The forest descended into an unnatural silence.
Inside a broken house, the interior lay in disarray. Furniture lay overturned, scattered belongings covered the floor, and dust swirled in the air, disturbed by unseen forces. It was clear—the owners had abandoned this place in a hurry.
Moonrays filtered through the half-open window, bathing the ruined interior in a ghostly silver glow.
Ricky stood on a wooden table, his small frame rigid, eyes locked onto the shimmering window before him, his composure slipping as his mind flashed with countless thoughts at lightning speed.
"This Blood Drinker path..."
The translucent window before him displayed the Blood Drinker path in all its ominous clarity:
[The path of a pure devourer—feed, grow, and consume the blood of all who stand in your way.]
[Description: Enhances lifespan absorption efficiency and introduces a stronger blood-based ability. This path focuses on making the host a true lifespan vampire, capable of growing rapidly through hunting.]
Ricky's mandibles twitched. A tempting option, but something in his gut made him hesitate.
"Let's see what other paths have to offer..."
His gaze shifted to the next options:
[2 - Shadow Wing Mosquito (Stealth & Evasion Path)]
[The hunter unseen is the hunter unstoppable—adapt, disappear, and strike when least expected.]
[3 - Venom Fang Mosquito (Poison & Mutation Path)]
[Why merely drink when you can corrupt? A single bite will bring death, agony, or transformation.]
[4 - Fire Breathing Mosquito]
[Rise and thrive like the sun, burning enemies with a single glance.]
Ricky's tiny heart pounded in his chest. His mind flashed with all sorts of possibilities as he reread the descriptions, dissecting each one carefully.
[The Blood Drinker Path: A relentless predator, thriving on stolen years, consuming lifespans with every bite].
[The Shadow Wing Path: A phantom in the night, an untouchable killer, unseen and unpredictable].
[The Venom Fang Path: A toxic nightmare, spreading death and decay with every sting].
And lastly, the Fire Breathing Mosquito. A fiery terror, wielding destructive force, but lacking the finesse he sought.
Ricky immediately dismissed the Fire Breathing path. The idea of breathing fire sounded powerful, but it felt too crude—too obvious. He wasn't a beast that relied on brute force.
The Blood Drinker path, while appealing, didn't provide the kind of leverage he needed. He already absorbed lifespans, and this evolution didn't seem to offer any unique advantage beyond amplifying an existing ability.
The Shadow Wing path was alluring—stealth, speed, evasion. But he had no intention of living his life as prey, always running and hiding.
That left one option.
"...Venom Fang Mosquito."
In such a ruthless world, subtlety and deception were the true weapons of survival. A single bite that could cripple or kill—that was power.
Hesitating for only a moment, Ricky finally made his choice.
The instant he confirmed his decision, the floating window flickered violently.
[Choice Confirmed.]
[Please stay still. Evolution will now begin.]
A brilliant light engulfed him. Ricky barely had time to react before his entire body was swallowed by a pulsating, egg-like structure radiating with eerie blue light.
Time lost all meaning. The outside world faded away as he was cocooned within his evolving form, his body undergoing irreversible transformation.
---
Outside the ruined house, the air was thick with the stench of blood.
The catastrophe caused by Warlock Kurtas' sacrifice had not gone unnoticed. The surrounding factions had sensed the disturbance and swiftly converged upon the village.
Figures clad in powerful auras appeared one by one, their presence weighing heavily upon the land.
"Finally..."
Seraphina's golden eyes shimmered with divine light as she gazed upon the charred remains of Harrier Village.
The moment she received her younger brother's distress call, she had abandoned everything and rushed here at full speed.
Her brother was not one to ask for help lightly. For him to send an urgent plea meant the situation was dire.
But as she approached, a sudden dread coiled around her heart.
She halted, her eyes narrowing sharply.
A malevolent aura surged from the village ruins, a tangible presence of bloodlust thick enough to choke the air.
Her breath stagnated.
"Brother..."
---
Further away, a man clad in dark iron chainmail surveyed the devastation with a heavy gaze. His black hair framed sharp, piercing eyes, his aura carrying an unshakable righteousness.
Rivers of blood painted the ground red.
Noel Nrack, Commander of the Iron Fang Legion, stood unmoving, the sheer scale of slaughter weighing upon his soul.
"Such overwhelming demonic energy..."
His voice was low, filled with grim resolve.
"Just what manner of monster committed this atrocity...?"
He had been en route to eliminate a beast infestation when the pulse of dark power diverted his course. What he found here was beyond his expectations.
As he contemplated, heavy footfalls echoed behind him. Two soldiers clad in heavy iron armor stopped before him and saluted with the Iron Monika gesture.
"Commander, there is a survivor."
Noel's brow furrowed. Someone had lived through this carnage?
"Lead the way," he commanded, his voice like grinding stone.
The soldiers turned, leading him towards a broken house pulsating with an eerie, unnatural presence.
---
"Commander, this is the place."
The soldiers came to a halt before the ruined home, an unsettling energy seeping from within its walls.
"Open the door," Noel ordered.
As his men advanced, ready to force their way in, a sudden explosion of heat rippled through the air. A fiery light flashed above them.
A woman descended, wrapped in blazing radiance, her very presence exuding divine authority.
Noel's gaze sharpened. He recognized her instantly.
"Saintess of the Radiant Knight Order..."
Seraphina barely acknowledged him, her focus elsewhere. Her golden eyes flickered as they swept across the bloodstained ground, searching—desperate.
Her heart pounded, anxiety clawing at her insides.
There were no traces of her brother.
Dread twisted into something sharper—rage.
Her gaze snapped toward Noel, fire reflecting in her irises.
"Iron Fang barbarians... what did you do?"