The forest had fallen silent once more.
Hiroto lay where he had collapsed, his body trembling as he struggled to draw breath. Every inch of him ached, his wounds still raw from the brutal battle he had barely survived. For a long moment, he didn't move. The only sign that he was still alive was the faint rise and fall of his chest.
"…I'm… alive…"
The words escaped him in a weak whisper.
Slowly, he forced his eyes open, the world around him still spinning. The sky above was dim, filtered through the thick canopy of trees, and for a moment, he simply stared, trying to steady himself. Pain throbbed through his limbs as he pushed himself upright, his body resisting every movement.
"I can't… stay here…"
His voice was faint, but the urgency behind it was real.
With effort, Hiroto dragged himself to his feet, his legs trembling beneath him. Not far from where he stood lay the corpse of the monster he had defeated. Even in death, its presence felt heavy, almost suffocating.
Hiroto stared at it in silence.
"…I actually killed it…"
The memory of the battle replayed in his mind—the overwhelming strength, the moment he thought his life would end, the desperate final strike.
It didn't feel real.
But it was.
Taking a slow step forward, Hiroto approached the fallen creature. Each movement sent a sharp reminder of his injuries through his body, yet he forced himself onward. He had seen how hunters operated. Defeating a monster wasn't the end. There were materials to gather, proof of the hunt, something to bring back.
"…I need something…"
He knelt beside the corpse, his hand hovering for a moment before finally touching its rough, cold surface. Up close, the creature looked even more unnatural.
"…this thing…"
Before he could continue—
A faint flicker appeared in his vision.
Hiroto froze.
"…again…?"
The air in front of him shifted, and the familiar translucent panel formed once more. This time, it was clearer than ever before, its presence undeniable.
But something was different.
A new section pulsed faintly.
Hiroto's eyes locked onto it.
[New Skill Unlocked]
His breath caught.
"…a new skill…?"
Beneath it, a single name appeared.
Shadow Devour
The words felt heavy.
Unnatural.
"…Shadow… Devour…"
He repeated them slowly, a strange unease settling deep within his chest. Unlike the other skills, this one didn't feel like something meant to be used lightly.
It felt wrong.
Dangerous.
"…what does it do…?"
As the thought crossed his mind, an understanding formed—not through explanation, but instinct.
Consume.
Absorb.
Take.
Hiroto's gaze shifted toward the monster's corpse.
"…don't tell me…"
The implication was clear.
"…this is insane…"
He looked around.
The forest was silent.
Still.
No signs of movement.
No witnesses.
"…no one's here…"
He swallowed.
"…I could try it…"
A part of him wanted to turn away.
To ignore it.
But another part—something deeper—urged him forward.
"…just once…"
His hand slowly lifted.
"…I'll just test it…"
He took a steady breath, his eyes fixed on the corpse.
"…Shadow Devour…"
For a moment—
Nothing happened.
Then—
The shadows moved.
Hiroto's eyes widened as darkness began to spread beneath the monster's body. It wasn't natural. It flowed like liquid, stretching across the ground before slowly climbing upward.
"…what is this…?"
The shadows twisted into tendrils, wrapping themselves around the corpse.
Then—
They pulled.
The massive body began to sink into the darkness, slowly disappearing as if being swallowed whole.
"…no way…"
Hiroto couldn't look away.
There was no struggle.
No sound.
No resistance.
The monster simply vanished.
Consumed entirely.
Within seconds—
It was gone.
No blood.
No remains.
Nothing.
"…it disappeared…"
Not destroyed.
Not moved.
Erased.
"…what did I just do…?"
But before he could fully process it—
Something changed.
A sudden pressure surged through his body.
"—!"
Hiroto gasped as energy flooded his veins, spreading rapidly from his chest to every part of him. His muscles tensed, his senses sharpened, and for a brief moment, it felt as though something inside him had awakened.
"…this feeling…"
He clenched his fists tightly.
Stronger.
Faster.
Sharper.
The panel appeared again.
His eyes widened as he saw it.
His stats—
Had increased.
Not by a small amount.
But significantly.
"…this is… insane…"
His strength had risen.
His agility had improved.
Even his awareness felt heightened.
"…just from that…?"
His heart began to race.
"This power…"
It was overwhelming.
Tempting.
"…if I keep doing this…"
He could grow stronger.
Faster than anyone else.
But then—
The feeling shifted.
A cold sensation crept into his chest.
"…what…?"
Hiroto froze.
Something felt off.
Not physical.
Not visible.
But undeniably there.
"…something's wrong…"
He placed a hand over his chest, his expression tightening.
"…what did I lose…?"
He couldn't explain it.
But he could feel it.
A small part of him—
Was gone.
Not his strength.
Not his memories.
But something deeper.
"…human…"
The word echoed faintly in his mind.
Hiroto's breathing slowed.
"…no…"
He looked down at his hands.
They were the same.
Everything looked normal.
But inside—
Something had changed.
"…every time I use this…"
The realization settled heavily within him.
"…I lose something…"
Silence filled the forest once more.
Hiroto remained still, his thoughts racing.
Power—
At a cost.
"…this is dangerous…"
But even as he thought it, another truth surfaced.
It worked.
He had become stronger.
"…I need this…"
This world was unforgiving.
Weakness meant death.
He had already come close to that truth.
"…if I hesitate…"
He clenched his fists.
"…I'll die…"
The memory of the battle returned—the moment he had nearly lost everything.
"…I don't have a choice…"
He closed his eyes briefly.
Then opened them again.
This time, there was resolve in them.
"…I'll use it…"
Carefully.
But he would use it.
Because in this world—
Power wasn't optional.
It was survival.
Hiroto slowly turned away from where the monster had once been, his body still aching but now filled with newfound strength. The forest felt different now.
Quieter.
Darker.
As if it had witnessed something it shouldn't have.
Step by step, he began to make his way back toward the kingdom.
Yet with every step—
A question lingered in his mind.
How much of himself—
Was he willing to lose?
Just to survive?