---
The wind howled through the skeletal trees, cloaking the forest in uneasy silence. I moved through it like a whisper, shirt soaked in sweat, blood on my knuckles, heart pounding with adrenaline and something more… something wild.
A grin danced on my lips.
"Sajikai," I whispered.
The word felt alive now. Like a trigger, a switch. Every time I said it, something changed in me—something that felt less human and more like a puzzle piece clicking into the shape of something greater.
Tonight, the weight of that first kill still lingered, but it wasn't guilt. It was clarity. And hunger.
I stood above the fading corpse of the thief I'd taken down. Not long ago, his fists had thundered into my ribs like war drums. Now, he was still. And I… I felt stronger.
But only for a moment.
The borrowed strength was already fading, like fog kissed by morning light.
"...Compatibility only 23%," the voice in my head echoed. The system again.
> [Temporary Strength Boost Expiring...]
> [Compatibility below threshold. Permanent acquisition: DENIED.]
I sighed, flexing my fingers as the power slipped away. "Figures."
That's when the second notification chimed, low and menacing like a warning bell.
> [New Rule Unlocked: Death Trigger Detected]
> [Users with 0%–20% compatibility may DIE if ability is forcibly extracted.]
> [Subject: Deceased.]
My smile faded slightly.
So... I had killed him not just by fighting. But by taking. Stealing something his body wasn't ready to lose.
I wasn't sure how I felt about that yet.
The forest rustled.
I dropped low instinctively, hiding behind the twisted roots of an ancient tree. Someone—or something—was coming.
Three figures emerged from the shadow: swords drawn, faces masked. I recognized the symbol on their belts. Same group as the thief.
So… they travel in packs.
And they'd sent more. This wasn't a mugging.
This was a hit.
Len sent them.
My fists clenched as the pieces started falling into place. Len, the old friend who greeted me like a brother earlier, who just happened to know I was new to this world. That bastard.
I didn't need more evidence. His eyes had looked too kind.
My blood pulsed like drums as I whispered, "Time to test this out."
The system pulsed in response:
> [Analyzing Targets…]
> [Subject 1: Speed Affinity – 61% Compatibility]
> [Permanent Steal Possible.]
A rush of excitement filled me. My first real prize.
---
They didn't see me until it was too late.
I burst from the underbrush like a demon, fist slamming into the first attacker's jaw. Bone cracked. He flew backward and hit a tree with a wet thud.
The others lunged.
Swords flashed like lightning. I ducked, slid under the blade, grabbed a wrist, and yelled:
"SAJIKAI!"
Heat poured into my palm. Like grabbing a live wire coated in fire and ice.
> [Attempting Snatch…]
> [Speed Boost Identified… Compatibility: 61%]
> [Extraction Successful.]
> [New Ability Acquired: Rapid Step (Basic Level)]
> [Permanent Acquisition Confirmed.]
My vision sharpened. The world slowed. My heart still raced, but I could see the next strike before it came. I twisted mid-air, spinning behind my opponent. His eyes widened. Too slow.
I kicked him into the third guy with a CRACK.
They went down like dominoes.
I exhaled slowly.
It was like being high on lightning.
The system chirped again:
> [Rapid Step Activated – Duration: 15 seconds. Cooldown: 5 minutes.]
> [Congratulations. First Permanent Ability Acquired.]
> [Warning: Ability is Basic. Skill can be evolved through use.]
Basic, huh? Then I'll just keep evolving.
I looked down at the second man. He was unconscious—breathing. Lucky him.
The third guy, however, groaned as he tried to crawl away.
I stood over him.
"Where's Len?"
He spat blood. "Go to hell."
I grinned, grabbing his throat and lifting him off the ground. Not hard now. My body felt faster, stronger, sharper.
"Already been," I said. "Didn't like the view."
I slammed him down, hard.
> [Attempting Snatch: Unknown Ability… Compatibility: 12%]
> [Extraction Failed. Strike 1 of 3.]
> [Warning: Overuse on same target increases death chance.]
I narrowed my eyes.
"You're hiding something. And I hate liars."
Then I heard it.
A whisper on the wind. "They failed."
Voices… from the east ridge. Damn. Someone was watching.
A scout maybe? Or… Len himself?
I had no time.
I dropped the body and vanished into the trees, Rapid Step boosting my dash as I tore through the dark like a phantom.
---
I found shelter in an abandoned lookout, miles from the scene. My ribs ached. My skin buzzed. The stolen speed still thrummed beneath my skin.
As I caught my breath, I stared at my reflection in the cracked glass of a shattered lens.
I looked… the same. But felt like a different species entirely.
"One piece at a time," I whispered. "I'll snatch my way to the top."
The system pinged again.
> [You now have access to: Snatch Log, Compatibility Tracker, and Target Scanner.]
> [Warning: Reaching for high-tier powers with low compatibility may result in soul backlash.]
> [Reminder: You can only attempt snatching from one person three times. Exceed that, and either you die… or they do.]
Lovely.
I sat back, letting the moonlight creep over me. The path ahead wasn't just dangerous—it was bloody. But for the first time, I didn't feel like prey.
No, not anymore.
I was a hunter now. And with every fight, every SAJIKAI… I'd grow.
Len's name echoed in my mind. And the betrayal in his fake smile.
You sent them to kill me, old friend.
Big mistake.
Because now… I'm coming for everything.
---