The Abandoned Subway Station was a "Grey Zone." Unlike the regulated Gate where Kai had almost died, this rift was open to the public. It was too low-level for the government to guard strictly, so it became a playground for desperate freelancers, looters, and rookies hoping to make a quick buck.
Kai stepped over the yellow police tape and descended the broken escalator. The air grew colder with every step, smelling of stagnant water and wet fur.
[Time until Starvation: 22 Hours 14 Minutes.]
The red timer in his vision pulsed like a dying heartbeat. His stomach cramped violently, a reminder that his body was currently running on fumes.
Squeak.
Shadows moved on the subway platform below.
Giant sewer rats. They were the size of Dobermans, with matted grey fur and teeth that could chew through steel pipes. To a normal person, they were nightmares.
To Kai, they looked like roasted turkeys running around on four legs.
"Dinner is served," Kai whispered.
He didn't bother sneaking. He stepped onto the cracked tiles of the platform, kicking a soda can.
Clatter.
Three pairs of red eyes snapped toward him. The rats hissed, recognizing a human—usually soft, squishy prey. They charged.
The first rat leaped, aiming for Kai's throat.
Kai didn't dodge. He activated [Goblin Skin].
His skin turned a rough, slate-grey hue instantly. The rat's teeth clamped onto his forearm, but instead of tearing flesh, they scraped harmlessly against his hardened hide.
"My turn," Kai grunted.
He grabbed the rat by the back of its neck and slammed it into the tiled pillar.
CRACK.
The creature went limp.
[Gluttony Activated.]
Kai didn't hesitate. He tore into the creature's shoulder. The meat was stringy and tasted like sewage, but the System filtered out the filth, leaving only pure energy.
[Consumed: Giant Sewer Rat (E-Rank)][Satiety +5%][Agility +0.1][Vitality +0.1]
"Only 0.1?" Kai wiped his mouth, disappointed. "Trash really is trash."
Compared to the C-Rank Warlord, these rats were barely appetizers. But there was one advantage: quantity.
He looked down the dark subway tunnel. Dozens of red eyes were blinking into existence. The smell of fresh blood had woken the nest.
Kai cracked his knuckles. A savage grin split his face.
"Quantity works."
For the next hour, the subway station became a slaughterhouse.
Kai was a blur of violence. He didn't fight like a trained hunter with forms and stances; he fought like a beast. He used his hands, his feet, and his teeth.
He discovered that [Gluttony] wasn't just about eating; it was about absorption efficiency. As he fought, he realized he didn't need to eat the whole monster to get the stats—he just needed to consume the "Core Essence," usually found in the heart or brain.
Snap. Gulp. Ding.Snap. Gulp. Ding.
[Strength: 18 -> 19.2][Agility: 14 -> 16.5][Level Up! Level 4 -> Level 5]
Kai stood atop a pile of rat carcasses, breathing heavily. The hunger pangs had vanished, replaced by a warm, thrumming power in his veins.
[Satiety: 85%]
"Better," he muttered. "But I need a skill."
Rats were just stats. He needed abilities.
He ventured deeper into the tunnel, following the subway tracks. The air quality changed, becoming acrid and burning his nostrils. The rats had stopped following him here. Even they knew better.
The ground was covered in a thick, green sludge.
Slitherrrr.
From the ceiling, a translucent green blob dropped down, blocking his path.
[Acid Slime (E-Rank Elite)][Warning: Highly Corrosive.]
The slime pulsed, and a jet of green liquid shot toward Kai.
Kai rolled to the side, the acid hissing as it melted the concrete where he had just been standing.
"Okay," Kai noted. "Can't tank that with Goblin Skin."
Physical attacks were useless against slimes; they just absorbed the impact. Hunters usually used fire magic or freezing spells to deal with them. Kai had neither.
The slime lunged again, expanding its body to engulf him.
Kai backed up, his mind racing. If I touch it, I melt. If I punch it, I melt.
But the System's description of his talent echoed in his mind: Devour organic matter to plunder stats and skills.
"Is acid organic?" Kai wondered aloud. "Let's find out."
He waited for the slime to lunge again. As the green blob flew through the air, Kai didn't dodge. He activated [Heavy Strike], but not with his fist.
He channeled the mana into his jaw.
He opened his mouth unnaturally wide—a subtle, terrifying shift in his anatomy caused by the System—and bit directly into the slime mid-air.
It burned. It felt like swallowing liquid fire. His tongue blistered instantly.
[Damage Detected: Corrosive Acid.][Gluttony adapting...][Processing...]
Kai gagged, forcing himself to swallow the burning jelly. It was agony. Tears streamed down his face. But as the substance hit his stomach, the burning stopped abruptly, replaced by a cool sensation.
[Ding!][You have consumed a poisonous entity.][Constitution Check passed.][New Passive Skill Acquired: Acid Resistance (F-Rank)][New Active Skill Acquired: Corrosive Spit.]
Kai fell to his knees, coughing. He looked at his hand; he spat a glob of green saliva onto the floor. The concrete sizzled and dissolved.
He started laughing. A hoarse, scratchy laugh.
He could now spit acid.
"Help!"
The laughter died in his throat.
The sound came from further down the tunnel. It was a human voice. A girl's scream.
"No! Please! That's my share!"
Kai narrowed his eyes. The predator in him wanted to ignore it. Humans were trouble. Humans meant complications.
But the voice sounded young. And it sounded exactly like he used to sound—desperate and helpless.
Kai stood up, wiping the acid from his chin.
"Looks like dessert will have to wait," he muttered, stepping into the shadows.