The Weight of Choice

The Sounds of the Forest
The sounds of the forest had softened. The wind was now just a light breath, almost imperceptible. A thick mist had settled, covering the ground like a mystical veil. Rioshi stood there, alone, lost in a landscape that seemed as strange as it was threatening. The morning light, filtered through the mist, only amplified this supernatural atmosphere.

He didn’t know how long he had been walking. Time seemed to stretch in this world, each moment extending infinitely. The Évolis pulsed gently within him, a source of both power and doubt. The emptiness he had always felt, the one that had accompanied him through life, seemed to be slowly filling. But deep inside, a new question emerged, heavier and more pressing: was he ready to do anything to fill it?

His footsteps echoed in the mist, alone. There were no other adventurers, no visible creatures. Only the oppressive presence of this living forest. But he knew something was hiding, that something was about to emerge from the shadows. This world was more alive than he had imagined, and every corner could conceal a new danger or discovery.

And then, a sound. A crack, followed by a heavy breath. A silhouette slowly emerged from the mist.

At first, Rioshi thought it was an illusion, a distortion of the mist. But the creature became clearer, its massive silhouette standing out in the thick veil. A long, serpentine body, yet sturdy, covered in smooth, glass-like black skin. Yellow eyes, piercing, stared at Rioshi with a silent focus. Its mouth, wide open, revealed sharp fangs, ready to bite.

It was a creature he had never seen before. Light as a serpent, yet with impressive strength, capable of tearing through any obstacle. Its claws carved deep gouges into the ground, and the air around it seemed to compress under its invisible weight.

A new trial.

Rioshi froze for a moment, his eyes locked on the creature. The Évolis reacted instantly, its power activating without him needing to command it. Floating symbols appeared, and the creature's analysis began.

[Abilities detected]: Enhanced night vision – robust body (like steel) – Toxic attack – Agility – Physical strength – Heightened perception.
[System activated]: ☑ Assimilation possible at 20%

He knew what he had to do. The enemy was a formidable opponent, but one more creature meant more powers to assimilate. But deep inside, he felt something different this time. It wasn’t the same excitement for power. It wasn’t the same thirst for progression. There was… a weight, a heaviness, that he couldn’t define.

The emptiness inside him was filling, yes. But was this really what he wanted?

The creature suddenly lunged at him. Rioshi had no time to think further. He had only a moment to react. His movements were instantaneous, a fluid dance of reflex and calculation. He dodged the sharp fangs closing in on him, feeling the heat of the attack brush past him.

He raised a hand, and a wave of energy formed around him like a shield. The Évolis reacted to the situation, adapting its powers to enhance Rioshi’s resistance to the attack. But as he prepared to counterattack, something happened.

The creature’s claws crashed against Rioshi’s energy, but instead of feeling strengthened, he felt a pain, a rising pressure in his mind. Each attack he managed to avoid seemed to add to this pressure, as if each creature he faced was pushing him deeper into an abyss.

The battle continued, Rioshi dodging more and more difficultly. His powers were stronger, more precise, but he felt fatigue building. The creature, furious, redoubled its assault, and this time, it managed to deeply wound Rioshi. Blood flowed, but he didn’t stop. He couldn’t. He had to keep going.

The mist closed in around him. The creature leapt again, faster, fiercer. This time, Rioshi didn’t try to dodge.

He extended his hand. The energy surrounding him focused, but instead of launching an attack, he did something different. He concentrated the Évolis not on the creature, but on himself. A bright light enveloped him, like a shield of consciousness. He felt a sense of acceptance. He didn’t need to assimilate everything. Not all the time.

He closed his eyes. The creature froze.

In that moment, Rioshi understood something: true strength did not lie in the ceaseless pursuit of power, but in the ability to choose who he wanted to become, despite everything he had gone through.

The creature, destabilized by this sudden energy, slowly backed away, as if it sensed Rioshi’s decision.

The mist dissipated around him, and silence returned.

Rioshi opened his eyes. He was stronger. But now he knew what he was truly seeking. Not just power. But inner peace, despite this chaotic world. The silent war he had fought within himself, against his own desires, had birthed a new understanding. Power without control meant nothing. What he truly wanted, what he was truly seeking, was self-mastery, an inner harmony that allowed him to face whatever would come.

He turned then, ready to continue his journey, but this time with a different vision of what he sought to achieve. The quest for power was no longer his sole objective. He had discovered a deeper truth: the path of the true warrior was not just about confronting the external darkness, but about accepting both his own light and his own shadows.

The world around him seemed less threatening now. The forest, still as mysterious, felt more welcoming, as if it had recognized his transformation. He was no longer just a survivor trying to impose himself. He was now a being in evolution, ready to discover what the Évolis could still offer him. But he knew one thing: this world, with all its creatures and trials, was but a mirror of what was happening inside him.

Rioshi’s quest had taken a new direction.

The weight of choice now accompanied him with every step.

End of Chapter 7

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