Chapter 42: Corrupted
The fight was over, but inside Nox’s unconscious mind, the system was still at war with itself. A series of notifications scrolled past, seen by no one, a quiet, relentless loop of failure.
[Error Neutralization Attempt: 98. FAILED.]
[Error Neutralization Attempt: 99. FAILED.]
[Error Neutralization Attempt: 100. FAILED.]
[Maximum attempts reached. Halting neutralization protocols.]
[Anomalous Power Signature detected: Corrupted Mana.]
[Integrating signature into user’s system.]
[...Integration complete.]
[New Skill Tree established: Corrupted.]
[New Skills acquired: Unseen Blade (Active) - Lvl 1, Shadow Mend (Passive)]
While the system rewrote its own rules to accommodate him, Nox remained motionless on the ground. Serian knelt beside him, her hand hovering over the dark scar on his chest. It had closed completely, the flesh knitted together in a way that looked unnatural and deeply unsettling. The angry red of a fresh wound had been replaced by a network of thin, black lines.