The cavern was silent. Not the kind of silence that came from peace, but the kind that preceded something violent. The kind that made the hairs on the back of Ethan’s neck stand on edge. A pair of glowing yellow eyes gleamed in the darkness ahead. The Alpha Nightfang. It stood taller than the others—easily twice their size, thick with muscle and matted black fur. But its eyes weren’t filled with blind hunger. They were calm. Focused. Ethan had seen it before. Not in monsters. In predators. And right now? They were on its territory. And it was about to remind them of that. The Alpha Strikes It moved before anyone had time to react. A black blur, closing the distance between them in less than a second. “MOVE!” Gareth roared. The entire team reacted instantly. Kara sidestepped, her sword flashing through the dim light. The Alpha twisted mid-air, dodging the blade with unnatural precision. Leah threw up a barrier, just in time for the Alpha’s claws to slam into it. A burst of golden energy flared, the shield cracking under the impact. “Shit,” Leah muttered. “It’s stronger than I thought.” Ethan barely had time to process before Gareth charged forward.

  Gareth lunged with his spear, aiming for the Alpha’s ribs. The beast dodged left—but Kara was already waiting. Her sword flashed, cutting a deep gash along its flank. Black blood splattered across the stone floor. The Alpha snarled. Not in pain. In frustration. It was being outmaneuvered. And that meant it was about to change tactics. Ethan could see it. The way its muscles tensed, coiling like a spring. And when it moved— It wasn’t toward Gareth. Or Kara. It was going straight for Leah. The Decision That Changed Everything Ethan didn’t think. Didn’t hesitate. He moved. Leah’s eyes widened as the Alpha lunged toward her. Ethan reached her first. Not fast enough to stop it. Not strong enough to fight it head-on. But fast enough to shove her out of the way. The Alpha’s claws ripped across Ethan’s chest instead. Pain exploded through his body as he was sent flying backward. He hit the ground hard, the wind ripped from his lungs. His vision blurred. The cavern spun. And then— A System notification appeared.

  [SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]

  Fatal damage detected.

  Unique Awakening Triggered.

  CLASS ASSIGNED: ???

  SSS-RANK PASSIVE SKILL ACQUIRED: PREDATOR’S ABSORPTION.

  Ethan’s breath caught.

  His body burned.

  Not from pain.

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  From something else.

  Something awakening.

  It was subtle.

  Not a sudden surge of power.

  Not a flood of knowledge.

  Just a quiet, deep hunger.

  A feeling that something inside him had changed.

  And for the first time—

  The Alpha turned its eyes toward him.

  It wasn’t looking at him as prey anymore.

  It was looking at him as competition.

  The Final Strike

  Kara didn’t wait.

  She moved in, blade flashing.

  The Alpha dodged, but Gareth was already there.

  His spear lunged forward, piercing deep into the beast’s leg.

  The monster staggered, its movements slowing.

  It was injured.

  It was tiring.

  And Ethan saw his chance.

  He forced himself up, despite the burning pain in his chest.

  He scanned the ground—

  And found what he needed.

  A sharp piece of broken stalactite.

  Heavy.

  Jagged.

  And lethal if used correctly.

  His body moved before his mind could process.

  He rushed forward, gripping the stone tightly.

  The Alpha was still focused on Gareth and Kara.

  It didn’t see him coming.

  Ethan used every last ounce of strength he had—

  And drove the stone deep into the Alpha’s neck.

  The beast howled in agony, its muscles convulsing.

  Black blood gushed, staining Ethan’s hands.

  Its breath faltered.

  Then—

  It collapsed.

  The cavern was silent. Then, in Ethan’s mind—

  A ding. [You have slain an Alpha Nightfang.]

  Calculating EXP… +2,300 EXP Earned.

  LEVEL UP!

  LEVEL UP!

  +10 Stat Points Awarded

  Ethan’s breath hitched. Level 5. Just like that. His hands shook. Not just from exhaustion. From something else. A feeling that this was only the beginning. A Moment of Rest The party set up camp in a side chamber. Gareth cleaned his spear. Kara sat against the cavern wall, arms crossed, watching Ethan. Leah was tending to Gareth’s wounds, but her eyes flickered toward Ethan occasionally. Ethan sat near the fire, hands still covered in black blood. He had done it. He had killed it. Not alone. But he had done it. And yet— His chest still felt tight. Like something was waiting. Lurking just beneath the surface. Sleep came fast. And with it— The nightmares.

  Ethan didn’t hear it.

  Didn’t see Gareth and Kara talking nearby.

  “You need to lay off the kid,” Gareth muttered.

  Kara scoffed. “What?”

  “He’s weak. I get it. But he was hired because he was cheap.”

  Kara sighed, shaking her head.

  “Doesn’t mean I have to like it.”

  “You don’t,” Gareth said. “But he’s trying. And right now? That’s enough.”

  Kara didn’t argue.

  But she didn’t agree, either.

  The Nightmare

  Ethan’s sleep was anything but peaceful.

  He saw it again.

  Emma.

  Her small hands reaching for him.

  Her screams as she was dragged into the Rift.

  “ETHAN!”

  His eyes snapped open.

  And he screamed.

  The Truth Comes Out

  The others stirred awake.

  Leah blinked at him. “Ethan…?”

  His breath was ragged.

  His hands shook.

  And this time—

  He told them.

  About Emma.

  About the day she was taken.

  About the creatures with glowing red-ringed eyes.

  And when he was finished—

  No one spoke.

  But for the first time—

  Kara didn’t look at him with annoyance.

  She just looked quiet.

  And maybe—

  Just maybe—

  She finally understood.