Kael ran until his legs nearly gave out.
Branches whipped against his face as he stumbled through the darkness of Darkwood Forest.
Behind him, distant screams echoed briefly before fading into silence.
Then ca the growls.
Wet tearing sounds.
Crunching bones.
The Shadow Wolves were feeding.
Kael’s stomach twisted violently.
The assassin…
Was dead.
A man far stronger than him had vanished within minutes.
And now those monsters would eventually co looking for their next prey.
“Hah… hah…”
Kael collapsed beside a massive tree, clutching his bleeding chest.
The shadows covering his wound flickered weakly.
He was freezing.
Hungry.
Exhausted.
And completely alone.
The glowing system screen appeared again.
====================
Quest Status Updated
Primary Quest: Remain alive until sunrise.
Ti Remaining: 4 Hours 03 Minutes
Current Status: Severely Injured
Warning: Host body approaching limit.
====================
Kael gritted his teeth.
“Then heal already…”
====================
Insufficient synchronization.
Host must continue adapting.
====================
“…What kind of useless system are you?”
No response ca.
Kael cursed under his breath.
This thing had dragged him back from death only to throw him into another nightmare.
Rustle.
Kael froze instantly.
Sothing was moving nearby.
His heartbeat accelerated.
The shadows around him shifted slightly.
A faint instinct warned him.
Danger.
Kael slowly lowered his breathing and hid behind the roots of the giant tree.
A mont later—
A huge creature erged from the bushes.
A Dark Fang Boar.
Its body was nearly twice the size of a normal pig, covered in dark gray hide with massive tusks protruding from its mouth.
Red eyes scanned the area aggressively.
Kael’s face paled.
Even low-level mana beasts could kill ordinary humans easily.
And right now…
He was barely standing.
The boar sniffed the air.
Blood.
It had found his scent.
Kael’s heart sank.
The beast suddenly charged.
BOOM!
The ground shook violently.
Kael threw himself sideways barely in ti as the tree behind him exploded apart.
Wood splinters flew everywhere.
Kael rolled across the mud painfully.
“Damn it!”
The boar turned imdiately and charged again.
Too fast.
Too heavy.
Kael forced himself to focus.
The shadows around him pulsed strangely.
Then—
Everything slowed.
Not physically.
ntally.
He could see the movent of darkness beneath the beast.
The shifting shadows revealed its path before it moved.
====================
Shadow Sense proficiency increased.
Current Mastery: Beginner Rank 2
====================
Kael narrowed his eyes.
“…I can predict it.”
The boar attacked again.
Kael dodged at the last second.
BOOM!
Another tree shattered.
The beast roared angrily.
Kael’s breathing beca rougher.
His body was reaching its limit.
He needed to escape.
No…
A dangerous thought suddenly appeared.
He needed to kill it.
The system wanted him to survive.
And every ti he faced death—
He beca stronger.
Kael looked around quickly.
Broken trees.
Sharp branches.
Mud.
Darkness.
Then his eyes landed on the shattered remains of the tree trunk.
A long splintered branch pointed upward like a spear.
An idea ford instantly.
The boar charged once more.
Kael turned and ran.
The beast followed furiously, destroying everything in its path.
Closer.
Closer.
Closer.
Now!
Kael jumped sideways.
The boar couldn’t stop its montum.
CRASH!
The massive creature slamd directly into the sharpened tree trunk.
The broken branch pierced deep into its neck.
Blood exploded outward.
The beast let out a horrifying scream.
Kael didn’t stop.
He grabbed another jagged branch from the ground and stabbed downward with everything he had.
Again.
Again.
Again.
Warm blood covered his hands.
The boar struggled violently before finally collapsing.
Silence returned to the forest.
Kael fell backward into the mud, breathing heavily.
He had done it.
He had killed a mana beast.
At twelve years old.
Without mana.
The system screen suddenly glowed brightly.
====================
Enemy Eliminated
Dark Fang Boar slain.
Experience Acquired.
====================
Level Increased.
Current Level: 1
====================
Reward Issued: Shadow Regeneration Activated
====================
A surge of energy flowed through Kael’s body instantly.
The pain in his chest weakened.
The bleeding slowed rapidly.
His broken ribs began healing slowly beneath his skin.
Kael’s eyes widened in shock.
“It’s healing…”
For the first ti since awakening the system—
He finally understood.
This power was real.
Very real.
Another notification appeared.
====================
Hidden Passive Unlocked: Devour Essence
You may absorb shadow essence from defeated enemies.
Would you like to absorb?
YES / NO
====================
Kael hesitated briefly.
Then pressed YES.
The dead boar’s body suddenly released black mist.
The shadows flowed into Kael’s body like smoke.
Pain erupted instantly.
“GRAAAAH!”
Kael collapsed, screaming.
It felt like his veins were being ripped apart from inside.
His muscles tightened violently.
His vision darkened.
Then—
Silence.
Several seconds later, Kael slowly opened his eyes.
Sothing had changed.
His senses felt sharper.
Stronger.
Faster.
The system screen flickered again.
====================
Essence Absorption Successful.
Strength increased.
Agility increased.
Shadow Compatibility: 5%
New Skill Acquired: Predator’s Instinct
You can sense hostile intent nearby.
====================
Kael stared silently at the screen.
Then slowly…
A smile appeared on his face.
A small one.
Cold.
Dangerous.
For the first ti in his life—
He finally possessed the power to fight back.
But deep within the forest…
Sothing else had sensed his awakening.
Far away in the darkness—
A pair of enormous crimson eyes slowly opened.
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