The world blurred into a haze of pain and grief as Eren knelt beside Theo's lifeless body. His hands trembled as he tried to shake him awake, but deep down, he already knew the truth.
"Theo…" he whispered, voice cracking.
The sound of the goblins' shrill laughter faded, leaving an oppressive silence in the room. Eren's mind raced, filled with memories of his best friend: their late-night jokes, their dreams of escaping the slums of New Dawn City, and their shared struggles in a world that cared for neither of them.
And now, Theo was gone.
---
Eren clenched his fists until his nails bit into his palms. The faint buzzing in his skull grew louder, almost unbearable, as if the very air around him vibrated with some unseen force.
Suddenly, a voice broke through the silence—a soft, melodic feminine voice.
[That's a pathetic state indeed. Watching your close one—]
"Who's there?" Eren interrupted, his voice hoarse.
The room seemed to shift, and a glowing red interface materialized before his eyes. The words were sharp, glowing symbols that Eren could somehow read instinctively.
The voice faltered, the red interface flashing in agitation.
[Yo-Youu. How dare you interrupt! Let me finish, you stupid human!]
Eren flinched as the screen flickered between red and its original hue. After a moment, it stabilized, and the voice returned, calmer but laced with irritation.
[Ahem. I may have shown an unsightly side to my future host. But anyway—]
The feminine tone abruptly shifted to a deeper, exaggerated masculine one.
[Do you seek power, Mortal? The kind that grants you unimaginable strength, far beyond the reach of any ordinary being?]
Eren blinked, unsure if he was hallucinating. "You… you can do that?" he asked, his voice shaky.
The interface flickered again.
[Of course! That is the reason for my creation by the $@$&&#&"&&#—]
The voice garbled as if censored, and the screen stuttered.
[Ah, you can't hear the name yet. Irrelevant for now.]
Eren hesitated. Was this some kind of trap? Was grief clouding his judgment? But the sight of Theo's broken body reminded him of his powerlessness. His hands tightened into fists. Whatever this voice was, he needed strength.
"I accept your offer," he said, his voice firm despite the tremor in his chest.
The interface brightened, and the voice chuckled.
[Wise choice.]
The screen displayed a new message.
[Synchronizing… 1%... 2%...]
A sudden surge of heat coursed through Eren's body. He doubled over, clutching his chest as pain erupted in his veins. It felt like his blood was boiling, tearing through his very being and rearranging him from the inside out.
[30%... 40%...]
The pain intensified, and Eren collapsed onto his hands and knees. His vision blurred, and he gasped for air.
[Power comes with a price, mortal. Endure it, and you shall rise beyond your wildest dreams.]
Eren gritted his teeth and screamed, the sound echoing through the house.
[90%... 99%...]
With a final burst of searing agony, the heat dissipated. Eren slumped to the floor, panting heavily. His vision cleared as the glowing interface returned, now calm and steady.
[Synchronization Complete]
---
The screen displayed a new window.
[STATUS WINDOW]
Level: 1
Experience: 0/100
Name: Eren Vale
Race: Human
Innate Bloodline: Abyssal Devourer
Bloodlines Devoured: None
[STATS]
Strength: 10
Agility: 9
Endurance: 7
Intelligence: 4
(Normal stat for a perfect human: 10)
[ENERGIES]
Mana: 10
[SKILLS]
1. Devour (Level 1): Allows the user to consume anything in their path, converting it into experience points.
[SKILLS DEVOURED:] None
[SHOP:] Unlocks at Level 5
---
Eren stared at the window, his mind struggling to process the information. "Abyssal Devourer?" he muttered.
The voice returned, now soft and vaguely amused.
[Welcome to your new life, host. Use the power wisely—or recklessly. Either way, you'll learn soon enough.]
Before Eren could respond, the interface vanished, leaving him alone once more.
---
The sky above District 214 was gray and overcast as mourners gathered in a small, dilapidated cemetery at the edge of the city. Theo's body lay in a plain wooden casket, a makeshift funeral arranged hastily by neighbors and friends.
Eren stood at the back of the crowd, his hood pulled low over his face. He could barely hear the words of the preacher, his mind clouded with grief and guilt.
"...a friend to all, and a brother to Eren Vale," the preacher said, gesturing toward Eren. "We commend his soul to—"
A familiar buzzing interrupted Eren's thoughts, and the System's voice spoke directly into his mind.
[Would you like to devour the remains? It would yield valuable experience.]
Eren's eyes widened in horror. "What did you just say?" he hissed under his breath.
The voice was unbothered.
[Theo's corpse. As an awakened Abyssal Devourer, you could consume it. Waste not, want not.]
"Shut up!" Eren snapped, louder than he intended.
Several mourners turned to stare at him, their expressions a mix of confusion and concern. Eren ducked his head, muttering an apology.
The System chuckled.
[Such emotional attachments. You'll learn soon enough that survival requires sacrifice.]
Eren clenched his fists, his nails biting into his palms. "You don't understand anything," he whispered.
---
Back at the Apartment
By the time Eren returned to his apartment, night had fallen. The familiar sight of his cramped living space brought no comfort. He tossed his bag onto the couch and slumped against the wall, staring blankly at the ceiling.
The buzzing returned, and the System's interface materialized before him.
[New Quest Available]
---
[FIRST QUEST: Taste of Devourer]
Objective: Devour 3 goblins.
Failure: Death.
---
Eren read the quest details, his jaw tightening. "Three goblins? Are you kidding me? And no reward?? WTH??"
[ A simple task for one such as yourself ]
the System said, its tone dripping with mockery.
Eren closed the window with a sharp gesture. He wasn't ready to fight, let alone kill anything again. But he also knew the world wouldn't give him a choice.
He glanced at the photograph on his nightstand—a picture of him and Theo, smiling after a Rift-clearing event they'd watched together years ago.
"I'll get stronger," Eren muttered, his voice filled with quiet determination. "Stronger than anyone. And I'll make sure this never happens again."
The System laughed softly.
[Good. Let's see how far you're willing to go, Devourer.]
'Tomorrow, I should register a an awakener at the Korean hunter association' thought Eren as he closed his eyes on the bed
---