Primordial Awakening: I Can Evolve My Skills Infinitely

The figure standing before Sam was enormous, at least five meters tall.

And yet, despite staring directly at it, Sam couldn't actually make out what it looked like.

It had a body, clearly. It had limbs, a torso, even a head.

But the details were impossible to see, as though something had erased them entirely.

Its entire form was cloaked in swirling shadows, pitch black and untouchable, except for two glowing crimson eyes that burned with ancient awareness.

Eyes that stared directly into Sam's soul.

"You are..." Sam breathed, eyes wide, "But... how?"

A wide smile slowly appeared across the creature's face, unnaturally wide and red, like a scar carved into its shadowed head.

It was eerily similar to the [Forsaken Clone]'s twisted grin.

[You don't need to know,] the being said, the words sliding into his head like a knife, bypassing sound entirely.

Fwish! Swash!

Without warning, a massive shadowed hand reached out and grabbed Sam by the collar.

The creature lifted him into the air as easily as if he were paper.

Sam struggled immediately, trying to break free, but it was useless.

The hand was far bigger, and the strength behind it was overwhelming.

[You thought you were safe, didn't you?]

The voice, calm and cruel, echoed inside Sam's head with unbearable weight.

[You just killed Jevil. You defeated a Forsaken Lord. That should've earned you a moment of rest, right? A little break?]

"You—" Sam began to say, but he couldn't finish.

[WRONG.]

The word hit with the force of an explosion.

The being roared it so loudly that Sam's skull rang from the impact, his ears buzzing, his mind momentarily blanking from the sheer pressure.

And as it shouted, its grin widened, revealing rows upon rows of jagged teeth, each longer than Sam's fingers.

A monstrous maw that could swallow him whole.

But even through that terrifying sight, Sam forced himself to focus.

His breathing steadied. His eyes sharpened.

[Void Watcher: He is here to end you for good, his bloodlust is incredible.]

Sam had believed something important, that the [Forsaken Lords] couldn't step into the real world directly.

That their domain, their power, was locked inside their twisted layers.

But now, that assumption was shattering right before his eyes.

He should've known from all the signs.

The [Roaring Titan] had warned him that they could actually leave.

Asmodeus had given Sam a 3-days warning.

Jevil had summoned panels straight into their world with no hesitation.

It had been obvious.

The further he advanced, the deeper he stepped into this hellish game, the stronger these Lords became.

And the more they could break the rules.

So now, it seemed the sixth [Forsaken Lord] had reached that threshold.

This being, this towering shadow that could probably destroy the entirety of Earth alone, was standing right in front of him.

---

[??? (???)]

[Level: 70]

[Description: ???]

[Hell-Mode Analysis: We can't win.]

---

Sam's eyes narrowed.

It was the first time that [Hell-Mode Analysis], his subconscious, had ever said those words.

Not "Proceed." Not "Keep going." But simply and clearly: "We can't win."

That alone chilled him more than anything else.

And Sam understood why.

Even now, staring at this thing, he still couldn't fully see it.

As if reality itself was rejecting the idea of showing it to him.

[But I suppose you don't care about that,] the shadowed being said, tilting its head, [Let's end this.]

Fwish! BOOM!

The creature spun with impossible speed and hurled Sam like a ragdoll, sending him crashing against the ground hard enough to bounce.

Once, twice, over and over, he was flung across the battlefield.

He rolled and slammed into the earth, his body tearing through rocks and trees.

In just a single throw, he had been sent flying for kilometers.

"GARGH—!"

Only his [Eternal Barrier] kept him alive, the shield absorbing the brutal impacts.1

When he finally stopped, he was far from where he had started.

But before he could even catch his breath...

[Don't think you escaped.]

Sam's instincts screamed.

He turned his head quickly, and the shadow was already there, standing over him.

As if it had never left.

[You cannot win, and you know this.]

Fwish! BOOM!

Another strike. Another throw.

Sam was flung again, even farther this time, dust and debris exploding around him with each impact.

And then—

[Warning! You are approaching the "Outside" zone.]

[Please return to a safe zone immediately.]

'Are you serious—? I fucking can't—!'

BOOM!

If he entered the [Outside] zone, he'd be swarmed.

Dozens, maybe hundreds, of [Forsaken]-rank monsters waited there, he wasn't ready to face that many, not now.

And the being knew that.

It was forcing him back, not just with strength, but with precision.

It didn't even need to kill him. It just had to push him over the line.

Then the [Outside] would do the rest.

It knew his habits. It had studied his fights. It knew his reflexes, his timing, his weaknesses.

The creature was overwhelming him constantly, never giving him a moment to think.

And it worked.

It was faster, stronger, more cunning, it had every advantage.

Sam was utterly cornered.

But even then... Even then...

His eyes ignited. And so did his soul.

[Knowing that you are fighting an opponent that you cannot beat... fills you with determination!]

"AAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!"

Sam screamed. He wasn't afraid. He was furious.

Even knowing there was no hope, no realistic chance of winning, his heart burned with rage and resolve.

He wasn't ready to die. Not like this.

Fwish! Ding!

[You have summoned a "Star of Hatred".]

The crimson star appeared before him, pulsing with raw fury.

Sam didn't hesitate.

Hatred Boost!

The star dissolved into his body, crimson veins spreading like fire across his skin, wrapping him in a shroud of power.

His eyes glowed with red light as he gripped his primordial sword.

The shadowed figure rushed forward, dark aura spiraling around its clenched fist.

[Once you enter the "Outside" zone, you will be killed, and the realm will be peaceful once more.]

Sam stood firm.

He was at the very edge of the third [Outer Ring].

One more punch and he'd enter his grave.

But he wasn't going to let that happen. Not now. Not after everything.

He poured everything he had into his blade, his aura, his hatred, his affinities, everything.

And... he swung.

Fwish! BOOM!

Their powers collided. Sword against fist.

The air cracked from the shockwave.

The ground beneath Sam's feet shattered, but this time, he didn't budge.

His feet remained rooted. His hands locked around the blade.

His crimson eyes burned as he resisted the pressure.

For seconds that felt like hours, they clashed in brutal silence.

Until finally... it ended.

[Your determination... is strong enough to stop this?]

The shadow's eyes widened. Genuinely surprised.

[Incredible.]

Sam stood, panting, but still alive.

His sword shook slightly in his grip. That strike had taken everything he had.

And it hadn't even hurt the creature. Not a scratch.

He wouldn't be able to do it again.

But then... something changed. The being's form began to flicker.

Its shadows distorted, blurring around the edges.

[My time is up.]

The [Forsaken Lord] said. It smiled again. Cruel. Confident.

[But I've learned what I needed. You cannot win. No matter how hard you try.]

Its body slowly faded into nothing.

[Remember this, Primordial. They are all watching you.]

[Even if you leave the "Lower Realm"... you will die.]

Poof!

And just like that, it vanished. Gone.

Leaving Sam alone, still standing, at the edge of the [Outside] zone.

The crimson aura faded. His Hatred Boost vanished.

Sam took a deep breath and steadied himself.

"Fucking hell..." he muttered.

He turned around, glancing toward the crimson sky of the [Outside].

An aura so intense poured out from it that it made his skin crawl.

If he'd crossed that line, even by accident... He wouldn't have returned.

He knew it. He had barely survived.

'He could've killed me,' Sam muttered to himself, 'But he said his time was up…'

And he was thankful for that.

'He also spoke of the Lower Realm,' Sam noted, frowning.

That word echoed strangely in his mind.

There were more layers to this world. More truths he hadn't seen yet.

But for now? For now, he had survived.

His hatred, his will, his stubborn refusal to fall, it had been enough.

Enough to hold on, at least once.

He looked toward the horizon, then sighed.

He was ready to return. Hopefully without any more surprises.

Ranking up resets cooldowns by the way, that's why he has his [Eternal Barrier]