"My head… is splitting open."
It feels like my skull's been cracked with a hammer and someone's still pounding on the fragments. I can't breathe. My tongue lolls out. The air reeks—blood, fur, mold, wet rock.
I don't recognize this place.
I force my eyes open.
It's dark. Not pitch black, but murky. There's faint green light glowing from the cave walls—moss, maybe. My body feels wrong. Heavy and light at the same time. Everything is bigger than it should be. The air's thick with breathing—others nearby, asleep maybe.
I try to sit up.
A bolt of pain shoots through my neck, down my spine.
MC (groaning internally):
"Tch… What the hell happened to me?"
I look down—
What the…? My hands—no, not hands.
Paws.
Covered in dark, coarse fur. Clawed. My limbs are short, awkward. My tail twitches behind me instinctively.
MC (alarmed):
"This isn't… No, this isn't my body."
[FLASH — A memory cuts through like a knife.]
Steel. Screams. Rain on a black rooftop.
The smell of blood.
My dagger pressed against his throat.
His sword went through my ribs.
MC (remembering):
"Master Varion…"
"The King of Assassins… he knew I was coming."
He betrayed me. Or maybe I was just too slow. Doesn't matter. I died.
So how the hell am I—
A sudden noise. A low growl, gentle but deep, echoes beside me.
I turn.
A massive beast lies at my side—sleek obsidian fur, fangs longer than my legs, amber eyes that glow in the dark. She lifts her head and nudges me gently with her snout.
She… looks at me with concern.
Warmth.
MC (in disbelief):
"…My… mother?"
I freeze.
That word… I've never said it before. Not to anyone. Not since—
MC (softly):
"I never had a mother in my past life."
The Guild didn't raise children. They sharpened weapons.
We were tools. Disposable.
But this? This is real.
Her warmth. Her scent. The way she curls her tail around me as I shiver.
She's protecting me.
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]
> [Welcome, Kael'thas]
Race: Lesser Direfang – Pup Stage
Bloodline: Unawakened (Suppressed)
Health: 7 / 15 | Mana: 2 / 10
Condition: Malnourished, Post-Traumatic Recovery
Active Skills: [Bite Lv.1], [Sprint Lv.1]
Passive Traits: Keen Hearing, Night Vision
Unique Trait Detected: [Devour] – Sealed
Title: [Reincarnated Soul]
MC (narrowing eyes):
"So… it's one of those."
"Reincarnated into a monster. System included."
I've seen it in stories.
Even read a few novels back in my world—on mission downtime, or waiting in the shadows.
But this isn't fiction.
This isn't some overpowered setup with cheats and God-tier perks.
This is real.
My body's weak. I can barely move. My stats are garbage.
And apparently, I'm a runt in some beast tribe. I can hear other pups breathing nearby. Bigger. Stronger. I'm the smallest here.
A cold wind blows through the cave. No one pays me any attention.
Except her.
Only my mother notices me.
MC (thinking):
"…Tch. So the alpha's dead. My father, probably."
"And now I'm just the discarded heir."
"Just like in those guild cells back home."
I clench my little jaw. My tiny claws dig into the dirt.
"Fine."
"If I have to climb from the bottom again, then I'll start now."
Days pass.
I don't know how many exactly. Maybe five. Maybe more.
Each day, she brings food—carcasses, scraps, half-eaten bones.
I eat it all. Raw, stinking, half-rotten. Doesn't matter.
MC (grimacing):
"I've swallowed worse poison. This won't kill me."
I can't train like I used to. No blades. No rooftops. No humans to assassinate.
So I train like a beast.
I sprint from wall to wall inside the cave. Pounce on shadows. Bite rocks until my jaw strengthens. Swipe my claws against fallen logs. Mimic the movements of my larger siblings.
They don't even acknowledge me. Not yet.
But they will.
[SYSTEM UPDATE]
> [Bite] Lv.1 → Lv.2
[Sprint] Lv.1 → Lv.2
Agility +1
Endurance +1
MC (smirking):
"Progress. Slow, but it's something."
My muscles are developing. My balance is improving. I can feel the instincts sharpening.
The assassin in me hasn't died.
He's adapting.
On the sixth day, she finally takes me out.
It's time to hunt.
The Labyrinth outside is massive. A maze of stone, mushrooms that glow with biolight, pools of black water that pulse with energy. Shadows dance on every wall.
We move in silence.
Then she stops.
There, ahead of us—
A Cragling Imp. Twisted limbs. Bone mask. Hollow eyes. Its claws twitch restlessly.
[SYSTEM SCAN]
> Target: Cragling Imp
Race: Subterranean Demonkin
Level: 3
Type: Agility
Status: Hungry
Core: Minor Agility Crystal
Threat Level: Low – for adults.
MC (narrowing gaze):
"…Not low for me."
She growls low, nudges me forward.
My first test.
The Imp screeches and charges.
I dodge left, its claw grazing my flank. I wince, bite back a cry.
No time for pain.
I lunge. Bite at its leg. Miss.
It leaps over me—fast. Too fast.
MC (gritting teeth):
"He's reading me. Anticipating."
Just like we were taught. Always analyze your opponent within five seconds. Strike on the sixth.
I feint. Dash left, then pounce high.
He jumps to dodge—
But I pivot mid-air. Slam into his side. Bite. HARD.
[SFX: CHOMP!]
He howls.
I don't let go. I tear at his throat.
We tumble. Dirt. Blood. Screams.
I feel the warmth flood my mouth.
Then stillness.
[SYSTEM ALERT]
> Cragling Imp Defeated
XP: +15
Loot: Cragling Core (Agility), Raw Imp Meat
I collapse.
Can't move. Legs trembling. Head spinning.
But I'm alive.
She watches me. Eyes glowing. No words.
Then she turns away.
She's… proud.
At home, she lays the body down.
Then gently nudges the core toward me.
I stare at it.
It pulses—alive with energy.
MC:
"...Let's see what you're hiding."
I open my jaw. Swallow the crystal whole.
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]
> Core Absorbed: Minor Agility Crystal
Stat Gain: +2 Agility, +1 Reflex
[DEVOUR – SEAL BROKEN]
Devour Lv.1 Activated
– Devour defeated enemies to gain their essence
– First-time devours require time
– Stats absorbed depend on enemy type
– Limit: 2 Instant Core Slots
– New Ability Tree unlocked at higher levels
MC (smirking):
"There it is. My power."
[You Have Devoured Your First Kill]
> Trait: Beast's Instinct (Agility Class) unlocked
Ability Tree: Evolving Monster
Next Devour: 1/10 toward Evolution Quest
I eat the raw meat too.
More stats.
More strength.
My muscles twitch with energy.
For the first time since I woke, I feel… real.
MC (thinking):
"I don't need blades."
"I am the blade."