Not the Hero, Not the Villain — Just the One Who Wins

The training grounds bore the scars of my merciless regime.

Craters from shadow bombs pockmarked the earth. The dummies hung in tatters, their straw guts spilled across the dirt. Even the reinforced steel targets bore deep gouges—courtesy of Volkin’s fangs and my own relentless drills.

I wiped sweat from my brow, surveying the damage.

Good.

[System: Progress Report]

Shadow Assimilation: Mastered (Synchronization 89%)

Lightning Resistance: B+ → A- (Evelyn’s bolts only char my skin now)

Volkin’s Evolution: Juvenile → Adult (C-Rank → B-Rank)

Sasha’s Bloodfire: Semi-Stable (50% chance she doesn’t immolate allies)

Not bad for three weeks of near-death training.

But now?