"Evolutions, classes, skills, and much more. The System offers us so much, yet nothing is as important as Ether. Remember, without it, none of this would be possible. For us survivors, Ether is the promised light at the end of the tunnel, and nothing will ever change that."

~ Central Academy, Ger

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In a flash, Leo dashed behind a lone truck's trailer. The notification only mentioned nearing a nest, but one could never be too careful in this twisted world. Besides, the oppressing aura stuck to him like glue, constantly pressing against the power of true stealth.

Instinctively, Leo pushed more Essence into the skill and kept a firm hold on the energy. He really didn't want stealth to fail just because he couldn't hold it against the first potential danger to his masking ability. Leo might have also sent Essence all over his body, letting reinforcement activate. Just in case.

Now I can take a look. It shouldn't take more than a few minutes, and at this point, every bit of knowledge is essential. Even if I'm on a timer...

Leaning over the trailer's side, Leo examined the small white building connected to a similarly sized warehouse. The entire area appeared to be unaffected by the Outbreak. The warehouse may have been built yesterday, given the lack of fissures in the walls and missing roof sections. Only the entryway seemed off; its doors were knocked off the hinges and lying on the ground.

No other Voidlings, and it's too quiet. Leo frowned as even the constant whistling of the wind left him. The steel gate to the building's yard was wide open, yet no Voidling dared to enter, leaving the entire area empty.

Returning to his cover, Leo rummaged through his memory for any information about the company that owned this warehouse. It was undoubtedly one of the smaller ones in Wolford, and the logo hanging over the building's entrance was the first one for him. The company must have been new to the area as not that long ago, Leo and a few of his co-workers had to do some research about all of the corporations here.

And you just had to give the company a completely random name. Not helpful at all...

While the information about the company didn't seem necessary in this new world, Leo had already learned that having some knowledge about a potentially hostile area could be very useful. Who knew? Maybe the creatures inside the nest had a reason to choose this particular place as their territory.

Not that Leo had to go any closer to the nest. Hell, probably the best idea was to take another jump over the fence and never look back. But just like with the Void Gate, Leo understood the importance of this place. This was yet another threat to the continued survival of the lucky ones, and it couldn't be just ignored. Especially when the System once again refused to give more information about Nests in general.

A small look is all I need. This place is only ranked F+, and I reached rank F a while ago. I should be close to a breakthrough. At least I hope so…

Just to give himself some peace of mind and maybe find confirmation of his thoughts, Leo pulled up his status page.

Name: Leonardo Brown

Title: Adaptable

Evolution Stage: I - Tainted Human

Class: Assassin | LVL. 7

Job: Hunter

Rank: F

Might Tier I (9) | LB: 13

Grace: Tier I (21) | LB: 9

Vision: Tier I (12) | LB: 6

Mind: Tier I (17) | LB: 0

Soul: Tier I (9) | LB: 7

Ether: 51

Traits: Assassin's Grace (Common), Tainted (Uncommon)

Racial Skills: Universal Linguist (Unique), Identify (Unique), Essence Control (Uncommon), Drain (Uncommon)

General Skills: Dagger Mastery (Common), True Stealth (Uncommon), Vital Strike (Common), Reinforcement (Uncommon), Kiss of Death (Uncommon), Hunter's Pulse (Rare)

The fifteen and five percent in Soul and Grace are finally showing. Leo noted when he noticed the one additional point in both of those attributes. The five percent from Assassin's Grace might not have been much, but with twenty regular points, it was finally showing.

Still F though. Leo massaged his temple, a scowl painted on his face. Whatever, I don't plan to fight anyway. Shadow Tail doesn't sound normal at all.

Leo unsheathed the bowie knife and sprinted to the side of the building, where a lone metal ladder waited. It didn't move an inch when he gave the ladder a sharp tug; who knew if the Outbreak and the two nights didn't destroy the metal from within.

Throwing a final look behind him, Leo climbed to the top of the building and instantly crouched low. Stealth blocked sound, smell, and Essence but barely helped with visual detection, and thanks to the new height, Leo noticed plenty of Voidlings in the distance. One turn was all they needed to catch a glimpse of his body.

Step after step, Leo approached the connection between the main building and the warehouse. Here the roof shifted from a flat gray surface to a slight slope made of metal sheets. It was also Leo's target as the sloped surface possessed a few rows of small windows that should give him some insight inside the warehouse.

Like with the ladder, Leo performed a small pressure test on the metal sheet before crawling onto the thin surface and moving toward the nearest window.

Nothing can be simple after this fucking Outbreak. Leo narrowed his eyes as he scanned the area.

Rows of warehouse racks filled the enormous hall underneath Leo, but it was far from the only thing he noticed. Despite the limited lighting flowing through the numerous windows, Leo couldn't miss the dozens of small cat-like creatures moving inside. Alternatively, the racks and walls were coated in a black substance intertwined with thousands of glowing red lines. It seemed like a less-developed material of a Void Gate.

Hell, the far-off part of the warehouse was shielded entirely from Leo's sight by a massive wall of this dark material. He scurried to the windows that should have let him see beyond the wall, only to be blocked by the same substance. A substance that twitched as it stayed glued to the window's glass. The red lines pulsed, and Leo backed off, Identify activating.

Vetilim (Uncommon):
A living matter. Fed by the Essence of the creatures of the Void. It is used to claim territories by Voidlings. It can grow into various constructs and even evolve to form gates to unique dimensions inside the Void. The seed of Vetilim possesses multiple properties used in a wide array of Jobs.

Leo let out a long-suffering sigh. An alien living matter capable of creating the nest of dozens of weird cat creatures. And it can make even more portals. At least this thing didn't say anything about requiring A users to destroy this shit.

Shaking his head, Leo moved to another window, which once again gave him a view of the numerous creatures walking or sleeping inside. At first glance, the creature looked like a typical cat, with fur as black as night. But when Leo squinted a bit and shifted his gaze to the tail, something quickly became evident.

Shadowy mist flowed out of the monster's body, creating an imitation of fur. At the same time, the tail was entirely made of a long shadow. Shadow Tail, fitting.

Race: Voidling | Subspecies: Shadow Tail
Expected Potential: F- to F+
Weapon of choice: Claws, Jaws, Shadows
Known weaknesses: Overall defense
One of the feline Void evolutions. With speed and agility outclassing most low-ranked Voidlings, they scour the world in search of the perfect prey. Being one of the few F-ranked Voidlings attuned to an element, they possess abilities capable of surprising even stronger opponents. They hunt alone, yet in most cases, they work for the betterment of their nests.

So not something I should fight that close to a nest. Got it. Leo nodded and closed the bestiary. Maybe in the future. For now, I have something more important to do.

Throwing a final look inside the warehouse, Leo frowned when he noticed more and more Shadow Tails coming into the open part of the building. They all gathered in a single spot, forming one big bungle of shadows and fur.

Okay? Are they preparing for the Cataclysm, or is it some weird part of their routine?

As if to answer Leo's questions, everything around him shook. The sun above him dimmed in a matter of seconds, its falling rays transitioning from red to deep violet.

Leo barely managed to hold on to the edges of one of the roof's windows as one more alarm blared in his head. Another notification was quick to follow, and he read it instantly, trying to ignore the trembling of the Earth.

Second Cataclysm in progression. Brace yourself, survivor.

No shit, you fucking asshole! Leo shouted internally, his heart thundering in his chest as the oppressive aura of the nest attacked him with renewed strength. Fantastic timing, as always, Leo... Oh, Fuck!

Every insult towards the System that Leo came up with in the last few seconds died on his lips when the glass panes around him shattered, and hundreds of tendrils of Vetilim broke through the metal roof.

Even as the world was almost consumed by darkness and horrific noises exploded from every direction, Leo paid it all no mind. He only had eyes on the alien matter that turned on him when it broke free, its glow providing more than enough light.

The living matter was relentless, reforming almost faster than Leo could cut it as he danced around the tendrils. He slashed them with his claws and knife as he tried to find a way off this roof. Yet, he could do nothing to escape as the Vetilim was everywhere, consuming more and more of the rooftop with each second.

Alright, fuck it! Leo growled as he pushed a little more Essence into Reinforcement. Limit Break at 100%, now!

Power surged through his body as a gentle golden sheen covered his skin. For some reason, the tendrils surrounding him flinched, and Leo took this chance to dash forward, his claws slicing the air.

Ever so slowly, he fought through the unending waves of Vatilim. However, when only a few rows of those accursed tendrils separated him from the end of the roof, the metal beneath him broke, the living matter spilling out through the cracks in an instant.

Despite the additional strength, Leo had no chance to dodge as multiple tendrils latched themselves onto his legs. He hissed as the Vetilim smashed him into the roof, the onslaught never stopping.

Leo tried to free himself; he really did, but it was all for naught. He slashed and clawed at everything that came close; however, he was outnumbered and outclassed as the dark matter covered him from head to toe.

It didn't hurt, but all Leo could feel was the constant weightlessness as he fell and fell, never stopping. Yet, despite consciousness slowly leaving his mind, Leo's vision was filled with the image of glinting stars and vast planes of buzzing violet galaxies. I’m sorry.

---

'Find me…'

Leo gasped as a faint murmur flooded his ears. It was unmistakably feminine and somehow familiar, though he had no clue how. Leo just knew, and that was the end of it. Not that it mattered, for he instantly remembered what had transpired before he had lost consciousness.

How am I still alive?

Leo opened his eyes instantly, only to be greeted by darkness filled with a few red glowing spots. His arm rose instinctively, and Leo directed Essence into his palm, a small glowing ball forming above it.

Better question. Where the fuck am I?

Black rocks covered in tiny red glowing spots surrounded him from almost every side. Only one area was open, forming a tunnel that led to God knew where. Leo slowly approached the opening and shuddered when a symphony of hisses and screeches suddenly echoed through the tunnel.

Am I inside the Nest? Wait, two notifications. Backing into his small chamber, Leo picked up the bowie knife from the ground and brought out the notifications.

As a result of the Cataclysm and the formation of a Nesting Gate, you were pulled into a Rift Passage. Like every passage, this one also has an exit. Find it if you want to survive.

Warning! This Rift Passage is unable to support the life of a Tainted Human. Ether life support was activated automatically. Remaining time: approximately twenty hours.

Dread filled Leo's veins as he read the System's messages over and over. This wasn't Wolford anymore. It most likely wasn't even Earth if the notification was anything to go by.

Fuck! Leo screamed as he punched the cave's wall, the pain never even registering in his mind.

He was so damn close to Nick's home, and now all his progress was lost. If only he had more information about the Cataclysm. If only he hadn't gone near that damned nest...

No! Leo shook his head as guilt and anger began to consume his entire being. This isn't the end yet. Somewhere out there, an exit is waiting. If I came from Earth, then it should lead back to it. It must...

Gritting his teeth, Leo once again stopped in front of the tunnel's opening. Instantly, his arms lit up in a soft crimson glow, and the bowie knife's blade flashed briefly.

I will be back soon. Leo vowed. Twenty hours is more than enough to find an exit in this rabbit hole.

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