Somewhere in a modern world called Earth, inside an ordinary classroom, the sun filtered lazily through the blinds. The teacher's voice echoed through the room, a dull cadence of lessons long rehearsed. Students sat in ordered rows, scribbling notes or half-listening as they feigned interest. Among them was one who didn't belong—Ezra Carter.
He sat alone at the back of the classroom, a shadow within shadows. His hair, split starkly between black and silver, caught the light oddly, as if unsure whether to reflect it or swallow it whole. His gold eyes stared out the window, unfocused, detached. A presence, yet invisible. Cold, clever, and withdrawn.
Ezra had spent most of his 18 years hiding in plain sight. Since the car accident that claimed his parents, he had existed in a liminal space: not dead, not alive—just... surviving. Guilt clawed at his insides. Why him? Why only him? Those questions replayed endlessly in his head.
FLASHBACK
Rain fell in thick sheets. Windshield wipers struggled to keep up. His father's hands gripped the wheel tightly.
"You okay back there, champ?" his dad asked, glancing in the rearview mirror.
Ezra, younger and still smiling then, looked up from his handheld game. "Yeah, I'm good."
His mother turned slightly in the front seat. "We'll stop by that bakery you like after the store, alright? You've been working hard in school."
Ezra nodded. "Can I get the chocolate croissant?"
His dad chuckled. "Only if I get a bite."
Laughter. Comfort. Warmth.
Then—
Tires screeching. Headlights cutting through the storm.
"Hold on!" his dad yelled.
The truck came from nowhere.
Metal twisted. Glass shattered. Screams. Ezra's body was thrown sideways, his head hitting the window. Dazed, he looked forward.
His mother's head slumped. Blood dripped from her temple. His father, trapped under the collapsed dashboard, met Ezra's eyes.
"Ezra… run—"
Then silence.
Smoke. The acrid stench of gasoline. Ezra pulled himself from the backseat, crawling through broken glass. He reached out.
"Mom? Dad?"
No answer.
Just the wail of sirens in the distance.
Ezra stumbled onto the road, rain mixing with tears and blood.
Why me? Why am I still breathing?
BACK TO PRESENT
"Ezra!" the teacher barked, jolting him out of the spiral. "Care to share your thoughts with the rest of us?"
The class turned. Murmurs rippled.
"He never talks," someone whispered.
"So weird..."
"Creepy eyes, man."
Ezra looked at the teacher. Expressionless. Then slowly turned his gaze away. The bell rang.
Students scrambled. Chairs scraped. The room emptied—except Ezra. He remained, still as a statue.
In the sudden silence, his thoughts churned.
Another pointless day. Another hour wasted pretending I belong. They stare like I'm a ghost. Maybe I am. Just a breathing shadow no one can touch. No one should.
Finally, he stood. Bag slung over one shoulder. He walked out, passing the empty desks and the growing distance between himself and humanity.
The city buzzed outside. Horns, chatter, footsteps. Ezra wandered through it like a phantom. Life moves fast, but I feel stuck in slow motion, he thought. This world isn't made for people like me. It's loud. Too loud.
A growl in his stomach interrupted the monologue. He sighed.
"Out of snacks. Great."
He turned down a familiar alley, approaching a small corner store.
The bell above the door chimed. The scent of nostalgia hit him—faint mint gum, dusty shelves, and old floor polish. The owner looked up from the counter.
"Well, look who the void dragged in," the old man smirked. "Ezra Carter."
Ezra gave a half-shrug. "Still got those caramel sesame sticks?"
"Third shelf down, same spot as always. Though you've been cleaning me out lately. I'm thinking of charging you rent."
Ezra pulled a few packs from the shelf and walked to the counter.
"You've been coming here since you were, what, seven?" the owner said, bagging the snacks. "Back when you used to smile. Damien still remembers you trying to lift a whole crate of soda like it was your destiny."
Ezra allowed a flicker of a smile. "Didn't go well."
"Snapped your back like a twig. And you cried so hard when you spilled your gum."
"You're never gonna let that go, are you?"
"Never. That memory's worth more than these snacks." The old man paused. "Still not talking to anyone, huh?"
Ezra shrugged again. "People are loud."
"They're also helpful. Trust me, kid—solitude's like salt. A little adds flavor. Too much? You ruin the meal."
Ezra handed him the money. "I've got a taste for bitter."
The owner watched him go. "You ever wanna talk... or steal more gum, you know where I'm at."
Ezra stepped back outside.
Kids were playing in the park nearby. A worn-out ball bounced between little hands and loud laughter. Their voices rose like birds in flight.
"Catch it!"
"Don't drop it again!"
He turned the corner, heading home. That's all life is, isn't it? Chasing something. Then one wrong move, and you're gone. One blink.
A shout snapped him out of his thoughts.
"Wait! The ball—!"
A child darted into the street.
Ezra's eyes widened. A truck rounded the bend, engine growling.
Too fast. Too close.
Ezra dropped his bag.
Move. Don't think. Just run.
He sprinted.
Don't let it happen again. Not again. I'm not watching another person die. Not a kid.
He reached the child. "Get back!" Ezra yelled, grabbing the boy and hurling him toward the sidewalk.
The truck bore down.
He turned, the headlights burning his vision.
It's fine. I can do this. I won't feel a thing.
Then—impact.
Darkness.
Nothing.
Then something.
He opened his eyes.
Black liquid surrounded him. He floated in it, as if the ocean had turned to tar.
Above, the sky stretched endlessly—stars swirling, planets spinning slowly in the void. A dreamscape painted in shades of awe.
Ezra sat up, rising from the fluid like a ghost from water. He stood on the surface, ripples expanding under his boots.
Where… am I?
The silence was thick, sacred. He whispered, "Hello?"
No response.
"Anyone?" he tried louder.
Stillness.
Then—
"Hello," a voice replied, playful, feminine.
Ezra's eyes darted.
"Who's there?"
He looked down.
His reflection... smiled.
Ezra froze. That wasn't a trick of the liquid. That wasn't a ripple. It was real — and it was smiling at him. Not kindly. Not warmly. But knowingly. Mocking, almost.
"What the...?" he whispered, backing up, his boots sending ripples skittering across the inky surface.
Then the black liquid beneath him trembled.
A deep, guttural hum rumbled beneath his feet, like the low growl of a beast just beneath the surface. Ezra's eyes widened. The liquid convulsed — then erupted.
A geyser of darkness surged skyward, spiraling and roaring as if the ocean had grown a throat and screamed. Ezra threw up his arms, shielding his face. The spray was cold, suffocating, clinging to him like shadow given weight.
He coughed, wiped his eyes, and blinked.
And then he saw her.
When the eruption cleared — she stood before him.
But before that moment, he looked up.
The sky above was no ordinary sky. It was an endless dome of black so rich it shimmered. Stars bloomed and died like fireworks frozen in slow motion. Massive planets, ringed and vibrant, drifted lazily across the heavens like silent gods watching from afar. Nebulas pulsed with hues of violet and indigo, and meteors danced like fireflies.
Ezra's breath caught.
What... is this place?
He turned slowly, taking in the impossible expanse.
It's beautiful. And terrifying. Like I'm standing inside a heartbeat between creation and destruction. Everything here is alive... and watching.
The surface of the liquid beneath him was mirror-like again, but deeper, as if beneath it lay another cosmos. His own reflection looked back at him — confused, awestruck, fractured.
Then that same reflection smiled.
This time, the smile was wider. Sharper.
Ezra staggered backward. "No. No, that's not me."
Suddenly, the surface burst open.
The geyser returned, this time forming not a chaotic spout but a shape — a silhouette. Tall, curvaceous, and rising gracefully from the depths.
Tendrils of liquid fell from her form like falling ink, evaporating before they hit the ground. Her presence was immediate, undeniable, cosmic.
Ezra could only stare.
She hovered above the surface for a moment before lowering her bare feet to the liquid, which held her without a ripple.
Long, flowing silver-white hair billowed behind her like a cape of living starlight. Each strand seemed to shimmer and twist of its own volition — now flame, now mist, now writhing hunger. Her skin was pale and radiant, adorned in a dress that shifted like shadow and light in eternal dance. Her eyes—deep galaxy purple with slow-spinning rings—glowed faintly, like devouring spirals.
Ezra's knees felt weak.
"What... the hell...?"
She smiled, lips curling in a way that could've been flirtation or threat — or both.
"Hello," she said, voice like velvet wrapped in knives, "my darling vessel."
A woman, not quite real. Ethereal, terrifying, divine. Her silver-white hair flowed like starlight alive. Her dress shimmered—woven of shadows, secrets, and cursed elegance. Eyes like galaxies twisted in her gaze. Her presence made the void itself feel crowded.
Ezra stepped back. His breath hitched.
She smiled.
"Hello, my darling vessel."
Ezra blinked. "What…?"
She stepped forward, barefoot atop the black ocean.
"Who are you?" he demanded.
She tilted her head, lips curving wickedly.
"Me? I am the Goddess of Gluttony—Lilivora."
Ezra's stomach dropped. "Goddess of… gluttony? What the hell?"
Lilivora's laugh was a melody wrapped in menace.
"Welcome home, Ezra Carter."
Ezra stood frozen, staring at the divine creature before him — the Goddess of Gluttony. His mind raced, unable to fully comprehend what he was seeing. A goddess. Of all things... gluttony?
Why now? Why here? Out of every possible afterlife or nothingness, I'm standing in front of a woman who calls herself the Gluttony Goddess? What the hell does she mean — 'my darling vessel'?
The goddess giggled, her voice laced with honey and sin. "No, this isn't a dream, my darling vessel. This is very real."
Ezra's eyes widened. She can hear my thoughts?
His body tensed. He was annoyed, unnerved, and a bit afraid. "Why am I here?" he demanded. "Are you really... the Gluttony Goddess?"
Her smile widened. "I am. And I must say, your self-sacrifice back there? Saving that child? Quite the dramatic act."
Ezra narrowed his eyes. That wasn't for attention. I didn't do it to be a hero.
Before he could speak, the goddess continued. "You did it because you couldn't bear to watch another child die… not after your parents."
His breath caught in his throat. The memory hit like a fist. He stammered, "How did you know that?"
She stepped forward slightly, her voice softening, "I've been watching you, Ezra. For a long time. I've seen what's been devouring you from the inside out since that night."
Ezra looked down at the mirrored surface of the liquid ocean below. His reflection stared back with guilt-ridden eyes. I couldn't save them. I was too slow. Too weak.
The goddess' voice floated to him. "It's going to be alright. Everything will be fine."
His head snapped up. "How?" he whispered bitterly. "I'm dead. I'm no longer alive. How could anything be alright now?"
Lilivora's eyes glinted with knowing power. "Because, my dear Ezra, I offer you a second life… and power."
Ezra blinked. Second life? Power? Is she serious?
The goddess smirked. "Looks like I've got your full attention now."
He frowned, still cautious. How? How can I get a second life and power? What kind of trick is this?
Lilivora closed the distance between them slowly. She was slightly taller than him, and as she approached, Ezra found himself backing away instinctively. Her presence was overwhelming.
She raised a hand toward him. Ezra squeezed his eyes shut, bracing for something terrible. But all he felt was a gentle touch under his chin.
He opened his eyes and found her face inches from his. She stared directly into his soul.
"You will be sent to another world," she whispered. "Reborn… with the Power of Gluttony."
His heart thundered. Another world? Power of Gluttony? What does that even mean?
Lilivora leaned back slightly, amused by his expression. "You'll be reincarnated into a new body, in a world where magic exists, monsters roam, and strength determines fate."
Ezra whispered, "I'll live again…?"
She nodded. "Not just live. Thrive. With the power I grant you."
What is this power she's talking about? Gluttony... the sin? No, it must be something else.
She tilted her head. "Gluttony Mage. A rare, terrifyingly broken class. You'll possess one unique skill…"
She paused for effect.
"Devour."
Ezra's brow furrowed. "Devour?"
Lilivora's voice dripped with dark promise. "The power to consume anything and gain its strength. Monsters. Magic. Weapons. Souls. Curses. Even divine beings. If it exists… you can eat it. And you hunger, don't you, Ezra?"
His mouth went dry. The power to consume anything? That's insane. That's... His thoughts raced. Monstrous.
She grinned. "What do you think? Do you like the idea of being alive again — and being the most dangerous being in your new world?"
Ezra stared at her. Her offer was absurd, impossible... and yet, he found himself drawn to it. A second chance. Power. A way to never be weak again.
He looked her in the eye, gold irises burning with sudden resolve. "Yes. I want to do it."
"Good," she purred. "My darling vessel."
She raised her hand. In her palm, something began to take shape.
A hovering orb, roughly the size of a clenched fist, materialized above her palm. It floated in mid-air.
Its colors were mesmerizing — a swirling mix of blackish violet, deep crimson, and void-glass obsidian. It pulsed like a slow, deliberate heartbeat.
The surface writhed, revealing tendrils of hunger, glowing cracks, and flickering divine runes in a language Ezra couldn't read. Phantom mouths and glowing eyes occasionally flickered across it, only to vanish like blinking lights.
Ezra was stunned. "What… is that?"
Lilivora's grin widened. "The Gluttonous Core."
She extended her hand forward, and the orb floated toward him.
Ezra stood still. This is it. Survive. Gain power. No more regrets.
The orb touched his chest — and then pierced it.
Not physically.
Spiritually.
Ezra's body jerked as the orb slid into him like a blade of liquid fire, threading through muscle, bone, and soul all at once. It didn't tear — it fused. It merged with something deeper than his flesh.
He couldn't breathe.
A searing heat radiated from his chest outward, as though his very soul had been branded. Then came the light — black-violet energy exploding across his skin in jagged veins. They pulsed with a rhythm that wasn't his own. Like something ancient was waking up inside him.
For a few terrifying, awe-striking moments, glowing cracks snaked down his arms and neck. His heartbeat thundered. His muscles tensed and loosened involuntarily.
His eyes—once gold—began to twist with spiraling runes. Dark, devouring symbols etched themselves into his irises as they flickered rapidly from gold to crimson. Then back again. Then both at once.
He fell to his knees.
And then he heard them.
The Voices.
Soft.
Curious.
Hungry.
They whispered in tandem, echoing through the hollowed cathedral of his spirit:
"Devour... Hunger... Feed..."
The voices weren't loud.
They were close.
Inside.
Ezra gritted his teeth, gasping as a wave of emotion slammed into him.
Pain. Searing, soul-deep pain.
And then — clarity.
Every longing he'd ever buried came rushing forward.
Warmth. Vengeance. Meaning. Power. Belonging.
Each desire burned bright for a heartbeat—blinding, consuming—before disappearing. Gone. Emptied.
And in its place, something darker remained:
A deep, gnawing void.
An endless hunger.
It gripped him like a second heartbeat, like teeth gnashing beneath his ribs.
His breath trembled. What… what is this emptiness?
Suddenly, deep within the core of his being, a shape began to take form.
A sigil.
Circular. Smooth on the outside. But within — the shape of a yawning maw. Rows of jagged, spiritual teeth rotating endlessly.
The Mark of Hunger.
It glowed with faint, pulsing crimson light — like an eye half-open. It felt dormant… but aware.
And Ezra understood — somehow — it would only truly awaken when he fed.
Not on food. But on something more potent. On strength. On power. On souls, even.
The light of the sigil shimmered faintly inside his soul — not visible to the eye, but felt. A promise.
It will grow.
It will consume.
It will change him.
Ezra stared down at his trembling hands as the glowing veins pulsed one last time before dimming. His breathing slowed, but his heartbeat — or something like it — remained wild.
The voices faded into a murmur.
But the hunger did not.
Lilivora watched, pleased. "Ah… how beautiful. My darling vessel, you wear hunger well."
Ezra stood in silence, breathing hard. The surge of power slowly faded. The voices dimmed. The glowing veins receded. His eyes returned to gold.
The goddess tilted her head. "So? How do you feel?"
Ezra looked down at his hands, flexing them slowly. Like fire ran through my soul. Like... I'm not the same anymore.
"I feel…" he whispered, "different. Powerful. Hungry."
She laughed, eyes gleaming. "That's good. That means it's working. You are now my chosen vessel of gluttony."
Ezra nodded, slowly. This power... it's mine now. And I'm going to use it.
Ezra took a breath, the last remnants of the surge still tingling in his chest. Then his eyes narrowed slightly. "Wait. Before I go... I want to know more. About the world you're sending me to."
Lilivora tilted her head, clearly amused. "Curious already? That's a good sign."
"I want to understand the magic system," Ezra continued. "How does magic work there? What am I walking into?"
The goddess's eyes glinted, and she raised a single finger as if lecturing a child — though her tone remained velvety and indulgent.
"Magic in that world," she began, "is woven into the very fabric of existence. It's not just energy — it's will, desire, essence. Everyone is born with a soul core. That core determines your affinity — fire, water, wind, earth, light, shadow, or more exotic elements like blood, poison, or time. Some are blessed with dual affinities. Fewer still wield forbidden or divine paths."
Ezra leaned in slightly, absorbing every word.
"There are three major types of magic," she continued. "Elemental, which controls the forces of nature. Arcane, which manipulates space, time, and spiritual forces. And Bloodline magic — rarer, genetic abilities passed down through ancient families. Think curses, beasts, or sealed weapons in flesh."
She paused, letting her words settle.
"Magic is fueled by mana — the essence within. It regenerates slowly. Push too hard, and your body suffers. Overuse can kill a novice, or worse... corrupt them."
Ezra raised an eyebrow. "So, where does Gluttony magic fit?"
Lilivora's smile sharpened. "It doesn't. It defies the structure. It consumes the system. You don't manipulate mana. You devour it — from others, from creatures, from spells themselves. You are not a wielder. You are a devourer. A parasite... or a god, depending on your appetite."
Ezra blinked. That's… more terrifying than I expected.
He swallowed and asked, "What's the name of this world you're sending me to?"
Her voice dropped to a reverent tone. "Virelia. A world ruled by fractured empires, forgotten gods, and monstrous evolution. Magic governs all. Kingdoms rise and fall over magical bloodlines. Dungeons bloom from the earth, and the strong rewrite fate. It is ripe… and hungry."
Ezra nodded slowly. Virelia. My new home.
Lilivora stepped back, her expression now fond and cruel in equal measure. "Are you ready for the new world?"
Ezra looked up, steady and calm. "Yes."
"Excellent," she said. "Then I'll see you around, my darling vessel."
"See you around… goddess."
She smiled. A soft black aura radiated from her hand.
A glowing magic circle appeared beneath Ezra's feet.
Light enveloped him.
And then — he was gone.
Lilivora gazed at the spot where he vanished and whispered, "Make the world yours… and devour it, my darling vessel."
Moments later, a magic circle appeared on mossy earth, glowing with ethereal light deep within an untouched forest. Arcane runes spun slowly along its rim, pulsing in rhythm like a heartbeat beneath the trees.
A rush of wind, a flicker of energy—Ezra appeared within it.
His boots touched down softly onto the mossy ground as the light from the circle began to fade. The runes dimmed and unraveled like threads of starlight, vanishing completely as the last spark twinkled out. The magic circle disappeared without a trace, leaving Ezra alone beneath the vast emerald canopy.
He looked around slowly, eyes wide with cautious wonder.
Towering trees surrounded him, their trunks thick and ancient, their leaves glistening with droplets of morning dew. Sunlight broke through the gaps between branches in radiant beams, casting golden patterns on the forest floor. Birds chirped in distant harmony. Insects hummed softly beneath the underbrush. A gentle breeze rustled the ferns nearby.
Ezra took a deep breath. The air was crisp and clean—more pure than anything he'd breathed before. The smell of pine and damp soil filled his nose. It was peaceful here. Almost sacred.
"This place..." he murmured aloud. "It's beautiful."
He turned slowly, taking it all in. Trees as tall as towers, roots curling like the limbs of giants, the colors of the forest more vivid than anything he'd ever seen on Earth.
Is this real? Is this truly another world? he thought.
He took a step forward. The ground was soft beneath his feet, and tiny blue flowers bent slightly in his path. Another step. Another breath.
I'm alive. I can feel everything. The wind. The earth. The pull in my chest. I'm not dreaming...
A flicker of black-violet light ran along his fingertips for a second and faded.
He clenched his fist. This is my new life. The world the Gluttony Goddess sent me to. A world of monsters and magic.
Ezra looked up through the canopy. "Let's begin my new adventure," he whispered.
Then, with slow confidence, he started walking — deeper into the forest, with hunger in his heart and power beneath his skin.
He walked into the forest, the hunger burning softly inside.
Ezra walked through the forest, pushing branches out of his way as the sun filtered through the canopy. Each step felt more real than the last — the forest floor was damp, the birds overhead chirped with wild rhythm, and the faint wind carried the scent of moss and unknown blooms.
He needed answers. Not just about the world, but about himself — and what exactly the Gluttony Goddess had left him with.
If this is like the manga I read as a kid, Ezra thought, there's gotta be some kind of menu or status screen... He snorted faintly. What did those overpowered Isekai characters always say again? "Open Status" or something?
He exhaled and muttered, "Open Status."
A soft ping echoed in his mind.
A violet-hued screen materialized in front of him, translucent and faintly glowing, hovering in mid-air.
Name: Ezra Carter
Age: 18
Race: Reincarnated Human
Level: 1
Class: Gluttony Mage
Titles: Reincarnated One, Chosen of Gluttony, Vessel of Hunger
HP: 110 / 110
MP: 220 / 220
Strength: 10
Agility: 12
Endurance: 11
Mana: 28
Luck: 14
Charm: 9
Normal Skills: None
Ability Skills: None
Magic Skills: None
Unique Skills:
– Devour (EX-Rank): Consume living or non-living targets — including monsters, spells, weapons, curses, or souls.
Gain experience, absorb traits, and unlock new abilities.
Consuming certain entities may mutate stats or unlock hidden evolutions.
Warning: May trigger inner "Hunger" if overused.
Weapons: Mawfang Dagger
Items: —
Ezra blinked at the screen.
Devour... EX-Rank? he thought. That's got to be top-tier. And look at those mana stats. I've got way more MP than physical strength. So I'm meant to be a magic damage dealer? No — I'm something more twisted.
He sighed, letting the screen dissolve with a thought.
Alright. Gluttony Mage. Time to see what that actually means.
Hours passed as he trekked deeper into the forest. Leaves crunched under his boots. He passed a small brook, heard birds scatter above. But as he crossed into a denser area, a sound made him stop.
Rustling. In the bushes.
Ezra froze.
Something's there...
He scanned the treeline. The rustling grew louder, closer.
Suddenly, several dark shapes darted through the trees like phantoms. His heart jumped.
From the underbrush emerged… a massive rabbit. But not just any rabbit. This one was the size of a wild boar, its fur bristling like needles, and from its head protruded two thick, jagged horns.
Ezra's eyes widened. "A horned rabbit? Are you kidding me?"
The creature glared, its nostrils flaring. It stomped, then lunged.
"Oh sh—!"
The horned rabbit slammed into Ezra's chest with incredible force. He was thrown back like a ragdoll, crashing into the ground, hard.
"Ggh—!" he gasped, the air knocked out of him. Pain flared through his ribs.
Okay. That… hurt more than I expected.
He rolled onto his side, groaning, and pushed himself to his feet, staggering.
The horned rabbit bounced aggressively in place, as if mocking him.
Ezra's gold eyes narrowed. "Alright, furball. Let's dance."
The rabbit dashed at him again, absurdly fast. Ezra sidestepped just in time.
It's fast. Way faster than its size suggests.
The rabbit jumped again — another headbutt. Ezra ducked, barely avoiding it.
Another dash. Another dodge.
Ezra panted. I can't keep dodging forever. I need a weapon…
He snapped his fingers. Right. My dagger! I saw it listed earlier.
He called out, "Come to me—Mawfang Dagger!"
A pulse of red-black light formed in the air before him. The weapon materialized in his grip.
It was a sleek, jet-black dagger with a jagged edge and glowing red veins pulsing faintly along the blade. The hilt looked like it was made of bone, wrapped in weathered cloth. Ezra could swear it breathed — subtly, like a living thing.
What the hell is this thing? It feels... hungry.
The rabbit charged.
Ezra raised the dagger and braced.
Impact.
The dagger met the rabbit's horn. There was a strange ripple of energy.
A burst of dark aura exploded from the dagger, spiraling toward the rabbit — wrapping around it like tendrils. It absorbed some of the creature's essence, then pulled back into the dagger.
Ezra's eyes widened as he felt something change inside him.
That... did something.
A notification screen appeared before him.
Partial Devour Activated
Traits Acquired:
– Beast Agility (Lesser): Temporarily boosts movement speed and reaction during combat.
– Twitch Reflex: Automatically enhances precision during evasive actions.
Ezra skidded to a halt on the ground, bracing himself. The horned rabbit landed too, but it staggered — like something had been taken from it.
Ezra stood up, glancing at his new abilities.
I just copied its speed... I can use its own tricks against it.
The rabbit reared up again.
Ezra's voice sharpened. "Beast Agility!"
A jolt of power surged through his limbs. His legs moved before he could think.
He danced around the rabbit's next charge like smoke, dodging effortlessly.
This... this is perfect. I'm faster than it now.
The rabbit tried again, but Ezra sidestepped, spinning around it.
He raised his dagger. "Let's finish this."
The rabbit dashed in with another headbutt.
Ezra waited.
At the last second, he stepped aside and slashed.
The blade sank deep into the rabbit's side, black-red energy coursing through the wound.
The rabbit staggered... then collapsed.
Ezra exhaled, lowering his blade. "First win," he muttered. "Not bad."
He turned to walk away — but then paused, remembering Lilivora's voice.
"Devour anything, and you'll grow stronger..."
He turned back toward the horned rabbit.
He extended his hand. "Devour."
A swirling vortex of violet-black and crimson energy erupted from his palm. It enveloped the corpse, distorting it into shadow and color — then pulled it into Ezra's hand.
Devour Complete.
XP Gained.
Level Up!
New Stat Growth:
– Strength +1
– Agility +1
– Endurance +1
– Unique Trait Progress: Hunger Core +3%
Ezra blinked. "Level one to level two... just like that."
I won. I leveled up. And I can feel the difference already.
He rolled his shoulders, then sheathed the Mawfang Dagger.
The forest waited.
He took a deep breath and stepped forward again, the hunger in his chest a steady pulse now.
"Let's keep going," he said.
To Be Continued.