Astral Devourer: Rise of the Forbidden King

Chapter 4 – The Bet

Morning sunlight streamed through Theo’s window, warm and bright, slowly pulling him out of sleep.

He blinked several times before focusing on the ceiling above him.

Monday.

The thought settled heavily in his chest.

For a moment, he simply lay there, staring upward as memories of the past weeks replayed in his mind. The humiliation. The beating. The way Billy and his friends had looked at him like he was nothing.

Theo exhaled slowly and pushed the thoughts away. Lying in bed wouldn’t change anything.

He forced himself up.

After taking a quick shower, he dressed carefully for school. This time, however, he made sure to hide his appearance. A dark hoodie covered most of his head, a face cap was pulled low over his eyes, and a nose mask concealed the lower half of his face.

Anyone who glanced at him would simply see another student.

Billy and his friends would not recognize him.

Not yet.

Ever since awakening as a werewolf, Theo had noticed small but undeniable changes in his body. His eyesight had become incredibly sharp. He could now see details from a distance that would have been impossible before. Sounds seemed clearer as well, and even the cool morning air carried faint scents he had never noticed before.

The world felt strangely vivid, as if someone had turned up its brightness.

Theo stepped outside and began the quiet walk toward Bedrock High School.

When he arrived, he avoided the main building and slipped directly into the library.

Miss Jessica looked up from her desk the moment he entered.

Her brows drew together in confusion.

“Theo?” she asked.

Theo lowered his mask just enough for her to see his face.

Recognition dawned on her expression immediately.

He walked closer and quietly explained everything.

He told her what Billy and the others had done, how they had cornered him and beaten him without mercy. As the memories surfaced, Theo’s voice tightened slightly, but he continued speaking.

When he finished, he made only two requests.

First, she must not report the incident.

Second, he asked if she could change his seat for the physics test so Billy wouldn’t recognize him.

Miss Jessica listened carefully before nodding.

“You’ll sit in the back corner,” she said gently. “No one will disturb you there.”

Theo released a breath he hadn’t realized he had been holding. The tightness in his chest eased slightly.

“Thank you,” he said quietly.

He remained inside the library until noon, keeping out of sight. When the time for the physics test arrived, he quietly entered the classroom and took the seat Miss Jessica had arranged for him.

The exam paper was placed on his desk.

Multiple-choice questions.

Theory sections.

Complex formulas he had revised again and again.

Theo focused entirely on the paper, blocking out everything else.

Two hours and thirty minutes passed quickly.

When he finished, he submitted his script and left the classroom without drawing attention to himself.

Before leaving the school grounds, he returned briefly to the library.

Miss Jessica looked up when he approached.

“Thank you for your help,” Theo said sincerely. “I won’t be coming to school for a while.”

She studied his face carefully. Concern flickered in her eyes, but she didn’t press him.

“Be safe, Theo.”

He nodded and turned away.

Let Billy think whatever he wanted.

Back at home, Theo changed into a red shirt and black joggers. Sitting down, he drank two full bottles of water in quick succession.

After a moment, a familiar notification appeared in his vision.

Daily Quest Complete

+5 EXP

Total EXP: 5/50

Theo leaned back slightly and stared at the wall, deep in thought.

Instead of heading straight to the gym that afternoon, he decided to visit Grandma Elizabeth.

Hallsville was a small town built along a hillside and surrounded by thick forests. Massive defensive walls encircled the town, structures constructed decades earlier after the rise of beasts and the devastating war against the Vikons.

Armed guards constantly patrolled the walls.

While the outside world had advanced to the point where humanity now traveled between planets, Hallsville remained simple.

Life moved slowly here.

Technology was basic.

Survival mattered more than convenience.

Grandma Elizabeth greeted Theo warmly when he arrived. After chatting for a bit, she handed him a short grocery list along with her payment card.

Theo hesitated slightly before taking it.

At Holland Mall, one of the only two malls in the town, he carefully gathered the items on the list. When he reached the cashier, however, he noticed something.

The balance on her card was not enough.

Without saying anything, Theo quietly used his own card to pay the remaining amount.

He didn’t want her to worry.

Two weeks passed.

Theo never returned to school.

Instead, he trained.

Every day he completed the system’s quests.

Little by little, his body grew stronger.

Status Window

Name: Theo Taylor

Level: 4

EXP: 15/100

Race: Werewolf

Rank: Wolf Cub

Class: None

Stats

HP: 25/25

Stamina: 8

Strength: 8

Agility/Speed: 8

Defense: 8

Attack: 8

Meanwhile, at Bedrock High School…

Billy leaned casually against a locker while James and Paul stood nearby.

“Theo hasn’t shown up for two weeks,” Paul said with a grin. “I think we really finished him.”

James snorted. “There’s no way he survived that beating without an ability.”

Billy’s lips slowly curved into a satisfied smile.

“No one even remembers him anymore,” he said confidently. “And no one will.”

Yet for some reason, the silence that followed made him uneasy.

One morning, while helping Grandma Elizabeth clean a spare room, Theo accidentally knocked a book from the shelf.

It landed on the floor with a dull thud.

He bent down and picked it up.

The title read:

Mystery of Thunder and Lightning

The moment his fingers touched the cover, a notification echoed inside his mind.

Unknown-Tier Thunder Skill Book detected.

Would you like to learn this ability?

Theo’s heartbeat quickened.

Before he could respond, Grandma Elizabeth suddenly appeared in the doorway.

The moment she saw the book in his hands, her expression changed instantly.

Without a word, she strode forward, snatched the book from him, and walked away.

Theo remained where he stood, confused.

Her reaction had been far too sudden.

Far too intense.

But he chose not to question her.

Not yet.

Days passed.

Then an entire week.

Grandma Elizabeth suddenly stopped answering her door.

Theo knocked several times.

No response.

He asked around the neighborhood, but no one had seen her.

Theo stood outside her house for a long moment, his brows slowly furrowing as an uneasy feeling crept into his chest.

On a cold Tuesday morning, Theo finished his daily water quest.

A notification appeared.

+5 EXP

Then another message followed.

Congratulations. You have reached Level 5.

The evolution process will now begin.

At first, nothing happened.

Then the pain struck.

It exploded through Theo’s body without warning.

His legs buckled and he collapsed to his knees, his palms slamming against the floor as a violent tremor surged through his muscles.

“Agh—!”

A strained cry escaped his throat.

His bones felt as if they were being forced apart and crushed together again. Every nerve in his body burned like it had been set on fire.

Theo clenched his teeth, trying to endure it, but the pain only grew worse.

His fingers dug into the floor as another wave of agony tore through him. Sweat poured down his face and his breathing became ragged.

It felt as though something inside him was tearing his body apart and rebuilding it at the same time.

His vision blurred.

For a terrifying moment, Theo thought he might actually die.

Then suddenly…

The pain vanished.

Theo collapsed onto his side, gasping for breath as his body trembled uncontrollably.

A strange warmth spread through his muscles.

Power.

Real power.

Then the familiar mechanical voice echoed in his mind.

Congratulations. Evolution complete.

Rank advanced to Young Wolf.

“Zero…” Theo murmured weakly.

“Yes, Master,” the system responded. “You have successfully evolved.”

Status Window

Name: Theo Taylor

Level: 1

EXP: 0/125

Race: Werewolf

Rank: Young Wolf

Stats

HP: 35/35

Stamina: 10

Strength: 10

Agility/Speed: 10

Defense: 10

Attack: 10

Later, Theo stood in front of a mirror and studied his reflection.

He had grown taller, nearly six feet now.

His shoulders were broader. His muscles were more defined. Even his hair had grown longer, brushing lightly against his shoulders.

The weak boy he once was had disappeared.

Now he looked stronger.

Sharper.

More dangerous.

Theo decided to go for a jog to test his new body.

Running felt effortless. The wind brushed past him as his feet moved smoothly across the ground.

Without realizing it, his path eventually led him near the school.

And that was when he saw them.

Billy.

James.

Paul.

They froze the moment they recognized him.

Theo walked toward them slowly.

Billy’s eyes widened.

“You…?”

Theo gave a faint smile.

“Yes,” he said calmly. “It’s me.”

Students nearby began whispering as they noticed the confrontation.

“You thought you killed me,” Theo continued quietly. “But as you can see, I’m still here.”

Billy grabbed Theo’s arm angrily.

“You think you’re strong now?” he shouted. “You’re still nothing!”

Theo glanced down at Billy’s hand gripping his sleeve.

Then he raised his eyes.

A cold smile formed on his face.

“Let’s make a bet.”

The courtyard fell silent.

“Six months from now,” Theo said calmly, “the day before graduation. You and I fight at the school training ground.”

Billy’s jaw tightened.

“The loser must obey any demand the winner makes.”

Murmurs spread among the students watching.

Billy hesitated.

Theo tilted his head slightly.

“What’s wrong?” he asked softly. “Are you afraid to fight someone you once called useless?”

Billy’s pride exploded instantly.

“Fine!” he snapped. “You’re dead!”

Theo twisted his wrist slightly.

Billy’s grip broke immediately.

Billy stumbled back two steps, shock flashing across his face.

That strength…

It was completely different.

Theo turned and began walking away.

Billy stared at his retreating figure.

Something about Theo felt wrong.

The way he moved.

The way he spoke.

The way he looked at him.

It was no longer the gaze of prey.

It was the gaze of a predator.

And for the first time since they met…

Billy felt a cold chill crawl down his spine.

The hunt had begun.