Chapter 9: The Hunt [3]

My jaws snapped shut around one of them, trapping its struggling body, while my hand shot out to seize the other, its wings beating frantically against my arm as it fought to break free.

Still clutching both, I came crashing back to the ground, my feet slamming into the dirt hard enough to send a jolt racing through my legs.

Without wasting a second, I bit down hard on the one clenched between my teeth.

A sharp crunch echoed in my ears, followed by a gush of warm blood flooding my mouth as its body went limp instantly.

At the same time, I twisted the neck of the one in my hand in a single, practiced motion, ending its struggle just as quickly.

There was no reason to hesitate.

I devoured them both, tearing through the stringy flesh and snapping the fragile bones like dry twigs.

Flesh, feathers, bones... I ate everything, leaving nothing behind.

With every bite, a surge of raw energy coursed through my body.

It wasn’t just the satisfaction of filling an empty stomach. It was something far greater.

[Ding!]

[Evolution Devourer Activated]

[You have consumed the brain of DuskBeak]

[You have consumed the brain of DuskBeak]

[You have gained +1 stat point]

[You have gained +1 stat point]

[You have acquired passive skill: Sharp Vision.]

Sharp Vision:

Description: The user’s eyesight is greatly enhanced, improving long-range perception, motion detection, and low-light visibility. Distant objects appear clearer, and fast-moving targets are easier to track. This trait also increases awareness of subtle environmental changes, making it harder for enemies to escape notice.

The change took effect instantly, and the world around me seemed to snap into perfect focus.

My vision sharpened beyond anything I thought was possible, revealing details I never would have noticed before.

Every vein running through the leaves above me stood out like an intricate web of green and gold, while the faintest flicker of movement in the distance immediately drew my attention, from tiny insects skittering across the forest floor to a hidden predator subtly shifting its weight among the undergrowth.

Even the colors around me had changed.

They weren’t simply brighter, but richer, layered with depth I had never known existed.

The dirt beneath my feet wasn’t just brown anymore.

I could make out delicate streaks of red and gray woven through it, along with countless individual grains of soil that rolled and shifted ever so slightly whenever the breeze passed over them.

With my newly enhanced vision, I spotted a beast concealed within the bushes, its body armored in a patchwork of thick, stone-like plates.

It moved with slow, deliberate steps, carrying itself with the confidence of a creature that had never learned to fear anything.

[Cragdrillo - Level 3]

"Moves like a rock, thinks like a rock, and hits like a runaway boulder."

The Cragdrillo clawed lazily at the dirt, sniffing around for whatever the hell it ate, completely unaware of my presence. Taking advantage of the opportunity, I bent down, grabbed a rock that was neither too big nor too small, and hurled it with everything I had.

CLANG!

The stone bounced clean off its shell, barely leaving so much as a scratch.

The beast immediately snapped its head toward me with a snarl, its small, beady eyes locking onto mine as its nostrils flared.

A deep, guttural snort rumbled from its throat while it dug its claws into the earth, muscles bunching beneath its rocky hide as its thick legs ground against the dirt, preparing to charge.

It didn’t care that I loomed over it like a giant or flinch at the overwhelming difference in size. If anything, it only seemed more determined to attack.

It thinks like a rock... huh.

That description was surprisingly accurate.

The cragdrillo didn’t charge with its feet.

Instead, it curled into a tight ball before launching itself forward, spinning toward me like a boulder fired from a cannon.

The ground trembled beneath its furious rotations, dust and loose dirt erupting into the air as it gathered terrifying speed.

But it had underestimated me.

I didn’t dodge. I planted my feet, settled into my stance, and drew my arm back, my claws glinting as I waited for the perfect moment.

The instant it came within range, I swung.

CRACK!

My clawed hand smashed into its side like a battering ram, launching the Cragdrillo through the air like a kicked ball. It spun wildly, flipping end over end before crashing onto its back with a bone-rattling thud, leaving the soft, vulnerable underside of its body completely exposed.

The Cragdrillo squirmed frantically, its stubby legs flailing in every direction as it struggled to roll itself back over. It was panicking. Desperate. But the moment it had chosen to attack instead of flee, its fate had already been sealed.

I pounced, my claws sinking deep into the Cragdrillo’s soft, exposed stomach as flesh parted like wet paper.

The beast let out a high-pitched, guttural screech that made my ears ring, warm blood gushing over my hands in thick, steaming waves as it thrashed violently beneath me, its claws raking across the ground in a desperate attempt to shake me off.

Gritting my teeth, I twisted my wrist.

SHHK!

Something tore inside it.

The Cragdrillo’s body jerked violently once before going completely still, leaving my hands slick with blood, my claws still buried deep within its ripped-open belly.

Ding!

[You have killed a Cragdrillo.]

[You have levelled up]

[You have received +3 free stat points to distribute]

I didn’t hesitate.

At this point, tearing into flesh had become almost instinctual.

The meat was thick and tough, almost rubbery, forcing my jaws to strain for a moment before my newfound strength took over.

My teeth sank in deep, shredding through muscle, tendon, and even cartilage as though they were nothing more than soft bark. ℯℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

Warm blood spilled into my mouth, carrying an earthy, metallic taste, like iron mixed with damp soil, but I barely noticed it.

I didn’t care.

I just kept eating until there was nothing left, and by the time I finished, my entire body hummed like a charged wire, brimming with raw energy.

Then a familiar notification echoed through my mind.

Ding!

[Evolution Devourer Activated.]

[You have consumed the brain of Cragdrillo.]

[You have acquired new passive skill: Cragdrillo Scale]

[Cragdrillo Scale]: The user’s skin transforms, developing a layer of hardened, scale-like plates that provide enhanced physical resistance. This natural armor reduces damage from blunt force, slashing attacks, and minor piercing weapons. While the scales are tough, they remain flexible enough to allow unhindered movement. With continued evolution, the defense may strengthen further, granting even greater durability. +2 physical

My skin hardened as a strange sensation, like molten stone cooling into armor, spread through my body.

A dark gray sheen rippled across my arms and chest, quickly giving way to rough, jagged scales that shifted naturally with every movement.

They looked heavy, but when I raised an arm and flexed, they moved as if they had always been part of me, tough without restricting me in the slightest.

Curious, I lowered my gaze and pressed one of my claws against my forearm, dragging it across the surface of the scales. The sharp tip scraped over them with a harsh, grating sound, but when I pulled my hand away, there wasn’t so much as a scratch left behind.

I pushed harder, expecting at least a mark to appear, but the scales absorbed the force effortlessly, without so much as a dent.

Along my back and shoulders, the plating thickened into a natural layer of armor.

It wasn’t completely impenetrable, but it felt sturdy enough to stop fangs, claws, and maybe even blades.

I rolled my shoulders, feeling the added weight settle naturally over my body.

This wasn’t just skin anymore. It was armor. I clenched my fists, sensing the difference immediately as my bones felt heavier, denser, and reinforced.

On top of that, it also granted me +2 Physical.

I couldn’t help but grin.

I was evolving, and I wasn’t done yet.

The power I possessed now was only the beginning.

I could feel it, something deep inside me growing increasingly restless, increasingly hungry, whispering a single word into the depths of my mind.

More.

I leaned back against the tree, licking the blood from my fingers as the metallic taste lingered on my tongue.

Four hunts. Four new traits.

I had devoured beasts, absorbed their strengths, and reshaped myself into something greater than the creature I’d first awakened as.

Yet even with all that power coursing through my body, something continued to gnaw at the back of my mind.

A question I hadn’t dared ask myself before.

I’d hunted monsters. I’d taken their skills.

But what would happen if I consumed a human?

Would the same rules apply, or would I gain something even greater?

A shiver ran down my spine, yet the thought refused to leave me alone.

The logical part of me, the one that had already killed, hunted, and devoured, kept insisting there was only one way to find out.

I turned and looked back toward the place I had fled from earlier, where the ogre and the humans had clashed in a desperate battle.

I had no idea how it had ended, and honestly, I didn’t care.

But if anyone had died, if there was even a single body left behind...

Then I had a chance.

A chance to discover what would happen if I consumed something beyond monsters.

I let out a slow breath, forcing down the last traces of hesitation.

Whatever it took, whatever I had to become...I would evolve.