EXQ stood at the edge of the ruined battlefield, his newly acquired human body trembling with exhaustion. The echoes of his st fight still rang in his mind—a battle he barely survived. Though weak, he had taken a step forward, gaining a fragment of power.

  "This body... it's fragile, but it's mine."

  For days, he wandered the desote pins, learning the limits of his human form. Every movement was sluggish compared to the ethereal existence he once had as pure consciousness. But now, for the first time, he could feel the weight of reality—pain, hunger, and exhaustion.

  A sudden sound broke his thoughts—a low growl. A pack of shadow wolves emerged from the darkness, their eyes glowing red with hunger. EXQ clenched his fists. Running wasn’t an option.

  "If I can’t defeat them… I don’t deserve to exist."

  As the wolves charged, something inside him stirred—a faint echo of the power he once held. With sheer determination, he dodged the first strike, feeling his muscles strain. His reflexes sharpened, and for a brief moment, time seemed to slow.

  A spark of strength ignited.

  He struck back with a force greater than his fragile frame should allow, shattering the first wolf’s jaw. The others hesitated, sensing the shift. EXQ took advantage of the pause, his focus sharpening as the energy within him began to awaken further.

  By the time the st wolf fell, his body was battered but alive. And within him, something had changed. His power was growing—slowly, but undeniably.

  "This is only the beginning."

  As dawn broke over the horizon, EXQ walked forward with new resolve. He had tasted strength, and he would stop at nothing to cim more.