I remember the cold first.
The kind of cold that sinks into your bones, into your blood. Sharp, cruel, final. My body had already gone limp, but my mind clung to one last thought—
Betrayal.
A blade between my ribs. My own comrade. The look in his eyes—hesitation, guilt—and then nothing. Darkness swallowed me, fast and deep. I should have died angry, cursing the world.
But instead… I opened my eyes.
A damp ceiling. Cracks of moss-covered stone. The air reeked of mold, blood, and rot. My head throbbed. My fingers—small, clawed, green—twitched.
And then I heard it.
> Reincarnation complete.
Race: Goblin (Lesser).
Unique skill granted: [Devourer]
Effect: Absorb the abilities of consumed beings.
I didn't breathe. I just… processed.
Not human. Not anymore. My body was smaller, wiry. My skin—it was pale green, smooth but thick like leather. My nose was flat, my ears long and twitching. And my eyes, when I blinked, saw through the dark like it was nothing.
Something deep inside me throbbed. Instinct? Hunger?
No—purpose.
> Name: Raizel.
Skills: [Devourer]
Acquired Skills: None.
I lay in what must've been a birthing den—six other newborn goblins beside me. Soft, pinkish-green flesh. Squirming. Whimpering.
Weak.
I didn't hesitate.
One crawled toward me. Its breath wheezed, eyes unfocused. My stomach growled, but it wasn't just food I wanted—it was something more. A need in my bones.
I pounced.
My teeth sank into its throat. Warm blood spilled into my mouth, thick and metallic. It struggled, kicked, but it was too late.
I tore its flesh apart.
> Goblin Infant consumed.
Skill acquired: [Sharp Bite]
Skill acquired: [Night Vision]
My body shivered. Something changed inside me. A new awareness, a deeper connection to my muscles, my senses. I blinked again and the cave lit up in muted hues—every detail clear, every shadow shaped.
So it's true. This [Devourer] skill—I gain what they have.
I glanced at the others. They stared. Fear in their eyes. They'd seen what I was.
Good.
Let them fear.
---
Three days passed.
I didn't speak. I observed. I stalked.
The second goblin I ate was larger. Tougher. Its blood had more heat to it, and its meat was dense. I took my time.
> Goblin consumed.
Skill acquired: [Basic Claw]
Skill acquired: [Stamina Boost]
The claws on my fingers hardened, curving. I could move longer without tiring. I could hunt now.
I learned how to walk quietly. How to crawl. I learned when the other goblins slept, how to avoid their primitive sentries. No one came to check on us. We were just spawn—replaceable.
Perfect.
I left the birthing den on the fourth night.
The forest outside looked like something from a nightmare. Trees like crooked bones stretched to a green-tinted sky. The air shimmered with spore-lights and strange buzzing. Mushrooms the size of wolves glowed softly. The soil felt alive—squirming.
My senses expanded. Every rustle, every shift of leaves... I could track them.
That's when I saw it.
A Horned Rabbit.
Almost twice my size, gray fur like steel wool. Its single white horn glinted under the bioluminescent canopy. The way it moved—jumpy, cautious, tense. A prey animal—but a dangerous one.
> That horn could skewer me if I mess up.
But my stomach growled. I felt my muscles coil, my breath slow. I stalked it through the underbrush, every step calculated.
Then I sprang.
It turned, faster than I thought. Its horn slammed into my ribs. The impact knocked the wind out of me—I hit the dirt, gasping. My side throbbed, warm blood seeping down my torso.
But I didn't stop.
I snarled and used [Rabbit Leap]—the rabbit's own skill, not mine yet—imagining the motion. My legs responded. I leapt back in, teeth bared, and clamped down on its leg.
It screamed, a high-pitched squeal that stabbed my ears.
It kicked wildly. My claws dug into its side. I twisted, pulling. The bone cracked. The rabbit faltered. I took my chance and bit into its throat, deeper, harder.
Its pulse slowed.
Then stopped.
> Monster consumed: Horned Rabbit
Skill acquired: [Horn Charge]
Skill acquired: [Rabbit Leap]
Skill acquired: [Heightened Hearing]
A flood of power poured into me. My ears twitched—I could hear birds fluttering overhead, insects crawling under bark, things breathing underground. My body trembled—not from pain, but from growth.
My muscles twitched. My chest expanded. I felt more.
I ripped the horn from its skull and kept it as a weapon. Then, I started eating. Raw, greasy meat filled my gut. It wasn't about taste—it was about evolution.
---
The forest was alive with danger.
That night, I encountered a pack of Fanged Squirrels—sharp-clawed, aggressive. I lured one into a trap, using [Rabbit Leap] to bait and dodge, then snapped its neck.
Then another. And another.
> Monster consumed: Fanged Squirrel
Skill acquired: [Tree Climb]
Skill acquired: [Fang Pierce]
Skill acquired: [Quick Reflex]
That last skill—it made everything faster. I could move just before an attack landed, like a sixth sense. I could dodge without thinking.
I felt unstoppable.
But I wasn't foolish.
I rested high in a tree, using [Tree Climb] to secure myself. I carved the rabbit's horn into a crude dagger. My wounds stitched together overnight—[Stamina Boost] helped, and the fresh kills gave me energy.
---
By the next morning, I wasn't the same goblin.
I was leaner, faster, deadlier. My mind was sharper. I remembered my past life with eerie clarity—and I saw just how stupid I had been.
Trusting people. Dying for a cause that didn't matter.
Not this time.
This world had rules.
Kill. Eat. Grow stronger.
And I would master them.
> Skill List:
[Devourer]
[Sharp Bite]
[Night Vision]
[Basic Claw]
[Stamina Boost]
[Horn Charge]
[Rabbit Leap]
[Heightened Hearing]
[Tree Climb]
[Fang Pierce]
[Quick Reflex]
Every skill was a part of me now. Not just learned—fused. They layered over my instincts like armor. My old human body had limits. This one?
This one had none.
---
I returned to the goblin den before dusk. From the shadows, I watched them.
Still fumbling. Still crawling. Still weak.
One adult goblin swung a club lazily. Another squatted over a bone fire. They laughed, grunted, fought each other for scraps.
Primitive.
I grinned.
Not yet… but soon.
I would consume more. Learn more. Rise higher.
Until even the goblins feared my name.
---
I am Raizel.
The Devourer.
And this world?
Will be my feast.