Kael didn't move.
The sword was still in his hand.
The place where the wolf stood… was empty.
No body.
No drop.
Nothing.
"…that's not normal."
His voice came out low.
Too calm.
Too controlled.
Inside, his thoughts were already racing.
That wasn't damage.
That wasn't even a kill.
It was like the wolf never existed.
Erased.
---
"Yo!"
A voice pulled him back.
Kael looked up.
Three players were staring at him.
Confused.
Excited.
And a little bit cautious.
"What skill was that?" one of them asked.
"That was insane, bro. You one-shot it!"
Another one stepped closer, eyes locked on the sword.
"I've never seen that animation before."
Kael didn't answer.
Because he didn't know what to say.
That wasn't a skill.
He didn't activate anything.
He just swung.
---
"…I don't know," Kael finally said.
It wasn't a lie.
It just wasn't helpful.
The players looked at each other.
"You hiding it or what?"
Kael shook his head slightly.
"I'm new."
That part was true.
The first player frowned.
"New players don't do that."
Silence.
For a second, the atmosphere shifted.
Not friendly anymore.
Not curious.
Something else.
---
Kael felt it.
The distance.
The hesitation.
They weren't just impressed.
They were trying to understand him.
To measure him.
And that…
Was dangerous.
---
"I'm gonna go," Kael said.
He turned without waiting for a reply.
He could still feel their eyes on his back.
Watching.
Thinking.
Judging.
"…yeah. This is bad."
---
He walked faster.
Then stopped.
"…inventory."
He focused.
Nothing.
No menu.
No UI.
"…seriously?"
He looked at the sword.
Still there.
Still real.
"…so I just carry everything?"
He sighed.
"This game is broken."
---
"Or…"
He paused.
"…I am."
---
Kael shook his head.
"No. Don't think like that."
He needed to stay calm.
Think logically.
Step by step.
---
First—
Test the sword.
Second—
Understand the effect.
Third—
Find out why this happened.
---
Simple plan.
---
Kael moved toward the edge of the village.
Less players.
More monsters.
Safer.
Or at least…
Less attention.
---
The grass became taller.
The sounds of the village faded.
The air felt heavier.
More real.
More dangerous.
---
A group of monsters appeared ahead.
Three wolves.
Level 3.
Same as before.
Kael stopped.
"…good."
Perfect test.
---
He tightened his grip on the sword.
"Let's see if that was luck…"
The wolves noticed him.
They spread out.
Surrounding him slowly.
Smart.
Too smart.
---
Kael exhaled.
"Okay…"
One step forward.
The wolves tensed.
Another step.
They moved.
Closer.
Closer.
---
Then—
They attacked.
---
Kael moved instantly.
No thinking.
No hesitation.
Just instinct.
He swung.
---
The first wolf—
Stopped.
Froze.
Then—
Gone.
---
No sound.
No effect.
Just erased.
---
Kael turned.
Second wolf—
Already mid-air.
He swung again.
---
Gone.
---
Third wolf tried to run.
Kael stepped forward—
And cut.
---
Gone.
---
Silence.
Complete silence.
---
Kael stood still.
Breathing slowly.
"…it works."
Not luck.
Not accident.
This sword—
Was broken.
---
[Damage: ERROR]
[Damage: ERROR]
[Damage: ERROR]
---
The messages stacked.
Glitching.
Flickering.
---
Then—
[Devour Triggered]
---
Kael's body stiffened.
The same cold feeling entered him again.
But stronger.
He clenched his teeth.
"…again…"
---
His vision shook slightly.
Then—
---
[Level Up]
[Level Up]
[Level Up]
---
Level 4 → 7.
---
"…this is insane."
Three wolves.
Three levels.
That shouldn't happen.
Not in any balanced system.
---
Kael looked at his hands.
"…what am I doing?"
He didn't feel stronger.
Not physically.
But something inside him…
Changed.
---
He could feel it.
Something building.
Something growing.
---
"…this isn't leveling."
It felt more like—
Absorbing.
---
Kael frowned.
"That message…"
Devour.
---
"…I'm not killing them."
"I'm taking them."
---
That thought sent a chill down his spine.
---
"Hey!"
A voice again.
Kael turned.
Two players this time.
They saw everything.
"…you again," Kael muttered.
---
"That wasn't normal," one of them said.
His tone wasn't friendly anymore.
"Show us your skill."
The other one stepped forward.
"Yeah. That's not beginner stuff."
---
Kael stayed silent.
The air became tense.
---
"Look," the first player continued, "we're not stupid. That's rare skill or something. Just show us."
Kael's grip tightened.
"…no."
---
Silence.
---
"…what?" the second player said.
"I said no."
---
Their expressions changed.
From curious—
To annoyed.
---
"You think you're special or something?" one of them snapped.
Kael didn't answer.
Because he knew—
This wasn't about curiosity anymore.
---
It was about control.
---
"You don't wanna share?" the first player said slowly.
"Then we'll just test it ourselves."
---
They moved.
Weapons out.
Not joking anymore.
---
Kael's eyes narrowed.
"…seriously?"
---
He didn't want this.
Not here.
Not now.
---
But they kept coming.
---
"Last chance," one of them said.
"Show it."
---
Kael exhaled slowly.
"…fine."
---
He raised the sword.
---
They rushed him.
---
Too slow.
---
Kael stepped forward.
Swung once.
---
The first player—
Stopped.
Froze.
Then—
Gone.
---
The second player froze in place.
Eyes wide.
"…what the—"
---
Kael moved.
One step.
One swing.
---
Gone.
---
Silence.
---
No respawn.
No effect.
Nothing.
---
"…players too?"
Kael's voice was quiet.
Uncertain.
---
[Damage: ERROR]
[Devour Triggered]
---
This time—
The feeling hit harder.
Much harder.
---
Kael staggered.
"…ugh—"
---
Something inside him twisted.
Heavy.
Cold.
Different.
---
[Level Up]
[Level Up]
[Level Up]
[Level Up]
---
Level 7 → 11.
---
"…too fast…"
This wasn't leveling anymore.
This was breaking the game.
---
Kael looked around.
No witnesses.
No sound.
Nothing.
---
"…they're gone."
Not dead.
Not defeated.
Gone.
---
"That's not PvP…"
That's not even allowed.
---
"…what did I just do?"
---
For the first time—
Kael felt it clearly.
---
Fear.
---
Not of the game.
Not of monsters.
---
Of himself.
---
The sword pulsed again.
Soft.
Slow.
Like it was satisfied.
---
Kael immediately loosened his grip.
"…no."
---
He looked at it.
Really looked.
---
The blade wasn't stable.
It flickered.
Like it was phasing in and out of existence.
---
"This thing…"
"…is not supposed to exist."
---
The air suddenly felt heavier.
---
Kael froze.
"…again?"
---
The same feeling.
From before.
---
Watching.
---
He slowly looked up.
The sky…
Glitched.
Just for a second.
---
"…someone is watching."
---
No message.
No warning.
---
But he knew.
---
This wasn't random anymore.
---
He stepped back.
"…I need to log out."
---
He focused.
Forced it.
---
This time—
The menu appeared.
Barely.
Flickering.
Broken.
---
[Logout]
---
He pressed it instantly.
---
Everything went black.
---
Silence.
---
Then—
He opened his eyes.
---
His room.
Dark.
Quiet.
Normal.
---
"…I'm out."
---
Kael exhaled deeply.
His heart was still racing.
---
"…okay."
"Okay…"
---
He stood up slowly.
Still shaking.
---
"That was…"
He couldn't finish the sentence.
---
His mind was still in the game.
Still replaying everything.
---
The wolves.
The players.
The sword.
---
"…no."
He shook his head.
"Forget it."
---
He walked toward the kitchen.
"I just need water."
---
Step.
Step.
Step.
---
Then—
He stopped.
---
Something felt wrong.
---
Too quiet.
---
"…why is it so quiet?"
---
No traffic.
No sound.
Nothing.
---
Kael slowly turned.
---
The shadow behind him…
Moved.
---
"…what?"
---
He froze.
---
The shadow—
Didn't match him.
---
It was bigger.
Broken.
Glitching.
---
"…no way."
---
Kael's breathing slowed.
---
"That's not possible."
---
The shadow stepped forward.
---
Out of the wall.
---
A figure formed.
---
Distorted.
Incomplete.
Flickering.
---
The same type.
As the monster before.
---
"…you came out too?"
---
The creature screamed.
---
And rushed him.
---
Kael's eyes widened.
---
"…this is real."
---
He grabbed the nearest thing—
A chair.
---
Swung.
---
It passed through.
---
"…what?!"
---
The creature lunged.
Closer.
Faster.
---
Kael stepped back—
And instinctively—
Reached for something.
---
The sword.
---
It appeared in his hand.
---
"…no…"
---
Too late.
---
The creature was already in front of him.
---
Kael swung.
---
The world—
Froze.
---
Then—
Shattered.
---
Gone.
---
Silence.
---
Kael stood there.
Breathing hard.
---
The room was empty again.
---
Normal.
---
"…it followed me."
---
His grip tightened.
---
"This isn't a game anymore."
---
Outside—
The sky flickered.
Just for a second.
---
Like something was breaking.
---
Slowly.
---
And Kael—
Was right at the center of it.