The following seven years were a period of quiet, methodical growth for Rayden. Elden was a small, isolated village, nestled on the edge of the Whispering Woods, a place most villagers avoided due to rumors of dangerous beasts. For Rayden, it was a perfect training ground.
He continued his… experiments… with the Devour System. Small animals, insects, even certain plants – all became subjects of his detached curiosity. He meticulously documented the results in his mind, cross-referencing the information displayed on his Status Window. He learned that the System didn't just grant him raw stats; it also provided knowledge. Consuming a wolf gave him a rudimentary understanding of hunting tactics. Eating a poisonous mushroom (after carefully analyzing it with the System first, of course) granted him a minor resistance to toxins.
He also discovered limitations. He couldn't devour anything significantly larger or stronger than himself. Attempting to consume a large boar resulted in a stinging pain and a warning message from the System: **[Target exceeds Devour capacity]**. He also noticed a subtle… *influence*… from the things he devoured. After consuming a particularly aggressive rat, he felt a brief surge of irrational anger. He quickly suppressed it, filing it away as another data point. Emotional contamination was a risk he needed to manage.
Beyond the System, Rayden also studied. He found a collection of old books in a hidden compartment beneath the floorboards of his family's home. They were mostly mundane – histories of the Astrean kingdom, basic farming techniques, and a few primers on elemental magic. He devoured these books as voraciously as he devoured living creatures, committing their contents to memory. He practiced the basic spells, manipulating fire, water, earth, and wind with a precision that belied his age.
His "parents" noticed his unusual abilities, but they attributed it to a blessing from the gods. They were simple, devout folk, and Rayden saw no reason to disabuse them of their notions. He maintained a façade of a normal, if somewhat quiet, child. It was… efficient.
He rarely interacted with the other children in the village. He found their games and concerns frivolous. He had a purpose, a drive to understand and master his power. Their childish squabbles were irrelevant.
By the time he reached fifteen, Rayden had exhausted the limited resources of Elden. His stats had plateaued, his skills had reached a local maximum. He had devoured every creature he could safely overpower, learned every spell he could find, and memorized every book in the village. It was time to move on.
He announced his decision to his "parents" one evening. He presented it as a desire to see the world, to become an adventurer. He even feigned a hint of youthful enthusiasm. They were saddened, but ultimately supportive. They were, after all, just data points in his grand equation.
He packed a small bag with supplies – some dried meat, a waterskin, a few basic tools, and the most useful of the old books. He also took a simple iron sword, a gift from the village blacksmith. It was nothing special, but it would serve until he could acquire something… better.
As he stood at the edge of the Whispering Woods, the morning sun casting long shadows through the trees, he glanced back at Elden. He felt no nostalgia, no regret. Only a cold, calculating anticipation. The game had begun. The world was vast, filled with potential… fuel.
He activated his Analyze skill, a passive ability that constantly scanned his surroundings. He saw the usual array of small creatures, their stats and skills displayed in shimmering text above their heads. But then, something caught his eye. A flicker of movement in the deeper woods.
[Dire Wolf (Young)]
[Level: 12]
[Skills: Bite (Level 4), Claw (Level 3), Enhanced Senses (Level 2)]
A challenge. A potential upgrade. A small, almost imperceptible smile touched Rayden's lips. He adjusted the grip on his sword and stepped into the shadows. The hunt had begun. This first, real test would set the stage. He knew that his path forward would be marked with many such calculations, and many such... acquisitions.