""[Unknown Creature Detected]""
""Rank: ??? (Cannot Evaluate)""
""Status: Observing You""
Aiden froze.
The night wind died as if the whole forest inhaled sharply and held its breath.
Something this strong… on the island?
His heartbeat thundered in his ears.
Monsters he understood—trolls, goblins, beasts—but this… "this" was different.
The system couldn't evaluate its rank. That alone sent a chill crawling up his spine.
A faint rustle echoed through the trees behind him.
Aiden slowly turned.
A shadow slipped from trunk to trunk—fluid, deliberate, silent. Too silent.
Then—
A massive ""yellow eye"" opened in the darkness.
Round. Unblinking. Inhuman.
Aiden's breath hitched. His hands curled into fists on instinct.
The eye narrowed… and focused entirely on him.
The creature hadn't shown its body. Only that one eye—taller than Aiden's head—peered from the pitch-black underbrush. It shimmered with a predatory intelligence he had never felt from a monster before.
"Don't move…" Aiden whispered to himself.
The system flickered again.
""Host is under targeted observation]""
""[Fear Resistance Check: FAILED]""
""[Emotional Resonance Rising—Hate Conversion Increased by 12%]""
Cold sweat dripped down Aiden's neck.
Fear Resistance… failed.
He wasn't surprised. The pressure around him felt suffocating, as if the entire forest leaned toward this creature.
Leaves trembled — or maybe it was him.
The eye blinked slowly. Once. Twice.
And then the darkness opened into a smile.
Not a human smile.
Not a monster snarl.
But a twisted, jagged stretching of shadows… as if the night itself was grinning wide enough to swallow him whole.
Aiden staggered back.
"What… are you?"
The creature didn't respond—it only stepped forward.
A taloned foot emerged, digging into the soil with a heavy crunch. Its skin was a sickening blend of shadow and flesh, constantly shifting, like something halfway between a nightmare and a lie.
The eye locked on him again.
""[System Warning: Complete retreat recommended]""
""[Target cannot be defeated with current stats]""
Aiden took another step back.
Retreat?
Yes. Logically, yes.
But his pride hissed at the thought.
He clenched his jaw.
The moment he hesitated, the creature leaned forward — the ground cracking beneath its weight. The enormous yellow eye flared brighter, reflecting him like a tiny, insignificant thing.
Aiden's pulse roared.
The creature inhaled.
The forest seemed to shrink.
And then—
The eye drifted past him.
…What?
Aiden blinked in confusion as the creature's gaze shifted away from him entirely… toward the direction his former teammates had gone.
His stomach dropped.
"No."
He took a step forward.
The creature's grin widened, its shadowy claws twitching with anticipation… not for him, but for them.
The system vibrated violently.
""[New Objective: Interference or Observation]""
""Option 1: Interfere — Risk fatal confrontation""
""Option 2: Observe — Gain high-value Hate Points from resulting fear, blame, hostility""
Aiden's eyes widened.
"What kind of system gives a choice like that…?"
But he already knew.
The kind *built for villains.*
He stared into the darkness, fists clenched, heart pounding between fear and fury.
If he chose Option 2…
They would die. Horribly.
And their fear, their hatred, their final curses — all would fuel him.
If he chose Option 1…
He might die.
The forest shuddered as the creature turned away, its massive form slithering deeper into the shadows with frightening speed.
Aiden stood rooted to the ground.
His system pulsed again.
[Time until contact with teammates: 02 minutes, 37 seconds]
His breath caught.
He had to choose.
Now.
His muscles tensed. His heart hammered. His mind raced. His hatred and humanity collided in a violent storm inside him.
Two paths.
Two futures.
Two versions of himself.
He swallowed hard.
"…Damn it."
And Aiden ran.
He didn't even know which option he had chosen yet—
only that something inside him had ignited.
The forest blurred as he sprinted faster than he ever had, driven by instinct, desperation, and something darker than either.
The system chimed again.
[Unknown Creature has reached your former teammates.]
Aiden's footsteps faltered.
A scream split the night.
High. Sharp. Horrifying.
His blood ran cold.
Another scream followed. And another.
Aiden forced himself forward, breath ragged, fear gnawing at his insides as he barreled through the last line of trees—
And then he saw it.
The battlefield.
The creature.
The slaughter.
His teammates were cornered — frozen in terror — and the shadow-beast loomed over them, its mouth opening wider than any living thing should.
Aiden's entire body trembled.
He had seconds. Maybe less.
The system chimed one last time.
[Final Choice Locked In]
[Consequence Will Define Your Evolution Path]
Aiden's eyes widened.
"What—?"
Before he could finish—
The creature turned.
Its massive yellow eye focused on him again.
And this time
me…
**It smiled at him.**---
Chapter 04 Ends
Hi it's the author of you guys like my novel story please make sure to give it a nice rating and comment your thoughts of what you guys like in this chapter the most