Chapter 2: Innate

"System?"

I blurted out, my voice a mix of shock and excitement.

That word alone sent a jolt through me.

It sounded like something straight out of a fantasy web series—like those overpowered cheats the main character always gets.

The kind of ability that turns nobodies into legends.

The ultimate power boost. The shortcut to greatness.

And now… I had one?

My lips curled into a grin.

"Nice."

I had played more video games than I could count. If this worked anything like an RPG, then I was in familiar territory. Leveling up, grinding, gaining new skills—I could handle that.

This wouldn't be hard.

Hell, it might even be fun.

But just as I was starting to get excited, the glowing blue text flickered and began to fade.

And a realization hit me like a cold splash of water.

This wasn't just a game.

There was no reset button. No save points. No respawning after death.

This was real.

And that made all the difference.

If I wasn't careful, I could die.

And I didn't want to die another pathetic death.

This was a chance to make a difference.

A new beginning.

More notifications popped up in front of me, glowing blue text stacking one after another.

[The system is here to aid you in getting stronger.]

[Hunt down monsters to gain the necessary EXP needed to level up.]

[Quests will be assigned occasionally. Complete them, or face the consequences.]

[Use voice commands to give the system instructions.]

I stared at the glowing messages in front of me, my mind racing to process everything.

Okay…

Hunting? That actually didn't sound so bad. In fact, I could get behind that.

Taking down monsters, leveling up, and getting stronger—it was just like grinding in a video game. And if I played this smart, maybe I could even enjoy it.

But compulsory quests?

Yeah, that part definitely didn't sit right with me.

What if the system told me to fight some overpowered monster way above my level? Or worse… what if it ordered me to do something messed up? Something I didn't want to do?

What then?

Would I have a choice?

Or was I just some pawn in whatever twisted game this was?

I swallowed hard, suddenly feeling a little less excited about my so-called "cheat."

Where was my free will in all of this?

Then again, did I even have the right to complain?

I wasn't human anymore.

I wasn't some noble hero chosen by fate. I was a troll—the kind of monster that gets hunted down in every fantasy story.

A troll asking for free will?

Yeah, that sounded like some DreamWorks Shrek nonsense.

I let out a long sigh, rubbing my temples—even though I wasn't sure if I still had those in this new body.

There was no point in overthinking it now.

I needed to focus on surviving.

I was standing in the middle of a forest.

And in fantasy worlds?

Forests were never safe.

I had no doubt in my mind that this place was crawling with danger.

Time to get my priorities straight.

I remembered what the system said about voice commands.

Might as well give it a shot.

"Do I have a status window?"

The glowing panel in front of me flickered, shifting instantly.

New blue boxes materialized before my eyes, neatly stacked with fresh information.

Name: Sylas Stone

Level: 1

Class: Babarian

HP: 475/475

Rage: 0/100

EXP: 0/300

Stamina: 280

[Stats]

Strength: 18

Dexterity: 15

Constitution: 19

Intelligence: 7

Wisdom: 10

Charisma: 6

Stat Point: 0

[Skills]

Innate: [Evolution Devourer]

Passive: [Regeneration] [Camouflage] [Nightvision] [Iron Gut]

Active: None

My eyes widened the moment I spotted it.

An innate skill.

Sure, having three passive skills was great and all, but this? This felt different. Special. Like a golden cheat code hidden in plain sight.

My gaze locked onto the words glowing on the panel.

[Evolution Devourer]

A name that sounded both badass and ominous.

"System, what is that?" I asked, my voice laced with curiosity.

Then, a sharp chime echoed in my head, clear as day. 

Ding!

Skill: Evolution Devourer

Type: Passive/Active

Description: A monstrous ability that allows the user to consume living creatures and absorb their traits, abilities, and strengths into their own evolving form. By devouring prey, the user can integrate biological and magical adaptations, transforming into a higher existence.

Effects:

Trait Absorption: Gains physical or magical traits from consumed creatures.

Ability Integration: Acquires skills, resistances, or elemental affinities based on prey.

Selective Evolution: Can choose which traits to keep, discard, or enhance.

Mutation Potential: Some rare creatures may trigger unexpected transformations.

Ranked Growth: The more powerful the consumed target, the stronger the evolution.

"Oh..."

I breathed out, my voice barely above a whisper. My eyes widened as the words on the glowing blue screen burned into my mind.

A slow grin crept onto my face.

Now this... this was exciting.

The ability to gain traits from eating other creatures? To absorb their strengths and make them my own?

That was more than just useful. That was a game changer.

If I played my cards right, I wouldn't just survive in this world—I'd thrive.

Confidence surged through me, washing away the uncertainty that had been lingering in the back of my mind.

Sure, this wasn't a video game, but with a skill like this? I had a real shot.

A chance to rise above the weak, to grow stronger, to become something more than just another random troll doomed to be hunted down.

I clenched my fists, feeling the raw potential coursing through me.

As long as I didn't run into something too powerful too soon.

"Because that would be..."

THUD.

"...Unlucky."

A heavy impact sent a faint tremor through the ground, like the earth itself had been struck by something massive.

A footstep.

My heart lurched. My breath caught in my throat.

Slowly, I turned around.

And there it was.

A towering ogre, its hulking frame casting a monstrous shadow over me.

Its greenish-gray skin, thick and scarred, looked like it had taken countless battles to make it that rough.

Its muscles bulged with raw, terrifying power, each movement sending ripples through its massive arms.

In one hand, it gripped a spiked mace—and when I say spiked, I mean ridiculously spiked.

The thing was practically a medieval wrecking ball—all jagged spikes and brutal weight—and judging by the dried blood and bits of bone stuck to its surface, it had already crushed plenty of unlucky souls before me.

In its other hand? A dead boar, limp and lifeless, slung over its massive shoulder like it weighed less than a sack of flour.

Then, as if the situation wasn't bad enough, a glowing red message popped up in front of me.

[Ogre – Level 5]

"So aggressive, it once headbutted a tree just because the wind moved it."

I gulped.

Level five?

I had just started this world as a level one troll, and I was already up against this? What kind of garbage-tier luck did I have?

The ogre's burning red eyes locked onto mine.

Intense. Unblinking. Hungry.

My stomach twisted into knots.

The first creature I run into just happens to be something that could turn me into a bloody smear on the ground?

"Oh, uh, hey, buddy," I started, forcing a nervous grin. "No need for violence. We're both just trying to survive here, right? So how about this? I go left. You go right. Easy, yeah?"

The ogre tilted its head as if actually considering my words.

For a second, hope sparked in my chest.

Then...

THUD.

The dead boar hit the ground.

I froze.

Oh. Oh no.

Then, the ogre's thick lips curled back, revealing jagged, yellowed teeth, and it threw back its head—

ROOOAAARRRR!

The sheer force of its roar rushed through me like a shockwave, making my ears ring and my bones rattle.

Then, without a second of hesitation, it charged towards me.