The silence after the fall of the Z-Kron prototype stretched endlessly. Dust hung in the air like suspended time, mingling with the soft flicker of failing memory shards. Each shard shimmered with fractured echoes, casting ghost-like reflections against the darkened vault walls.
Yuki exhaled slowly. His breath clouded slightly — not from cold but something… deeper—a resonance. Something had shifted inside him, not just because the prototype had died—but because this place, this moment, had triggered a deeper awakening.
His fingers twitched. There was a strange warmth in his core, not physical — but code-deep. Instinctively, his hand rose, and like answering a call, the translucent screen of his Status Window shimmered into view. Only this time, it glitched. Lines of data crawled across the interface as if rewriting themselves.
Selene turned toward him, sensing the shift. "What is it?"
Yuki didn't answer immediately. His eyes stayed locked on the screen.
Status Window — Prototype Z (Yuki Kuroda)
Level: 20
HP: 1700 / 2100
MP: 1180 / 1350
Strength: 91
Agility: 108
Endurance: 102
Intelligence: 129
Perception: 142
Luck: ??? (Error: Overflow Detected)
Skills:
Glitch Pulse (Lv. 4) – Emit a shockwave to destabilize corrupted entities
Fracture Echo (Lv. 1) - Upon sync, temporarily split into 3 Echo Versions of self from diverging timelines. Each Echo retains full consciousness and can act independently for 10 seconds. Cooldown: 3 hours.
Phase Drift (Lv. 3) – Temporarily shift into a parallel layer of space
Echo Sight (Lv. 2) – Glimpse echoes of past actions in the environment
Memory Link (Lv. 2) – Connect with memory imprints for knowledge or resonance
Shadow Step (Merged) – Instantly shift a short distance through shadows
Data Sync (Passive) – Interface directly with ancient Nexus systems
Null Rebirth (Lv. 1) – Upon fatal damage, restore 25% HP and become untargetable for 3 seconds. 24-hour cooldown.
Seraph Fang (Lv. 1) – A corrupted slash imbued with serpentine, glitched code. Causes instability in targets.
Titles:
Heir of the Glitch
Ghostwalker
System Outlier
Traits:
Adaptive Interface – Learn and interface with foreign systems naturally
Code Resilience – Partial immunity to corrupted data effects
Quantum Resonance – You now pulse with the frequency of forgotten systems.
Predatory Sync – A latent trait that has existed since arrival. Allows absorption of skills and traits from monsters Yuki clashes with or defeats. The strength of the gain depends on the sync compatibility.
Instability: 21%
Sync Rate: 39%
Neural Thread Integration: 62%
Latent Ability:Unstable Protocol (Locked)
Unknown Skill: ??? (Now Merged and Active)
Equipment:
Fragmented Gauntlet (Modified)
Nexus Band (x1)
Resonant Cloak (Selene's Weave)
Companions:
Kai – Bonded Glitch-Beast Companion (Evolved)
Status: Active
Linked Bond: 85%
Passive:Instinctive Guard – Auto-activates to intercept lethal damage once per day
Skill:Glitch Howl – Disorients enemies and disrupts magical constructs
Prototype Knight – Dormant Combat Frame
Status: Awaiting Reactivation
Core Integrity: 57%
Yuki stared at the new data. "Some of my skills… merged? And others—completely new."
He scrolled down slowly, eyes locking onto the trait that hadn't been visible before but had always been there.
Predatory Sync.
He muttered, more to himself than the others, "I didn't get this from the Hydra. This… was always part of me."
A memory flickered—not of a battle, but of his arrival. The strange sensation of data being etched into him. Not added. Awakened.
He clenched his fist. "It was dormant. Waiting. Watching."
Kai padded closer, pressing his side against Yuki. A low rumble of concern escaped the glitch-beast's throat.
Yuki whispered, "It's not just a skill. It's something foundational. Like my existence was designed to evolve this way."
He looked up at the chamber's roof—at the ceiling that had just peeled away, revealing a final spiral path downward.
Selene approached, her expression unreadable. "We're close to the core, aren't we?"
Yuki nodded. "But it's not just a physical core." He tapped his chest lightly. "It's reacting to me. The deeper we go, the more… alive the system feels."
She studied him carefully. "You've changed again."
"Yeah. And this time," he said, his voice calm but firm, "I know it's not over."
Behind them, the sky trembled. But ahead—downward—the secrets awaited.
The Hollow Vault wasn't just a forgotten level. It was a memory archive… and maybe the place where the world itself began to reject what Yuki truly was.
And that rejection… might just unlock the truth.