Powerless Boy is reborn as Lustful Elf
Chapter 111: System Evolution

Chapter 111: System Evolution

As the pain from the moonshade-poisoned crystal seared through Alex’s stomach, his vision flickered, the world around him a chaotic blur of screams and shattered glass. His knees buckled, and he crumpled to the polished floor of Starhaven Academy, his hands clutching the wound, warm blood seeping through his fingers.

The cold, mechanical chime of the system rang in his mind again, cutting through the haze of agony. A notification flashed across his vision, its red text stark against the darkening edges of his sight: <SYSTEM WORKING TO DETOXIFY MOONSHADE POISON.>

Alex gasped, his chest heaving as he tried to focus on the words. Hope flickered faintly in his chest, a fragile spark amidst the overwhelming pain. The system was trying to save him, maybe it could pull him back from the brink. His breath came in shallow, ragged bursts, each one a struggle as the poison burned through his veins, like liquid fire spreading from the wound.

Around him, the sounds of the academy’s chaos, panicked shouts, the crackle of dark magic, the clatter of footsteps, faded into a distant hum, as if the world was slipping away.

Another chime sounded, sharp and urgent, and a second notification appeared: <DETOXIFICATION IN PROGRESS. MOONSHADE POISON RESISTANCE LEVEL: CRITICAL.> Alex’s heart pounded, his thoughts a jumbled mess.

The system was fighting, but the poison was relentless, its venomous tendrils tightening their grip. He tried to move, to push himself up, but his limbs felt heavy, like they were carved from stone.

Sylra’s voice, desperate and tear-choked, reached him faintly, but he couldn’t make out her words over the roaring in his head. His vision swam, the faces of his classmates blurring into streaks of color.

Then, a third chime, colder and more final, shattered his fading hope. The notification burned into his vision: <MOONSHADE POISON EXCEEDS DETOXIFICATION CAPACITY. SYSTEM UNABLE TO NEUTRALIZE>.

The words hit like a hammer, each one driving the air from his lungs. Alex’s breath hitched, his chest tightening as the reality sank in.

This was it. The poison was too strong, too fast. He was going to die. His body trembled, the pain now a dull, all-consuming ache that pulsed with every heartbeat. He sank back against the cold floor, his strength ebbing away like water through a sieve.

Alex closed his eyes, the world around him fading to a muted gray. He could still hear the distant chaos, students screaming, the clash of magic, Bastian’s voice shouting something unintelligible, but it all felt so far away, like a dream he was slipping out of.

His thoughts turned inward, heavy with resignation. He’d always known this world was dangerous, with its rogue factions and dark magic, but he hadn’t expected it to end like this, sprawled on the academy floor, bleeding out in front of his friends.

A strange calm settled over him, a quiet acceptance that this was the end. He let out a shaky breath, ready to let go.

But just as his body teetered on the edge of shutting down, a new chime rang out, sharp and insistent, pulling him back from the brink.

The system’s voice was clear, almost commanding, as a notification filled his vision: <SYSTEM EVOLUTION TRIGGERED. CRITICAL CONDITION DETECTED. TWO OPTIONS AVAILABLE: 1) EVOLVE WITH THE SYSTEM. 2) ACCEPT TERMINATION>.

Alex’s eyes snapped open, his heart stuttering. Evolve? Termination? The words swam in his mind, their weight pressing down on him. He didn’t hesitate, his survival instinct kicking in despite the fog of pain.

Die, he thought, the word heavy but certain. He wasn’t ready to give up, not yet, not when there was a chance to keep going. He focused on the second option, his mind screaming the choice even as his body weakened.

Another notification flashed, its tone almost grave: WARNING: <EVOLUTION BINDS YOUR LIFE TO THE SYSTEM. YOU WILL SERVE ITS GOALS. YOUR AUTONOMY WILL BE COMPROMISED. CONFIRM CHOICE.>

Alex’s breath caught, the warning sinking in like a stone. Serve the system? Lose his freedom? The idea sent a chill through him, colder than the poison in his veins. He didn’t even know what the system’s goals were, some vague, cosmic purpose he’d never fully understood.

But as his vision dimmed and his pulse slowed, he realized he didn’t have a choice. Death was certain; evolution was a gamble. He swallowed hard, his thoughts racing. I don’t want to die. Not like this. With a mental push, he confirmed his choice: <EVOLVE.>

The system responded instantly, its chime steady and resolute: <CHOICE ACKNOWLEDGED. SELECT EVOLUTION PATH: >Four options appeared, glowing in his vision like stars against a dark sky:

<• MOONSHADE ELF: HIGH STEALTH, ILLUSION MAGIC>

<• THORNWARDEN ELF: TANKY, DEFENSE-BASED SPELLS>

<• ARCWIND ELF: WIND MANIPULATION, MOBILITY>

<• CURSED ASH ELF: DARK MAGIC, HIGH BURST DAMAGE>

Alex’s mind reeled, the pain making it hard to think. Each path sounded powerful, but the Cursed Ash Elf caught his attention. Dark magic. High burst damage.

It sounded dangerous, reckless even, but something about it called to him, a raw, untamed power that could turn the tide against threatsmoksha attackers like Eclipse. He didn’t have time to overthink it. His body was failing, his vision fading. Cursed Ash Elf, he thought, locking onto the choice.

The system chimed again: <CURSED ASH ELF SELECTED. INITIATING EVOLUTION>. Before he could process the words, a strange sensation enveloped him.

A pool of shadowy aura materialized in the air above, swirling like a storm cloud, dark and shimmering with flecks of crimson light. It spread out, tendrils of darkness curling toward him, and then surged into his body.

The impact was immediate and excruciating. Alex screamed, his voice raw and ragged, as the shadowy aura burrowed into his chest, his arms, his very core. It felt like molten metal pouring through his veins, searing every nerve.

His body arched off the floor, convulsing as the dark magic reshaped him, burning away the poison but replacing it with something far more intense. His vision blacked out, his screams fading into gasps as the pain overwhelmed him.

When he opened his eyes again, the world was a hazy blur. He was still on the academy floor, the cold tiles pressing against his back. The pain had dulled to a throbbing ache, but his body felt different, stronger, heavier, like it was humming with new energy.

Sylra’s face hovered above him with a tear streaked face and her eyes wide with desperation. She was holding him, her hands trembling as they gripped his shoulders. "Alex, please," she sobbed, her voice breaking. "Come back. You can’t die. You can’t!"