The world outside the dungeon felt colder than Jim remembered.
The wind carried a faint metallic scent — blood and ash from a world that still hadn't healed.
Hunters passed him on the streets, laughing, chatting, comparing weapons.
Tothem, he was just another E-rank with empty eyes and cracked gear.
A failure. A nobody.
Jim smiled faintly beneath his breath.
"If only they knew what I've already eaten."
The System Awakens
[System Booting…]
[User: Jim Sung]
[Rank: E (Hidden Status: Unstable)]
[Skill: Fear Devourer (Lv. 1)]
[New Feature Unlocked — Devour Points]
[Devour Points (DP) gained by consuming the remains of fallen creatures.]
[Points can be used to enhance Attributes or unlock System Functions.]
Jim blinked as the glowing blue text faded from his vision.
"Devour Points… so the boss was serious."
His voice was calm, but his eyes burned with excitement.
"The more I eat… the more I evolve."
His stomach growled — not from hunger, but from something deeper. Instinct.
The B-Rank Gate
A week later, chaos returned.
A massive B-Rank Gate had appeared in the middle of the city.
In his past life, that same gate had opened without warning, spewing out thousands of beasts that devoured millions before any guild arrived.
But this time, Jim was already there.
He wore a cheap black mask, a tattered black cloak, and carried the dull grey stone the dungeon boss had gifted him. The stone pulsed with power, reshaping into a blade of dark metal as he stepped into the Gate.
No hesitation. No fear.
"Let's begin the feast."
Inside the Gate
The dungeon air was thick with rot and heat.
Every sound echoed like it was alive — claws scraping stone, monsters growling in the shadows.
The first creature lunged from the darkness, a wolf with molten cracks running across its skin.
Jim ducked under its jaws and drove his sword straight through its skull.
Black smoke rose from the corpse.
Without thinking, he crouched down and devoured the flesh.
[Devour Successful.]
[+3 DP. Minor Regeneration Activated.]
Warmth flooded through him.
The wound on his shoulder from the previous battle sealed shut instantly.
Jim laughed quietly.
"The boss really gave me a curse disguised as a gift."
Monster after monster fell before him.
Each time he killed, he ate.
Each time he ate, the System whispered louder.
[New Trait: Blood Conversion]
[Description: Each kill increases overall vitality by 0.2%.]
By the time he reached the center of the dungeon, his body felt… alive. Stronger. Faster. Hungrier.
He looked around at the sea of monster corpses, then gathered the ones he didn't eat — the claws, the scales, the cores.
Those could fetch a good price on the black market.
The Black Market
That night, beneath flickering neon lights, Jim entered a hidden alley where the air smelled of smoke and blood.
The Black Market — a place where unregistered Hunters sold what they couldn't report.
He laid his spoils on the counter.
The broker, a short man with metal fingers, stared at him.
"Kid, where'd you get this haul? You don't look like someone who could take down even a D-rank beast."
Jim's gold-and-black eyes gleamed under his mask.
"I was just lucky."
The man grunted, counted the money, and slid a thick wad of cash toward him.
"Luck, huh? Then don't lose it."
Jim smirked. "I don't plan to."
Dream of the Abyss
That night, sleep brought no peace.
He found himself standing once again before the Boss, seated on his throne of skulls and shadows.
The demon smiled, resting his chin on one clawed hand.
"Enjoying my gifts, little hunter?"
Jim's jaw tightened. "You're watching me?"
"Of course. Every bite you take feeds the Abyss. You think power comes free?"
The throne cracked, and eyes opened across its surface — thousands of eyes, all staring.
"Keep eating, Jim Sung. But remember…"
"The Abyss doesn't grant power — it lends it."
Jim woke with a start, sweat dripping down his forehead.
The mask beside him was cracked. His blade hummed faintly in the dark.
He whispered to himself,
"Ten years. I'll be ready."
💀 Author's Note:
Jim's power is growing — but so is the Abyss inside him.
Next chapter: the school calls. Three bullies. One monster wearing a human face.
⚔️ #Action #Rebirth #System #Hunter #DarkFantasy #Abyss