Before existence, there was the Void. It was a realm defined not by its contents, but by its absolute lack—an expanse of pure, suffocating silence where the concept of "place" held no meaning. Yet, bisecting this obsidian oblivion flowed a singular anomaly: a river, not of water, but of shimmering, liquid crystal. It was a radiant artery in the dark, bearing upon its silent current countless incandescent spheres—the drifting essences of souls.
Upon the banks of this spectral tide stood a solitary figure. While its general aspect suggested the humanoid form, it transcended mortal geometry, shrouded in raiment woven from blinding, primordial light that obscured its visage beneath a veil of divine incandescence. The aura emanating from this entity was fathomless; it felt as though the very fabric of the cosmos might bend and reshape itself at its merest whim.
Its movements were a study in eternal, terrifying monotony. With the precise, passionless grace of an automaton, it would reach into the crystalline flow, retrieve a soul drained of its color, subject it to an aeon of judgment in a single heartbeat, and deposit it into a second, unseen current—the river leading to rebirth. It repeated this task over and over, a flawless machine bound to an unending duty.
Then, a fracture occurred in eternity. For the first time since time itself had meaning, the great machinery of its actions ceased. The being paused. Its attention, a force capable of weighing galaxies, shifted away from the endless procession of the color-stripped dead, fixing instead upon a solitary, brilliantly glowing orb.
'Forty years… I really wasted forty years…'
That was my last thought. I was a 40-year-old salaryman in Japan. An orphan. No family. No friends. My entire life was just work. I was used to being alone. I had perfected it.
Now, even the stories I used to escape into were gone. Wiped clean from my memory. The only thing left was the dull, gray film of my own pointless life.
Just as my consciousness was about to fade for good, a warmth spread through me. My senses slowly came back. When I could finally see, I was floating. The being of light was holding my soul in its hand.
'So this is the one responsible.' A strange calm washed over me. When you have nothing, you have nothing to lose.
"Thank you," I said, my new voice echoing strangely. "Are you… God?"
The being's voice wasn't a sound. It was a concept, an idea, imprinted directly onto my soul. It was ancient and complex. "That designation is as imprecise as it is convenient. I have observed the tapestry of your existence, little soul. A life rendered in monochrome. Yet, within you resides one last spark , a thread of destiny that you must complete. I will bestow upon you that which you crave."
'It knows everything about my pathetic life.' Of course, it did. This was my chance. A chance to finally live a life that wasn't gray.
"I shall grant you a new incarnation in a world far removed from your own," the being continued. "Furthermore, I will endow you with a unique boon to facilitate your survival. I will not, however, render you omnipotent. Such an existence would lack the essential friction that gives purpose to life. Do you find these terms agreeable?"
"Yes!" I said, without a second of hesitation. "What is this boon?"
"A peculiar authority I procured from another existence. A skill you will come to know as 'Devour'."
The name alone sent a jolt of excitement through me.
"This faculty will permit you to restore your vital energies through the act of consumption. Moreover, a stochastic probability exists that you may assimilate the inherent skills or traits of the consumed essence. It is a fitting tool for a world predicated upon the grim calculus of survival."
It showed me the world in my mind. It was a hellscape. An apocalypse. Worlds had crashed into each other. Monsters born from corruption roamed everywhere. Demons, Gods, dragons… all fighting to survive on a dead planet. Scary part most of them is already dead.
"Are there any humans?" I asked.
"There were," it stated, a tone of absolute finality in its thought. "They are now naught but a faded rumor, a species consigned to a forgotten age. Only their corrupted descendants and hybrid offspring remain. The remainder of this world's truths, you must unearth for yourself. It is more… entertaining that way."
'A hybrid…' The word sparked something, a memory of a story I couldn't quite recall. "Like… a half-human, half-dragon?"
"Indeed. Such chimeric beings possess an immense aptitude for the energy you call mana. In their prime, dragons were entities of energy whose power rivaled gods and there exist a 'dragon' whose existence is equal to mine."
This was it. The chance of a lifetime. A real adventure. "Is that the vessel you desire?"
"Yes, please! One last thing. Can I wake up at age of eight? The idea of being a baby with my mind is… too weird."
"A trivial request. It is done. I wish you fortune in your new life… Ryokou."
The name felt right. Perfect, even. A smile formed on my new, ethereal face as everything faded to black.
/CRACK!/
I woke up trapped, pushing against the walls of a shell. It shattered, and I fell onto a cold, stone floor, covered in slime.
'Freedom…' I tried to open my eyes. Everything was blurry. A deep voice rumbled, shaking the very ground. "Calm yourself, child. Your senses are new. Let your body adjust."
The voice felt… familiar. Like I knew it deep in my bones. It felt like safety. Like family. I trusted it and waited. Slowly, my senses sharpened. My hearing was incredible. My sight could pierce the darkness of the huge cave I was in.
'It would be nice to have a status window or something.' As if on cue, a blue screen popped into existence in front of me.
Name: Ryokou Age: 8 years Species: Dragonkin ...and other stats.
Before I could read it, something huge moved in the darkness. I looked, and my breath caught in my throat. A dragon. It was massive, covered in pitch-black scales. Its eyes glowed like dark embers, and they were fixed on me with a terrifying intelligence. Across its chest was a long, jagged scar that pulsed with a faint, ominous purple light.
But I wasn't scared. For the first time in my 40 years of life, I felt… home.
The dragon lifted its head. "It is a relief that you have awakened," it rumbled. "I have fulfilled my promise to your mother. Now, I can rest."
Its voice was filled with a deep, ancient pain. "Your eyes… they are not the eyes of a child," it said, its gaze piercing me. "They hold the weight of years. Tell me the truth. Are you a reincarnated soul?"
The Dragon-heart in my chest gave me a strange calm. This creature was the first being to ever feel like family. I couldn't lie. "Yes," I said, my voice steady. "I am."
I expected shock. Instead, a low rumbling sound, like a satisfied purr, came from the dragon's chest. "Good," it said, and it sounded proud. "You seem surprised. In this world, reincarnation is a blessing. It means you have a better chance to survive. You get an extra skill from your past life. Your answer brings me great relief."
He told me more about this harsh world. When I asked what happened to the native humans, he refused to answer. "Some truths are burdens you are not yet strong enough to carry," he stated flatly. "If you are so curious, grow powerful enough to find the answers yourself."
'So that's my goal, then. Get strong enough to find out what happened to humanity.' With a new resolve, I focused on my most powerful tool. 'System,' I called out in my mind.
A mechanical voice, different from the Being's, answered inside my head. [Yes, host.]
'Who are you? What are you?'
[I am the support system assigned to the host's soul to ensure optimal growth and survival.]
'Assigned by who? The being of light?'
[...] [That information is not available.]
'Suspicious…' I thought. 'Fine. Tell me everything you can do.'
[Understood. Direct knowledge transmission is the most efficient method.] [WARNING: The process will create a deep, indelible link between the System and the host's soul. This may be… uncomfortable.]
The word "uncomfortable" didn't sound like a simple warning. It sounded like a threat. And what did it mean by "indelible link"?
'What kind of link, exactly?'
[A link to ensure perfect synergy. To prevent psychic damage from the data influx, the host will be rendered temporarily unconscious.]
It was evading the question. My instincts screamed that this was a bad idea. But what choice did I have? I needed to get stronger. 'Fine. Do it.'
[FORCEFULLY INITIATING PROCEDURE. RESISTANCE IS… NOT ADVISED.]
/SIZZLE!/
It wasn't pain. It was worse. It felt like my very soul was being pierced by a million tiny needles, each one injecting a cold, alien data-stream into my consciousness. I couldn't even scream before the world dissolved into pure, agonizing static. I was unconscious before I hit the floor.
I woke up with a pounding headache, but my mind was… organized. The foreign knowledge wasn't just in my head; it felt like a part of me now. Like an implant. I understood. The System was a tool to level up. It gave me quests based on my own subconscious desires. Simple on the surface. But the feeling of it, settled deep in my soul, felt anything but simple. It felt… hungry.
/DING!/ A familiar blue window popped up.
Quest Complete: Get Familiarized With SystemRewards: 15 Status Points, Skill [Poison Immunity (F-Rank)]
'Poison Immunity? After all that, that's the skill I get? Useless.'
[Correction. The air outside this cave is a lethal F-rank poison. This skill is a prerequisite for survival.]
My blood ran cold. The air itself was poison. This skill wasn't just a reward. It was freedom. The System had given me the key to a prison cell I didn't even know I was in.
/DING!/
New Quest Generated!Task: Get strong enough to venture outside. Note: Growth must not rely solely on leveling up. Rewards: +5 Levels, Trait [???]
'Don't rely on leveling up? What kind of manipulative game is this?' I thought, my annoyance growing. It gives me a leveling system and then tells me not to use it. It wanted me to rely on my own strength, my own training… which would make me a more capable host but come on it is a leveling system for gods sake. This thing is thing is something else entirely.
The dragon's voice rumbled, startling me. "Child. You are muttering to the empty air again. Is this your special skill?"
My face burned with embarrassment. I had completely forgotten he was there. "Ah… yes. It gives me tasks. When I complete them, I get stronger." I gave him the simplest explanation I could think of. As my instincts told me to not lie to him in that instant.
"A useful skill indeed" the dragon said, nodding slowly. "But a power you do not understand. It is time for your first lesson."
He began to first explaining about my new body. My Dragon-heart was a large container for mana, as this is where all the mana that i will absorb is gather and then refine it for my use. My human half gave me mana circuits for control. But my mother, a human, had massive power but poor efficiency.
"You have inherited her flaw," the dragon said. For a moment, a flicker of something ancient and sad passed through his ember eyes. "Your mother… she burned just as brightly. Too brightly for her human frame. Do not try to be precise like a human mage. Your path is different. Do not control it let it flow through you naturally. Overwhelm your enemies with the sheer, raw power your heart can provide."
He warned me of my new draconic instincts. Things like hunger, aggression of a predator. "They are now part of you," he said, his voice grim. "I can only warn you. They are a weapon, but if you let them, they will consume your mind. You must learn to listen to them without letting them control you."
"Finally, the common sense of this dead world," he finished. "The air is now poisonous. The ground is barren and deserted. Things that can move is either mindless monsters or those low-life insects. There is no in-between. Remember that."
The lesson ended. I was still processing the weight of his words when he said, "The lesson is over. Now, the test. Your body needs fuel."
I expected him to give me a piece of meat. I was wrong. "Follow me," he commanded, turning and lumbering deeper into the cavern. I scrambled to keep up. We went into a part of the cave that was darker, colder. The silence here felt… watchful.
"Stop," the dragon whispered. The sound was like stones grinding far away. "Listen."
I froze. At first, nothing. Then… a wet, scraping sound. Skrrr… skrrr…
"Grave Crawler," the dragon explained. "A scavenger. Blind. It hunts by sound. Weak, but careless hatchlings make for easy meals. You are the predator. It is the prey. Kill it."
My heart hammered in my chest. 'Kill it? Me? I'm an eight-year-old kid!'
"Your body is eight," the dragon's voice echoed in my head, cold and hard. "Your mind is forty. And your blood is that of a dragon. Act like it."
A pale, dog-sized reptile slithered into view. It had no eyes, just a gaping mouth full of needle-like teeth. It was already at the deaths door I guess he is giving me some handicap.
But fear seized me. I scrambled back, tripping. The creature's jaws snapped shut inches from my face.
/SNAP!/
I rolled away. My human mind was frozen, but my body moved on its own. The furnace in my chest, my Dragon-heart, flared to life. The crawler charged again. This time, I didn't run. I dropped low and thrust my hand upward. My new claws, short but sharp, sank into its soft underbelly.
/SQUELCH!/
It shrieked and thrashed, slamming its tail into my ribs.
/CRUNCH!/
Pain exploded in my chest, but it was already fading, replaced by rage. I tore my hand free, ripping a deep gash. It collapsed, twitching. It was dead. I had killed it. I stood there, panting, covered in grime and its pale, slimy blood. But I was alive.
The dragon emerged from the shadows. "Clumsy. Slow. But you survived. That is all that matters in the first fight."
He nudged the fresh corpse with his snout. "Now, the final part of the lesson. Eat. Recover your strength."
Looking at the creature I had just killed, my stomach churned. It was disgusting. But then, the hunger hit me. It wasn't normal hunger. It was a deep, gnawing emptiness. My draconic instincts, awakened by the fight, were screaming. My mind went blank.
/DING!/
[CAUTION!! SKILL 'DEVOUR' IS ACTIVATING!]
[HOST'S CONSCIOUSNESS COMPROMISED!]
I don't remember what happened next. Only the tearing of flesh, the crunch of bone, and a wave of pure, savage satisfaction as power flooded my body. When I came to, I was kneeling over the half-eaten carcass, my face and hands smeared with blood. I was horrified. Not by what I had done, but by the part of me that had enjoyed it.
"Calm yourself, child," the dragon's voice cut through my panic. "That was your instinct, amplified by your skill. It is a part of who you are now. With training, you will learn to control it."
'Control it.' I had to. That urge was dangerous. It had completely taken me over. A new fire lit inside me. This wasn't a game. This was a battle for my own soul.
I looked up at the ancient dragon, my eyes burning with a new determination. "You said there would be training. When do we start?"
For the first time, a sound that might have been a smile entered the dragon's deep voice. "Those are good eyes. Your training begins from tomorrow."