A thick fog hung low that morning, swallowing up most of the sunlight that would have otherwise penetrated the canopy. Kael stood in the middle of a clearing between the large trees, his breath coming out in steady puffs.
Today wasn't physical training.
Nor was it mana control training.
Today was something far more dangerous—
understanding the true nature of Devour.
Raven hovered low, its misty shadow enveloping Kael.
"The power of Devour isn't just about consuming," Raven's voice echoed in his mind.
"It's an instinct. The instinct of hunger. If you don't control it, it will control you."
Kael swallowed.
It had been two days since the battle with the Twin-Fang Wolf. But the effects were still there—his reflexes were sharper, his muscle strength had increased, and his sense of hearing seemed to improve with each passing hour.
That was good.
But there was one thing that scared him:
Sometimes he felt the urge… to consume more.
Not food.
But energy. Mana. Life.
"I'm ready," he said quietly, though his heart was beating rapidly.
Raven circled Kael.
The dark mist around her body thickened.
"Good. Then listen carefully."
◆ First Exercise: Facing the Hunger of Devour
Raven suddenly vanished.
Not vanished—
Kael felt Raven enter his body.
His heart sank. His body froze. His temperature plummeted.
[WARNING: Incomplete Fusion Detected]
[Devour Instinct Pressure Initiated]
Kael gasped.
Something was crawling inside him—a subtle urge, like a whisper:
Devour… devour… devour more…
Not hard, not forceful.
But very tempting.
Kael gripped the ground. "No… I'm not hungry… I can handle this…"
The hunger grew stronger.
Like an invisible rope pulling at his chest.
"Raven… this…!" Kael cried.
"Calm down."
"This is just a small part. You must learn to resist this instinct. Otherwise, when you use Devour in the middle of battle, you will lose control."
The whisper grew louder:
Eat… more… power…
Kael struck the ground, creating a small crack.
"I am in control of my body! Not you!"
[Devour Instinct: Resistance 40%]
[Mental Fortitude Increased]
[Willpower +1]
Slowly, the hunger subsided.
Kael fell to his knees, breathing heavily. Cold sweat beaded on his neck.
Raven emerged from his body, its mist moving gently.
"Half of the humans who attempt this kind of contract become monsters within the first session."
"You survived. That's enough."
Kael looked up. A small smile appeared.
"…I must get stronger."
◆ Second Exercise: Devour Moving Target
Raven raised its wings. From the ground and shadows, two small misty figures shaped like beasts formed.
"This time, you have to Devour a moving target… without killing it."
Kael's eyes widened.
"Without… killing? But Devour is—"
"Devour isn't just about consuming."
"If you're skilled enough, you can suck out some energy—not take away life."
"So… like stealing some mana?"
"Right. And that's an ability no human possesses."
Kael stared at the two mist creatures. They stood, then—
They attacked. Fast.
Kael jumped to the side, activating:
[Skill: Basic Dash]
He dodged the first claw, then tried to touch the mist body while concentrating on Devour.
"Devour!"
The mist creature trembled—
But it wasn't sucked in.
Kael furrowed his brows. "Again!"
He leaped forward, twisted, dodged the attack, then placed his hand on the creature.
[Devour Failed]
[Energy Control: Too Rough]
Kael cursed under his breath.
Raven snorted.
"Devour isn't violence! You have to flow with your intention, not force it!"
Kael frowned. "What do you mean?"
Raven slowly approached.
"Imagine the energy as a flow—you want to draw some of it into you, not tear it away."
Kael paused. He closed his eyes. Calmed his body. Regulated his breathing.
When he opened them, he moved—more subtly, more consciously.
He caught the first mist creature.
Pull a little, not all…
[Devour Initiated]
Tu—tu—tu—
Kael felt the mist energy flowing in.
[Partial Absorption Successful]
[Energy +3]
The mist creature was pushed back but didn't disappear.
Kael gasped—but smiled broadly.
"I did it…"
Raven trembled slightly, as if laughing.
"Good. With this technique, you can paralyze enemies without killing them."
"It's very useful in the human world."
◆ Third Training: Battle Mode – Instinct & Calm
Raven raised her wings high.
"Last training for today."
The grass around Kael trembled. The air rushed, turning cold.
From the mist rose three creatures at once—bigger, faster, more aggressive.
"This time… I won't hold them back."
"Defend yourself as long as you can."
Kael tightened his fists.
"Alright. Let's go."
The creatures charged like arrows.
Kael activated:
[Basic Dash]
[Fang Strike – Lv. 2]
Shadow claws moved swiftly. Kael dodged with a twist, then punched one of the mist creatures.
[Devour Attempt]
Success—then failure—success again, but only slightly.
Kael moved like a shadow; his body began to follow the instincts of the Twin-Fang Wolf skill.
He retreated, jumped, tilted, twisted—moves no human had ever learned.
One creature leaped at him. Kael decided not to dodge.
He ducked and—
"Devour!"
The creature exploded into mist.
[Devour Success]
[EXP +12]
[Energy +5]
A second creature swooped in from the side. Kael blocked with his left arm, then struck point blank—something he hadn't even noticed before.
Natural movement. Predatory instinct.
[Fang Strike – Perfect Execution]
[Critical Hit]
[EXP +9]
The third creature tried to escape.
Kael raised his hand.
[Devour – Mid Range]
The mist retracted and dissipated.
When it was over, Kael fell to his knees, gasping for breath.
"S—strong… They're stronger than before."
Raven approached.
"They grow based on your potential."
"The more you improve, the more dangerous this training becomes."
Kael moved his hand, trembling but satisfied.
"Good… that means I have to grow even faster."
Raven stared at him for a long moment.
Then she said:
"Kael."
"Starting from today, I will give you something no ordinary contractor can."
Kael looked up.
Raven opened her wings, and something appeared.
A small, pitch-black fragment floated in the air.
The air around them vibrated.
"This is the 'Fragment of Ancestral Hunger'—the essence of the power of Devour from ancient times."
"If you merge with it… your Devour will surpass the limits of both humans and spirits."
Kael was stunned.
"Why… why are you giving it to me?"
Raven approached, inches from Kael's face.
"Because I have seen your potential future—and if you are strong, I am free."
"If you are weak, I die too."
Kael swallowed.
Raven smiled faintly.
"So, Kael… let us grow without limits."
The fragment moved slowly toward Kael's chest—
And the chapter ended just as the black light began to merge with his body.
Bab 13: The Fragment of Ancestral Hunger
The black light shot into Kael's chest.
There was no time to prepare.
There was no room to resist.
Kael's body stiffened as if struck by lightning.
His breath stopped, his heart beating erratically.
BA-DUMP—BA-DUMP—BA-DUMP—!
A buzzing sound echoed from deep within his bones.
Kael fell to his knees, clutching his chest as a burning sensation—not like fire, but like hunger—spread through every nerve.
Raven stood just a meter away, watching unblinkingly.
"Let it in. Don't fight it."
Kael couldn't answer.
The pain was too deep. Too primal.
It was as if something was tearing apart the energy in his body, then consuming him from within.
[Warning: Internal Energy Consumption Detected]
[Devour Core Resonance 12%]
Kael shivered.
"M-my body... feels like it's being devoured..."
"It is indeed consuming you."
Raven nodded lightly.
"This fragment is a piece of primordial Devour. It has been hungry for thousands of years."
Kael fell facedown, biting the ground to keep from screaming.
[Devour Core Resonance 28%]
The hunger grew more brutal.
More savage.
"R… Raven… I… can't take it…"
Raven stepped forward, placing her cold wings on Kael's back.
"Listen to me, Kael."
"If you refuse, this fragment will destroy you."
"If you accept… your Devour power will no longer have limits."
Kael gritted his teeth.
The last of his strength was used to keep himself from fainting.
Then something erupted inside him—
WOOOOOO—!!
A wave of black energy erupted from Kael's body like a hurricane.
Leaves trembled. The ground cracked. Nearby trees split.
Raven stood tall, her misty wings fluttering with the pressure of Kael's mana.
"Good. Let the fragment find its place in your Devour core."
Kael could feel a sharp, cold current seeping into his stomach—the very core of his spirit bond.
As the fragments merged:
ALL THE HUNGER IN HIS BODY EXPLODED IN AN INSTANT.
Kael screamed for the first time since he entered the forest.
"HAAAAAAAAAAAGH—!!"
[Devour Core Resonance 71%]
[Devour Instinct Amplification Detected]
The pressure grew heavier.
It felt like his body was being squeezed by a giant hand.
In the black mist swirling around him, Kael saw a giant shadow—a dark-scaled, four-eyed creature with a mouth full of fangs.
The creature stared directly into his soul.
Devour…
Kael froze.
The creature opened its jaws wide—
Evolve…
A chill pierced his chest.
Consume…
The creature reached for Kael—
Limitless…
And in an instant, everything exploded into black light.
◆ Active System
[Devour Core Resonance: 100%]
[Fragment Successfully Integrated]
[Devour System Awakened (Stage II)]
[New Passive Unlocked: Primal Hunger]
[New Skill Unlocked: Devour Overload]
[New Ability Unlocked: Sense Energy]
The black light slowly faded.
Kael lay on the ground, panting, his body drenched in sweat and dirt.
But the pain was gone.
Even more than that—his body felt light. As if it had been replaced with a stronger version.
Raven stood beside him, gazing at him with a complicated look in her eyes.
"Get up, Kael."
Kael slowly rose to his feet.
As soon as he stood…
He sensed the forest.
Not with his eyes. Not with his ears.
But consciously.
With new senses.
He could feel the mana flowing in the air, the life force of small animals, even the energy source deep underground.
"…I can feel it all."
Raven smiled faintly.
"That's Sense Energy. Not every human possesses it. It's the third eye of the ancient predators."
Kael clenched his fists.
"This power… is incredible…"
"Don't get too cocky yet."
Raven squinted.
"You've just fused with the fragment. Your body isn't stable yet."
Kael raised an eyebrow. "Unstable? But I feel stronger."
Raven nodded.
"Strong, huh. Stable? Far from it."
"Primal Hunger has been activated, Kael."
Kael paused.
"What… is the exact effect?"
Raven looked directly into his eyes.
"Your Devour Instinct will be stronger than ever."
"Sometimes you'll feel a hunger that isn't yours."
"And if you don't control it…"
Kael swallowed.
"…What happens?"
Raven answered without hesitation:
"You can eat humans."
Kael froze.
His blood ran cold.
"…I… won't do that."
"Then prove it."
Raven spread her wings wide.
"From now on, you must train yourself to fight that hunger every day."
Kael clenched his fists.
"Okay."
But Raven wasn't finished.
"And one more thing, Kael."
Raven leaned in. Her voice was quieter, but firmer than before.
"Since the fragments have merged… the limits on your skill evolution and level have disappeared."
Kael slowly looked at her.
"…What do you mean?"
Raven smiled.
"From this day forward, your Devour is truly… limitless."
Kael froze.
The wind blew softly, carrying a thin black mist.
And for the first time, Kael felt:
His life was no longer the same. His future was unpredictable.
He was no longer a boy without mana.
He was something new.
Something the world might not be ready to accept.