Awakening Devour

Lin Feng's heart was still racing. His hands gripped the baseball bat tightly as he stared at the strange serpent lying motionless at the base of the tree. The impact of the swing still echoed through his arms, the memory of that unnatural flash of light burned into his mind.

But before he could process what had just happened —

Ding.

Without warning, the translucent System interface materialized before his eyes. The familiar screen hovered in midair, glowing softly in the dim, misty forest.

And one thing stood out immediately.

[Earned Power: Devour]

It was flashing.

The word Devour blinked again and again, pulsing with a steady rhythm that seemed to demand his attention.

Lin Feng frowned, breathing hard. Why is it flashing?

He glanced back at the serpent's strange body. The colors on its scales shimmered faintly, even in death — pale violet, bright teal, deep crimson. Not the colors of any natural snake. Not from any species he'd ever seen or heard of.

Could this be connected?

Lin Feng's mind raced. He remembered the name of the power he had gained earlier — Devour. He still didn't fully understand what it was supposed to do. Until now, it had remained dormant, just a line in his System.

But now… now it was reacting.

Was it because he had just killed the serpent?

He wasn't sure. But he had to know.

Tightening his grip on the bat, Lin Feng cautiously took a step toward the fallen creature.

As he moved closer — the flashing of Devour quickened.

His eyes narrowed.

Another step. The blinking accelerated, now pulsing noticeably faster.

It's reacting to the snake.

A theory began forming in his mind. Could it be triggered by proximity? He needed to test it.

Without taking his eyes off the System, Lin Feng slowly backed away, step by careful step.

One meter. Two meters. Three.

With each step back, the flashing slowed.

Four meters… five.

Suddenly — it stopped. The screen remained in front of him, but Devour was no longer blinking. Just a static line once more.

His heart pounded faster now — not from fear, but from curiosity. He had to be sure.

Lin Feng moved forward again. One step. Two. The blinking resumed, faint at first, then stronger, faster, more insistent.

The closer he got to the serpent's body, the faster Devour blinked.

It really is connected… but why? What does it want me to do?

Cautiously, Lin Feng advanced until he stood about two meters from the snake. The System was flashing rapidly now, almost like an alarm.

But he still didn't know what would happen if he got too close — or if the creature was truly dead. He wasn't about to take chances.

Gripping the bat with both hands, he approached to within one meter — then swung the bat hard, slamming it down on the serpent's head.

THUD!

The snake didn't move. No sudden strike, no last attack.

Dead.

Satisfied, Lin Feng exhaled slowly, calming his nerves.

He crouched slightly, inspecting the strange creature more closely. The shimmering scales still fascinated him — shifting, unnatural colors that almost seemed to pulse faintly. It didn't look like any snake from Earth.

And all the while, the Devour prompt flashed faster than ever — now so rapid that it was almost a solid light.

Then it hit him — an odd sensation, a strange urge.

His gaze shifted to the snake. His fingers twitched.

For some reason, deep in his mind, something pushed him: Touch it.

The feeling was sudden, primal — almost instinctual. A compulsion.

He hesitated. Is this… part of the System?

For a moment, Lin Feng fought the urge. But the blinking of Devour, the rising pulse in his chest, and that strange inner voice grew stronger with every passing second.

Finally, breath held, he reached out with one hand — fingers trembling — and touched the serpent's cold, scaled body.

The instant his skin made contact —

WHOOSH!

An invisible force surged out of the snake, rushing into his hand and up his arm like liquid fire.

Lin Feng gasped. His body tensed, every muscle locking in place.

Strange energy flooded through him, warm and cold at once, seeping deep into his core. His vision blurred for a heartbeat, then cleared.

And then — Ding.

Ding.

The System window blinked and new lines of text appeared before Lin Feng's eyes.

[Earned Power: Devour — Activated]

Absorption complete.

New energy acquired.

Lin Feng's heart was pounding in his chest. The strange sensation slowly faded, leaving behind a subtle warmth deep inside his body — as if some new source of power now rested within him.

He looked down at his hand, the one that had touched the serpent. Nothing seemed different — no glow, no change in appearance.

But he felt it.

There was no mistaking it — something had entered him. Something foreign.

Lin Feng rose to his feet slowly, eyes flicking back to the still form of the serpent. The strange colors of its scales had dulled now, the shimmering light gone. The creature's body looked… empty. Drained.

He narrowed his eyes. Was that… its life force?

The System screen remained before him, the words frozen in place as if waiting for him to acknowledge them.

Lin Feng swallowed hard. So that's what Devour does… it absorbs energy from defeated creatures?

But what kind of energy? Strength? Life? A skill?

He didn't know yet. But one thing was certain — this power wasn't just for show. It had activated for a reason.

He glanced around, instincts on high alert once again. The forest remained eerily quiet — though the faint sounds of unseen movements still drifted in from time to time, rustling through the dense foliage.

Lin Feng tightened his grip on the bat. His mind raced with questions.

Was this why I was given Devour? Am I supposed to absorb the creatures of this place? Does it make me stronger? Or is there another purpose?

No answers came. Only the flickering of the System screen and the lingering warmth inside him.

He exhaled slowly, trying to steady his breathing. One thing was clear — staying here wasn't safe.

Whatever had just happened… it was only the beginning.

Still, curiosity tugged at him.

What happens if I do this again? Will the power grow? Will it change me?

Part of him wanted to experiment — to test this new ability and learn its limits. But caution warred with curiosity. He was alone, deep inside an unknown level of the Tower, surrounded by dangers he couldn't yet see. Recklessness could easily get him killed.

For now, caution won.

He closed the System window with a thought, the translucent screen vanishing from sight.

Gripping the bat tightly once more, Lin Feng took one last look at the drained serpent. Then he turned his gaze to the dense jungle ahead.

There was no path — only tangled roots, towering trees, thick vines, and shadows shifting in the distance.

But he couldn't stand still. He had to move forward.

With a final breath, Lin Feng stepped deeper into the forest, senses sharp, every muscle ready.

And all the while, deep inside him, the new energy of Devour pulsed quietly — waiting.

Lin Feng moved cautiously, weaving his way between thick trunks and sprawling roots. Each step was deliberate, his senses sharpened more than ever.

The energy he had absorbed still pulsed faintly inside him — not painful, but strange, unfamiliar. It felt… alive. As if something deep within was waiting to be unlocked.

Yet the forest remained a mystery.

The light above remained unchanged — neither day nor night. The air was dense, humid. The ground soft and uneven beneath his feet.

Every so often, a faint rustle echoed from deep within the foliage, keeping him on edge. He gripped the baseball bat tighter, eyes scanning every shadow.

Ten meters. Twenty. Thirty.

Still no sign of anything — no path, no markings, no sign of where he was supposed to go.

But then —

A faint flicker at the edge of his vision.

Just a few meters ahead, coiled around a thick root — another serpent. Smaller than the first, maybe fifty centimeters long (about a foot and a half), but no less unnatural.

Its scales shimmered with bizarre, shifting colors — this time in shades of emerald green and deep gold, with streaks of black running along its body.

Its head was raised, tongue flicking, eyes fixed on him.

Lin Feng's breath caught in his throat. He gripped the bat, steadying himself.

So it wasn't a one-time thing… there are more.

Lin Feng took a slow step forward. The serpent tensed, ready to strike.

But this time — Lin Feng was ready.

Without hesitation, he moved — fast, precise.

With a sharp breath, he lunged — bat swinging in a precise arc.

CRACK!

The blow landed true. The serpent slammed into the ground, unmoving.

Lin Feng exhaled slowly, eyes never leaving the fallen creature. His heart pounded, adrenaline surging through his veins.

Once again — Devour flashed rapidly before him.

And once again — that same strange urge began to rise.

Lin Feng stepped closer, crouched low…

Eyes fixed on the shimmering scales, he reached out — ready to see what would happen next.