"Strength is never given. It is taken."
The night air in the Dark Forest held a metallic scent—a sign of the blood still drying on the ground after Kael's battle with the Root Wolf. His body still ached, but the constant system notifications made his heartbeat faster than the pain.
[Devour: Successful]
[Energy Converted → +0.7 STR | +0.2 AGI | +0.5 VIT]
[Threat Level: F-]
Silence enveloped the small battlefield. And for the first time in his life… Kael felt real growth.
Not an empty number.
Not the result of years of fruitless training.
But a power he could feel directly—flowing into his muscles, bones, and mana flow that he once lacked.
Kael clenched his fists.
"So this is what it feels like… to become stronger."
The Spirit Devourer in the shadows behind him laughed softly, a sound like the breath of a nightmare.
"Power is only the beginning, my lord. What we've eaten today is just a tiny fragment of life."
Kael swallowed, partly in horror, partly in an excitement he couldn't quite fathom.
"Does… this system always provide such obvious stat boosts?"
"It depends on the prey."
"The more powerful the creature you devour, the richer the energy it can process."
"But remember, we're not just consuming bodies… we're consuming essence."
"Essence?" Kael asked.
"Soul…soul…"
The word dragged on, making Kael's hair stand on end.
1 — Wounds, Hunger, and New Desires
Kael leaned against the black tree trunk, taking a deep breath. The claw wounds on his back were still burning, but even the pain was slowly subsiding—faster than he expected.
"Does the Devour effect also accelerate regeneration?"
"A small portion of the energy can be diverted to healing."
Kael nodded. This meant he wouldn't have to return to the village in a dying state like he had just been.
But the image of his former self—Kael Vernius, always considered weak and lacking mana—smacked him hard in the back of his mind.
Now he wanted to prove he wasn't just a failed Awakening.
Still trembling, he straightened his back and checked his status.
[STATUS]
Kael Vernius
Levels: 1
Job: Commoner (F)
Hidden System: Devour System (??? Rank)
Stats:
STR: 3.7
AGI: 3.2
VIT: 4.5
INT: 2.0
WIS: 2.1
"This… is a number even higher than those of the children who graduated with Job E," Kael whispered in disbelief.
The world had treated him like trash for 16 years. But in a few minutes… he shattered that fate.
"With me, my lord can taste any power—as long as we devour without hesitation."
Kael stared at the shadow of the Spirit Devourer, his crimson-black eyes pulsing like hellfire.
"How do I summon you from the shadows?"
"I am a part of my lord. My body exists as a soul and can take on physical form at my lord's command."
Kael tried to reach out his hand.
"Come out."
The shadow on the ground trembled… then something crawled out.
It resembled a slender fox, but its entire body was made of black smoke with red stripes, and its gaze was that of an ancient creature with eternal hunger.
But as soon as it raised its head, it bowed respectfully to Kael.
"I am Devourer number 07 from the ancient era."
"But from this day on… I belong only to my lord."
Kael felt a chill run down his spine.
In a world that glorifies mana and jobs…
He, a Rank F Commoner, has a contract with a being that shouldn't even exist.
2 — New Hunter's Instinct
The night forest grew darker. The wind whispered through the black tree branches. Danger lurked, but Kael felt something different within himself.
Sharpness.
The slight movement of leaves was clearer.
The dim moonlight was more discernible.
And even the footsteps of small creatures sounded like tinkling.
Skill Acquired:
[Instinct Awakening Lv. 1]
Passive: Enhances danger perception and sensitivity to the movement of living creatures.
"This…" Kael was stunned. "I even acquired a skill."
"Devouring essence energy can trigger a natural evolution in my master's body."
Kael couldn't help but smile a little. For years he had been considered a complete failure—unable to wield magic, unskilled in swordsmanship, unable to control mana.
And now his own body was beginning to change. Adaptive. Responsive.
But a hunger… was growing as well.
A hunger for power.
A hunger for evolution.
A hunger for… battle.
3 — Second Test: Shadow Hornet
Suddenly, a loud buzzing sound came from the tree branches.
"Devourer, something's coming!"
"An insect… but not an ordinary one."
From the darkness, a Shadow Hornet appeared. It was the size of a human head, with black needles that reflected the moonlight.
Kael immediately activated his instincts. His eyes followed the creature's swift movements.
SWOOSH!
The Hornet swooped down without warning.
Kael rolled to the side, but the stinger grazed his arm—turning his skin slightly blue.
[Poison Detected]
[Vitality Counteracting…]
Thankfully, his VIT had increased.
"Devourer! Can you help?!"
"I only help if my master orders me directly. Orders?"
"Attack!"
The Devourer emerged from the shadows like a burst of smoke, charging at the Hornet at high speed.
The creature whirled around, trying to stab, but the Devourer was like a liquid shadow dancing in the air—impossible to touch.
Kael focused on maintaining a safe distance.
This was it.
He had to prove his first victory wasn't a fluke.
Hornet approached from the side. Kael swung a large rock he had found.
CRACK!
A direct hit to Hornet's chest, sending him flying.
The Devourer saw its opportunity.
"Now, my lord! Devour!"
Kael reached for Hornet's dying body, his heart pounding—a mix of fear and a newfound natural instinct.
"DEVOUR!"
The Devourer's shadow enveloped Hornet, sucking away the essence like a black mist, then the energy flowed into Kael's hand... into his body... until a flurry of notifications appeared.
[Devour: Successful]
[Energy Converted → +1.2 STR | +1.0 AGI | +0.5 VIT]
[Skill Fragment Extracted]
[New Skill Unlocked: Poison Resistance Lv.1]
Kael fell silent.
His body had truly changed.
Strength flowed like a current, urging his muscles to grow. His movements became lighter. The poison in his arm vanished as if it had never existed.
"This…" Kael felt his hand, which now felt much firmer. "This is power… the fruit of my own labor."
"No, my lord."
"This is power you took from the world."
Kael smiled faintly.
"And I will continue taking… until no one can underestimate me anymore."
4 — New Threshold of Power
Kael reveals his status again.
[STATUS]
Level: 2
Stats:
STR: 4.9
AGI: 4.2
VIT: 5.0
INT: 2.0
WIS: 2.1
Skills:
Instinct Awakening Lv.1 Poison Resistance Lv.1 Devour (Unique)
In one night…
His stats had increased more than in years of training.
Kael clenched his fists, feeling a power he'd never possessed.
"My lord…" the Devourer spoke softly. "At this rate of evolution… you will attract the attention of entities that have always cared nothing for humans."
Kael stared up at the night sky, his chest heaving.
"Let them notice."
He was no longer the useless Kael Vernius.
"Because I will continue to evolve… until the systems of this world can no longer imprison me."
5 — Light from the Forest Depths
As Kael was about to move deeper, his eyes caught a strange flash of light in the distance—purple-blue, pulsing softly.
"That…" the Devourer said softly. "Ancient energy. Not that of an ordinary monster."
Kael stared at the light. His heart pounded.
"Is it safe?"
"No."
Kael smiled faintly.
"Then… let's go."
Without hesitation, he stepped toward the source of the light—a place that would change his evolutionary history forever.
And from his shadow, the Devourer followed, its red eyes glowing like torches from a nightmare.
That night, Kael's destiny took a course that could never be changed.