The faint energy surge from consuming the Lumina Blatta was a welcome reprieve, pushing back the debilitating weakness Kaelen had felt since awakening in this nightmare. Twenty percent energy felt like luxury, though the System's persistent, low hum reminded him it was merely a buffer, not a solution. He flexed his hands, testing the subtle toughness imparted by the [Minor Chitin Reinforcement]. It wasn't armor, not yet, but his skin felt less fragile, more resilient against the abrasive touch of the ruined world. The [Glow] ability felt… odd, a strange internal switch he could flip, but he couldn't imagine a use for it beyond startling potential prey or, more likely, attracting unwanted attention.
The [Basic Insectoid Adaptation (12% Progress)] pathway was a tantalizing hint of what was possible. Evolution. Not just survival, but transformation. The thought sent a shiver down his spine – a mix of fear and exhilarating anticipation. But progress required fuel. The System's hunger was his own, a constant, gnawing demand in the back of his mind. He needed more biomass, more unique genetic data.
Staying put wasn't an option. This street was picked clean, and lingering invited danger. Kaelen scanned the towering skeletons of skyscrapers that formed this concrete jungle. Wind whistled through shattered panes, carrying dust and the distant, unsettling cries of unseen things. Sunlight struggled to pierce the perpetual grey overcast, casting long, distorted shadows that seemed to writhe with hidden threats. Unstable structures groaned under their own weight, threatening collapse at any moment. Patches of iridescent, oily residue slicked the pavement in places – mutation zones, perhaps? Best avoided.
He needed water, shelter, and a better vantage point. He chose the least damaged building nearby, a former office tower whose lower floors seemed relatively intact, and began to move cautiously towards its entrance, keeping to the shadows, his rebar held ready.
A harsh, grating screech echoed from above, drawing his attention. Perched precariously on a rusted window frame several stories up was a flock of birds, though 'bird' felt like an insult to the avian life Kaelen remembered. They were vaguely pigeon-shaped but larger, their feathers sparse and ragged, revealing patches of scaly, grey skin. Their eyes burned with a malevolent red light, and their beaks were elongated, wickedly sharp, like surgical tools designed for tearing flesh.
[Target Identified: Corvus Corruptus (Flock - 5 Units)] [Threat Level: Moderate (Group Tactics Detected)] [Potential Biomass Yield: 0.8 Units per Unit] [Potential Genetic Data: Enhanced Vision (Avian), Hollow Bone Structure (Agility), Corrosive Guano (Trace)]
Moderate threat. Group tactics. Corrosive guano. Kaelen's brief surge of confidence evaporated. Five of them. Attacking head-on with his rebar was suicide. They had height advantage, numbers, and likely surprising speed. He needed a plan.
He ducked into the shadowed entryway of the target building. The lobby was a wreck of overturned furniture and debris. Looking up through the shattered remnants of the ceiling, he could see the Corvus Corruptus flock shifting restlessly on their perch. An idea sparked, risky but potentially effective.
He focused, activating the [Glow] skill. A faint, sickly green light emanated from his hand. He kept it brief, just a pulse, aimed towards a pile of reflective debris deeper within the lobby. As he'd hoped, the sudden flash of unexpected light caught the attention of the creatures above. Their red eyes swiveled downwards, heads cocked with aggressive curiosity. One of them let out another grating screech and launched itself from the perch, gliding down towards the lobby entrance.
One down, four to go. Kaelen extinguished the glow and melted back into the deepest shadows near the entrance, gripping the rebar tightly.
The lead Corvus Corruptus landed silently just inside the lobby, its talons clicking on the dusty tile. It peered into the gloom, its head darting back and forth, searching for the source of the light. Kaelen held his breath. The creature took a hesitant step forward, then another.
Now. He burst from the shadows, swinging the rebar in a wide, horizontal arc. He aimed not for a killing blow, but to disable. The heavy iron bar slammed into the creature's legs, eliciting a pained shriek and the sickening crunch of bone. The bird collapsed, flapping frantically, trying to drag itself away.
The shrieks alerted the rest of the flock. With angry cries, the remaining four launched themselves downwards, dive-bombing towards the lobby. Kaelen scrambled back, dodging the first attacker, its sharp beak narrowly missing his face. He felt a sharp sting on his shoulder as another swooped past, its talons grazing him even through his tattered clothes. The [Minor Chitin Reinforcement] likely saved him from a deeper wound.
He swung the rebar defensively, keeping them at bay, but it was clumsy against their aerial agility. One landed and spat a globule of white, steaming guano that hit the floor near his foot, eating into the tile with an audible sizzle. He needed to end this quickly.
He lunged towards the first bird he'd crippled, bringing the rebar down hard on its head. Its struggles ceased.
[Target Neutralized. Proceed with Consumption?]
"Consume!" he gasped, placing his hand on the dead creature even as he dodged another attack. The familiar data-dissolution effect washed over him, particles of grey and red light flowing into his palm.
[Biomass Consumed: +0.9 Units] [Energy Level: 29/100] [Genetic Data Analyzed: Corvus Corruptus] [Skill Acquired: Minor Avian Vision (Passive) - Visual acuity slightly enhanced, improved motion tracking.] [Trace Genetic Data Secured: Hollow Bone Structure, Corrosive Guano] [Evolution Pathway Updated: Basic Avian Adaptation (6% Progress)]
The influx of energy and the subtle sharpening of his vision spurred him on. Three left. He used the momentary confusion caused by the assimilation to strike another bird as it landed, a lucky blow to its wing. He pressed the attack, ignoring the pain in his shoulder, fighting with the desperation of a cornered animal. Another kill, another quick assimilation. His energy climbed, his vision becoming unnervingly sharp.
The remaining two birds seemed to hesitate, perhaps sensing the shift in momentum, their corrupted instincts screaming danger. With coordinated screeches, they abandoned the attack, flapping powerfully back up towards the higher floors.
Kaelen didn't pursue. He slumped against a pillar, breathing heavily, checking his shoulder. A shallow scratch, already scabbing over thanks to the chitin reinforcement. He had survived. He had won.
He quickly consumed the second bird he'd killed, bringing his energy to nearly 50%. The whispers of evolution grew louder in his mind, the promise of adaptation a siren call. He found a relatively secure room off the main lobby, barricaded the door with a heavy desk, and finally allowed himself to rest, the System's status screen glowing reassuringly in his vision.
The concrete jungle was dangerous, teeming with predators. But it was also teeming with potential, with the biomass and genetic keys he needed to unlock the power slumbering within the Abyss. He was still prey, but he was learning to be a predator. And he was still hungry.