accumulated.]
[You cannot raise your lever before updating the system first. Would you like to proceed? Y/N]
"That's one!"
Cain shook his head, ignoring the blue panel that blocked his vision at a critical time like this. He pulled his katana while jumping back.
He bent his knees and grabbed a piece of the virus beast's body, laced with black flesh, slightly twitching as it still tried to pump black blood. He threw it, and not just one. His foot also kicked some scraps scattered on the floor.
Crash!
Iron shards flew everywhere, followed by thick black liquid splashing irregularly and also acting as adhesive ink that held the iron chunks, making it a perfect distraction.
From his recent fight, the boy realized his helplessness against the enemy's coordinated attack. All his honed moves and fighting styles were easily countered.
That's why Cain switched to an unorthodox method. He would fight without restraints, becoming a freestyle fighter, and using a trick to deceive the opponent.
The iron crab in front of him went stiff, and the boy would not let go of this opportunity and immediately kicked the floor, which made his body shoot like a bullet while gripping the katana hilt tightly.
With one thrust, the tip of his katana pierced the enemy's red chest, making the ominous red glow fade and its large body fall, leaving the other two who were standing a bit far apart.
"Two!"
[Integrity +175%]
[Your Integrity point will be accumulated.]
The corner of his lips raised, showing a fearless grin that made the two machines in front of him take a step back.
That made Cain's expression harden. Not because he saw a machine exhibiting an emotion called fear. That wasn't. Cain's eyes, focused on the flickering red on their chests, the monster was cautious.
With this, the wild theory in his mind proved correct. These virus beasts were moving in a single large command.
Without hesitation, the boy blurred into afterimages and appeared in front of the giant virus beast that flinched, planning to turn away from the battle.
"Three!"
However, Cain was faster and slammed his weapon into the crab's chest and killed his third enemy. Not stopping there, he used the monster's large body as a foothold and plunged his katana into the fourth glowing red core.
The eerie light on its chest faded, replaced by coldness that seeped into the boy's head. It made his mind clear.
"Four."
[Integrity +150%]
[Integrity +125%]
[Your Integrity point will be accumulated.]
Cain, who was standing on top of the iron crab's corpse, let out a long sigh, as if wanting to discard all the tension that restrained his body.
He looked down, seeing a black liquid oozing from its hollow chest and staining his katana. Fortunately, the liquid was not corrosive, which made him breathe a sigh of relief as he pulled out his sword.
When he raised his face, his eyes widened when he witnessed the increase in integrity points that exceeded the limit of a hundred.
'150%, huh? Does that mean I will level up several times? And also, the system got a new upgrade.'
Cain's hand reached for his chin, a fragment from the past, replicated in his brain, of an incident that took days. He wrinkled his eyebrows, hesitant to immediately approve the upgrade of his system's performance.
Of course, he was tempted and curious about which ability would get a boost.
He was silent for a few seconds, then concluded by shaking his head and waving his hand to dismiss the hologram that blocked his view.
"I'll do it later."
After swinging his katana a few times to discard the remaining black liquid that was still attached, Cain jumped from the monster's body and sheathed his sword, then turned back to return to his other comrades.
His two hands rubbed together, his lips curling as he could finally start the attribute injection process.
However, the joy on his face had to fade when the sound of applause echoed in the hallway. His ears twitched, and the clapping sound produced a clanging sound from two metals colliding.
Cain turned his body around, his slack expression becoming sharp. His right hand reached for the katana hilt, although trembling from fatigue, but he was ready if another fight was coming.
"Splendid, you flattered me when you showed that raw determination of yours, human."
He saw a person wearing a brown robe that covered his entire body. But from the voice that tended to be deep and slightly exaggerated. The mysterious person in front of him was a boy.
"Who are you?"
"Me? You need not to concern yourself for mine. Such, I was just recently born, so I don't relinquish one?"
Cain tightened the grip in his hand, and somehow his fingertips started to freeze. He couldn't even stop the shivering that chilled him to the bone when he heard the robed boy in front of him speak with a strange vocabulary.
He stared straight, but breathing was the only thing he could do. The boy felt a terrifying pressure originating from the person before him.
'What? Who is he? …C-Could it be?'
His black eyes glanced down, seeing a collection of iron scraps that had lost their source of life. The trembling in his body gripped his chest tightly and made him suffocate.
'H-He is the one!?'
A realization jolted his consciousness like a raging bolt. The agony that paralyzed Cain's brain opened up a page from the horrifying truth about the identity present before him.
Virus beasts were categorized into several grades, from a full-blown monster that relied on instinct. Slightly above them, there were monsters that had towering bodies that held immense and unimaginable power.
Last but not least, the monster that was still shrouded in whispers. An existence that shed its monster shell and gained a humanoid body with an intellect that rivalled humankind.
Cain recalled that only one of them had been found, and it was fifty years ago, when humanity began to reform despite the dying world. One of the members, who saw it, said: "The monster could understand human talk and try to understand them."
And in the present day, Cain met him, or one of them.
The mysterious being kept his mouth open, blabbering something that didn't enter the grey-haired boy's ears.
"When I saw your spirit. It stirred something profound deep within me, so I wish to grant you another challenge."
From the hole of the robe on his hand, a virus beast the size of a human head fell. Its long body, like a caterpillar, circled a red ball that pulsated and slowly approached the carcases of the nearest virus beast.
Crunch!
The crisp sound as the creature bit the nearest scrap reverberated across the room.
'Kill it!'
Cain flinched; his instinct kept blaring an alarm to stop the monster from eating the scraps. Yet an invisible force holds him down, as if he were chained.
The red ball that was wrapped, or the part of its body that throbbed, emitted a red light that shone so brightly it made Cain squint.
The scraps around it vibrated, buzzing as if resonating with the small creature's call. It flew around, sucked towards the red light.
Every piece of iron was melted and then solidified, forming a new body that was larger and more robust.
Cain, unable to look at the light that was burning his retinas, raised his hand to block the beam, which turned out to be a mistake.
From the glow, a large hand made of iron appeared and threw a straight punch at Cain.
Boom!
The sound of an explosion that sent a shockwave to the surrounding area slammed the boy's body far, even penetrating the iron door behind him.
Rika, Abel, Peter, and Louise, who were gathered while holding weapons, were ready to jump into the battlefield. They widened their eyes, seeing Cain's armour suit shattered into myriad pieces.
The red-haired girl ran and approached him. Her expression twisted when she knew that the armour Cain was wearing could no longer be said to be fit for use.
"Ukh!"
A small groan heard from inside the helmet made Rika open her mouth.
"Cain, what happened?"
Roar!
The girl's question was drowned out by a terrifying roar that shook the atmosphere and left all members pale.
[Corruption began: 13%]