MY DEVOURER SYSTEM

004. The Evolution Matrix

Ren sat cross-legged on the thin mattress of his cadet room. The space was tiny, smelling of cold concrete and cheap cleaning fluids.

The door was locked, but he knew true privacy was a joke at Vanguard Academy. At any moment, Isolde Revenhall’s eyes could be on him.

But right now, he had a bigger problem. A deep, heavy ache throbbed inside his bones, and a sharp, empty feeling grumbled in his stomach. No amount of standard academy food could fix it.

He closed his eyes, and the dark crimson panel of the Devourer System popped up behind his eyelids.

[Host Biometrics Critical: Hunger Meter at 34%]

[Warning: If Hunger falls below 15%, host will enter a 'Feral State'. Cortical control will be suspended. Automated feeding protocols will prioritize the nearest organic matter.]

"Great," Ren muttered. "I'm a ticking time bomb."

[Management Quest: Biological Stabilization]

[Objective: The introduction of the Abyssal Parasite Core has destabilized host's human DNA. To bridge the cellular gap and suppress the primal hunger, host must select and manifest an evolutionary trait from the consumed Abyssal Stalker.]

Three glowing strands of dark purple DNA floated in front of him, showing different choices based on the monster he had just eaten:

Option 1: [Chitinous Carapace Integration]

Effect: Grows layers of Stalker shell under Ren's skin. Increases physical defense by 40%. Reduces movement speed by 5%.

Hunger Suppression: Low (+10% stability).

Option 2: [Acidic Salivary Glands]

Effect: Turns spit into burning acid. Melts metals or organic stuff on direct contact.

Hunger Suppression: Medium (+25% stability).

Option 3: [Void-Strand Nervous System]

Effect: Replaces weak human nerves with the Stalker’s shadow fibers. Greatly boosts reflex speed and helps integrate future shadow skills.

Hunger Suppression: High (+50% stability).

Ren looked over the choices. Chitinous Carapace was good for defense, but a 5% speed loss could be deadly against lightning or gravity users. Acidic Glands were too loud—if he accidentally melted a wall, people would notice.

"The choice is obvious," Ren whispered. "System. Give me the Void-Strand Nervous System."

[Selection Confirmed. Commencing Neural Overwrite...]

Ren’s whole body locked up. It felt like freezing liquid nitrogen was being poured down his spine, shooting into his arms, legs, and fingers. He bit down hard on a piece of cloth to stop himself from screaming as his old human nerves burned away, replaced by pulsing abyssal filaments.

When the painful process finally stopped ten minutes later, Ren fell forward, breathing hard. He was soaked in sweat, but the crazy hunger in his gut finally calmed down.

He stood up and blinked. The world felt... slower. His vision was incredibly sharp.

Suddenly, his heavy steel door didn't just knock—it groaned from massive pressure.

The electronic lock hissed, turning from green to red as someone forced an override code from the outside. The door slid open, revealing a tall, broad-shouldered guy framed by the bright hall lights.

It wasn't Dean Halvern. This guy was way more dangerous.

Corbin Reyes.

Corbin was a third-year elite, the boss of the Iron Fang disciplinary squad, and a known thug for the Halvern family. He didn't wear a standard uniform; he wore a dark combat vest over his heavy chest. His eyes were cold, calculating, and completely lacking the childish anger that made Dean so easy to read.

Two heavy enforcers stood beside him, completely blocking the exit.

"Ren Kestrel," Corbin said, his voice deep and completely calm. He stepped into the tiny room, immediately making the small space feel suffocating. "I just came from the medical bay. Dean is getting his bones put back together. The doctors say his wrist wasn't broken by a clumsy fall. It was crushed by raw, high-impact force."

Ren kept his face blank, backing up slightly to look like a weak F-rank. "Senior Corbin... I told the instructor, I just tripped—"

Before Ren could even finish, Corbin's hand blurred.

It wasn't a wild swing like Dean's. Corbin drove a lightning-fast, open palm strike straight toward Ren’s throat. It was a pro move meant to crush a weakling's windpipe and force a confession.

Thanks to his new Void-Strand Nervous System, Ren saw the attack perfectly. His new abyssal nerves fired instantly, screaming at him to duck and punch Corbin straight in the liver.

But Ren forced his body to hold back. If I dodge this perfectly, he’ll know for a fact I’m hiding something.

Instead of dodging all the way, Ren let himself react just a split second late. He twisted his chest slightly so Corbin's palm missed his throat but slammed hard into his collarbone.

BANG.

The force threw Ren backward, crashing him hard against his metal desk. The metal actually bent from the impact, and a sharp pain shot through his chest.

Corbin didn't strike again. He just stood there, lowering his hand, his eyes narrowing as he watched Ren cough on the floor.

"You didn't dodge," Corbin noted, walking over to stand directly over Ren. "But your body didn't break either. A normal F-rank's collarbone would have turned to dust from that hit. Your muscle density is weird, Kestrel."

Ren looked up, holding his chest and faking a grimace of pain while secretly checking his status panel. His HP had barely dropped. The abyssal fibers had taken most of the shock.

"I don't care what little secret you're hiding," Corbin whispered, leaning down close to Ren's face. "The Halvern family paid for Dean's spot at this academy, and my squad protects their interests. Next week is the Wilderness Selection Exam inside the Tier-2 Shadow Rifts. No instructors. No cameras."

Corbin tapped Ren’s cheek twice with his fingers—a totally disrespectful gesture.

"I’m going to personally make sure you don't walk out of that rift alive, Zero. If you have a hidden god inside you, you better hope it can fight off an entire platoon."

Corbin turned around and walked out, his thugs slamming the broken door behind them.

Left alone in the dark, Ren slowly stood up. He wiped a speck of blood from his lip, his golden irises flashing to life for a quick second in the shadows.

The Devourer System chimed.

[New Quest Triggered: The Wilderness Selection]

[Objective: Elite factions have marked you for termination. Survive the Shadow Rift and eliminate the threats.]

[Target acquired: Corbin Reyes (Tier-4 Beast-Soul Class)]

[System Note: Devouring a Tier-4 Beast-Soul user yields a 35% chance to inherit the passive: 'Primal Reflexes'.]

Ren’s mouth curved into a cold, dark smile. "A Tier-2 Shadow Rift... full of monsters, and full of elites who want to lock themselves in the dark with me. Corbin... you have no idea what you just invited to the party."