Chapter 32: The First Feast
The city was alive—with fire.
Flames clawed at the sky, turning night into a nightmare painted in embers. Structures groaned and collapsed like dying beasts. Screams tore through the air, raw and agonizing. What was once the Midnight Exchange had become something worse than a warzone.
It had become a slaughterhouse.
Three monsters charged Fenrir and Yuna—twisted, inhuman and hungry.
One scuttled forward on all fours, limbs too long, movements too fluid.
The second dragged its claws across cracked pavement, carving sparks like warnings.
And the third?
It smiled.
That single grin froze Fenrir's blood. These things weren't just killing—they were relishing it.
"Stay behind me!" Yuna roared.
Golden fire erupted from her body in a tidal wave of heat. Two tails blazed to life—then four. The air itself ignited. She thrust her palm forward—
BOOOOM!!
A supernova of flame detonated down the street. Buildings vaporized in the blast. The first monster shrieked as it burned. The second turned to cinders mid-lunge.
But the third?
It leaped through the inferno—untouched.
Claws slashed downward.
Fenrir moved on instinct.
Predator's Instinct: Activated.
Time warped. The world slowed.
He twisted aside—claws grazing his cheek by millimeters. The creature landed, faceless yet knowing, and stretched its grin wider.
[Threat Assessment: High.]
[Level Estimate: 18.]
"...Perfect."
It lunged.
Fenrir didn't retreat—he charged.
Silver-black claws burst from his fingers.
SLASH!
The monster's chest split open like rotten fruit. Black blood geysered into the air. It staggered—then stopped.
The wound sealed itself.
Fenrir's breath caught. "What?"
Muscle knitted. Skin reformed. The thing smiled.
Yuna's voice cracked like thunder. "They regenerate?!"
It attacked again.
Fenrir ducked, drove his claws deep into its gut. The creature howled—then punched.
BOOM!
He flew backward, crashing through brick and timber, slamming into a bookstore. Shelves exploded. Books rained down like fallen knowledge. Blood filled his mouth.
[Host has sustained moderate injuries.]
Fenrir spat blood onto the floor.
"...Yeah. I feel that."
The monster stepped through the wreckage—slow, deliberate. Savoring the moment. Its grin widened.
"...You are seriously messed up."
It charged.
Fenrir rolled. The floor detonated where he'd been. He kicked off the ground, slashing again—this time severing its arm.
The limb hit the ground.
Then crawled.
Claws sprouted. Fingers twitched. It lurched toward him.
"Hell no."
He stomped it into paste.
The monster grew a new arm—instantly.
Fenrir's jaw tightened.
How do you kill something that won't stay dead?
Then—
a scream echoed. High-pitched and terrified.
A boy. No older than eight was backed into a corner by another monster. Claws raised.
Fenrir didn't think.
BOOM!
The ground shattered beneath him.
He was there—in front of the child—before the strike landed.
CRACK!
Pain ripped through his shoulder. Blood sprayed. The boy screamed.
But he was alive.
Fenrir lifted his head.
The monster froze.
Because Fenrir's eyes—crimson, wild—had changed.
Something inside him snapped.
The hunger roared.
The scent of blood.
The scent of prey.
The scent of food.
[Hunger State Escalating.]
[Devour Instinct Activated.]
[Consume.]
The word pounded in his skull again and again.
[Consume.]
[Consume.]
[Consume.]
[Cons...]
His eyes turned a brighter shade of crimson.
The monster took a step back.
Too late.
BOOM!
Fenrir moved.
His claws punched through its chest. The creature shrieked—then screamed louder as Fenrir grabbed its head and bit into its neck.
Silence.
Then—black blood flooded his mouth.
The monster visibly convulsed, shrunk and withered. Its energy drained, sucked into Fenrir like smoke.
The boy stared, trembling.
Yuna stood frozen.
The screams faded into the background.
The body crumbled—into ash.
Silence.
Fenrir stood motionless. Black energy visibly surged through his veins—warm, powerful and intoxicating.
[Ding.]
[Devour Successful.]
[Experience Acquired.]
[Level Up.]
[Level 11 → Level 12.]
[Level 12 → Level 13.]
[New Skill Acquired.]
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Predator's Aura (Common)
The Host's killing intent crushes weaker prey.
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Fenrir blinked.
Three levels.
From one kill.
His breath came heavy. The hunger wasn't fading—
it was growing.
He looked out over the battlefield.
Hundreds.
No—thousands of monsters.
All of them…
food.
"No..."
He clenched his fists.
No. He wouldn't lose himself. Not to this. Not to that.
"Fenrir."
He turned.
Yuna stood close. For the first time—
she looked nervous.
Not afraid of the monsters...
But afraid of him.
The realization cut deeper than any wound.
"...Did I scare you?"
Silence.
Then—
she stepped forward and punched him.
"...Ow."
"You idiot."
"What?"
"You saved the kid." She pointed. The boy was sobbing—but breathing. Alive.
Yuna's voice softened. "You scared me for a second."
Then—a flick to his forehead. "But you're still you."
The knot in his chest unraveled.
Then—
BOOOOM!!
The earth heaved.
They looked up.
Something massive had landed in the city's heart.
A giant
Nearly twenty meters tall.
It had black armor-like skin,six massive arms and four glowing crimson eyes.
Its roar shook the skies.
Every monster stopped.
Then—
every single one knelt.
Silence.
The giant slowly turned its gaze across the ruined city.
Toward the survivors.
Toward Fenrir.
And smiled.
Its foot touched the ground.
BOOM.
The shockwave exploded outward.
Windows shattered.
Several nearby monsters burst into blood mist.
The pressure alone crushed them.
Silence.
[Warning.]
[High-Level Entity Detected.]
[Threat Assessment: Extreme.]
[Estimated Level: ???]
For the first time since he tried checking Yuna and the others levels—
OBLIVION failed to gauge a being's level.
A cold chill shot down Fenrir's spine.
Then the giant spoke.
Its voice—like mountains grinding to dust.
"Found..."
Silence.
Its eyes narrowed.
"Found..."
The smile widened.
"Little... Sovereign."
The world held its breath.
And somewhere—beyond the broken sky—
something laughed.