Side Story: Minor Entropy Mastery

  The quiet after the battle with the Elite Aswang was almost unbearable. Mike had just finished catching his breath, his knuckles still raw from the impact of his final blow, when Adrian spoke again. His voice was calm, unshaken, as if the chaos they had just survived hadn’t even been a blip on his radar.

  “You did well,” Adrian said, still scanning the ruined landscape around them. “But we can’t rely on brute force alone.”

  Mike wiped the sweat from his brow, still feeling the rush of adrenaline pumping through his veins. “I’m all for learning new tricks, but I thought we were just fighting. What’s the next step?”

  Adrian turned to face him, his expression as unreadable as ever. "The next step is understanding why we fight, not just how. And how we can use the System’s rules against itself."

  Mike tilted his head in confusion. “The System’s rules? You mean all that stuff you’ve been talking about—entropy, energy, and creative slaughter?”

  Adrian nodded, his face momentarily lighting up with something like a spark of enthusiasm. "Exactly. And today, we’re going to take the next step in learning how to use Minor Entropy."

  Mike straightened, his curiosity piqued. “Entropy? That’s the gravity stuff you used to hold that Aswang down, right?”

  Adrian’s eyes gleamed. "Not just gravity. Entropy is the force of chaos, the breakdown of order. The Genesis Ring gives me the ability to manipulate it on a small scale—creating fractures in the system, destabilizing what’s around me."

  “Wait,” Mike interrupted, frowning, “so you’re saying you’re using chaos to control things?”

  Adrian’s lips twitched into the faintest smile. "In a way. Chaos is the most fundamental force of the System. It breaks things down, but it can also be used to destabilize your enemies, create openings, and control the battlefield. The trick is controlling it, rather than letting it control you."

  Mike scratched his head, still processing. “So how does this... work?”

  Adrian stepped forward, his hand glowing with a faint blue energy as he activated the Genesis Ring. He motioned for Mike to follow him.

  “This time, I’m going to show you how to channel Minor Entropy. You’ll need to focus on the energy of the environment—the air, the ground, even the enemies around you. It’s not about brute force; it’s about creating instability.”

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  Mike followed, a little more unsure now. He had no idea what that meant, but if Adrian thought it was important, he had to learn.

  “Let’s start small,” Adrian said, walking over to an old, rusted car that had been abandoned in the parking lot. “Watch closely.”

  Adrian extended his hand toward the car. For a moment, nothing happened. Then, a low hum vibrated in the air, and the car began to shake. It wasn’t a dramatic movement; it was more like a pulse running through the car’s metal frame, rippling outward. The rust on the car seemed to peel away like paper, crumbling into dust as the car itself creaked and groaned under the strain. Then, the car folded inward—nothing explosive, but the structure was undeniably compromised.

  Mike took a step back, eyes wide. "That’s... that’s Minor Entropy?"

  Adrian nodded, his face impassive. "It’s about breaking things down. But you need to learn how to control the amount of chaos you create. If you don’t, the consequences could be disastrous."

  Mike blinked, still a little lost. “So we break stuff. That’s the plan?”

  Adrian smirked slightly. "The plan is to control the breakdown, to destabilize your environment in a way that benefits you. You’ll disrupt your enemies, create weaknesses, and, when necessary, break down obstacles that stand in your way."

  He glanced back at Mike, eyes sharp. “Do you understand?”

  Mike took a deep breath. “Sort of. But it sounds like you’re talking about... breaking everything around us, not just the enemy.”

  “Exactly,” Adrian said. “You’re learning.”

  “Okay,” Mike said, stepping up to the car. "Let me try. I want to see if I can do it."

  Adrian gave a small nod, stepping back and giving Mike room. “I’m here to guide you, but this is something you have to feel. Focus. Picture the object in your mind—picture what you want to break down. Then channel the entropy.”

  Mike stretched his hands out in front of him, palms facing the old car. He closed his eyes, trying to focus. His heartbeat quickened as he imagined the chaos Adrian had just caused—the way the car had folded in on itself. He could feel the energy in the air, almost like a static charge, just waiting to be harnessed. It wasn’t so much a feeling of power, but of potential. He had to reach out, tap into that chaotic force, and make it his own.

  Mike inhaled, exhaled slowly, and concentrated. He extended his hand forward, envisioning the car’s structure weakening, breaking down under the chaos he was trying to invoke.

  For a moment, nothing happened. Mike gritted his teeth, trying harder. He visualized the rust breaking off, the metal twisting and bending as Adrian had done. His hand tingled, and then—slowly—the car began to vibrate. The rust on its surface shifted, but not as dramatically as Adrian’s had been. Still, it was a start.

  “Not bad,” Adrian said, stepping forward. “You’re learning to manipulate the field. But it’s not just about power. It’s about control.”

  Mike stepped back, glancing at the minor progress. “So, I need to be more... precise?”

  Adrian nodded. “Exactly. If you release too much entropy, it can destabilize everything around you. But if you use it right, you’ll be able to control it, channel it into specific areas.”

  Mike looked at Adrian. “Like a tool, not a weapon?”

  Adrian smirked. "Yes. And that’s the most important lesson. Minor Entropy is your tool to control the chaos. It isn’t about destruction. It’s about precision."

  Mike absorbed the words, a little awe-struck by the concept. Chaos wasn’t just a weapon. It was a force to be wielded with care, a force that could be used to gain the upper hand, to destabilize his enemies without losing control.

  They spent the next few hours working through small exercises, each one pushing Mike to refine his control over the energy. The idea of controlling chaos, of shaping entropy like a sculptor shaping clay, was slowly beginning to click. Each step, each pulse of energy, made him feel more connected to the System—and more capable of using it to his advantage.

  As the sun began to dip below the horizon, Mike felt a sense of quiet pride. The fight for survival wasn’t just about raw power. It was about adapting to the System, learning how to break it down and rebuild it in their favor.

  “I think I’m getting it,” Mike said, his voice steady now. He had learned more in a few hours than he ever thought possible. But Adrian wasn’t done.

  “We’ve only scratched the surface,” Adrian replied, his expression intense. “Minor Entropy is just the beginning. If you want to survive in this world, you’ll need to learn how to manipulate more than just the energy. You need to understand the System’s rules inside and out.”

  Mike nodded. “I’m ready. What’s next?”

  Adrian didn’t answer immediately, his gaze fixed on the distant skyline. “Next, we prepare for what’s coming. The System is recalibrating. And we need to stay ahead.”

  With that, they moved forward, knowing that every lesson, every discovery, was bringing them closer to surviving the chaos that threatened to swallow everything.

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