Chapter 2: First Kill, First Power

The taste of blood and victory lingered on my tongue as I stood over the corpses of the players who had just farmed me for fun.

Except now, I wasn't their EXP fodder.

They were mine.

My hands curled into fists, raw strength pulsing through my muscles. I could feel the stolen power coursing through my veins—their stats, their skills, their very essence had become mine.

And yet… it still wasn't enough.

I needed more.

The Awakening of a Monster

I brought up my status screen, eager to see how much I had changed.

> [Name: ???]

[Race: NPC]

[Level: 10]

[Health: 1,500/1,500]

[Strength: 15]

[Agility: 12]

[Dexterity: 8]

[Intelligence: 6]

[Abilities: Adaptive Evolution, Minor Fire Magic, Basic Swordsmanship, Stealth]

My level had skyrocketed from 1 to 10 in minutes. A normal player would have taken days to grind that much.

I clenched my fingers into a fist, feeling the raw strength behind each movement. This wasn't just an increase in stats—this was evolution.

The system had changed me.

And I was going to break it.

I looked down at the loot the players had dropped. Normally, NPCs couldn't equip player gear. But…

I picked up a steel longsword from one of their corpses.

> [Warning: NPCs Cannot Equip Player Items.]

[Exception Detected. Overriding System Restriction…]

[Item Equipped: Steel Longsword]

My lips curled into a grin.

The rules didn't apply to me anymore.

The world had thrown me away, stripped me of my status, and turned me into a worthless NPC.

Fine.

I'd become the strongest NPC in existence.

And then I'd make them pay.

The Hunt Begins

The dungeon was vast, a sprawling underground labyrinth filled with roaming monsters and clueless players looking for easy EXP.

I was the real monster now.

I moved through the shadows, my new stealth ability letting me blend into the darkness. My footsteps were silent, my breathing controlled.

It didn't take long before I heard voices echoing through the tunnels.

A party of five players was grinding near an altar of resurrection.

They had no idea I was watching.

"Haha, man, these mobs are too weak," one of them laughed. "We should head deeper."

"Yeah, but we should farm a bit more," another one said. "Easy loot. No risk."

No risk?

A slow, predatory grin spread across my lips.

Let's see about that.

I stepped forward, emerging from the darkness.

One of them, a mage, spotted me.

"Wait… what's that?"

A warrior checked my level. His eyes widened.

"Yo, this NPC is level 10?! That's impossible. Dungeon mobs here cap at level 5!"

I let them process the absurdity for a second.

Then, I moved.

I appeared behind the first one—a rogue.

Before he could react, I grabbed his throat and slammed him into the wall.

His health bar dropped instantly.

"WHAT THE FUCK?!"

> [You have slain Player: ShadowAssassin.]

[Stats absorbed: +4 Agility, +2 Dexterity.]

[New Ability Acquired: Shadow Step.]

Before the others could react, I used my new skill.

> [Shadow Step Activated.]

His body turned to pixels, pain dulling into nothingness. As the darkness swallowed him, a thought surfaced.

Not like this.

Not as a stepping stone. Not as a mistake to be erased.

If I return… I'll show them what true terror looks like.

Darkness twisted around me, and in the blink of an eye, I reappeared behind the mage.

"Impossible—!" he screamed.

I plunged my blade into his back, severing his spine.

> [You have slain Player: ArcaneKing.]

[Stats absorbed: +5 Intelligence, +3 Mana.]

[New Ability Acquired: Mana Burst.]

Their healer panicked.

"H-HE'S NOT NORMAL!"

I extended my hand, calling on my newly acquired Mana Burst ability.

A searing blue light exploded from my palm, incinerating him on the spot.

> [You have slain Player: DivinePriestess.]

[Stats absorbed: +3 Wisdom, +4 Mana Regeneration.]

[New Ability Acquired: Minor Healing.]

The last two players fled.

Pathetic.

I sprinted after them, my speed overwhelming them.

The first one—a warrior—turned to fight, but I dodged his attack easily. My blade sliced through his armor, cutting him down mid-swing.

> [You have slain Player: TitanFist.]

[Stats absorbed: +6 Strength, +3 Endurance.]

[New Ability Acquired: Berserker's Rage.]

The last player—a female archer—fell to her knees, trembling.

"P-please…" she stammered, eyes wide with terror. "I—I won't tell anyone… Just let me go…"

I crouched in front of her, tilting my head.

"You farmed mobs for EXP before, didn't you?" I murmured. "Did you ever let them go?"

Tears streamed down her face as she shook her head.

"Exactly."

I raised my sword.

Her scream echoed through the dungeon.

> [You have slain Player: MoonHunter.]

[Stats absorbed: +5 Agility, +2 Accuracy.]

[New Ability Acquired: Eagle Sight.]

I exhaled slowly.

Five kills. Five new skills.

I had evolved again.

I gazed at my hands, flexing my fingers. My power was growing at an exponential rate.

At this rate, I'd surpass even the strongest players within days.

And then, I'd make sure Celestia and the traitors suffered.

For now, though…

I turned toward the deeper levels of the dungeon. Something was calling me.

A whisper.

A presence.

A forbidden power lurking in the shadows.

I grinned.

Let's see how deep this rabbit hole goes.

The echoes of dying screams faded into the dungeon's shadows.

Their blood pooled at my feet, weapons and armor strewn across the stone floor. My fingers twitched with excitement, power thrumming beneath my skin.

Each kill had made me stronger.

Each death had fed the beast inside me.

I had taken everything from them—their stats, their abilities, their very essence.

> [New System Notification: Unique Trait Awakening.]

[Trait Acquired: Predator's Hunger – The more you kill, the stronger you become.]

My lips curled into a slow, predatory grin.

I wasn't just absorbing their skills anymore.

Now?

I was devouring them.

The Temptation of Darkness

I exhaled, letting the rush of power settle before glancing at the loot scattered around me.

Even though NPCs weren't supposed to equip player items, the system was already bending to my existence.

I reached down and picked up a black hooded cloak dropped by the rogue.

> [Warning: NPCs Cannot Equip Player Items.]

[System Override Detected. Equipping Item…]

[Item Equipped: Shadowcloak – +5 Agility, +5 Stealth]

The fabric felt natural against my skin, as if it had always belonged to me.

This wasn't a bug.

This was evolution.

As I turned toward the deeper levels of the dungeon, that whisper—that dark presence I had sensed earlier—grew stronger.

Something ancient lurked within these walls.

Something… waiting.

I moved forward, my steps silent thanks to my stolen stealth skill. The tunnels twisted and turned, growing darker with every step.

Then, suddenly—

A red glow pulsed from the depths.

A massive stone door loomed ahead, covered in demonic runes that pulsed with an eerie light.

I stepped closer, and a system message popped up.

> [Warning: You have discovered the Dungeon's Forbidden Zone.]

[Only a select few have ever entered. Do you wish to proceed?]

A shiver of anticipation ran through me.

Whatever was inside…

I was ready for it.

With a slow smirk, I placed my hand against the ancient door.

"Let's see what secrets you're hiding."

The runes blazed brighter—and with a deep, grinding sound, the door began to open.