The Goblin Brute's massive corpse lay still, dark mist rising from the fatal wound Yami had inflicted. But what truly caught his attention was the new skill flashing in his vision.
[New Skill Unlocked: Soul Devour]
→ Absorb a fragment of the enemy's power upon death.
→ Stronger enemies grant better abilities.
Yami smirked. "So I can steal abilities from things I kill? That's… kinda broken."
Rei whistled. "Damn, man. If you start absorbing every monster's power, you might end up as the strongest guy in the world."
Lina frowned. "It's a dangerous skill. If it has no limits, it could affect your body… or your soul."
Yami thought about it. Then shrugged. "Eh, worth it."
Rei laughed. "You really don't care, huh?"
Before Lina could scold him further, Yami activated Soul Devour on the brute's corpse.
Dark mist swirled, wrapping around his body—
Ding!
[You have absorbed a fragment of the Goblin Brute's power!]
[Skill Acquired: Brute Strength (Lesser)]
→ Temporarily increase physical strength when fighting larger opponents.
Yami flexed his fingers, feeling an unfamiliar heat rush through his muscles. "Oh yeah. I feel it."
Rei crossed his arms. "Now you're just cheating."
Lina sighed. "Let's just go back to the guild before you get any dumber."
Yami grinned. "Aww, you do care."
Lina turned away. "Shut up."
And with that, they made their way back, one step closer to Yami's rise as the Reaper.
Guild Hall – Trouble Brewing
The moment they entered the Adventurer's Guild, the place went silent.
Dozens of eyes turned to them. Whispers filled the air.
"Is that the new guy?"
"He took down a Goblin Brute on his first quest?"
"What the hell is his class…?"
Yami, completely ignoring the tension, walked straight to the receptionist's desk and slammed down his guild card.
"Yo. Quest complete."
The receptionist blinked. "Uh… right. Let me process that."
As she worked, heavy footsteps echoed from the stairs.
A tall man with dark armor and a massive greatsword descended, his eyes locking onto Yami.
"Hey, brat." His voice was deep, sharp.
Yami looked up, unfazed. "Yo."
The guild members backed away as the man approached.
"That's Garrus," Rei whispered. "A Grade 3 Adventurer. He's strong."
Garrus stared Yami down. "I heard you took down a Goblin Brute."
Yami smirked. "Yep. What, jealous?"
Garrus's grip tightened on his sword. "I don't like cocky newbies."
Yami rolled his shoulders. "And I don't like dramatic tough guys. Looks like we're even."
The tension spiked.
Rei grinned. "Oh man, this is gonna be good."
Lina facepalmed. "Not again…"
Garrus's killing intent filled the room. "Let's see if you're actually strong—"
Ding!
The receptionist interrupted. "Yami's rank has been updated to Grade 6 Adventurer based on his performance!"
The guild went silent.
Then—
Laughter.
Garrus grinned. "Alright, newbie. You've got my attention."
Yami cracked his knuckles. "Good. Now, you wanna fight or what?"