The Direbear's corpse still smoked with the heat of battle. Its blood pooled beneath Kai's boots, thick and metallic, filling the air with a suffocating stench.
The System's voice echoed, calm yet merciless:
[Unique Skill Acquired: Blood Absorption.]
[Would you like to activate on nearby target?]
Kai's eyes fell to the still-warm body at his feet. His chest heaved, torn between exhaustion and exhilaration.
"…Do it."
At once, crimson motes lifted from the Direbear's wounds. They swirled like a storm of fireflies, rushing into Kai's pores, his veins, his bones.
Agony surged again—but this time it was different. Less like torture, more like being remade. His muscles tightened, his heartbeat thundered, and a new strength roared inside him.
[Blood Absorption Successful.]
[Strength +20.]
[Endurance +25.]
Kai staggered, then laughed—loud and wild. "So I can steal power now… Not just from leveling, but directly from blood?!"
For the first time, he felt unstoppable.
But the forest had other witnesses.
Leaves rustled. Branches snapped. Kai froze, dagger raised, as shadows emerged from the treeline.
Five figures stepped into the clearing—humans.
They wore mismatched armor, cloaks stained with mud and travel. Each carried weapons: swords, spears, a bow. Their eyes flicked between the Direbear's corpse and Kai, who stood drenched in blood, dagger gleaming, a mad grin still on his face.
"…Is that—" one whispered, voice trembling.
"Impossible. A lone wolf, killing an Alpha and a Direbear in one night?" another muttered, disbelief clear.
The leader, a tall man with a scar across his jaw, narrowed his eyes. His hand gripped his longsword. "Don't be fooled. That thing isn't normal. Look at the blood swirling around him. That's no human."
Kai stiffened. "Wait—"
But they weren't listening. The leader barked: "Formation! Kill it before it regenerates!"
The five moved with trained precision, fanning out to encircle him.
The first arrow flew.
Kai twisted aside, the shaft grazing his shoulder. Pain flared, but his instincts roared louder: Predator's Instinct activated.
Every muscle screamed to fight.
The spear-wielder lunged next, thrusting toward his chest. Kai sidestepped, dagger flashing. The blade pierced the man's throat before he could react.
Hot blood sprayed across Kai's face.
The man fell, choking, eyes wide in shock.
For a moment, time froze.
Kai stared at the dying human. His dagger dripped crimson. His heart pounded—not with guilt, but with raw, electric power.
The System chimed:
[First Human Kill Achieved.]
[EXP +500.]
[Blood Absorption Activated.]
[Strength +5, Agility +3.]
A rush unlike any before flooded his veins. It was intoxicating. The human's life, his strength, his essence—all of it was now Kai's.
Kai's lips curled into a savage grin. "…So it works on people too."
"Bastard!" the leader roared, charging.
Their blades clashed. Sparks exploded. The man's strength was greater than the wolves—but Kai's body, newly reforged, matched him blow for blow.
They exchanged a flurry of strikes, steel ringing against steel. But Kai's instincts read every motion, every shift of weight, every killing intent.
He ducked under a slash, kicked the man's knee, and drove his dagger upward into the ribs. The scarred leader gasped, blood bubbling from his lips.
Kai twisted the blade. "You thought I was prey?" he hissed. "I'm the predator."
The man crumpled.
[EXP +600.]
[Blood Absorption Successful: Strength +10, Endurance +7.]
Kai's pulse raced. His body felt alive, humming with stolen vitality.
The three remaining adventurers hesitated, fear flashing in their eyes.
"Monster…" the archer whispered, retreating a step.
But fear didn't save them. Kai lunged with inhuman speed.
The dagger slit the archer's throat before he could nock another arrow. The next, a swordswoman, barely raised her blade before Kai drove his knee into her gut, then his dagger through her heart.
The last—a boy younger than Kai, trembling, spear shaking in his hands—fell to his knees. "P-please! Don't! We… we were just following orders!"
Kai froze. His hand tightened on the dagger. For a moment, something human flickered in his eyes.
But then the System whispered:
[Mercy is weakness.]
[Blood is power.]
Kai's jaw clenched. His hesitation lasted a heartbeat. Then the dagger fell.
The boy's body collapsed, lifeless.
The System sang:
[All enemies eliminated.]
[EXP +1,200.]
[Blood Absorption Complete: Strength +15, Agility +12, Endurance +10.]
[Level Up! Level 9 → Level 11.]
Kai stood among corpses, chest rising and falling. His dagger dripped crimson, his aura dark and oppressive.
The forest was silent once more, save for the steady thrum of his heartbeat.
He looked at his hands. Stronger. Faster. More dangerous with every kill.
And for the first time, he realized: it wasn't just about survival anymore. It was about dominance.
A laugh escaped his lips—low, chilling, triumphant.
"This world… is mine to consume."
The moon shone overhead, pale and cold, as if watching the birth of something monstrous.