Chapter 67: Primal Energy
Primal Energy
Mike stared at the new notifications in a daze, his brain short-circuiting by what had just happened.
’What... just happened...?’ Mike thought blankly.
When he’d gotten angry about his energy running rampant, it was like a part of him, a deep, dormant part of him that he’d never known was there suddenly revealed itself.
After that, everything was a bit hazy, but he still remembered some things, like how everything suddenly felt... lower.
Like everything within his range of perception, and even outside of it, was beneath him. Like nothing could touch him, and instead, what mattered was what HE could do to everything.
How everything felt like it was his prey in one way or the other.
After that, his energy became docile, more than it had ever been, and it stopped acting out. What’s more, it flowed pretty much exactly how he wanted it to, which was great, but... that’s not what was interesting to him at the moment.
Slowly, Mike came to, and he constantly replayed what had just happened. What he could remember of it anyway, and he stared at the system notification in front of him.
’... What?’ He slowly rubbed his face, as though doing so would make the situation more comprehensible.
It didn’t.
’System... Can you please explain what just happened?’ He finally asked after sitting there for what felt like hours, but in reality was only half an hour since he started his experiment.
[Lupines are a species that possess the traits of both humans and wolves. Hence, they are walking paradoxes. Beings that don’t just operate with instinct and intellect, but balance the two. They possess the traits of both creatures, advantages and disadvantages. They aren’t a human with wolf traits or a wolf with human traits. They are a human AND a wolf.] The system began, and Mike’s thoughts were slowly filled with confusion. Why was the system explaining things he already knew?
[However, while that in itself is already very interesting, Lupines are a species that is far, far more complex than just the traits they possess from their ’mother’ species, so to speak. By default, they are Apex Predators. Creatures that exist to assert their dominance and hunt. They have no natural Predators, they have no boundaries, they do not face suppression in the face of a stronger opponent. Instead, they enjoy the hunt. This idea, this concept, is so deeply ingrained in their existence, that it manifested as a higher form of energy which embodies those very concepts. The concepts of Predator and Prey, the concept of sitting at the top of the food chain, and so on. This energy is called Primal Energy, and it is something all Lupines possess, and most of all, it is something that resides within you.] When it finished, Mike gulped.
’If that’s true... why now? I assume my energy rebelling was the trigger, but why? I don’t think it was such a huge event that would have warranted this, right? I expected a level up at most if I managed to resolve the issues not... this.’ He asked with disbelief.
[It wasn’t this event alone. It was simply the breaking point. Instead, it has been a series of actions that slowly led up to this point. All the times when you were defiant, or when you designated one as prey. How you refused to cower despite being isolated, or how you’ve made these people who appear untouchable your prey. All of it had been building, and now, when your energy, something that is a part of you that you couldn’t even fathom trying to rebel against you did just that, you instinctively reacted. You wanted nothing more than to show it who was the superior in this relationship, and that forced you to make use of your Primal Energy.] It explained once more, and a look of understanding dawned on Mike’s face.
Indeed. This hadn’t just come out of nowhere. If Primal Energy worked the way the system described it to, then Mike’s recent actions must have slowly caused that dam to burst. His indifference to authority, his lack of care towards the way his classmates saw him, and his downright predatory thoughts concerning how he wanted to prove himself better than all of them while activeky working towards that goal... Yeah.
However, that still made some things questionable. For instance...
’But... why did my ability get upgraded? I didn’t even know that was possible...’ Mike thought as he stared at his Primal Surge now turned Primal Dominion.
[While being of a higher status, Primal Energy is still energy. That said, when it saw the way your energy behaved, it was naturally dissatisfied. As such, it took matters into its own hands. Essentially grasping the energy to mold it to fit you properly. As such, your energy gained properties of the Primal Energy. And since your energy is essentially the fuel for your ability, the type of fuel dictates the product, leading to a mutation, turning your ability into what it is now.] It elaborated, and Mike blinked.
Without thinking, he activated his ability again, allowing his aura to manifest, and he watched as the blue energy exited his pores and lingered around his body like thick smoke. However, it wasn’t so simply anymore.
It was a bit difficult to notice, but Mike immediately saw it. The way his aura moved around his body, it felt... ferocious, more aggressive. Moreover, the thing about it suppressing surrounding forms of energy was no joke.
Mike could see how his aura distorted the air around him, and when he moved his arm, he felt like the surrounding wind had lessened... No, not lessened. It was more like it had become more docile, and whenever he moved, it actively tried to move out of the way to avoid impeding him, like prey animals giving way for a predator for fear of being made a target.
The aura itself also looked a bit different. It was still blue, but the shade had deepened a little bit, and it jaad gotten a bit denser as well. Moreover, there were visible specks of white among it, and whenever Mike focused on any of these specks, he got a faint feeling similar to what he felt before when his anger boiled over.
But there was also something else...
Mike turned his attention inward, and soon enough, he was looking at his Energy Pathways again.
They looked the same. Their contents, though, did not.
Mike watched, enraptured as his energy moved with a strange vigor that hadn’t been there before. It was also much thicker.
Mike noted before how his energy looked strangely loose within his Pathways. However, that wasn’t the case anymore. If before it looked like numerous individual water droplets moving rapidly, it now looked a lot like water that had been frozen to the point of being almost frozen, but not quite. Sort of like a slushy.
It was thick, but it wasn’t slow by any means, and just like his aura, its color had turned a deeper shade of blue with white specks within.
Mike then turned his attention to the openings in his Pathways where the energy flowed to his skin, and he was pleasantly surprised when he saw what was happening.
There was no more leakage.
Instead, his energy flowed straight to his pores without any excess with no fanfare, and all of it was turned into his Aura seamlessly.
Moreover, he could feel the difference clearly. His internals were no longer being enhanced, but his exterior...
Without hesitation, he decided to check his stats.
STATS
Strength: 46 → 82.2 (+36.2)
Agility: 48.8 → 84.7 (+35.9)
Endurance: 47.4 → 91.3 (+43.9)
Vitality: 51.8 → 74.1 (+22.3)
Perception: 54.2 → 88.4 (+34.2)
Mike’s eyes widened as soon as he saw them.
’Whoa. That’s a pretty significant increase!’ He thought with a big grin on his face. What’s more, his endurance was now something else.
Before fixing up his leakage problem, endurance had been the stat to benefit the second least from his aura. Not that the increase was bad, but it was the second-worst, just behind vitality.
Now, though, not only had it benefited the most from the fix, it was now also his stat that was closest to reaching 100 points when his aura was put into the equation.
Granted, Mike knew that such an increase wasn’t the norm. He was certain that had he fixed the issue normally without any aid from an obscure yet insanely powerful metaphysical force, the increase across the board wouldn’t be so extreme.
’Oh, right. I think I leveled up.’ Mike suddenly realized as he looked at his base stats. They had all gone up by three, so he was pretty certain he’d leveled up. As for how? Well, that was simple enough to understand.
Now giddy, Mike decided to look at his entire stat panel.
STATS
[Name]: Mike
[Age]: 17
[Race]: Lupine
[Level]: 10
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STATS
Strength: 46 → 82.2 (+36.2)
Agility: 48.8 → 84.7 (+35.9)
Endurance: 47.4 → 91.3 (+43.9)
Vitality: 51.8 → 74.1 (+22.3)
Perception: 54.2 → 88.4 (+34.2)
Allocatable Stat Points: 12
Ferocity: 17% (slightly unstable)
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SKILLS
> (Active Skills)
•Primal Dread – Description: A skill born from the instinctive will of the Heart of the Lupine. Allows the Host to project his aura as an oppressive field, suppressing surrounding energy and enforcing instinctive submission on nearby beings. Those caught in its range feel as though they are prey before a true apex predator.
The potency of Primal Dread scales with the Host’s Ferocity, aura output, and killing intent
•Crimson Ladder (First Step) – A combat style devised by Masha and adapted by the Host. Built upon compounding momentum, each motion fuels the next in a relentless chain. Though simple in structure, it demands an exceptionally durable and powerful physique. First Step represents the initial master and grants access to its core movements and flow.
•Partial Transformation (Stable Variant) – Lupines are creatures of both control and wildness. This Stable Variant allows the Host to partially assume his true form without surrendering to instinct. Grants heightened strength, agility, natural weapons (claws, fur, tail), and improved balance, while maintaining mental clarity.
•Overclocking (Level 1) – By forcefully accelerating energy pathways, the Host can dramatically boost physical performance. Comes at the cost of rapid energy depletion and severe bodily strain. Prolonged use risks exhaustion and internal damage.
• Primal Awareness (Level 1) – The Host can precisely direct his instincts to warn of danger, incoming attacks, or nefarious intent.
• Predator’s Foresight (Level 2) – It’s only natural for a predator to excel at hunting, and to excel at hunting, the predator must know how to read their prey. Allows the host to see an outline of their target that alludes to how the target will move after, while also analyzing the flow of their movements and rhythm, allowing the Host to better memorize the way they move, and the Host’s mind can unconsciously memorize these patterns to be repeated precisely. Effectiveness of Predator’s Foresight scales with energy output and mental energy expended.
> (Passive Skills)
• Bestial Adaptation – Physical stats (strength, reflexes, stamina, and senses) are heightened even in human form.
• Cellular Recovery – Slowly regenerates minor injuries and recovers fatigue over time.
• Aura Modulation – Through disciplined control, Host can regulate the intensity and spread of his aura at will, reducing waste and maintaining longer active periods without strain.
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ABILITIES
• Primal Dominion [A]
A combat-type aura ability that embodies the will of the Heart of the Lupine. Enhances physical performance beyond natural limits, reinforces every strike, and can be shaped into devastating bursts or protective barriers.
Due to the Heart of the Lupine refusing to accept such defiance, this ability now exerts an instinctive authority over energy and lifeforms within range, suppressing rebellious or hostile flows and foes and forcing them into obedience. When activated in full, it projects the intent of a true predator, demanding respect from all who sense it.
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EVOLUTION
Locked
> Requirement: Unknown
’... You love to see it.’