[Velmora — Abandoned Factory Zone 12]
Pain.
A dull, crawling ache spread through Kiro's ribs like a slow poison. His vision returned in blinks—broken glass, rusted beams, the steady drip of rain hitting metal.
He was still in the factory.
Still alive.
But just barely.
Kiro sat up slowly, a hiss slipping through his teeth. His bones felt splintered, his skin burned along the impact lines. Dark Viora. Pablo hadn't held back.
"System...?"
A pulse rang through his mind like a drop falling into a deep, black lake.
[System Notice: Blood God Protocol — Mutation Tier 3 Access Granted][Next Evolutionary Directive Available]
A cold whisper echoed behind the data.
"To cloak yourself among your hunters... become one."
The System's text turned red, almost bleeding on the interface.
[Objective: Extract blood sample from a live Kargal citizen.][Target must perish post-extraction.][Purpose: Morphological override — Initiate Kargal Designation.]
Kiro blinked.
Infiltration...?
He tried to stand. His legs trembled, but he forced himself upright, bracing on an old control panel.
His vision sharpened—and he caught his reflection in a broken visor across the room.
He looked half-dead. His jaw swollen, lip cracked, bruising across his side. The remnants of blood venom still pulsed faintly under his skin, struggling to regenerate him.
The System wants me to kill a Kargali and steal their blood... to change me?
His fingers flexed involuntarily.
No... not just change.
Imitate.
As if in response, the System's screen shifted.
A 3D model of a Kargal citizen's biometric signature unfolded before him: pale skin, wired neural ports, veins infused with micro-filament sensors. But the most distinct trait pulsed like a brand:
A six-pointed star-shaped tattoo—burned into the iris.
Each point of the star curved slightly outward, like a compass spinning in chaos.
Kargal Birth Mark Detected: Eye Designation - 'Dominion Sigil'Status: Exclusive to registered Kargal-born subjects.
Kiro stepped back from the image.
A low snarl built in his throat.
They brand their people with this. In the eye.They make their identity inescapable.
He closed his fists.
And then—he smiled.
Fine. I'll wear their mark.I'll steal their name. Their blood. Their fear.And I'll make them bleed from the inside out.