Chapter 10: The Return

A cold wind whispered through the trees, stirring the branches overhead as I exhaled and watched my breath curl through the damp air.

The place where I had left the ogre to fight the humans wasn’t far now, and with every step closer, my heartbeat quickened at the thought of facing that monster again.

The difference was that this time, I wasn’t running.

I wasn’t the same starving, desperate goblin that had fled with my tail between my legs.

I was stronger.

Okay, maybe not ogre-level strong just yet, but I was strong enough to stand my ground.

And if the ogre had somehow survived the battle against the humans, then I was going to make sure it didn’t survive the next one.

The journey back hadn’t been wasted either.

Along the way, I had hunted every monster worth killing, and with each hunt came another step forward. More experience. More strength. New improvements. New skills.

A faint smile tugged at my lips as I flicked my fingers, causing my status window to materialize before me in a soft blue glow.

Name: Sylas Stone

Level: 5

Class: Unknown

HP: 415/415

MP: 245/245

[Stats]

Physical: 39

Mental: 5

Social: 0

Stat Point: 0

[Skills]

Innate: [Evolution Devourer]

Passive: [Camouflage] [Nightvision] [Iron Gut] [Regeneration] [Venomous Bite] [Boar Tough Hide] [Enhanced Leg] [Sharp Vision] [Cragdillo Scale] [Wolf’s Prowess] [Sticky Grip] [Gill Adaptation]

Active: None

I had levelled up twice during my time in the forest, earning numerous stat points that I poured entirely into my physical attributes.

That alone had made me significantly stronger than when I first arrived, and it was the main reason I was so confident I could take on the ogre.

But raw stats weren’t the only thing I had gained.

Along the way, I had also acquired three new traits, each one obtained by consuming the brain of a different creature.

The first came from a lone wolf.

The beast had been stalking me for quite some time, patiently following from a distance while waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike.

Eventually, believing I had let my guard down, it lunged from the undergrowth in an attempt to catch me by surprise.

Unfortunately for it, the entire thing had been a trap.

Thanks to [Sharp Vision], I had spotted the wolf long before it committed to the attack and deliberately acted as though I hadn’t noticed.

The moment it sprang at me, I was already prepared.

Its ambush failed completely, and I answered with a heavy punch to the gut that sent the beast tumbling across the ground.

Realising it had made a mistake, the wolf immediately turned and fled, seemingly aware that it had no chance of defeating me in a direct fight.

But I scooped up a large rock from the ground and hurled it with everything I had.

The stone struck the side with a sickening crack, dazing it long enough for me to close the distance.

Before it could recover, I grabbed it by the head and tore its throat open with my claws.

A few minutes later, after ripping through flesh, cracking bone, and chewing my way to its spongy brain, a familiar notification appeared before my eyes.

Ding!

[Evolution Devourer Activating]

[You have consumed a Dire Wolf brain]

[You have acquired +2 stat points]

[You have acquired passive skill: Wolf’s Prowess]

Wolf’s Prowess enhanced my reflexes and tracking ability, making every movement feel smoother and more precise.

My balance improved, my footsteps grew lighter, and my reactions became just a fraction faster.

On top of that, it also increased all of my physical stats by one, which was a welcome bonus.

The next prey was a Rockhide Lizard about the size of a small alligator, a stubborn little bastard whose armor-plated body made it ridiculously difficult to kill.

My claws barely left scratches on its hide, and even smashing rocks against its back accomplished absolutely nothing.

In the end, I fell back on the oldest solution there was: brute force.

Grabbing it by the tail, I swung it into a boulder again and again until its shell finally cracked apart and the poor lizard went limp.

Then I ate.

The meat was chewy, as tough as old leather, but that didn’t matter. My stomach digested everything thanks to [Iron Gut]

Ding!

[Evolution Devourer Activating]

[You have consumed the brain of a Rockhide Lizard]

[You have gained 1 stat point]

[You have acquired Passive Skill: Sticky Grip]

Sticky Grip:

Description:The user’s hands and feet secrete a powerful adhesive substance, allowing them to cling to almost any solid surface. By controlling the intensity of the grip, the user can effortlessly scale walls, cling to ceilings, and maintain their footing even on steep or unstable terrain.

The moment the notification disappeared, a strange tingling sensation spread through my palms and the soles of my feet, making me instinctively press a hand against the tree beside me.

The instant my skin touched the bark, it stuck.

My eyes widened as I gave it an experimental tug, only to realize my hand refused to budge. It felt as though it had fused with the tree itself.

Only when I consciously willed it to let go did the strange adhesive sensation disappear, allowing me to pull my hand away without the slightest resistance.

A grin slowly spread across my face.

Curious to see how far the skill went, I crouched before launching myself toward the nearest tree. The moment my feet landed against the trunk, they locked firmly into place, as though gravity had suddenly forgotten how to work.

Tentatively, I took a step upward, then another, and within seconds I was sprinting straight up the side of the tree as naturally as if I were running across level ground.

I didn’t stop until...