Leo walked through the misty shadows, ung of the time passing outside his soul. He had fotten how wonderful it felt to be here. Just like Nikra said, there were no barriers inside a soundscape; here he was whole, three pieces of a puzzle being one.

  I didn't really have time to enjoy this back then, did I? He sighed, eyes closed. Nikra, for all the trouble you've brought me, at least you’ve givehis pce... Now, it's time to use it.

  His shadow eyes snapped open, narrowing in focus. He felt around his soul, searg for the one sleeping here — for the child who became a monster not so much different from him.

  There.

  Leo made a sharp turn to the left and surged in that dire, the shadows beh carrying him faster than his feet ever could. His e to his affinity had definitely advanced sihe st time he was here.

  For minutes, maybe more, he flew through the unending pins. He even passed a small area with all the normal items stored within his Soul Well, but in the end, he didn't stop. His true target was close; he could feel it.

  And he was right.

  There, in a rge cleariy of shadows, a figure y on the hard, dark ground. Adam looked just like he remembered him from their st meeting, but at least now, the boy-turned-monster seemed peaceful, his eyes closed. The slow rise of his chest was the only indicator that the child still lived.

  Is there even oxygen here? How does that work? Leo shook his head. Whatever, I think about it ter. Let's see what's up with you, kiddo.

  He kneeled right before the Apex Night Stalker, turning the boy so he would y on his back. With that done, he once more took in the evolution that was once offered to him. Yet, there was nothing new he could find, no indication that something was wrong with this form.

  Would've I ended up the same? Was this evolution cursed from the beginning? He wondered. Or was your state as a Tainted Human the only reason you turned out like this? Shit…

  Leo puhe ground in front of him, cracks spreading from the point of impaow that he was here, he couldn't help but wonder whether Adam had truly been alive before the storm came. He had eaihis thought in the past, but only now did it hit him how possible it could be.

  And I have no real way to find out now, eh? Was it all really for nothing? He chuckled bitterly. No, no, no. It doesn't matter. Remember, no more pitty parties. I will deal with this in any way I . I started this, and I will be the oo end it.

  Of course, thanks to his ret meeting with Naz'Tor, Leo now had access to information he could have only dreamt about before. However, the fact remaihat he still didn't trust the mert. For the time being, he inteo keep the details about Adam to himself. He would tact the shopkeeper only when he ran out of options.

  Not that I have many of those to begin with, but well... beggars 't be choosers. Still, I will need you awake soon, kiddo. There is only so much my Hunter's Pulse and Identify do here.

  His eyes narrowed suddenly.

  Speaking of.

  Apex Night Stalker (Voidling) | LVL: 14

  So it's just as I feared. Even with this small bit of Essence you receive to survive, you still somehow mao level up. Leo shook his head in wonder. I o ge this.

  Slowly, he sat down, taking a moment to calm his thoughts. Only then did he reach out with his senses, searg for the e between his soulscape and Adam. He k was there; he had felt it before, after all.

  Iing.

  Even with his eyes closed, Leo saw the multiple strings of Essence surging toward the boy-turned-monster. Instantly, he ost of them with a sihought, leaving only two active. His soulscape didn't even think of resisting his order.

  And here I thought it would have been harder... This pce really is special.

  Seeing no ges to Adam, he turo his sed task: finding out if there were aovers of Takeover betweehis robably the part he worried about the most. After all, his teique wasn't too kind to anyone us trol. Moreover, he had never released anyone from its grasp in the past.

  Slow and careful. Leo took in a deep breath. Don't miss anything. Search through everything you .

  And so he did. He remaihere for lohan he probably should have, diligently looking for any lingering traces of Takeover. Whether it was within his mind, which he now had plete trol over, or within his soulscape.

  Nothing. Leo sighed, eyes opening. All that's left is your own mind, kiddo. Not much I do about that.

  Once more, he stood up, reag for the shadows c almost the entire soulscape. It was time for the final precaution.

  Dark mist surged towards him, guided by his thoughts, fuelled by his desire. The ever-growing cloud gathered around Adam, swirling and ging. Four shadow pilrs emerged from the ground, arranged in a square formation and linked by bars of the same affinity. Ohe struct became high enough, the remaining shadows gathered oop, f a roof and closing the cage.

  "And that's it," Leo muttered, looking ihrough the small holes between the bars. "I'm sorry it had to e to this, but this is the only way we both stay safe for now." He turned on his heel, finally looking away. "I will be back soon. Sleep well, kiddo."

  Absentminded, he trudged across the pins back to the spot where his items waited. He snatched the lone Neuron Shard off the ground and tinued onward.

  For a moment, he just twirled the small crystal in his hand, but then, with a shrug, he crushed it. The effects were instantaneous.

  So that's how it works. Leo clicked his to gives a small ce to ihe target with Esseer every hit. Then, there is even a lower ce that it will find a ot iarget's body. He snorted. Iing. It's a bit like a poison with a specialized Hunter's Pulse tuned into it.

  Despite not much to work with when it came to improving the skill, at least now, he had one less mystery to solve. The rest would e with time. However, that also wasn't certain. He just had too much stuff to dht now.

  " for the wicked, hmm?" Leo chuckled with a light shake of his head. "Now, how do I get out of here... What if..."

  Now that he uood the base idea of the soulscape, maybe doing the opposite could get him out. He just had to somehow split the three pilrs again.

  This might take a while...

  Leo gasped, his eyes opening to the same dark subway bathroom. In the er, Nyx still slept, her shadows flowing around her body calmly for the most part. He took in a deep breath and smiled lightly.

  Huh, this was easier than I expected.

  In the end, instead of f his three pilrs to split, all he had to do was to give them a mental order. In parison to getting into the soulscape, this was a wele ge.

  All right, System. I know you've been waiting. Hit me with it.

  Your Soul Well skill has evolved into Soulscape. gratutions!

  Soulscape (Radiant)Every soul hides an unlimited potential. Before, you've only scraped the tip of the iceberg. But now, thanks to the Symphony of the Three Pilrs, you've achieved perfect bance. Only now your climb truly begin.Effects:St items has bee easier and will cause less strain on the soul. You may now study your affinities and Essehin the soulscape. You have achieved perfect synization; the efficy of the three pilrs has been improved.

  Despite what the description said, Leo didn't feel any different. However, sidering that this new skill didn't offer any pertage improvement to his attributes, maybe this efficy was reted to something else.

  Or I'm too tired to feel it.

  A quice at the timer of one of his jobs firmed that he had somehow wasted a few hours ihe soulscape.

  Well shit...

  The day, when Leo opened his weary eyes to the sight of Nyx h above him, he could only sigh.

  'Please tell me you didn't stay up the entire night,' she scowled.

  Wiping the blurriness from his visioood up and gave the feline a pat on the side. "ire, only most."

  This time, it was Nyx's turn to sigh. 'Why do I even bother...'

  Chaos65