"Geron, the Lord of Light and Creation. Acc to legends, the sed Old Oo appear in our beautiful Universe. Kind and graceful above all, Leron became the sign of hope for many.

  Initially, his most faithful believers formed sects, building chapels in his name. His Grace rewarded them, desding from the stars to exalt them as his High Priests and Priestesses.

  With this act, the most popur religion in our Universe was formed. Shortly after, Leron became the Heavenly Ohe most beloved of the Six. Yet, is this title deserved? Is there really a good ao this question?"

  ~Those who came before us by Unknown, Published before the 1st Outbreak

  With not even a dozeers separating him from the so-called Tainted Wastend, Leo could have just climbed the remaining distao the roof and taken a look for himself. However, if the System thought it wise to warn him beforehand, he would have to be dumb to just ig.

  The st thing Leo wanted was to walk into the vapor and die from some poison like a plete buffoon. Now that would have been an embarrassing way to go…

  Sn lightly, Leo sat down ohin web and checked his True Stealth food measure. One should rust his abilities too much if they were gained not even a week ago. Even more when the one using them was hanging high up in the air on a string of alien matter.

  Someone should definitely write this down. Shit just might save some people's lives. Leo mused with a chuckle. Anyway, hit me with it, System.

  First enter with a Tainted Wasteed. Dispying standard information package.

  Tainted Wastends are unique areas mainly formed during the beginning of an Outbreak. Please hat some special circumstances might lead to the creation of more of those abominations long after the Outbreak started.

  The creation of those areas is caused by excessive amounts of Void's Essetling in one pce. This process ges the nearby enviro into something that 't be entered naturally even on some of the most dangerous Ever-Darkness worlds.

  So yet anenerous gift from the Void? Lovely... Leo grumbled but tinued reading. What else do you have for me?

  No new Awakened Survivors ever e out from a Tainted Wastend. The overflow of Void's Essence is to for the System to reach them in time. As a result, Voidlings ihose areas are usually stronger and alossess one uation that corresponds with the Wastend's aspect.

  Take heed, for eliminating all Voidlings in the viity shall not eradicate the Tainted Wastend. As long as corrupted Essence permeates the ground, the Tainted Wastend will persist, spreading at a decelerated paoheless, the System will reward any user who strives to impede its spread.

  Does this mean that my home almost suffered a simir fate, or are my current rad this Tainted Wastend pletely ued? Fuck, that opens another of worms…

  If the ao this question was the former, then Leo just might have found a pce that could fulfill his Apex evolution requirements. Although sidering the System's warnings, it probably wouldn't be easy to get those hearts.

  I will just take a look and decide then. If it is entirely ued or too dangerous, I have a strong evolution ready, just waiting to be picked. Doubt that the Apex one could be much better…

  Shrugging, Leo dismissed the standard information package and slid along the Vetilim web. The alien substance quivered beh his weight, but he maintained a firm grip and tinued crawling forward. If it hadn't failed him thus far, he hoped it wouldn't fail him now.

  This is going to bite me in the ass sometime iure. I already feel it. Leo snorted, and with a single pull on the roof's ledge, he finally reached his destination.

  Not oo leave a job unfinished, Leo crawled along the roof straight to the other side, where the vaprazed against the building's wall. The closer he got, the more Essetled on his shoulder, trying to grind him right into the ground in a pathetic show of power.

  For an E-rahreat, it certainly got nothing on the Sed Cataclysm. Now let's see the 'ged environm... Whatever Leo was thinking, those thoughts died a painful death once his gaze nded on Wolford's town square.

  Oh shit... Yeah, I definitely see the reason for E-rank now…

  The triangle-shaped area that had served as a bustling hub in Wolford merely a week ago had vahe red bricks, oning the town square's entire floor, now faded into oblivion, leaving behind scorched and disfigured ground. Even the fountain in the middle had not escaped unscathed.

  Hundreds of fissures filled the entire area, varying ih ah. Some were shallow, barely lohan Leo's arm, while others delved deep into the grouending even halfway across the town square. However, it was not their size that was the most uling factor.

  No, that honor fell to the otherworldly purple glow emanating from the fissures. Adding to the eerie atmosphere, the vapor shrouding the entire area appeared tinate from those very crevices, gradually seeping out and billowing toward the sky.

  Then, of course, there were the Voidlings, dozens of them, scattered throughout the town square. Their guttural groans and screeches echoed in the viity, but those sounds were the least of Leo's s. Having heard them tless times before, he had grown almost desensitized to their presence by now.

  Instead, Leo's eyes drank in the unique appearance of those monsters. From their ebony skin, marred with the same ethereal purple fissures that adorhe ground, to their more refined ons — cws and spikes — that glinted in the sunlight, looking sharper than ever.

  A few uses of Identify on Voidlings that bore a striking resembo Cursed Humans firmed that even those creatures were not to be trifled with. Even worse were the two Voidlings with jagged s protruding from their skulls, formed by their deformed skin.

  Apex Cursed Human (Tainted Voidling) | Rank: F+ | LVL: 9

  Apex Cursed Ruainted Voidling) | Rank: F+ | LVL: 8

  Information about Apex Voidling variants added to Bestiary. Mutation: Tainted Corruption (Void) added to Mutation Index.

  Yet, despite the notifications clouding Leo's vision, his gaze remained fixated on a different creature — one he had never id eyes upon before.

  It stood upon four colossal legs and bore an equal number of sturdy, rock-like arms, poised to crush its enemies' skulls to a pulp. The mountain of a Voidling had long since shed its skin, leaving its raw muscles on dispy, the fibers glistening softly with a violet glow.

  Cursed Juggernaut (Tainted Voidling) | Rank: E- | LVL: 11

  "Dear god..." Leo uttered with True Stealth thankfully catg the sound. Chills ran down his spine as he watched the Juggernaut mar circles as if it atrolling the area. Its glowing crimson eyes sed the eainted Wastend, and Leo quickly ducked his head, the creature disappearing from his view.

  Only one Voidling in the past elicited such a response from him, and back then, Leo barely uood the new reality he found himself in. And now, hardened by the st few days of suffering and stant fighting, he once again found a creature that was far beyond his capabilities.

  It even got a fug army. If those fuckers decided to step out of the Wastend, the streets of Wolford would get twice as dangerous as they are now. Hell, and I'm pretty sure I saw at least one more Vodiling that wasn't a traditional Cursed variant. Just how many of them are down there?

  Lying ft on the roof, Leo summoned his Bestiary. Any kind of information was better than nothing at this point.

  Apex Variants:Just as the name indicates, Voidlings with the Apex prefix were born stronger, better, and smarter than their normal kin. Their potential is always higher than a standard Voidling, and it isn't rare for them to grow at an accelerated rate. It is also important to hat almost every Apex possesses the ability to partially and their lesser kin of the same evolution line. Very rarely, Apex variants might also develop unique abilities that a normal Voidling 't possess.

  If necessary, additional informatioed to Apex variants will now be dispyed iiary entries of normal Voidlings after entering them.

  Most I already expected, but the partial and and unique abilities aren't a wele surprise. Leo grimaced as he quickly called the entries for Cursed Human and Runner, only to discover that nothing had ged there.

  Alright, that's good. The st thing I need is for the most basic Voidlings to develop some special abilities. The fact that I probably passed a few of those on my way here is already depressing enough. From now on, I'm using Identify ohing…

  Flig the Bestiary entry away, Leo let the Mutation Iake its pce. Although the standard information package already gave him quite a bit of data about the Tainted Wastend, he hoped the new mutation could shine even more light on this situation.

  Tainted Corruption:A mutation of Essence in directly ected to the existence of Tainted Wastends. It affects the three main pilrs, boosting its overall capabilities by a small margin. Additionally, depending on the aspect of Tainted Corruption, the affected will gain more unique bes. While creatures with this mutation rarely leave their Tainted Wastends to not lose their e to its aspect, it is essential to hat an enter with Tainted Voidlings outside those areas is still possible. This occurrence is attributed to the presence of Tainted Survivors uo halt the spread of their curse.Discovered Subcategories:Void: The most popur Tainted Corruption. It doesn't grant any additional abilities except for providing further strength, durability, and speed improvements.

  So I was right... Leo gulped, reading the st few sentenore time. My home, or eveire neighborhood, was close to being a ing ground for a Tainted Wastend. Shit... I guess lucky is one way to call my tinued existence.

  Leo's focus slid to the subcategories. At least it could have been worse? Probably?

  While the Void subcategory didn't seem too dangerous, all of those Voidling already had an average level well above seven. Add to that the improved capabilities from mutation, and Leo wasn't sure if he could even hawo of those monsters simultaneously.

  And that was without ting in their sheer numbers and other variants spread in their ranks.

  Speaking of... Leo grimaced. Time to find out what that big guy is pag.

  Race: Voidling | Subspecies: Cursed JuggernautExpected Potential: E- to Eon of choice: Pure strengthKnown weaknesses: No skin yer, slowed rea timeThe Juggernaut is a potential evolution of the Cursed variants, achieved through the bination and fusion of two Voidlings, which jumpstarts their evolution. While Juggernauts are less on in the early stages of Outbreaks, they are among the most formidable adversaries for new Survivors. With their sheer strength as their primary asset, Juggernauts are surprisingly agile and quickly close the distao their prey if they react promptly.Apex variant: Aside from standard bes, Apex Juggernauts possess two hearts that must be destroyed to kill them.

  Yeah, I ain't toug that with a te pole. Leo scoffed. Attempting to kill this thing with his current power was a death wish, nothing more. His own evolution might close the gap, but that remaio be seen.

  Which brings forth another question... I ighe Juggernaut, but should I try to harvest two hearts from some stragglers? Leo crawled to the roof's edge once more and took a peek.

  One side of the triangle-shaped town square had a thin road running by it, and that street also posed as the current border of the Tainted Wastend. If Leo pyed it right and used the few crashed cars standing by it, he might be able to pull it off.

  Might is a strong word here... Leo grimaced, eyes settled owo normies walking along the road. But if I py this right, then I will no longer have to wonder if the Apex evolution was better…

  A heavy sigh left Leo's lips.

  Fuck... I'm going to do it, aren't I?

  Chaos65