The adventurers circled Kael like wolves around a wounded deer. There were three of them—rough, scarred men in leather armor, their Systems glowing faintly above their heads.
The leader, a burly man with a Warrior System (Rank D), grinned, twirling a rusted axe. "Look at this kid. Fresh Awakened, huh? What garbage System did you get? Grass Eater?"
His companions laughed—a skinny Archer (Rank E) and a stocky Healer (Rank E). The Healer, a woman with short red hair and a scar across her cheek, stayed back, her eyes scanning Kael with a mix of pity and greed. "He's got nothing. Let's just take his knife and go."
Kael stood still, his rusty knife clutched in his hand. The black mist from his Devourer System lingered in his palms, invisible to them. His heart raced, but not from fear. From hunger.
The system's voice whispered in his mind.
[Hunger Sense activated. Consumable matter detected: Unused Skill Fragments from targets. Devour possible if targets are weak-willed or defeated.]
Kael's lips curled into a small smile.
"Hand over the loot, kid," the Warrior growled, stepping forward. "Or we'll make you."
Kael didn't move. "Loot? I have nothing."
The Archer nocked an arrow, aiming at Kael's leg. "Last chance."
The Healer sighed, her voice softer. "Come on, guys. He's just a boy. Let's not hurt him too bad."
The Warrior laughed. "Soft as ever, Lena. Fine, cripple him first."
The Archer loosed the arrow.
Kael's enhanced senses—from the devoured wolf—kicked in. Time slowed. He sidestepped, the arrow grazing his shoulder instead of piercing his knee.
Pain flared, but it was bearable.
[Damage received: Minor wound. Acid Resistance (Lv.1) mitigates 1%. Vitality +0.05 from previous devours.]
The Warrior charged, axe swinging in a wide arc.
Kael ducked low, knife slashing at the man's leg.
The blade barely nicked the leather boot.
The Warrior kicked him hard in the chest.
Kael flew back, slamming into a tree. Air exploded from his lungs.
[Damage received: Bruised ribs. Vitality: 3.2 → 2.8 (temporary debuff)]
The crowd of adventurers laughed.
"See? Trash."
Kael coughed blood, but his eyes locked on the Warrior's axe swing—slow, sloppy.
Unused energy leaked from it – a fragment of a skill the man wasn't using right.
The system pinged.
[Unused Skill Fragment detected: Axe Mastery (Low). Devourable.]
Kael's hand shot out.
Black mist surged, invisible in the dim forest light.
The Warrior swung again, but his axe felt... heavier.
"What the—?"
The mist wrapped around the invisible fragment, pulling it into Kael's palm.
[Devoured: Unused Skill Fragment – Axe Mastery (Low)]
[+0.1 to Strength]
[+0.1 to Agility]
[New Ability: Axe Handling (Lv.1) – 5% better control over axes]
[Progress to Level 2: 50/100]
Kael felt the warmth spread. His ribs ached less.
The Warrior stumbled, confused. "My axe... feels off."
The Archer fired another arrow.
This time, Kael caught it mid-air – his agility boosted just enough.
The adventurers' eyes widened.
"How...?"
Kael snapped the arrow in half.
The Healer, Lena, stepped forward, her hands glowing with healing light. "Wait, guys. This kid's not normal."
The Warrior snarled. "Shut up. Finish him!"
He charged again, axe high.
Kael dodged left, knife slashing the Warrior's arm.
Blood sprayed.
The man roared in pain.
Kael's mist activated automatically.
[Partial Devour: Blood (Organic Matter)]
[+0.05 to Vitality]
[Progress to Level 2: 55/100]
The Warrior's wound didn't heal as fast as it should – his System's passive regen weakened.
"What did you do?!" he screamed.
The Archer shot three arrows in rapid succession.
Kael rolled behind a tree.
Two missed. The third grazed his leg.
Pain.
But opportunity.
The Archer's System leaked a fragment – unused Bow Focus skill, because he was panicking.
Kael's hand extended.
Mist pulled it in.
[Devoured: Unused Skill Fragment – Bow Focus (Low)]
[+0.1 to Agility]
[New Ability: Marksmanship (Lv.1) – 5% better accuracy with ranged weapons]
[Progress to Level 2: 65/100]
Kael picked up a rock from the ground.
He threw it.
It hit the Archer square in the forehead.
Crack.
The man dropped, unconscious.
The Healer, Lena, gasped. "Guys! He's not weak!"
The Warrior, bleeding, swung wildly.
Kael dodged, knife stabbing the man's thigh.
More blood.
More devour.
[Partial Devour: Flesh (Organic Matter)]
[+0.05 to Strength]
[Progress to Level 2: 70/100]
The Warrior fell to one knee.
Lena rushed to heal him, her hands glowing green.
Kael's system pinged.
[Hunger Sense: Unused Healing Fragment detected. Devour possible.]
The mist reached out.
Lena felt a pull on her energy.
"What...?"
The fragment flowed to Kael.
[Devoured: Unused Skill Fragment – Basic Heal (Low)]
[+0.1 to Vitality]
[New Ability: Minor Regen (Lv.1) – Heal minor wounds over time]
[Progress to Level 2: 80/100]
Lena staggered, her healing light flickering.
The Warrior tried to stand, but Kael kicked him down.
"Please... don't," Lena pleaded, her voice soft, eyes wide. She was pretty, in a rugged way – red hair, scar on cheek, but a kindness in her gaze that didn't fit the adventurer life.
Kael paused.
For a second, the hunger subsided.
"Why are you with these idiots?" he asked, voice low.
She looked down. "They... they're my team. But you're different. Your System... what is it?"
Kael's mist stirred again.
The Warrior groaned, trying to crawl away.
Kael placed his hand on the man's back.
"Devour."
Black mist enveloped the Warrior completely.
The man screamed as his body withered.
[Devoured: Warrior System (Rank D) – Partial (Weak-Willed Target)]
[+1 to Strength]
[+0.5 to Vitality]
[New Ability: Iron Skin (Lv.1) – 10% damage reduction]
[Progress to Level 2: 150/100 – Level Up!]
A surge of power flooded Kael.
[Level Up: Level 2]
[All stats +0.5]
[New Ability Unlocked: Full Devour (Lv.1) – Consume entire targets for greater gains (requires target to be defeated or broken).]
The Warrior's body turned to gray dust, System screen shattering into particles that absorbed into Kael.
Lena backed away, horror in her eyes.
"You... you ate his System?"
Kael turned to her.
The mist hovered.
She was weak-willed now – scared, confused.
But something stopped him.
Her eyes weren't full of hate. Just... curiosity.
And a spark of something else.
"Please," she said, voice trembling but steady. "Don't kill me. I... I can help you."
Kael's system whispered.
[Devourable: Healer System (Rank E).]
He ignored it.
"Leave," he said. "And forget you saw me."
Lena hesitated, then nodded.
She ran.
Kael watched her go.
For the first time, the hunger felt... incomplete.
He turned to the unconscious Archer.
Full Devour.
The body dissolved.
[Devoured: Archer System (Rank E)]
[+1 to Agility]
[+0.5 to Intelligence]
[New Ability: Quick Shot (Lv.1) – 10% faster ranged attacks]
[Progress to Level 3: 50/200]
Power coursed through him.
His stats flashed.
[Strength: 5.6]
[Agility: 6.6]
[Vitality: 5.6]
[Intelligence: 6.5]
[Will: 7.5]
Not trash anymore.
The forest seemed smaller.
But the hunger grew.
A distant howl.
More monsters.
Kael smiled.
The hunt was just beginning.
But in the shadows, a pair of eyes watched.
A scout from the kingdom.
"Devourer..." he whispered, before fleeing.
The gods above stirred.
Something new had awakened.
[Chapter 2 End]