CHAPTER 8 — Gravity Lv. 2
The Rift’s glow washed over Aiden as he stepped deeper into the ruined district. The pull inside his chest sharpened, tugging at him with a rhythm that matched the Rift’s pulse. Gravity throbbed behind his ribs—heavy, steady, answering something he couldn’t see.
He pressed a hand to his chest.
“Not yet,” he muttered. “I’m not ready.”
The pull didn’t care.
It kept dragging at him, subtle but constant, like a tide pulling at the shore.
Aiden forced himself to focus. Hunters were shouting in the distance, scrambling to contain the expanding Rift. Forceborn prowled the edges of the chaos, drawn to the instability.
Aiden moved through it all unseen.
He ducked behind a collapsed balcony, breathing hard. The Gravity Force pulsed again—stronger this time, almost impatient.
Aiden clenched his jaw.
“Fine. You want practice? Let’s practice.”
He planted his feet and focused inward.
The weight behind his ribs responded instantly, shifting under his attention. He pushed it downward—slowly, carefully.
His body grew heavier.
Not the sudden, crushing heaviness from before. This was controlled. Gradual. Intentional.
The pavement cracked faintly beneath his boots.
Aiden exhaled.
“Okay… that’s new.”
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He released the weight.
His body lightened—just a little. Enough to feel like he was standing on softer ground. Enough to make his next step quicker.
He tried again.
Heavier.
Lighter.
Heavier.
Lighter.
Each shift felt smoother. More precise. More natural.
A notification flickered at the edge of his vision.
[GRAVITY FORCE — Proficiency Increased]
Aiden’s pulse quickened.
He pushed harder.
Heavier.
The pavement cracked deeper.
Lighter.
His body felt almost buoyant.
Heavier.
The air around him warped slightly, bending like heat haze.
Another notification flickered.
[GRAVITY FORCE — Level Up]
[Gravity — Level 2]
Aiden froze.
“…already?”
He checked the sensation inside him.
The weight was different now—denser, sharper, more responsive. He could feel it in his limbs, in his balance, in the way the ground pushed back against him.
He tested it.
He shifted his weight downward—just 10%.
The pavement cracked.
He shifted upward—10% lighter.
His body moved faster.
Aiden grinned despite himself.
“Okay. That’s actually insane.”
A snarl echoed from behind a collapsed storefront.
A Primal Forceborn crawled out, eyes glowing with unstable energy. It spotted Aiden instantly—of course it did—and charged.
Aiden didn’t run.
He stepped forward.
The creature lunged.
Aiden dropped his weight—hard.
Gravity surged downward, anchoring him to the pavement. The Forceborn slammed into him, expecting to knock him over.
It didn’t move him an inch.
The creature staggered, confused.
Aiden grabbed its arm.
He shifted his weight upward—lightening himself—and pivoted.
The Forceborn stumbled forward.
Aiden slammed his foot down—10% heavier.
The pavement cracked.
The Forceborn’s leg buckled.
Aiden didn’t hesitate.
He raised the rebar, shifted his weight downward again—harder this time—and brought it down with all the Gravity he could muster.
The blow crushed the creature’s skull instantly.
A Core rose.
Aiden stepped back.
He didn’t need it.
He didn’t want it.
He was grinding Special Forces right now.
The Core hovered, confused.
Then dissolved into dust.
Aiden wiped sweat from his brow, breathing hard.
Gravity Lv.2 felt different.
Sharper.
Heavier.
More dangerous.
He tested it again—shifting his weight up, down, up, down—feeling the new precision, the new control.
He could crush things now.
He could anchor himself.
He could move faster.
He could hit harder.
And the Rift’s pull…
It grew stronger with every pulse.
Aiden looked up at the swirling wound in the sky.
“You’re not done with me,” he whispered. “I get it.”
He tightened his grip on the rebar.
“Good.”
He stepped deeper into the chaos.
“Neither am I.”