Devourer: Echoes of the unwritten

[Scene: East District – Outside a Hunter Bar, Nighttime]

Neon signs blinked over cracked pavement.

The laughter of drunk hunters spilled into the street, loud and arrogant.

Shin leaned against a rusted pole, flipping a dagger between his fingers. His squad surrounded him, cracking jokes and tossing credits.

"Man, can you believe that trash kid? Kaito, right? Probably got eaten by the dungeon boss." Shin smirked. "Less rats in the sewer."

The others laughed.

Reina sat nearby, silent.

Her fists clenched.

"You left him to die…" she whispered.

Shin heard. He shrugged.

"Please. If a weakling can't survive, he shouldn't be in a dungeon."

Suddenly—

TAP… TAP… TAP…

Footsteps.

Coming from the alley.

Slow.

Heavy.

Deliberate.

They turned.

A figure emerged from the shadows.

Hood up.

Eyes glowing beneath it—deep, unnatural purple.

Reina stood up fast. Her eyes widened.

"K-Kaito…?!"

Shin laughed. "No way! You survived? Wow. Guess even trash can crawl out of a hole."

Kaito didn't reply.

He stepped forward.

His shadow stretched unnaturally long across the pavement.

One of Shin's goons stepped up, cracking his knuckles.

"Wanna die for real this time, loser?"

Kaito looked up. Eyes glowing. His voice was low.

"No. But you will."

[Scene: Fight Begins – Cinematic Slow Motion]

WHOOSH!

Kaito vanished.

Reappeared behind the man.

[Void Step – Activated]

CRACK!

A punch to the back of the neck—instant KO.

The body hit the ground before the others even reacted.

"WHAT THE—?!"

The second guy drew a knife, charged.

Kaito raised his hand.

"Devour."

A shadow claw burst forward, impaling the man's chest.

His scream was cut short as his body turned to ash.

[Skill Acquired: Bone Grip – Rank C]

Shin backed away, dagger drawn. Sweat on his forehead.

"You're not human… What are you!?"

Kaito's voice echoed—almost demonic.

"You left me to die. Now I've evolved."

He stepped forward, each step leaving behind black sparks.

Reina watched, frozen. This wasn't the Kaito she knew.

This was something… more.

Something terrifying.

[Scene: Shin vs Kaito – Mid-Battle]

Shin yelled, "RAAAH!" and activated his Flame Slash skill.

His sword ignited. He charged forward.

Kaito smiled.

CLANG!

Sparks flew as blade met claw.

[Berserker Strength – Boost Active]

Kaito pushed him back like a child.

Then launched forward—

BAM!

Kicked Shin into a wall.

The impact cracked the brick.

Blood spilled from Shin's mouth.

"You bastard…" he coughed. "You're… cursed…"

Kaito knelt beside him, gripping his collar.

"You were right about one thing," he whispered.

"Trash doesn't survive. Monsters do."

FLASH.

He rammed his hand into Shin's chest.

Shadows pulsed.

[Skill Acquired: Flame Slash – Rank C+]

[WARNING: Multiple Human Absorptions Detected – Morality Threshold Lowered]

Kaito stood. Shin's body hit the ground, smoking.

Reina stared at him.

"You… killed him…"

He looked at her. Eyes still glowing. Claws retracting.

"I spared you once," he said quietly. "Don't follow me again."

He walked into the dark.

"From now on… I only move forward."

[Scene: Guild HQ – Private Meeting Room]

Yuna Mizaki stared at a projection screen showing camera footage.

"Kaito Ryu… You've killed two licensed hunters in public."

The system AI beside her chimed:

[Classification Updated: Threat Level – Black Rank Pending Review]

Yuna frowned.

"No. Not a threat."

She leaned back, watching the screen pause on Kaito's glowing eyes.

"A weapon."

[Scene: Kaito's Shelter – That Night]

Kaito stood shirtless in front of a mirror.

His reflection was… changing.

Veins darkened.

Faint scale patterns near his shoulder.

Not fully human anymore.

He touched the mirror.

"What am I becoming…?"

The system whispered in his mind.

"You are the beginning of something divine… or something doomed."

His eyes narrowed.

"I'll decide what I become."

[Status Update]

Level: 8

Class: Devourer [Hidden – God-Class Seed]

Skills:

– Devour (Core Skill)

– Berserker Strength (C)

– Void Step (B)

– Night Prowl (C)

– Bone Grip (C)

– Flame Slash (C+)

Passive: Adrenal Surge

Morality: Diminishing

Next Evolution Unlock: Level 10

[Final Panel: Kaito standing on a skyscraper rooftop, cape blowing in the wind. Purple storm clouds swirl above. His eyes glow in the dark as the system pulses beside him.]

"Let the strong fear me."

"Let the monsters kneel."

"I… am the Devourer."