Polished Version
Hesitation, such weakness must be fixed, the voice spoke with a cold authority, the words coming out twisted, alien, like a mockery of the language it spoke.
System: "Admin command recognized, new skill unlocked: Ruthlessness. Description: when the time comes to kill you will not hesitate; you will climb the ladder of power even if that ladder is made of blood. Error: skill incompatible, updating conditions have been added to the skill, skill distribution has been updated. Updated distribution: there are few things you will not do to gain power, and even fewer people you will not kill, but you do hold some dear to you. Beware to those that would hurt those important to a man with no hesitation, with no morality…"
........
I talked with Liv, joked with Kusina, and I watched as Mom stood in the background with a small smile on her face, as if she was watching a long-held wish come true. In that moment my thoughts shifted, and I knew I would do anything to protect this. I would kill for this — for the ability to have this moment. I would do anything to protect them. But as that thought passed, my eyes grew heavy. I did not want to leave this moment, but I was not given a choice as my eyes closed all on their own.
And as consciousness returned to me, the smell of blood filled my nose. As I sat up, I was greeted by the sight of a goblin that was missing chunks of flesh from its side, dried blood covering the body and the floor around it. I wondered if some animal had taken the chance to fill its belly. But then, as if to answer my thoughts, I saw a steel dagger on the floor, still held in the hand of its now dead owner.
What grabbed my attention was what I saw reflected in the surprisingly well-polished blade. I looked at my reflection: blood covered me like a second skin and smeared my mouth. The conclusion it led me to was unavoidable — I had been the one to feast on the dead body. The thought did not disturb me as I once thought it would. Instead, what concerned me was the lack of memories of the act.
System, what happened?
"What do you mean, host?"
I mean what happened. There's a dead goblin, I don't remember killing it, and now it seems I had eaten part of one of them, and I don't remember any of it.
"Sorry, I am not sure what you mean, host."
Well that's helpful, isn't it? I thought. Show me my profile, I asked.
And without a word, the blue screen appears — Level 18. I went down the list of skills before I realized there was a skill with no name and no description. This was strange.