Silence didn't last.
---
It never did.
---
A sharp mechanical sound cut through the corridor.
---
WARNING.
WARNING.
CONTAINMENT FAILURE DETECTED.
---
The entire facility trembled.
---
Red lights intensified.
Emergency sirens howled.
---
"Level-7 lockdown initiated."
"All sectors sealed."
"Lethal force authorized."
---
Diablo stood still.
---
Grave-9's broken body lay at his feet.
---
Steam rose faintly from the shattered armor.
---
The energy he had taken—
Still lingered.
---
Inside him.
---
Burning.
---
His breathing slowed.
But not by control.
---
By force.
---
Something inside his body resisted.
---
Too much energy.
Too unstable.
---
A sharp pain surged through his chest.
---
Crack.
---
His body trembled.
---
For a moment—
His vision blurred.
---
Then—
---
A voice.
---
Not external.
Not human.
---
Cold.
Precise.
---
—System initializing…
---
Diablo didn't react.
---
But his eyes sharpened.
---
—Host detected.
—Bloodline anomaly confirmed.
—Compatibility… absolute.
---
A faint glow formed in his vision.
---
Lines.
Symbols.
Unknown.
---
Then—
Clarity.
---
[SYSTEM ACTIVATED]
---
The world didn't change.
---
But how he saw it did.
---
Information.
Structure.
Understanding.
---
Flowed in.
---
Name: Diablo
Status: Critical (Stabilizing)
Stage: Mortal (Limit Broken)
Potential: ???
Class: —Locked—
Bloodline: —Corrupted Hybrid—
---
A pause.
---
Then—
---
Skill Acquired: Crimson Predation (Level 1)
Skill Type: Devour
Effect: Absorb energy, essence, and traits from targets
---
Diablo blinked once.
---
Not confusion.
---
Recognition.
---
This wasn't new.
---
It felt…
Natural.
---
Another line appeared.
---
Warning: Overload Strain Detected
Excess energy beyond current tolerance
Risk: Internal Collapse
---
The pain returned.
Sharper.
Deeper.
---
His body tensed.
---
Muscles locked.
Veins darkened again.
---
But this time—
He understood why.
---
Too much power.
Too early.
---
He adjusted his breathing.
Slow.
Controlled.
---
Instinct.
---
The burning lessened.
---
Not gone.
---
Contained.
---
For now.
---
Footsteps echoed again.
---
Not one.
---
Many.
---
Diablo lifted his head.
---
Multiple signals.
Multiple heartbeats.
---
Weak.
---
Human.
---
Armed.
---
He moved.
---
Not toward them.
---
Past them.
---
The facility layout formed in his mind.
---
Paths.
Exits.
Obstacles.
---
He didn't hesitate.
---
He chose.
---
Forward.
---
---
Observation Room — Upper Level
---
"They've activated the system…" a researcher whispered.
---
"That's not possible," another replied.
"It wasn't complete."
---
Kael Virex stood in silence.
Watching.
---
On the screen—
Diablo moved through the corridors.
Precise.
Efficient.
---
Not like an experiment.
---
Like a predator.
---
"Fascinating…" Kael murmured.
---
"Should we deploy more units?" someone asked nervously.
---
Kael didn't answer immediately.
---
Instead—
He turned slightly.
---
Toward a sealed chamber behind reinforced glass.
---
Unlike the others—
This one was different.
---
No alarms.
No flickering lights.
---
Just silence.
---
Inside—
A figure stood.
---
Unmoving.
---
Watching.
---
Even through the glass—
Its presence felt wrong.
---
Unnatural.
---
"Not yet," Kael said calmly.
---
"Let him grow."
---
His gaze returned to the screen.
---
"Release the lower units."
---
---
Sector 3 — Corridor Junction
---
Three guards rushed forward.
Weapons raised.
---
They didn't hesitate.
---
They fired.
---
Energy rounds tore through the air.
---
Diablo moved.
---
Side step.
Pivot.
Advance.
---
Too close.
---
Always too close.
---
The first guard dropped.
---
The second tried to react—
Too late.
---
The third—
Hesitated.
---
Fear.
---
Diablo noticed.
---
He stepped forward.
---
The guard froze.
---
For a second—
Their eyes met.
---
Then—
---
Diablo moved past him.
---
Didn't attack.
---
Didn't care.
---
The guard collapsed anyway.
---
Not from injury.
---
From fear.
---
---
The facility shook again.
---
New Directive: Kill on sight.
---
Automated turrets deployed from the ceiling.
---
Target lock engaged.
---
Diablo stopped.
---
Looked up.
---
Calculated.
---
Then—
He moved.
---
Faster.
Sharper.
Cleaner.
---
The system flickered again.
---
Combat Adaptation Increased
---
His movements became smoother.
More precise.
---
Not learning.
---
Evolving.
---
---
Deep within the facility—
Far below.
---
A chamber opened.
---
Slowly.
---
Darkness spilled outward.
---
Something stepped forward.
---
Tall.
Silent.
---
Perfect.
---
Its eyes opened.
---
Cold.
---
Empty.
---
And far more dangerous than anything above.
---
---
Back in the corridor—
Diablo stopped again.
---
This time—
Not by choice.
---
His body trembled.
---
Harder.
---
The strain returned.
---
Worse.
---
His vision flickered.
---
System warnings overlapped.
---
Overload increasing
Stability decreasing
---
For a moment—
His body leaned forward.
---
Close to collapse.
---
Then—
He steadied himself.
---
Barely.
---
His breathing slowed again.
---
Forced.
Controlled.
---
Survival.
---
Always survival.
---
He lifted his head.
---
And moved again.
---
Deeper into the facility.
---
Toward something he didn't yet understand.
---
But instinct—
Recognized.
---
A threat.
---
Or…
Something worth devouring.