The rhythmic sound of Adele's heels echoed through the dimly lit room as she paced back and forth with one of her arms crossed tightly against her chest. Her fingers trembled as she bit her thumb while her mind raced in turmoil.
"How… How did he know that?" she muttered, her voice laced with frustration and disbelief. "And more than that… something was different."
A shiver ran down her spine as remembered the scene. Kael, whom she had tormented, and the one who cowered in fear at her mere presence, was gone. The terror she had etched into his soul had vanished, replaced by something far more sinister.
Mariana, stood at the side calmly by the window, adjusted her monocle, and spoke in an even, measured tone. "Perhaps we pushed him too hard."
Adele froze, her sharp eyes snapping toward the woman who had molded her into the person she was today. Mariana had been her guide, her teacher, the one who had supported her and shaped her into what she was today.
"Pushed him too hard?" Adele scoffed, her lips curling in disdain. "But wasn't that your idea? You told me to break him. To bully him, isolate him, make him weak."
Mariana nodded, unfazed. "Yes, but humans under extreme pressure either crumble… or transform into something dangerous." Her voice remained indifferent, but there was a glint of calculation in her eyes. "It seems he has chosen the latter. But even so, he is still useless."
"No!" Adele snapped, her face twisting with fury. "Didn't you see him? The way he spoke, the way he carried himself… It reminded me of Father."
Mariana's fingers tapped against the wooden armrest as she considered the words. She hadn't witnessed the change firsthand, but Adele's description was enough to make her wary.
After a long pause, she made her decision. "We have two options."
Adele leaned in, her heart pounding. "What are they?"
Mariana's lips curled into a slight smile. "A sudden transformation like his is bound to attract attention. We can frame him as a worshipper of an Evil God."
Adele smirked, pleased with the thought. "That would be easy. People love a good scandal."
Mariana tilted her head slightly. "Yes, but it will take time."
Adele frowned. "Then what's the second option?"
Mariana's smile deepened, her voice as calm as ever. "Assassination but..."
She paused and then smiled devilishly, "We might soon encounter an opportunity which the Young Master gonna create with its hand."
One… Two… Three… Four…
Kael's muscles burned as he continued his push-ups, with sweat trickling down his forehead. The confinement of his room was suffocating, but he refused to waste a second.
His body needed to be stronger, and his mind must be sharper. He had spent too long being weak, being a pawn in other games that ended horribly.
With each movement, he could feel the changes in his body. He was no longer that pitiful fool who begged for scraps of affection.
He wiped his forehead and sat up, rolling his shoulders. His thoughts drifted to his newfound talents.
In this world, talents were gifts bestowed upon individuals at birth, their true potential limitless.
Unlike traditional skills, which required effort to master, talents functioned as innate abilities, shaped by one's lineage, willpower, and divine favor. While natural talents had no fixed grade, the blessings granted by the gods followed a strict hierarchy, classifying them for better understanding.
Kael's talent, Devour, was of F+ rank, allowing him to consume and assimilate a fraction of another's abilities.
However, there was a catch. The ability was limited to those whose strength did not surpass the F+ threshold, and even then, he could only absorb one-tenth of a specific stat at random.
The true potential of this ability lay dormant waiting for the moment when it evolved into a higher grade. At S rank, he would finally gain control over which stat attributes to steal, turning him into an unparalleled force of nature.
Another defining trait was Comprehension. Ranked at F+, it allowed him to rapidly grasp techniques up to the F rank, bypassing the need for prolonged study. While this might seem trivial at first, it provided a crucial edge as he could quickly adapt, master, and outgrow weaker techniques, making his progress exponential over time.
But Kael was born into the prestigious Veydrin lineage, a family wielding the formidable Storm Pathway.
This unique affinity granted them dominion over elemental forces of wind, water, and lightning allowing them to manipulate nature itself without the need for spells or incantations.
His father, Grand Duke Ruth Veydrin, was blessed with the SSS-ranked Lightning Affinity, making him a walking natural disaster.
His sister, Adele, possessed an SS-ranked Wind Affinity, her control over air allowing her to move with unmatched speed and precision. Unlike ordinary mages who needed to construct spell formations and chant incantations, those blessed with an SS rank could conjure their elements at will, making them living weapons of destruction.
At a glance, Kael's talents seemed insignificant compared to the terrifying abilities of his family.
However, there was one key difference. While demons found divinity to be poison, Kael's Devour talent had the potential to consume and assimilate divine power. If nurtured correctly, he could become the first human capable of devouring the gods themselves.
A wicked smirk curled on Kael's lips as he pieced everything together. He was born weak, but weakness was merely a temporary state. In time, he would become the greatest predator this world had ever seen.
Moreover, his talent is limitless and will keep growing.
"Thankfully, I made the right choice of severing the blessing given by them and then using devour to grow them."
"All I need to do is bide my time… and then devour them all."
His fingers twitched at the thought. He had waited long enough. Now, it was his turn to play the game.
Kael's head snapped toward the door. He stood up slowly, cracking his neck as he made his way over.
When he opened it, a pile of books lay scattered on the floor.
A cold, seething rage bubbled inside him as he stared down at the mess. He had asked Butler Rami to send him books on history, politics, religion, and anything to understand the world better.
But someone had dared to throw them right in front of his door.
"I am sure it isn't Rami but the disobedient servants."
His fingers curled into fists. His breath came slow and steady, but his pupils dilated with fury.
"This bastard…" He exhaled sharply, forcing down his anger. "They still think I'm the same."
He bent down and picked up one of the books. Entering inside, he placed it on the table in the corner alongside the window.
And as he opened on to read.
Then, in an instant, a sharp, murderous aura exploded from his body.
His eyes widened as he read the first page.
"…Are you fucking kidding me?"