Chapter 99: Shadows Stir in the Wake

[14th Everdusk 2103], Evan's Apartment, Dyna Crest Country

"Aoooch... it's still aching, even after getting this strong. Looks like Tier 1 really

is

something else, just like the memory said," I muttered with a faint smile while gently pressing my stomach.

What I did back there… it was all an act. A deliberate lie.

I wanted them to believe I was just a worthless Awakener—nothing more than background noise. A nobody.

This way, I could cut ties cleanly and move without interference. I needed freedom. Freedom to grow strong enough to kill

Lucas

before he gained a title that would make him untouchable.

If he became a

Country Prodigy

… he’d get a hidden protector, and my window of opportunity would vanish. I’d be forced to wait years—if not decades—to strike again.

"Alright… no more thinking. Just let me rest…" I mumbled, wincing slightly as I carefully laid down. Brin’s punch had done more damage than it seemed.

Within moments, my eyes shut tight. Soft snoring filled the room.

Sleep claimed me completely. I had no guards up. Not tonight.

Too many events in one day…

First, the Class Change.

Then, the mutant mini-boss… and the final boss.

Lastly, the

demonic corruption invasion

—something that should have happened to

Lucas

... but somehow hit me instead.

Just like before… the butterfly effect strikes again.

But that’s fine.

You can’t change what hasn’t happened yet.

You can only prepare for the inevitable.

Meanwhile, just a few miles away...

A muffled scream echoed in a dimly lit room.

A boy lay sprawled on the floor, clutching a pillow in his mouth to stop himself from crying out louder. His entire body glistened with sweat, his skin bright red, as if he'd just been pulled out of boiling oil.

Blood seeped from his pores, ears, and nose—his body overwhelmed by something far beyond normal.

Then, silence.

The shaking stopped.

The air, thick and heavy with heat, suddenly cooled.

Lucas

gasped for breath, finally able to move again. His body slowly began returning to normal. He rose from the floor, staggering to the bed and sitting down, catching his reflection in the mirror beside him.

His frame had changed. Hardened. Enhanced.

"It seems the changes are far more drastic than I imagined..." he muttered, flexing his arm and watching the air

bend

slightly at his punch. "This is just 3% of the dragon bloodline. What happens when I reach 10… or 50?"

He stood up and walked to the drawer beside the bed, pulling out a photo stand.

In it, three figures posed with smiles:

An old man with gray hair.

A teenage girl with the same silver eyes as Lucas.

And Lucas himself, standing tall in the center.

His sister—

Faye Bennett

, a prodigy—had left for the capital years ago. She'd awakened an

SS-rank hybrid class

,

Radiant Shadowstalker

, blending shadow and holy light. A rare and powerful class, held by only four others before her.

She became a national treasure.

And with that title came restrictions, secrecy, and danger.

Their grandfather, the old man in the photo, had been their only support. After he died during a monster raid, everything had crumbled. Until Faye awakened—and sacrificed everything for him.

Lucas clenched the frame tightly.

"One day, I’ll be strong enough to stand by your side… and protect you for once."

He placed the photo back down and opened his system interface to check the results of his evolution.

[Status Window – Open]

[Name]:

Lucas Bennett (Lucas Vale)

[Age]:

18

[Race]:

Human (97%) / Dragon (3%) ⤴️

[Class]:

Battlemage (D^!) –

Growth Type

[Title]:

Wolf Slayer

[Level]:

15 ⤴️ [230/1200 EXP]

[Tier]:

0

[Talent]:

Dragon Insight (SSS)

[Stats]

HP:

720 (Base: 300) ⤴️

MP:

860 (Base: 400) ⤴️

Strength:

71 ⤴️

Agility:

72 ⤴️

Intelligence:

86 ⤴️

Constitution:

72 ⤴️

Stamina:

59 ⤴️

Endurance:

55 ⤴️

Unassigned Points:

0

[Skills]:

—

Arcane Strike Lv.6

⤴️

—

Mana Shield Lv.3

⤴️

—

Fireball Lv.7

⤴️

—

Mana Reinforcement Lv.5

⤴️

[Racial Abilities]:

—

Dragon Fear Lv.1

⤴️

—

Dragon's Scales Lv.0

(Locked)

Lucas smiled.

His class had

evolved

. His

bloodline

awakened. His stats surged, and his skills enhanced.

He activated

Dragon's Scales

for the first time.

A layer of dark red and black scales shimmered across parts of his body, adding weight and defense.

The transformation wasn’t complete, but it was enough. A glimpse of the future. Of the power he was destined to wield.

But it came at a cost. His mana began draining rapidly, forcing him to cancel the ability.

“…Way too mana-hungry for now,” he sighed.

After exploring the interface a bit longer, he headed to the bathroom to wash away the stench left behind by the bloodline assimilation.

The water ran.

Steam filled the room.

But outside the bathroom… someone else had entered the house.

Uninvited. Silent. Deadly.

The front door had been unlocked using unknown means. Footsteps made no sound. The intruder entered Lucas's room, examining everything with a clinical eye.

And then… stopped in front of the bathroom door.

The shadow crouched. Waiting.

Lucas emerged.

Damp towel. Relaxed expression. Unaware.

And just as he stepped out—

WHOOSH!

A blur of movement.

A shadow lunged.

A single hand raised in the air… and then—

"AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH—!"

A scream echoed from the house.

Loud. Agonizing. Echoing down the block.

To be continued…

What just happened?

Who was the hidden attacker?

Was it Evan... or someone else holding a grudge against Lucas?

Is this another ripple of the butterfly effect… or something even more dangerous taking form?

And most importantly—

Is Lucas... alive? Or dead?

Want to know more?