Chapter 21 — Sam's Evolution
The cave was silent, save for the soft crackle of the fire Serena had built. Light danced across the uneven walls, flickering over jagged stone and pooling in shadows — yet even that glow felt dim compared to the light radiating from Sam.
He hovered a few inches above the ground, eyes closed, chest rising and falling in slow, perfect rhythm. The air around him pulsed softly, alive with quiet energy. Heat — not burning, but warm and cleansing — coursed through his veins, carrying with it a sense of freedom he hadn't known he'd been craving.
Golden threads of light spiraled outward, wrapping around him like silk. Each pulse sent ripples through the air, and as Serena watched, the wounds that had once marred his body began to heal. Old scars peeled away as if time itself had surrendered, revealing smooth, unmarred skin beneath.
Serena's breath caught. In that moment, Sam looked… peaceful. Serene in a way that made the entire cave still. It was strange and beautiful — like watching the world hold its breath.
And then, just as quietly as it began, the light softened. Sam's feet touched the ground with barely a sound. His eyes remained closed, his body still shimmering faintly from within.
"Sam…" Serena whispered, afraid that her voice might shatter the calm.
He opened his eyes slowly. They glowed faintly — like morning sunlight reflected on calm water. When his gaze met hers, no words were needed. She saw understanding there — of power, of danger, of the unspoken promise that they would face whatever came next together.
The light pulsed once, twice, in sync with his heartbeat. Then it spread outward, brushing across the walls, and touching Serena's skin with a warmth that made her shiver — not from fear, but from quiet awe.
Serena might have joked and laughed often, but she wasn't foolish. She knew exactly the level of danger they were in.
Sam had managed to delay the Goblin Leader by collapsing part of the tunnel, but that monster could just as easily smash his way through. And when he did, his first destination would be the rift. If he reached it before they escaped — especially while Sam was still recovering — neither of them would survive.
That was why they hadn't left. Why they chose to hide instead of returning to the real world. Besides there was no guarantee that it wouldn't just follow them.
Sam stretched his arms, feeling lighter, sharper — as if his body had finally left behind the domain of the ordinary. Every heartbeat thrummed with perfect precision, every breath came easy. His senses felt clear, expanded, alive.
A soft chime echoed in his mind.
[Evolution Complete]
He rose to his feet, and even that small motion carried grace. The aura surrounding him dimmed to a steady shimmer — calm, but unmistakably powerful. Serena blinked rapidly, trying to make sense of what she was seeing.
His movements seemed… blurry. Each step left a faint afterimage, as though her eyes struggled to keep up. The pressure in the air made her heart race, though she knew he wasn't trying to be intimidating.
"You…" she began, squinting up at him. "What are you, a glow fish now? If so, congrats — you're glowing." Her tone as though stating the obvious.
There it was — Serena being Serena.
Sam blinked, caught off guard, and sighed. "Tch. What do you know?" he muttered, a smile tugging at the edge of his lips though it did nothing to hide the twitch at the end. "I'm handsome as hell."
"If by handsome you mean glow-in-the-dark stick," she shot back with mock admiration, "then yeah, I've never seen anyone as handsome."
He almost stumbled, somehow, despite standing still. "You're just jealous," he said at last, roughing up her hair in petty revenge while she giggled uncontrollably.
A few moments later, the laughter faded back into quiet comfort. Serena resumed her position by the fire, picking up a new mana core and holding it in her palm. Resuming her own progress. The earlier tension had melted away — replaced by something fragile and calm.
"So," she asked, glancing at him from the corner of her eye, "how was it? Are you strong enough now to fight that goblin?"
"I don't know for sure," Sam said, tone thoughtful. "But I should be."
"Hmm? Didn't you check your stats?"
"I did. That's what's bothering me."
She turned to him fully now. "What do you mean?"
"I mean…" he said, frowning, "if that E-ranked goblin had even half of what I gained from evolving, I should've been dead the moment I saw him. So either he's been holding back — or something's off."
Serena's playful look faded. "That strong? What exactly did you gain?"
Sam's eyes narrowed slightly as his mind drifted back to the moment he checked his panel. The numbers had changed — but not just the numbers. Something deeper had shifted, something beneath the surface.
And as he recalled what he saw, the faint glow in his eyes returned.