"Hound is the go-to evolution for most weak e creatures around the Multiverse when an Outbreak hits. It might not be the stro, but being a Hound still offers most of the things that normal es are already used to.

  Their possible future evolutions are also nothing to scoff at. Although Hounds usually need more time to advahan other basic Voidling subspecies. It is the price they pay for a well-developed pack mentality that gives them an edge over other creatures in this new reality."

  ~Creatures of the Void, 42ion

  Like any other time when Leot about or pushed the System notifications for ter, there were quite a number of them waiting for him in the backlog. The usual information about his kills and awarded Ether greeted Leo first, but just like he had expected, those were far from the only ones requiring his attention.

  A lot of Ether... Those rats might be weak, but at least I'm not wasting time killing them. Now if only they weren't so annoying to deal with. Leo sighed as he dismissed the kill notifications. And what do we have here?

  The passive of the Install-type item Touch of age (Rare): First Circle has reached its maximum threshold. Do you wish to proceed with your item's adva? This a is irreversible and might lead to some ued outes.

  Additional assessment: The user's soul should be easily capable of incorporating the item's increased power. Warning! The user should still be wary of overloading his soul with Install-type items.

  So it finally happened. Leo narrowed his eyes, sing the messages once more. sidering that the item only needed awenty-one pert the st time he checked, he expected this to happen earlier.

  Obviously, he was wrong.

  Is this how every Install item works? Do all of them have a passive that leads to adva? Those were the obvious questions at first, yet the System was not helpful in the slightest in answering them. I guess I will need another oo pare. Great…

  The assessment seemed like a valuable funaybe not now, but iure, when Leo collected more Install-type items? Yeah, I see its use. Not that I feel much weight from Touch of age any longer. It had almost disappeared sometime during my trip ihe Void... Good times.

  Now, the critical part still remained. Should Leo just proceed like the System asked?

  With a guaranteed power-up, this still looked like a no-brainer question. At least until Leo read the follow-up sentence again and again. Ued outes? He scowled. Nothing be simple with yht? Have to plicate every fug thing…

  Leo probably should have waited; it was the best course of a, really, especially with him being out in the open. However, after everything that had happeoday, his inhibitions took a hard hit, and so after moving a few steps away from the roof's edge, Leo made the choice.

  Choice aowledged. Proceeding with the adva of Touch of age (Rare). Please rex, and under no circumstances should you attempt to manipute your soul during the process.

  Three.

  Two.

  One.

  Beginning…

  The moment those words faded from his vision, Leo's soul - and yes, it was definitely his soul - exploded outwards as Essence surged from its deepest pit. It moved right to the tiny spot where Touch of age sat and enpassed the item in a tight bubble, pulsing with such strength that even Leo's veins began to glow.

  When the pressure slowly started to settle down, and Esseempted to move away from the item, Leo's new heart lurched. It wrestled the trol of Essence away from his soul like an angry demon and directed it back at the item.

  Leo squeezed his eyes shut as the blood in his veins began to boil. His skin itched as Essenot the one from his soul but the Pure Void versioing inside his cursed arm, flowed deeper into his body. It went straight to Leo's new heart, and from there, the damned shard drove it right into his soul, to the Touch of age.

  For a minute, maybe longer, Leo y spttered on the roof, his body trembling. Whenever he thought the torture might be ending, Nikra's shard betrayed him once again, sending his mind spiraling into the unending circle of pain.

  heless, even through the haze, Leo knew something was ging within him. How or why? He had no clue, but every bit of Essence was still gregated around his only install-type item. The energy's movements were wild aic, yet they still carried a purpose.

  Bloody fuck! Leo gasped for air, a silent scream esg his mouth. And along with it, the pain stopped, his Esseurning to the deep recesses of his soul where it waited once more, ready to ahe call.

  Groaning, Leo rolled onto his back, eyes staring at the cloudless sky. What in the hell was that? He could still sehe presence of Touch of age inside his soul, but it was different, much different than before.

  The sta, as unnoticeable as it was before, disappeared pletely from his soul. Rather, the item now felt like a crucial part of his soul, aension that would never e apart.

  What have you done? System!?

  At ohe powerful entity answered, lines of text spawning in front of Leo. His eyes widened, a disbelieving chuckle esg his throat as he reached the st few sentences.

  Item adva finished successfully. Grade upgraded from Rare to Rare+.

  Warning! Unauthorized internal influeected. Adjusting... Adjustment successful. Support for further adva grao Mutatio of the Void. Proceeding immediately. Brace yourself, User.

  Brace yourself, my ass, you fucker! You didn't even give me a bloody sed to process this shit. Leo scowled, quickly ting to ten, hoping to push his reignited rage away. This better be worth it.

  Apparently, it was.

  Forced adva finished successfully. Touch of age (Rare+) upgraded to Touch of the Void (Epic). gratutions.

  A whole grade better. But Touch of the Void, really? Am I not touched enough? Leo grumbled as his gaze fell upon his cursed arm. However, with this a came yet another revetion, one he was far from prepared for.

  What in the…

  The taint of the Void, which previously only reached the beginning of his biceps, now spread further. It ed his entire arm and only gave way to the human skin at his shoulder.

  The itg in the beginning. That must have been it.

  Instantly Leo summoned a different part of the System, momentarily fetting about the upgraded item. The entity thankfully answered right away, and he sighed when a familiar text appeared before him.

  Sated Status: 89 hours remaining.

  Fuck... Got me worried for a sed there, System. Maybe Leo should have felt worse about losing more of his human body, but in the end, did it really matter?

  No.

  Leo knew what he had to face he returo his small group. The evolution he sought would demand more of him than this cursed arm ever could, stripping away his humanity. He deyed the process long enough, and now even his st excuse was goime to man up and take what was his.

  "Soon," Leo muttered and fli the sound. He had fotten that the forced item adva pletely disrupted his Essehankfully a single flicker of his energy quickly fixed that problem.

  Alright the's see what I'm w with now. I'm going Void all the way, apparently…

  Install: Touch of the Void (Epic): Created as the result of bining a lrade in item and the influence of Old One's shard. The blood of the First and Essence of the Void is now ected to your soul, giving you a link to a power many only dream of. The potential of this item is just unfolding; now you must go further. Limit Break: +10 Might and Vision, +6 Grace. Grants teique Void: Minor Takeover.Passive: Sed Circle - Essence is the answer (0%). Soulbound - ot be removed by traditional means.

  Here I thought you couldn't make up anything more ominous... And now, the Void has a cim to my soul too. Really? Wasn't Tainted a of the Void enough for you? Leo rao a ent person. Although if Nikra somehow could hear him, she should prepare some good answers for their iable meeting.

  'You will get them and more, child. Just remember I am here to help you.' Nikra's — and it was her, there was no denying it at this point — soft and melodious, yet tired voice froze Leo in his spot. He had heard it so many times already, but it was never so clear, never so loud in the past.

  You! Leo so attention, his eyes narrowing. Five me for not believing your words after you almost boiled me from the i.

  'I apologize.' The a goddess whispered as her voice more began to fade. 'I did what I had to. Soon I will expin, but now, I must rest. Stay strong, Leo Hale.'

  Hey! For fuck sake, you 't just say shit like that and disappear. e back! Leo shouted into his mind, a he received no answer. God dammit. Nothing be easy…

  Growling, Leo turned his attention back to his em. If Nikra wanted him to wait, then fine, he would wait. Not like he had any other choi that regard. Besides, for the first time, she finally answered him with more than a few words. This had to t for something, right?

  Whatever... Twelve more attributes overall. Not bad, even if I expected a bit more from a jump iire grade. At least it should still be able to get stroing by the new passive. Leo sighed, before his eyes fell oirely new bit of information.

  Grants teique Void: Minor Takeover. Even as Leo read it again and again, the expected rush of knowledge never came. sidering what Dyn had told him about them, he couldn't help but wonder. Do I o access teiques manually because I already know about them? No way, right?

  Yet, the moment Leo called out to the System, he was again proved wrong. I really hate you…

  Wele to your Teique dispy, User.

  Teiques are abilities typically reted to a specific aspect, with their use heavily assisted by the System. Depending on your e to a given aspect, you might be able to improve your mastery over a teique and thus, its efficy. In addition, some teiques are capable of advang, simir tur skills.

  Most I already knew, but good to have some firmatio.

  True/False Affinity requiremeed for Void: Minor Takeover due to the influence of Tainted, Heart of the Void, and Touch of the Void. Access to mastery granted.

  Nice, I guess? Leo quirked an eyebrow. And what in the hell is a False Affinity? I could use an expnation about those... Shit, I wish I had a bit more time to talk with the Traveler bloke.

  Leo summohe description of his first teique with a shake of his head. The rush of knowledge finally came, but it was less intehan with his other skills, providing only general instrus on activating the ability and what to do afterward. However, all of that was still far from enough to uand what this teique was about.

  Pretty much what Dyn said... Let's see what it really does.

  Void: Minor Takeover (Novice) A teique that allows for a plete takeover of a Void-borure. The success of this ability depends on the user's e to the Void affinity, level, and overall strength. Creatures stronger or of simir power will resist an attempt at trolling them, and special types of Voidlings will pletely resist this minor teique. Please hat physical tact is required to begin a takeover. Estimated maximum number of trolled Void-borns: 1.

  Leo blinked, his mouth opening.

  Oh…

  Chaos65