The thrill of battle still thrummed in my veins, a dark symphony of power and bloodshed. The Abyssal Behemoth lay in a grotesque heap at my feet, its massive form still oozing black blood, but my focus wasn't on the beast. It was on the feeling. The rush of strength, the intoxicating surge of energy that came with every victory.
I wasn't satisfied. No, not even close.
The Abyssal Chaos System pulsed in my mind, feeding me whispers of possibilities, of what I could become if I embraced it fully. I had leveled up more in the past few days than I had in years. I had torn through monsters and creatures of legend, evolved my abilities to heights I hadn't thought possible.
But I wanted more.
New Ability Unlocked: Sovereign's Harvest.
The words scrolled across my vision, and I felt a ripple of excitement in my chest. Sovereign's Harvest… It sounded vicious, primal. I didn't even need to read the details to understand what it was. The moment I'd finished off the Abyssal Behemoth, I had felt it—the draw of its power, the way the system absorbed the essence of the monster. The way its strength became mine.
Ability Description:
Sovereign's Harvest (Level 1): Gain stats, abilities, and skills from defeated enemies. Humans, monsters, it doesn't matter. Their power becomes yours. Permanent absorption.
Sovereign's Harvest had unlocked something primal inside me. A hunger that no longer felt foreign, no longer felt like a burden. It was natural now—an extension of who I was becoming. With every monster I killed, with every drop of blood I spilled, I absorbed their strength. I became their power.
Ghost and Aria stood a few paces behind me, their breathing ragged, their bodies shaking from the effort of the fight. They were loyal—maybe even friends once—but they were weak. I could sense it in them, their hesitation, their fear. They weren't like me.
They didn't understand the true potential of the system. They didn't know what it felt like to ascend.
Ghost was the first to speak, his voice low and strained. "We need to fall back. This place… it's warping us."
Aria nodded, wiping blood from her cheek. "Luca, we've been going nonstop. We need to rest, regroup. We can come back later."
I turned to face them, the weight of their words barely registering. Rest? Regroup? It sounded pathetic. Weak. I had tasted something beyond rest, beyond mere survival.
I had tasted control.
"No," I said, my voice cold and sharp. "We keep moving."
Aria frowned, confusion flickering in her eyes. "What? Luca, are you even listening? We're exhausted, and there's no telling what else is in this place."
"Exactly." I stepped closer, my heart pounding faster, the hunger gnawing at my insides. "There's more. More power, more monsters. We need to take it. We need to get stronger."
Ghost narrowed his eyes, suspicion creeping into his gaze. "And what happens when we're too weak to keep fighting? You can't be reckless. Not here."
I scoffed, a bitter laugh escaping my lips. "Weak? I'm not the one who's weak. You are."
Their eyes widened, both of them staring at me like I'd grown another head. But I didn't care. They couldn't feel what I felt. They couldn't sense the raw energy crackling beneath my skin, the way the system whispered promises of greatness into my mind. I was becoming something more. And I didn't need them.
Sovereign's Harvest Activated.
Absorb the essence of the slain.
The system's notification hung in my mind, tempting me, urging me to use it. To take everything, to consume every bit of power that lay before me. Monsters… humans… it didn't matter. The more I took, the stronger I became.
And I wanted it all.
I turned my back on Ghost and Aria, my gaze shifting toward the shimmering portal that led deeper into the gate. Beyond that portal were stronger enemies—enemies whose blood would fuel my rise. I took a step forward.
"Luca!" Aria grabbed my arm, her grip tight and desperate. "What the hell's gotten into you? We're supposed to be in this together!"
I jerked my arm free, glaring down at her. "Together? You don't get it, do you? You're holding me back."
Her face paled, disbelief flashing across her features. "We've fought together for years. You're losing yourself, Luca."
I clenched my fists, the fury boiling just beneath my skin. Losing myself? No. I was finally finding who I was meant to be. The system had given me a gift—one that they were too weak to understand.
"You don't see it," I whispered, stepping closer, looming over her. "This isn't about survival anymore. It's about power. Real power. And you… you're just an obstacle."
Before she could react, I activated Shadow Step, phasing out of her grasp and reappearing behind her. In one swift motion, I slashed across her back, drawing blood. She screamed, stumbling forward, her hand shooting to her side where her dagger had once been, but it was too late.
Ghost lunged toward me, his dagger flashing through the air, but I was faster now. Stronger. I blocked his attack with my blade, sending him staggering back.
"You've lost it, Luca!" Ghost growled, his voice thick with rage.
"No," I said, my voice dripping with venom. "I've gained everything."
I moved in a blur, slashing at Ghost with the precision of a predator. He dodged, but barely. I could see the panic in his eyes, the dawning realization that he was outmatched. The shock that his once-trusted comrade had turned on him. But it didn't matter. I would take his power just like I had taken the Behemoth's.
Sovereign's Harvest.
The system activated, and with every strike, I could feel Ghost's strength seeping into me, his agility becoming mine. I slashed across his arm, drawing a deep gash that sent him reeling back. He was fast—but I was faster.
With a final, brutal blow, I stabbed my blade through his chest, feeling the sickening crunch of bone and flesh as the light left his eyes. He collapsed at my feet, blood pooling beneath him, his body lifeless.
The system chimed.
Sovereign's Harvest Activated.
Absorbing Ghost's Stats…
Agility: +20
Stealth Skill Unlocked.
A surge of power coursed through me, filling every part of my being. I had taken his abilities, his speed, his skills. I had become more. And as I stood over his body, the hunger gnawed at me again. This wasn't enough. I needed more.
Behind me, Aria stumbled to her feet, her eyes filled with terror and disbelief. "Luca… what have you done?"
I smiled coldly, turning to face her. "What I needed to."
She backed away, shaking her head. "You're a monster."
I stepped toward her, savoring the fear in her eyes. "Maybe. But a monster with power. And that's all that matters now."
I activated Shadow Step again, appearing right in front of her, the Abyssal Eclipse Blade poised at her throat. Her breath hitched, her eyes wide with terror.
"Goodbye, Aria," I whispered.
With one swift motion, I ended it.
Sovereign's Harvest Activated.
Absorbing Aria's Stats…
Strength: +18
Dual Blade Skill Unlocked.
Her body crumpled to the ground, lifeless. The cavern was silent once more, the only sound the faint dripping of blood. I stood there, breathing heavily, my mind reeling from the surge of power.
I had taken their abilities, their strengths. And now, I was unstoppable.
The system hummed in my mind, a dark, seductive presence. More. There is always more.
I turned toward the portal, my eyes gleaming with newfound lust. There were stronger monsters waiting on the other side. More blood to spill, more power to claim.
And I would take it all.