Apocalypse Ascension: Rise of the God-King

The air was thick with blood and decay. The ruined cityscape stretched before Leon as he stood amidst the carnage, his breath steady, his eyes glowing with newfound power. His body still trembled from the transformation—the surge of energy coursing through him after devouring the Abyssal Core.

Something had changed.

He clenched his fists, feeling the raw strength pulsating in his veins. The wounds that had once marred his body had vanished, replaced by hardened, almost obsidian-like skin under the surface. His senses sharpened—he could hear the heartbeat of distant creatures, smell the metallic scent of blood even before it hit the air.

His first evolution had begun.

---

A New Power Awakens

[Status Window]

Name: Leon

Race: Evolving Human (?)

Title: Harbinger of the End

Power Level: ??? (Unmeasurable)

Skills Unlocked:

Abyssal Regeneration (Passive) – Wounds heal at an unnatural speed. Fatal injuries can be survived if enough energy is consumed.

Void Predator (Active) – Absorb the essence of fallen enemies to strengthen the body and mind.

Shadow Step (Active) – Blink through darkness within a limited range.

Leon stared at the notifications flooding his mind. His lips curled into a smirk.

"So this is the power of devouring..."

The system no longer displayed numerical values for his power level. It simply marked it as ???, as if it couldn't comprehend his growth. He flexed his fingers and looked up. The sky, once clouded with ash and despair, seemed darker, as though it recognized his existence as something beyond mortal comprehension.

But the moment of revelation was cut short.

A deafening roar echoed from the collapsed buildings nearby. The ground trembled as something massive approached.

BOOM. BOOM. BOOM.

Each step sent shockwaves through the ruins. Then, from the shadows of the wreckage, a Titan-Class Aberration emerged.

It was colossal—at least 20 feet tall, its flesh twisted with black veins, its mouth lined with multiple layers of jagged teeth. But what struck Leon was the glowing crimson core embedded in its chest—a Mutant Evolution Core.

A smile spread across his lips.

"Perfect. Another feast."

---

The Titan's Challenge

The Titan's eyes locked onto Leon, and in an instant, it lunged. The sheer force of its charge shattered the broken streets, sending debris flying. Leon didn't flinch.

Shadow Step.

His body flickered, vanishing into darkness and reappearing several meters away, dodging the monstrous strike. The Titan roared in frustration, but Leon was already moving. He kicked off the ground, his speed surpassing even his own expectations. His newly evolved body reacted with instinctual precision.

He dashed up the Titan's massive arm, his fingers glowing with raw energy.

Void Predator.

Leon plunged his hand into the Titan's shoulder, and the effect was immediate. A dark energy siphoned from the beast into his body, causing its flesh to wither. The Titan howled, trying to shake him off, but Leon's grip was unbreakable.

"More."

A deep hunger surged through him. He could feel the Titan's essence being absorbed, its strength becoming his own. The monster thrashed violently, trying to crush him with its other arm.

But Leon was faster.

With a single, decisive motion, he tore his hand free—ripping out a chunk of the Titan's mutated flesh. Dark energy crackled around him as the wound failed to regenerate.

The beast staggered.

"Die."

Leon vanished—reappearing in front of the Titan's chest. His fist, now enveloped in abyssal energy, shot forward.

CRACK.

His punch shattered the Evolution Core.

The Titan let out a final, ear-piercing screech before its body collapsed into dust.

Silence followed.

Leon stood amidst the remnants of his enemy, his body trembling with power as another surge of energy flooded his veins. His eyes glowed brighter than before.

And then—

A new system notification appeared.

[You have absorbed a Mutant Evolution Core.]

[Your evolution has accelerated.]

[You are approaching the threshold of something… beyond human.]

Leon exhaled slowly. He could feel it.

This was just the beginning.

The God-King's ascension had begun.