> Ding!
You are about to enter Regenerative Sleep Mode...
Brama didn't respond. Even if he wanted to, his body could no longer react. The system notification echoed like a distant chime down an endless metallic corridor.
He had fallen.
His body collapsed to the ground, partially supported by the roots of a dead tree that jutted from the earth like writhing fingers. The rain of blood from the previous battle hadn't fully dried, soaking the hardened soil beneath him.
Brama didn't move. His breath rose and fell slowly. Every inhale felt like swallowing sharpened steel. Cracks in his bones, the stab wound in his abdomen, the gash on his back—they all screamed for death.
But the system had taken over.
His body froze in a safe posture. His heart rate slowed. Blood circulation was halted in the wounded areas to prevent further loss. His muscles were locked into maximum relaxation, and the system automatically injected a small flow of energy from the spiritual core deep within his soul vortex.
At the same time, Ruda—his soul beast that usually perched on his shoulder—began to fade into warm light. Silently, the small body once wrapped in golden-red feathers dissolved into glowing mist and was absorbed into Brama's chest.
Their bond remained active, even though its master had fallen unconscious.
The system understood one thing clearly: regeneration wasn't just for the body... but for their spiritual connection.
And the process would take time.
---
{ inside Brama's subconscious }
In a shapeless white void, Brama stood alone. No sounds, no shadows, only his footsteps echoed long and hollow, as if his feet stepped on glass.
He wore his old uniform—a pitch-black battle suit from his former world, complete with a burning wing emblem on his chest. But this wasn't the military. This wasn't a battlefield. It felt like a dream... but far too real.
Then, a silhouette appeared.
Another set of footsteps touched the white floor, casting a blurry shadow to Brama's right.
The figure emerged from the mist, slowly revealing its face—and Brama recognized it instantly.
It was himself.
But younger.
More arrogant. Wilder. Those eyes still burned with the confidence of someone who had never failed.
"So this is what you chose?" the silhouette asked.
Brama sighed. He didn't reply.
"Out of all the worlds you could've returned to, you chose to die like a beast in the middle of a forest?" it continued.
"Choice?" Brama scoffed bitterly. "You think I had one?"
The figure laughed. "Oh, you always had a choice. Even when the old world crumbled, you stood until you couldn't move. That's your problem."
Brama glanced at him. "My problem?"
"You're not a burning flame. You're just a stubborn coal."
The words struck like bullets.
But Brama didn't get angry. He simply lowered his head. Silent.
"Flames don't need a reason to burn," he murmured. "But I don't need to be fire to burn the world. I just need enough heat to walk again."
The silhouette faded slowly but smiled before disappearing.
"Then be the ember that never dies. And see where your heat takes you."
---
> Ding!
Regenerative Mode complete.
Brama's eyelids fluttered. Dawnlight piercing through tree branches touched his face, and his eyes snapped open.
His first breath felt like surfacing from a riverbed. He coughed gently—no blood. His hands moved. His joints popped lightly—no longer like shattered metal.
"...I'm alive?"
He slowly rolled over, sat up, and touched his chest. The internal wound had dried, and no internal tearing remained. Even breathing felt easier.
The system had done its job well.
"System," he croaked. "How long was I... asleep?"
> Ding!
Total unconscious time: 73 hours and 14 minutes.
"Three days... that's not short."
Brama stood slowly. His legs trembled, but held. He felt Ruda's presence—a faint warm glow from deep within his soul vortex.
"Where's Ruda?"
> Ding!
Ruda is within the soul. Spiritual recovery mode complete. Ready for summoning.
"How?"
> Ding!
Same method as before. But with a strong existing bond, the process will be lighter and faster.
Brama closed his eyes. He took a deep breath and directed his awareness toward the core of his soul. As if touching delicate threads connecting to another life's light—he found Ruda, and called him.
"Come forth... Ruda."
The air around him shimmered.
From within Brama's chest, golden-red light slowly emerged—like embers relit in a furnace. The spark grew, stretched, spiraled, then shot out in a smooth arc.
The light formed a glowing winged silhouette. In seconds, it solidified into Ruda's small form.
> "Kwaaaak!"
That familiar cry rang lightly in the air. Ruda flew a short loop and landed on Brama's left shoulder, as if nothing had happened. No wounds. No fatigue.
Brama smiled faintly. "You're back."
Ruda puffed his chest and flapped once, as if to say: of course.
Their bond felt stronger. Deeper. A new synergy had formed that didn't exist before. Just by imagining, Brama could feel Ruda's breath. He knew its heartbeat. He knew if Ruda was hungry, tired—even anxious.
They weren't just bonded.
They were unified.
---
Brama looked up at the pale sky behind the canopy. A flicker of thought struck his mind. One thing had bothered him since waking:
"System… when I fought the fifth wave, I felt you change. You responded faster. More... alive. What was that?"
> Ding!
Question acknowledged.
At the start of the fifth wave, the system began an upgrade. After the host's success in surviving, the system fully upgraded to Version 2.0.
"Explain... what's different."
> Ding!
Displaying data:
🧠 System Upgrade – Version 1.0 → 2.0
Feature Version 1.0 Version 2.0
Responsiveness Passive, only responds on command Active during crisis + basic automation
Environment Scan 150-meter radius 250-meter radius + elemental detection
Stat Display Manual, user command needed Automatic during combat state changes
EXP Management Manual distribution Preset + adaptive mode by role
Soul Beast Slow summon, needs focus Fast summon + real-time stat merging
World Data Access Limited, basic stats only Access to entries: maps, species, ruins
Alert System Unavailable Incoming threat detection + safe path suggestion
Internal Comms System None Can remember previous conversations + compile history
Brama narrowed his eyes and scoffed softly. "You're starting to sound like a proper assistant now."
> Ding!
System silently expresses gratitude.
---
After stretching and checking his body, Brama walked.
His feet stepped lightly on the soil. Quiet. The wind barely moved. The air was damp and still like a space between seconds.
But as he neared the shelter he once built... his eyes narrowed.
The hut.
Still there.
Physically unchanged.
But... the energy around it was different.
"System. What do you sense from that place?"
> Ding!
Minor spatial structural shift inside the hut. No direct threat detected. However... there is an unusual spiritual resonance.
"Resonance...?"
> Ding!
Similar to system frequency, but external. Likely a spiritual storage medium or passive entity.
Brama approached slowly. Every step careful. Not a twig cracked underfoot. His military instincts lingered—even in this world.
The hut still looked the same from outside. But each step toward its door felt like entering a different dimension. The air grew heavier. As if the world held its breath.
He stood before the wooden door. He stared at the worn handle. Then pushed it open gently.
---
Unnatural light greeted him.
The hut's interior... was completely changed.
The room was now far larger than the building's outer frame. Much larger. Its walls were no longer rotted wood, but smooth, jet-black stone that shimmered under a soft unseen light.
His footsteps echoed.
At the center of the empty room... sat a single wooden table.
On it lay a black book, with a metal pen and ink bottle beside it.
---
Brama stood at the room's threshold. His heart beat slowly. Every combat instinct read the room not as a trap—but as a test, waiting for its time.
"...System. What is that energy?"
> Ding!
The energy source is the book. Its spiritual structure is unique. Resembles legacy knowledge-transfer devices. No AI presence or soul traps detected.
"Technology? Or... inheritance?"
> Ding!
Most likely: cultivation technique medium.
Brama stepped closer.
His hand reached for the book slowly.
He touched the black book's surface.
Its outer layer was cold, like wet stone, but felt alive—like a faint pulse beneath the smooth surface.
He inhaled softly, then opened the first page.
No flash of light. No burst of information like when he first received the system.
Only one line written on the first page, glowing in pale blue curved letters:
> "Cultivation Technique: Primal Symbiosis"
Below it, text slowly appeared line by line, as if carved by an unseen hand:
> "A foundational technique for two souls of different kind to form a single power system."
"Power is not split, but unified. Stats are not halved, but grown from one root."
"Each stage transforms the physical and spiritual metabolism of both, until power is defined by harmony, not capacity."
Brama held his breath. His eyes didn't blink.
The next lines appeared, clearer:
Three early stages were fully written:
🔸 Primal Symbiosis – Basic Stage (+50% current stat, based on host stat)
1. Spiritual Bonding (+5%)
> "Synchronize soul fields. Heartbeat and breath rhythm aligned."
2. Breath Sync (+5%)
> "Merge primary energy patterns. One breath, two strengths."
3. Energy Adjustment (+5%)
> "Each energy surge in one body auto-feeds the other."
---
Then... the next page was blank.
Not white—but unfilled. Like a book still being written. But the system responded immediately:
> Ding!
Object identified: Evolutionary Technique Book (Class: Undetected)
This technique is organic and evolves with user-beast sync depth.
Brama frowned. "What do you mean by evolutionary?"
> Ding!
Technique only shows early stages. Future stages form based on user's spiritual path and battlefield experience.
The deeper the bond between Host and Ruda, the greater this technique will grow—surpassing standard system limits.
Brama nodded slowly.
Then the system added something that made his eyes narrow:
> This technique may increase stat effect up to +50% base value. And this can rise further with advanced stage unlocks.
"So this is... the best technique for stat amplification?"
> Ding!
At present—yes. It holds the highest potential among all known techniques.
---
As Brama gripped the book tighter, the ink in the metal pen began to glow.
He didn't write.
Yet the pen moved on its own, forming new symbols under the first page's text:
> "Technique Owner: Brama."
"Bound Soul Beast: Ruda."
"Status: Stage 0 – Not Yet Activated."
Brama felt a strange heat between his shoulder blades—a vortex of energy forming. Not painful, but... like something being born.
> Ding!
Primal Symbiosis Technique connected to main system.
Stage 1 Synchronization ready anytime.
Recommendation: activate in a safe location.
Brama closed the book gently. He looked at the silent room, then at Ruda still perched on his shoulder.
"I guess... this isn't a reward for that battle," he murmured. "This is... an invitation."
Ruda lowered his head. His eyes shimmered faintly.
Brama picked up the metal pen and tucked it into his belt. He took the book. Left the table.
He looked around the quiet room—perhaps not just a room, but some kind of spiritual legacy space.
No sound.
No other signs.
But his steps now felt firmer.
As he exited the hut, the last light of dusk touched the branches.
The system was now fully active. Ruda was one soul with him. The basic technique was in his hands.
And he had taken the first small step—toward something this world had never known.