As he selected the Devouring Bloodline, a single drop of black blood materialized before him—dense, heavy, and pulsing with hunger. It wasn’t merely dark—it consumed light, a liquid void suspended in the air.

Without warning, it plunged into his chest.

His body convulsed instantly.

Agony tore through him like wildfire. His heart seized. His breath caught mid-gasp. He collapsed to the ground, trembling as pain surged through every nerve. Heat coursed down his arms like molten iron, branding him from the inside out.

Bones cracked and shifted with sharp, grinding pressure. His spine twisted, stretching upward, vertebrae snapping into alignment one by one. Muscles shredded and rebuilt themselves—tighter, denser, woven for power and precision. Tendons tore and reattached. His chest expanded, shoulders widening into a frame forged for strength.

The transformation was brutal—merciless—but he didn’t scream.

He endured.

Flesh burned, peeled, and reformed in cycles, until his body felt like it was no longer his own. The boy he had been—fragile, small, forgettable—was stripped away. What remained was something closer to truth.

His legs lengthened slightly. His posture straightened. His hands felt unfamiliar, too steady, too capable. He wasn’t bulky, but every inch of him radiated efficiency.

When the pain finally ebbed, a low pressure lingered beneath the surface—steady, insistent, alive.

He rose slowly.

The stone beneath his feet, once cold and indifferent, now felt brittle. His balance was effortless. His grip, absolute.

He walked to the edge of the chamber and caught his reflection in the polished obsidian wall. His hair, once a dull brown, now shimmered with an abyssal black, swallowing even the dim light. His eyes were darker still—twin voids flecked with specks of starlight, like a night sky lit from within.

He hadn’t just changed.

He had become something else.

Something designed to evolve.

[Bloodline Integration: Devourer – Initial Phase Complete]

Status: Unique (First of Its Kind)

Enhancement: Perfected physique; reinforced skeletal and muscular structure

Trait Effect: Selective absorption of traits and powers. Negative traits automatically purged.

Warning: Uncontrolled devouring may trigger mental or physical backlash. Use caution.

He clenched and flexed his hands. Every movement was precise, responsive. His body no longer resisted him—it obeyed.

And deep in his core, he felt it.

A hunger. Not for food. Not for flesh.

But for strength.

For knowledge.

For transformation.

It wasn’t wild or chaotic—it was purposeful. Like a second heartbeat, thudding beneath the surface, urging him onward.

And then the system stirred again.

[Starter Pack Item Unlocked]

Personal Realm Seed – Acquired

A private space tied to your bloodline. Evolves with your growth. Accessible only by you.

A faint pulse rippled through the air as the words faded. Then came the prompt:

“Would you like to begin designing your personal realm?”

He stared at the question.

A realm of his own. One tied to his bloodline. One that would change with him.

He hesitated—not out of fear, but reflection.

What would a home look like for someone who never truly had one?

He remembered the orphanage—quiet halls, sterilized rooms, routines without warmth. It hadn’t been cruel, but it had never been his. No one had ever asked what he wanted. No space had ever belonged to him.

Now he could shape one. From nothing.

Not a palace. Not a throne.

Something alive.

Shifting. Evolving. Endlessly unfinished—like him.

A place to grow.

A place to hide power.

A place where even the gods would hesitate to tread.

His fingers hovered over the prompt.

Then he pressed.

“I’m ready.”