Arden didn't hesitate. The moment the system prompt appeared, his choice was already made.

Evolve Y/N?

"Yes."

The interface rippled in front of him, light threading through the edges before shaping itself into something sharper.

Evolved Life Signature: Umbral Pulse Convergence

Effect: The user projects a subtle rhythm of life energy that allies within range unconsciously attune to, syncing movement, timing, and intent. This creates a temporary state of combat resonance, where coordinated dodges, strikes, or bursts of movement feel instinctive.

Shared Flow: Allies gain improved precision and reduced reaction delay when fighting side by side with the user.

Dusk Mirage Field: Rapid allied movements leave behind faint shadow-echoes, making it harder for enemies to read positions or single out targets.

Pulse Overflow (Synergy Surge): When two or more allies strike in unison within the resonance, the convergence releases a disruptive pulse that staggers enemies or briefly fractures their aura flow.

Duration: Scales with trust and cohesion among allies. Longer battles or disorganized groups weaken resonance.

Arden's eyes lingered on the words, and a small smile tugged at his lips. This wasn't just strength for himself, it was something that tied them together, a thread that could turn chaos into precision. It meant fewer wasted steps, fewer near-deaths, and growth that would come naturally from fighting as one.

"Arden, are you daydreaming again?" Nyra's voice cut in, teasing but sharp.

He closed the interface and waved her off. "Thinking about how much you'll owe me when you realize I carry you lot."

Rael snorted. "Big words. Don't choke on them."

Zephyra rumbled low in her throat, a noise that sounded like laughter but had weight behind it.

Arden ignored their banter and shifted his senses outward. The faint ripple of movement brushed against him, more stormfang duskprowlers, and not just a handful. The pack was large, the kind that could tear an unprepared group apart. He smirked. "Perfect."

They noticed the glint in his eyes.

"What now?" Rael asked, tightening his fist in his weapon.

"Now," Arden said, "we test something new."

He told them of the pack. But they showed no hesitation, and no fear. They'd been itching for more.

The howls hit first, echoing through the trees, followed by the blur of shadow and wind. The duskprowlers broke through the underbrush as one, eyes glowing pale in the dim light.

Arden felt the hum of his new life signature flare within him, and without explaining, he let it flow.

Something clicked.

Nyra blinked as her body shifted half a step before she meant to, perfectly avoiding a pounce that should have caught her side. Rael punched wide, and instead of stumbling into Nyra's space, his attack went past hers with precise timing, striking a prowler that had leapt at her blind spot. Zephyra's charge felt like it was pushed by unseen wind, her claws snapping into place exactly where Rael's strike had left an opening.

For a heartbeat, it felt unnatural. Then it felt right.

"Arden, what the hell did you do?" Nyra shouted, frost surging from her hands as she flowed into Rael's strike without thinking.

"Nothing," Arden said calmly, though his grin betrayed him. "Just keep moving."

The resonance deepened, and with every joint strike, a faint ripple burst through the field. The prowlers staggered as though their aura was being splintered apart, their pack tactics falling out of sync.

Boom—! Nyra's cyclone veil crashed against a wave of shadows, Zephyra's cerulean flames burning through the blur as if it were smoke. Rael's lightning cracked, and it carried Nyra's frost blades into the staggered gaps.

The duskprowlers howled, but they couldn't regain rhythm. Their speed and chaos, normally overwhelming, was now shattered against something tighter than a wall.

Arden cut down the last one that tried to flee, his strike landing just as Nyra and Rael moved, the pulse kicking out again to break the beast's aura. Silence fell over the clearing, smoke and shadows fading into the wind.

Nyra turned, eyes sharp but wide with surprise. "That wasn't normal."

Rael exhaled, shaking his head. "We moved like… like we practiced it. But we didn't."

Zephyra padded over, fur faintly glowing with cerulean embers. She huffed once, the sound almost mocking but with an edge of approval.

Arden sheathed his blade and shrugged. "Guess you'll just have to get used to me being full of surprises."

Rael laughed once, still catching his breath. "One day you'll explain how you do it."

"Maybe," Arden said with a smirk, though his thoughts lingered on the truth. He wouldn't need to explain. If they trusted him, the rhythm would speak for itself.

They moved out of the stormfangs' hunting grounds without looking back. Arden had no problem saying it out loud, "Enough of those mutts. Their tricks were clever at first, but we've wrung them dry."

Nyra stretched her arms, smirking. "You just don't like how they were always trying to bite at your boots."

Rael chuckled, "Or maybe he's worried Zephyra's stealing all his glory."

Zephyra growled, the sound low and rolling. She padded ahead with her tail swishing, flames flickering faintly between strands of fur as if agreeing.

Arden waved them off with a half-smile. "Call it whatever you want. I'm done with them."

The sun had already begun to lean toward the horizon, shadows lengthening as the sky painted itself orange.

By the time they stumbled upon a jutting rock wall with a shallow alcove beneath it, the light was dimming fast. The place was quiet, shielded from the wind, and good enough to call a camp.

They set up quickly, a small fire crackling in the center. Dinner was simple, roasted strips of stormfang meat, seasoned with herbs Rael insisted didn't taste like dirt, though Nyra argued otherwise.

The smell was smoky, sharp, and rich enough to fill the air. Zephyra sprawled near the fire, tearing at her share with a low rumble that sounded far too content for a beast who looked so fierce when fighting.

Talk flowed easily. Nyra told the story of how she nearly slipped during her Cryowind shift earlier, making herself the subject of Rael's teasing.

Rael bragged about how many he'd cut down in their last fight until Nyra reminded him Arden had stolen two of his kills. Arden laughed along, tossing in small comments, his usual calm grounding their chatter even as he poked fun at them.

After a while, he stood, brushing off the dust.

"Where do you think you're going?" Rael asked, already grinning. "Let me guess. Off to a corner to cook up another miracle skill?"

Nyra snorted. "He'll come back tomorrow claiming he can set the moon on fire."

Arden turned, shooting them a glare that only lasted a second before it slipped into a grin. "You're both just jealous." He didn't deny it though, which made them laugh harder.

A/N:

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