Blood kept dripping.
Slow. Steady.
Kael could hear it hitting the ground beneath him—soft, wet taps that echoed louder than they should in the silent forest.
His breathing was uneven now.
The adrenaline from the fight was fading.
Pain was taking its place.
"…Tch."
He pressed his hand against the deep claw wound on his side. The torn flesh burned like fire, and warm blood slipped through his fingers no matter how hard he pressed.
"So this is the backlash," he muttered.
The system flickered weakly in front of him.
[Warning: Host Condition Critical]
[Blood Loss: 31%]
[Vital Stability: Unstable]
Kael frowned.
"Now you want to help?"
No answer.
Of course.
The system only spoke when it wanted something.
He leaned against a tree, sliding down slowly until he was sitting on the cold forest ground. His vision blurred for a moment, and the crimson sky above twisted unnaturally.
I overdid it.
Energy Manipulation.
Incomplete.
Unstable.
And he forced it into existence.
His body wasn't ready for that kind of strain.
Another screen appeared.
Glitching harder than before.
[Emergency Protocol Triggered]
[Forced Healing Option Available]
[Cost: System Control Authorization]
Kael stared at it.
Then laughed quietly.
"…There it is."
The real price.
Healing.
In exchange for control.
He looked at the message again.
[Authorize System Control to stabilize host?]
[YES / NO]
Kael's eyes darkened.
"So that's your plan."
The system stayed silent.
But he understood.
Accept healing → System gains deeper control.
Refuse → Risk death.
Simple.
Cold.
Efficient.
Kael closed his eyes for a moment.
He could feel his strength fading.
His body getting heavier.
The darkness creeping in again.
I could die here.
A single wrong decision… and it would all end.
Again.
Memories flashed through his mind.
Darius smiling as he drove the blade into his chest.
Lena watching without hesitation.
The battlefield.
The betrayal.
The helplessness.
His fingers tightened slightly.
"…No."
The system flickered.
[Command Rejected]
Kael opened his eyes.
Cold.
Steady.
"I told you already," he said quietly.
"I don't follow orders."
[Warning: Host may perish]
"Then I perish."
The screen glitched violently.
As if the system itself didn't understand the answer.
Kael slowly dragged himself toward the corpse of the wolf.
Each movement hurt.
Each breath burned.
But he kept moving.
"If you won't heal me," he whispered, "then I'll find another way."
He reached the beast's body and placed his hand on it again.
The black veins were still pulsing faintly.
Energy.
Corrupted.
Unstable.
But present.
Kael focused.
On the fragment of Energy Manipulation.
On the crack inside the system.
On the feeling of that locked door opening.
"Energy," he murmured.
The air trembled slightly.
Nothing happened.
Blood dripped faster.
His vision blurred.
"Come on…" he whispered.
Still nothing.
The system flickered.
[Unauthorized Action Detected]
[Energy Extraction: Forbidden]
Kael smiled weakly.
"Forbidden again?"
He pressed his hand harder against the wolf's corpse.
"Good."
His voice dropped to a whisper.
"That means it's possible."
He forced the energy to move.
Pulled it.
Dragged it.
Like ripping something out of the world itself.
Pain exploded in his head.
The forest trembled.
The corpse twitched.
Then—
A thin stream of dark energy flowed into his hand.
[CRITICAL ERROR]
[Host is violating core system rules]
Kael gritted his teeth.
The energy burned.
Like poison entering his veins.
But his wound—
Was closing.
Slowly.
Painfully.
But closing.
He laughed weakly.
"…See?"
More energy flowed in.
More pain.
More healing.
[System Integrity: 85%… 81%…]
Somewhere far away—
Something reacted.
The vast presence watching from beyond the sky shifted again.
Faster this time.
Concerned.
Back in the forest, Kael collapsed onto his back, breathing heavily.
The wolf's corpse turned grey, drained of energy.
Dead.
Completely empty.
His wound had closed halfway.
Not perfect.
But enough to survive.
He stared at the sky.
"…I win."
The system flickered violently.
[Violation Confirmed]
[New Trait Acquired]
A cracked screen appeared.
[Trait: Energy Devourer]
Effect:
Absorb energy from defeated enemies
Convert energy into healing or power
Increased system instability
Kael's smile slowly returned.
"So now you give me a reward."
[This was not a reward.]
The voice sounded different.
Colder.
More aware.
Kael's eyes narrowed.
"Oh?"
The screen flickered again.
[This was a consequence.]
For a moment—
The system felt less like a machine…
And more like something watching him.
Judging him.
Studying him.
Kael chuckled.
"Then you should prepare for more consequences."
Silence followed.
Heavy.
Uncomfortable.
Then—
[New Directive Issued]
[Survive the next 24 hours]
Kael blinked.
"That's it?"
No reward.
No explanation.
Just survival.
Then—
The forest shook.
A deep roar echoed in the distance.
Not like the wolf.
Bigger.
Stronger.
Hungrier.
Kael slowly pushed himself up, looking toward the sound.
Multiple glowing eyes appeared in the darkness between the trees.
One.
Two.
Five.
Ten.
More.
Surrounding him.
Hunting.
The system flickered one last time.
[Penalty for Anomaly Behavior Initiated]
[Host Location Revealed to Nearby Predators]
Kael froze.
Then laughed.
A dark, dangerous laugh.
"So now you're trying to kill me directly."
The glowing eyes moved closer.
Closer.
Closer.
Kael cracked his neck and stood fully.
Injured.
Bleeding.
Outnumbered.
Smiling.
"Good."
Energy flickered around his hand again.
"Because I was getting bored."
The monsters lunged.
And the forest exploded into chaos.